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Planning For The Future James 4:13-17. Introduction. Planning is one of the most important aspects of life We plan our day We plan our lives Planning is also involved in living a spiritual life We cannot plan to do wrong We must plan to do right
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Introduction • Planning is one of the most important aspects of life • We plan our day • We plan our lives • Planning is also involved in living a spiritual life • We cannot plan to do wrong • We must plan to do right • We must take serious consideration in planning our future • We all want to be successful, but being successful in life has a lot to do with how we plan our future • Do you have a plan?---What are your goals?---Spiritually, educationally, marriage, church • Three major mistakes we make when planning the future • Self-Centered Planning • Self-Confident Presumption • Self-Complacent Procrastination
Beware of Self-Centered Planning v13 • This man planned the future of his business • He planned the period of time:Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow • He planned the places he would go:we will go into such a city, • He planned his procedure: and continue there a year, and buy and sell, • He planned his profits: and get gain: • The Bible does not discourage planning. This man made plans without God in them. He did not seek the will of God • Ps 32:8-9----What would you really do if you had a million dollars? • God has a plan for every area in your life • Confess our sins (Get your heart right with God) I Jon 1:6; 8-9 • Consecration (Do you really want to know the will of God----do you just want God to help you in your plans?) Prov 3:5-6 • Concentration(Listen to God) Prov 8:33-35 • God called a man a fool because he did not have him in his plansLk 12:16-21
Beware of Self-Confident Presumption v 14-15 • Future: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow v14a • The fact is that we all do not really know what is going to happen in the future • We cannot change the past, nor can we predict the future---The only thing we control is the here and now! Matt 6:33-34 • Fait: For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away V14b • What is certain about life?----it is short---you will die. Prov 27:1 • Life is compared to a vapor of smoke! • Time is fleeting---we must be careful not to waste time Ps 90:10 • Faith: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or thatv 15 • The fact is that we should depend on the Lord • Ps 23 “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want” • “Not my will but let thy will be done” Matt 26:39
Beware of Self-Complacent Procrastination v 16-17 • Pride: But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evilv16 • Disposition of ignoring God----Many people do not have any concern for God in their live (sometimes the wealthy feel they have no need for God) • Self-sufficient---rejoicing in this attitude is evil and a sin • God knows how to bring you down • Nabal--- Who is David” • Procrastination: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sinv17 • Procrastination is one of the biggest problems we have today • It is a sin to omit to do what is right Pro 3:27 • King Zedekiah allowed Jeremiah to be put in stocks and thrown into the pit • People are not saved because they have failed to do what they ought to do Acts 22:18, Acts 24:25 • The sin of omission is why some homes are falling apart-----all you have to do is nothing….just neglect what you ought to do • In the church
Conclusion • We must plan for the future • In all of our planning we must have God involved • We plan a lot of things---clothes, education, day • The most import plan we can make is planning our spiritual future • Have you made plans for your future!