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Oct 13, 2024

God Willing | Faith in Action

God Willing | Faith in Action

Passage: James 4:14-17

Speaker: Matt Petty

Series: Faith in Action

Category: Sunday Sermons

Keywords: pastor, sunday morning, prayer, god, sermon, bible, spiritual growth, bible study, desiring god, faith in action, mindfulness, book of james, motivational, christian motivation, burnt hickory, burnt hickory worship, submit to god's authority, faith and obedience, pursuing god's purpose, james 4 sermon, commitment to god’s will

Today, we dive into a vital question: Are we truly living in line with God's will? In this message, we explore what it means to have an active, ongoing commitment to do the will of God. As we reflect on the teachings of James, we'll unpack the four common attitudes people have toward God's will—ignoring it, denying it, disobeying it, or faithfully doing it. We’ll also consider what God’s will looks like in our lives: being radically saved, controlled by the Holy Spirit, pursuing a pure life, and submitting to His authority. Ultimately, a life in step with God's will is not just about knowing what is right—it's about living it out in every moment, every decision. Where do you stand in your journey? Have you surrendered your life to follow God's will? If you’re ready to take the next step, we'd love to connect with you, answer your questions, and pray with you. Feel free to reach out, and remember—you’re never walking this journey alone. Join us today and learn how you can align your life with God’s purpose and discover true fulfillment. To take the next step in your faith journey, visit burnthickory.com/next.

Well, good morning church. I hope you have had a great week. Welcome back to church. James chapter four, if you've got a Bible today, that's where we will be. We're going to jump back into our series that we are just calling Faith in Action, that over the last two and a half months, what we've been doing is peering over the shoulder of our friend James, right? The half-brother of Jesus, the leader of the Jerusalem Church, and we have been watching him teach these first-century Christians what it looks like to walk out their faith, what it looks like to take the things that are in scripture and walk them out in our life because it does us no good just to know something if it's not affecting our lives.

For the first four and a half chapters, James has systematically laid out a plan that if we watch it, we will walk out our faith. He had dealt with so many applicable topics like walking out our faith in trials, in temptation, walking out our faith when we read the word and need to place it into our life, walking out our faith and favoritism or prejudice, walking out our faith when it comes to the things that come out of our mouths or even last week, the most current one of what it looks like to walk out our faith when we had this conflict with other people. Now, last week, I don't know about you, but last week was the week that jumped on me. Now, look, as a pastor, I'm not going to lie to you, some weeks as I'm studying and getting ready to preach, some weeks, I'm like, yeah, man, Lord, let them have it.

This will straighten everybody out, right? But I'm going to tell you, last week, the Lord said: Hey, Matt, this one's for you. So, sit down and be quiet. Because I can't tell you how many times in my life there have been conflicts with other people. And man, when I walked away from last week's text thinking about that, the problem most of the time is that I'm expecting something out of somebody that they can't give, and I'm raising them to the level of where God should be in my life. Man, that just kicked my tail all week long. Listen, here's what I want to do this morning, all right? We're going to follow the same mode that James has been following every single week, and this week, God willing, we're going to finish chapter four by allowing James just to give us what I'm going to call today the test of God's will versus our will.

One of the things I've loved about James so much is every week has just been so applicable, and today is going to follow that pattern. James today is going to lean into this massive idea today of living out God's will. He's going to take the stance, all right, from the beginning of this message to the end of this idea or this assumption that God's will should be the primary indicator of who a Christian is. Let me give you a little principle about where I want to go today. Here it is. I have put it in your notes. A true Christian has an ongoing active commitment to do God's will. That's where we're going to launch today, and it's where we're going to walk the rest of the morning because the rest of the day will be around this idea of us living out God's will in our lives.

Now, this phrase: God's will. We've got to talk about it for a minute because here's what I want you to see. The phrase, God's will is not new to James, okay? If you've been studying the Bible for any length, you will know you can't read the Bible without seeing this idea about God's will. After all, this is what Jesus was talking about in Mark 3:35. When Jesus said these words, it is a little bit confusing till you look at them through this light. Jesus said: Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. It seems a little bit confusing, but Jesus is saying, Hey, those people who are genuinely linked to me, who truly related to me, who truly abide in me, who truly know me, Jesus says they consistently demonstrate it by doing God's will.

I even love how this is expressed in Psalms 40:8. Listen to what the psalmist encourages us. He says: I desire to do your will, my God. Your law is within my heart. Psalm 143:10 says: Teach me God. Teach me to do your will for you are my God. May your good spirit lead me on level ground. In other words, he's saying, God, I need your will because it will propel me into the full life you've given me. You can come into the New Testament, and Peter has an incredible statement about God's will talking to those people who have genuinely trusted Jesus. First Peter 4, listen to what Peter says.

He says this about faithful followers: They do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires but rather for the will of God, for you have spent enough time in the past doing what the pagans choose to do. So, what does Peter say? Peter compares and contrasts the way of the pagans to the way of God's will. He says, listen, that our role as believers in Jesus is not to know him here only, but to walk out His will. And Peter is showing us that the driving force of our lives as believers in Jesus should be to do the will of God. Two weeks ago, Melissa and I were at the Harrison v McKean football game, supporting Dalton and watching him play that night.

