Don’t Leave God Out
James 4:13-17
It is wise to have plans and goals and dreams for your day, your family, your finances, your health, etc. A man with no goals drifts through life only to get to death’s door sadly wishing he had accomplished SOMETHING. A popular motivational saying is, “Plan your work and work your plan.
Some members of First Church had plans. But James had a problem with the way they planned.
Come now [and pay attention to this], you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and carry on our business and make a profit” James 4:13.
I do not see the problem so far, do you. They are doing the wise thing, planning for their financial future. They “had plans for the future and had sketched in the details fairly specifically. They had a timetable (today or tomorrow), a location (such and such a city), a schedule (a year), a plan (do business), and a determined conclusion (make a profit)” (Tony Evans).
Even though at first glance, First Church’s plans seem outstanding, James was concerned with their arrogant presumption that they were in total control of their tomorrow. He chided them for their assumption:
Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air] (James 4:14).
Years ago, after I taught a bible study lesson at church, I gave all attendees a poster that read GOD IS THE BOSS OF ME. For months it was posted in my office, the church office, and the hall bulletin board. I wanted everyone to recognize and acknowledge that God is sovereign, and we are not. I wanted us all to agree that as a church we make plans, but ultimately God is in control.
Maybe James was remembering David’s psalm when he told First Church that they were merely a vapor that would vanish in just a little while. David wrote:
“Behold, You have made my days as [short as] hand widths,
And my lifetime is as nothing in Your sight.
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath [a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes]! Selah.
“Surely every man walks around like a shadow [in a charade];
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
Each one builds up riches, not knowing who will receive them Psalm 39:5-6, Amplified Bible).
James instructed First Church that when Christians make plans, Christ should be included. “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and we will do this or that” (James 4:15, Amplified Bible). Warren W. Wiersbe explains:
“Life is not uncertain to God, but it is uncertain to us. Only when we are in His will can we be confident of tomorrow, for we know that He is leading us…God reveals His will in His Word, and yet most people ignore the Bible. God gives precepts, principles, and promises that can guide us in every area of life. Knowing and obeying the Word of God is the surest way to success.
Instead of acknowledging God’s sovereignty, First Church businessmen were bragging about their plans to each other and James had a warning for them. “But as it is, you boast [vainly] in your pretension and arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:16-17, Amplified Bible). Presuming you are in charge of your life, and God is a nice addition to it is evil. The truth is man cannot see or control the future and to deny the sovereignty of God is immoral and wicked.
Here is my advice, take it or leave it. Make plans for every area of your life. No plans and you are at the mercy of fate. Submit your plans to the Lord. Search his Word for the principles to help you to succeed. Pray and ask for His guidance. Take time to listen for the voice the Holy Spirit. Obey God’s guidance through His Word and His Spirit. Then praise Him in advance because God said: “’For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11) If it turned out the way you planned, praise Him. If it did not turn out the way you planned, praise Him even the more because He has something better and He saved you from unnecessary heartache.
Let us all declare for everyone to hear, “GOD IS THE BOSS OF ME!” Join the conversation.
Dr. Dorothy J. Haire
Author & Blogger
Both church planter and pastor of Bread of Life Christian Church for the last 18 years, Dr. Haire is a beloved mother and successful author. Empowered to deliver the word of God to His people, Dr. Haire uses her digital platform to educate and develop Christian communities that are rooted in the word of Christ.
What a wonderful commentary. Letting Him be my Boss everyday and through everything is an EVERY MINUTE sacrifice. Thank God I finally became aware that my “self-death” is the only way I will fully succeed and accomplish His Will. Thanks for sharing this!
Good morning. Excellent insight. Yes, too often our plans do not include the Father. I have learned truly to lean not to my understanding but in all my ways acknowledge Him. In so doing, He has led me into depths of knowledge I could never imagine and this has equipped me to teach others in ways that they can also get understanding. By following His will, under my leadership as Director of our Small Groups Ministry, our church Bible Study participation has moved from about 40 weekly participants to as many as nearly 400. Even during this pandemic, our Small Groups Ministry is actively connecting with close to 300 members for each of our 6 week Sessions. My Pastor credits this ministry for keeping our church strong as we continue to build healthy and exceptional disciples for the Kingdom of God. I would not think if undertaking anything without seeking Him first. Thank you for this word.
