James deals directly with a common problem among Christians—“playing God.” Having just exposed our tendency to be self-assertive and quarrelsome, he goes a step further and shows a couple of the more familiar ways we assert an arrogant spirit.
Have you ever had an experience when circumstances were completely out of your control and there was nothing you could do…except trust God? When that happens it's a good reminder that God is the potter and we are the clay.
Pastor Chuck Swindoll reminds us to live out the truth: "I am not in charge." God alone is "in charge" of us, others, our plans for the future, and our circumstances.
Now that we’ve considered the action we must take, let’s turn to Galatians 6:1 for a close look at the proper attitude we need. To qualify for helping restore others to the truth, we must first be filled with the Spirit and not controlled by the flesh.
Well, just for some tongue-in-cheek fun, I’d like to take the opposite tack. I’m going to tell you how to waste your time. That’s right, if you follow this advice, you will make absolutely no progress this year. Guaranteed!
As much as I love to have the future figured out and my five-year plans mapped out, in truth, we are all going through life blindfolded. We don’t know what’s around the corner. We have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow.
We’ve heard it said that we never stand taller than when we kneel before God. But what actually happens when we offer our prayers and petitions to God? Does He change His mind?
There are days when it’s wise for us to stop and look and listen. We scrutinize our lives, examine Scripture, and spend extended time in prayer as we gain a clearer sense of what God is doing in our lives and what He has for us in the future. As the new year rolls around, take some time for reflection and renewal. Start today.
Let’s take a wide view of our lives as we seek to clarify our thinking from the Bible about where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.
Picture someone who walks in integrity, loves God, and treats others with kindness and grace and mercy…and then, suddenly, loses everything. How could this happen? And could it happen to you? Who knows? The experience may be just around the corner.
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