And I remembered something. Some of you know this, some of you don't. I have a brother who died in high school in a car accident. He was an athlete at McKean High School. That's where he and I both went to high school, and he died in a car accident. But he was a believer in Jesus. He loved the Lord. He had led, I can't tell you, how many people to the Lord throughout his high school career, leading FCA in high school and middle school. Well, the football team said that they wanted to place a tree in his memory outside the locker room and asked if we would kind of pick something out to put on the plaque that represented who he was as a follower of Jesus.

And here's the verse we put on the plaque that reminded me of this point last week. We put First John 2:17, which just says the world and its desires will pass away, but the man or the person who does the will of God shall live forever. Church, listen. These verses have one thing in common: they point to this idea, and we don't think about it much. They point to this idea that people who are true believers, who have been redeemed, saved, and sanctified in him, have been radically saved. They want to do the will of God. Now, when I say that, I know one of the first things that comes to your mind is this: Believers are perfect. No, that's not what I'm saying.

But what I am saying is this: true believers in Jesus have a desire in their life to follow the will of God. Even when you look at the New Testament, it's an accurate statement. According to Jesus, there is nothing more characteristic of a true believer's life than wanting to do the will of God. Now, does that mean we always do it? No. I mean, we stumble, but it means it's there. So before we jump into James, let me ask you this: is there a desire in your heart to say, here I am, Lord, I want to follow you? Or is the constant theme of your life one of disinterest, disregard, and just saying, God, I'm in control and stay out of my way?

That's what James is about to deal with this morning. If you don't struggle with any of that, then listen, you just go get yourself another coffee and take the day off. But here's what I know: we struggle with this. But it is of utmost importance. Why? Because it defines who rules us. It defines who we've given and submitted our hearts to. It displays who and what we are living for. So, are you following your will, or are you following God's will? Alright, here it is. Let's get to James. I want you to see this illustration he gave this morning. If you've been in this James series with us, you know James will give an excellent illustration to teach you.

James gives us this illustration of this super successful businessperson struggling with the question of is it my will or is it God's will that we should follow. James 4:13 says: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Watch this in verse 14. He says: "Why? You do not even know what will happen tomorrow." Amen. Right? We don't. "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” Verse 16: "As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is a sin for them." Now, when you read all that together at first glance, this paragraph, the beginning, and the end don't seem to fit together, but they do. Let me show you how James paints a picture of this fictitious businessperson. Now, there is nothing wrong with business, all right? Don't hear me say that. There's nothing wrong with business. God loves businesspeople. God wants businesspeople. We need businesspeople. It's not a sin to make business plans. That's not what he's saying. Okay?

But this person that James is talking about, this businessperson, like many other businesspeople or just people in general, just thinks they are the ones who are ultimately in control. They are the ones who are ultimately responsible. They think they are the ones that should run their whole life. They are the ones whose will should be supreme. Their ideas should rule in everything. And even though they know they should be living for God; they are just living for themselves. And what James does throughout this little paragraph incredibly shapes these four attitudes toward the will of God. We will look at these so you can ask yourself, which one do you fall in this week?

Number one, it's just ignoring the will of God. Someone who lives as if God is not present. I mean, they know that there's a God out there, but God is not present. There's no regard for the presence of God. There's no regard for the things of God, right? God is not even on the agenda. It's not that they hate God; it's just that God doesn't fall into their decision-making, and they have a plan, and they think they know what to do. There are no thoughts of spiritual things at all. Think of it as the person who just really thinks that this whole life is a movie about them starring them and everybody else as a supporting actor, and they really should just get out of their way because they don't matter.

That's this person. And I love what James does with this. In verses 13 and 14, James presents this businessman who lives like this. That's just setting his eyes on today's success with no regard for tomorrow's things. So, James opens up the whole text that we just said with those words, Hey, look, you better listen to this. You better watch for this. The way James presents this is that this person doesn't just do this once, but this is a theme of their life, and they don't even realize that it's a theme of their life. James points out in verse 13 that he just says, Hey, this person kind of goes here and goes there.

This person chooses the timing. Today or tomorrow, this person chooses the location of where they're going to do something. This person chooses the length of time they will go somewhere, stay for a year, or whatever. But then James says, listen, this person needs to pause because even without recognizing God is present, they have become the Lord of their life, which always leads to disaster. Why? Because it's a sin to plan? No, listen, it is not a sin to plan. It is not a sin to strategize. It is not a sin for you to be the best businessperson you can be. God values proper planning. The issue isn't in the planning. The issue is who is involved with the planning. That's what the passage is saying. It's who's involved. And the issue is that nowhere in the text is God consulted.

Is God leaned on? Is God recognized? Is there any regard for God at all? And listen, this scares me. Why? Because you can be a very moral person and live this life. You can. The phrase that sticks out in my mind is practical atheism. Have you ever heard that phrase before? Now, you would never stamp your life with this, but here's practical atheism. Practical atheism says, yeah, there is a God. Yeah, I believe that God cares. I just ignore that He's out there, and I ignore his decisions and plans, and I ignore his true Lordship because I am in control. I'm in control, and I am the one who knows it all. And after all, he's a good God.