Dr. Haire thank you for that timely reminder that our plans are to center around God. We are to seek his direction when making plans for he holds our future.
Inspiring as usual. We can and should plan but without God in our plans they are futile.
Another inspiring blog. Thank you again. This reading brought to my mind the passage of scripture from Proverbs 19:21 that states, “Many are the plans in a oerson’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”.
Dr Haire thank you for the informative blog. Everything that we plan should have God in it. I believe we should acknowledge God fist then he will direct our paths.
A very inspiring blog. Thank you again. This reading brought to mind the passage of scripture from Proverbs 19:21 NIV that states, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails”.
Dr. Haire, Amen, Amen, Amen!
I remember practicing saying if its the Lords will. . .and I continue to professing those words.
I’ll always remember the words you gave us and taught us, “God is the Boss of me”.) There’s been so many times that God has brought me through when I failed my will, my way, my plans. But God, through his holy spirit, has revealed and continues to reveals to me His will, His promises, His ways that outweighs my pea headed ways realizing “God is ultimately in control.” So I continue to declare “GOD IS THE BOSS OF ME”!
AMEN AMEN AMEN!
What a blessing! GOD IS THE BOSS OF ME!!! Let me think about how we work in the secular world. If we work for someone and we write up a plan, we must submit it to our boss for approval. Our boss will accept that plan, ask you to modify it, or reject it. And if it’s rejected, we do not move forward. If we must tweak it, we tweak it. So the plans for our lives we submit them to God because He is our boss. He will say move forward, point you in another direction, or say that’s not for you. Why do we try to move forward anyway?
Thank you Dr. Haire for speaking to us with such clarity. Blessings!
“GOD IS THE BOSS OF ME”.
God is control of our lives, indeed.
God is the Boss of Me! Even though we hear that God already has his plans for us mapped out we as Christians often throw a curveball by trying to do it our way. Thanks again for this reminder!
I love this as I love all of your blogs. I need to use this right now. Sometimes I have ideas of what I want to do or think that it’s what God wants. I pray over the ideas and ask God what should I do. Then I think to myself to move forward and God will let me know rather I’m moving in the right direction. I want to hear Him specifically but I feel as though God is saying to step out and I’ll guide you.
This blog is a great reminder that God is in charge of our lives. Sometimes we get so caught up in life going here and there making plans and assumption that we forget about God. We need to be reminded that God is in charge of our lives.
Great message and reminder that God is always in Total Control!
Yes Indeed. God Is The Boss. It reminds me of the scripture “many plans are in the heart of man, but the plans of the Lord supercedes them all”. This is a reminder of our insufficiencies. Well said..
There’s a saying, Without God, I can do nothing. The truth, without God, you can do a lot, but why would you want such a mess? Jesus is my Lord!!
Inspiring reminder Dr. Haire.
As stated before, “without God I can do nothing” and would probably fail. In order to do those things that are pleasing to God I am learning constantly to yield my will to His. An addition to my morning prayer, “Father today what is Your will for me? God, you are in control.”
A simple Amen
Yes God is the the Boss of my life, to him be the glory and thank for mercy and grace on me,I give him praise because of who he is to me. He is my saviour, I ask him to help me walk out the plan I believe he has given me, even day, I see his hand in it ,thank you Lord.
Always beautiful to put down our plans, and even more beautiful when God is allowed and welcomed in to shift, refine, and perfect our plans.
Each day with Him is sweeter than the day before.
Thank you again for your beautiful insights. A simple Amen, again!🙌🏽
James is reminding the Brethren again to LISTEN as he did in James 1:19. The question is “what is the will of God” in the planning stage. God and His Son made plans before this world was created. We as a people/parents should develop goals for our spiritual, physical, social, financial and emotional lives as the Lord leads and guides us. This will eliminate the pride and arrogant attitudes associated with the accomplishment of these goals.
Many parents encourage their children to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, etc. Seldom does a parent or person say “I want my child to be or I want to be a Christian. My child is or I am going to (the wilderness) college to learn more about God and His will for me. Remember 75 year old Abram and his response to the Lord in Genesis 12:1-4. This was not part of Abram’s plans. He saw it as the “will” of his Friend and of his God. Sing that song with me, “Trust and Obey.”