13 Look here, you people who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." 14 How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog ?it's here a little while, then it's gone. 15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." 16 Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. 17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
When I was reading this Passage in James chapter 4 it really stuck out to me ... and realized how relevant it was.
We (me included) too often get distracted with our own plans, whether it is the fact we are chasing money, or we want a more comfortable life, or we think we aren't able to do what God wants us to do. But the the truth is we haven't got multiple lives to waste as the Hindus believe. We haven't got time to waste, we can't live for ourselves today making money, and say we'll go out on the missionfield later. The key is to be where God wants us to be, to go and do what he wants us to do, to live where he wants us to live ... Not because we have to do what God wants us to do, but we do it because we know he has the best for us. Why live for temporal riches when the riches in heaven are so much greater ... this isn't some idea made up so we would live self-sacrificing lives ... ITS THE TRUTH, so why don't we live it. If we really are following Christ's example we would give it up when God says do it ... we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Its a sin not to do what we know God wants us to do (verse 17)
If God tells you to go GO, if he tells you to stay STAY.
If God is telling you to speak to your neighbour about Christ. If you know God is telling you to give up your job and your unsaved girlfriend and move to Africa as a missionary, then don't be held back. Get rid of the weights that are holding you back (Hebrews 12:1) Run the race.
3 comments:
Hey Thomas,
Good post son. The last line (verse 17)is the one that really hits a home run sometimes. Sometimes we ignore what we know we should do, mostly out of fear of the unknown. It's one thing to know what we should be doing, but another thing to allow our faith to rise up within us such that we can go and do it. The reason that it is sin not to do what we know we should do is because once God shows us what we should be doing, He also provides the means (resources, finances, etc) and the faith to go and do it.
Keep learning. God is doing an awesome work in you. Love you and miss you Thomas,
Dad
Thanks for the post in my blog. Im glad you did - not because I wanted someone to notice it - but simply because your name linked me to your blog as well as your friends'. Of course, it is a rich source of inspiration to live only for the King.
I am blessed with this current one. I myself have heard that sweet Voice calling me into the nations. And I am in the process of resigning from my current job to go to Dubai, somehow be a tentmaker there and help out a cousin who has a church there.
Your thoughts had been more of an encouragement to me. It's a confirmation.
Keep that fire burning, brother.
Keep in touch.
Jake
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