Eventually, this good God will get on my team because he loves me. Can I tell you something with that mindset? What's happening in your heart and lives? Here's what's happening in your lives. You're not only ignoring the fact that the God of the universe wants to be a part of your life and set your life on a path to incredible joy and success, but you're also ignoring the benefits of what God brings to you. Lemme say that again. When we live this lifestyle of ignoring God, we're not just ignoring the existence of God's will and plans for our lives, but we're also ignoring the benefits of God's plan and will for our lives. So don't think that you're cheating God. When you ignore God's will for your life, you're also cheating yourself. And here's why. What other confidence is better than leaning into the one: the God that was in the past, is in the present, and is already in the future.

Does that make sense? Why would we not fully lean into God's will for our lives because he is the only one already there and can make it happen? So much can be said about the confidence that we can have when we say this to God. God, here it is. I know in my heart you are here. I know I have a direction that I think we need to go. But God, where do you need me to go? God, you control the universe. So here I am. James says that when we think we control so much, we really don't. I love verse 14. James says, man, you're so fragile. Right? Look at it again. James 4:14. Here's what James says:

Why do you do this? Why do you ignore God? He says you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? James says you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Do you know what that means? James is looking at you and looking at me. He's like, look, you're like the dew on the grass. By noon, you're gone. Right? Here's one that hit me this morning. He's looking at us, saying Hey, you're like the fog on the bathroom mirror. You might be strong for a minute but open that door, and you're gone. Right? That's what James is saying. Yet we lean so much on ourselves and not the one already in tomorrow. Man, doesn't the kids' song make so much more sense that he's got the whole world in his hands? So why do we ignore it?

The number one attitude here is that we ignore the will of God; therefore, we ignore the benefits. But number two is that we deny the will of God. So not only are there those out there who ignore it, but now we're looking at those who deny the will of God. Number two is denying the will of God. So, I want you to think about this in just a minute. There are those out there that just kind of pretend like it's not there. But then there are those out there who take another step and just blatantly deny it, and they make plans for their life as if God isn't even present, as if he's not even there, as if they could just be a better God than God. I love verse 16 and what James says to warn these people. He says, as it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes.

In other words, I got this. God, I know what's going on. God, get off me. God, I'm in control. Watch what he says. All such boasting is evil. It's evil. James says, Hey, watch out. Those of you who know that God has a plan, who know that God has a will, who know that God has a purpose and that he is overall, watch out. Because you are the people who are just denying God's will. So, James has already spoken to the practical atheists who just kind of pretend like they're living like there is no God. Now he's leaning into what I would just call the self-theist. Alright? That's a big word. That's a big theological word that means now he's leaning into those who self-rule and have made themselves God or even better than God. That's what he's saying about these people.

The first group just didn't even consider that God had a will. I would say this group is probably more church people because this group knows the truth, but they think their plan is better and more important than God's plan. Now, I know none of our people would ever fall into this category, right? But listen, believers slip into this category all the time because they look at God and go, God, I know your truths. I know your truths of purity. I know your truths of love. I know your truths of what I should be doing. I know your truths about how I should be giving and how I should love people. It's just I think I have a better plan for my life, and I'm going to go do it this way. That's what James is talking about here.

So, James says, not only do we choose a direction in our lives, but really, this shows we're arrogant. What are the words that he uses? We're boasting that we are rising to a level, and it points to my skill and my success in church. This is the original sin, is it not? And we're falling right back into that category of saying that I am God, and I'll walk this out, and I arrogantly deny God's will for my life. So, number one is the ignoring God's will. Number two is the denying God's will. Now, let me show you number three. This is even the next step. It's the disobeying God's will. Now, disobeying God's will is the person who knows there's a God, knows God has a will and a plan, and knows God is supreme, but they just don't care.

They take a step in the opposite direction. See, the first one's just pretending like nothing's there. The second one is pretending like they have a better plan. The third one is stepping in a direction God has already said they should not be moving into, and they do it anyway. Now, the verse James uses to make this point is incredible in verse 17. And in verse 17, it seems at first glance that James is just dealing with this one type of sin, and that's the sin of what I would just call omission. The sin of omission is when we know there's something we should do, but we don't do it. That's what it looks like James is dealing with. But I would say kind of hold on to that thought because I don't think you can ever have the sin of omission without having the sin of come mission happening in your life.

Because when you choose not to do something God has told you to do, you've ultimately chosen sin. So, I think we try to split hairs sometimes as believers in our lives and go, well, you know what? I might struggle with the sin of omission and not doing good sometimes, but I don't struggle with the sin of commission, of murdering somebody. Listen, they're all evil. But watch what he says about this in verse 17. He says if anyone then knows the good that they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is a sin for them. It's a sin for them. This person knows they should be doing something, but they blatantly choose not to do it or do the opposite. Listen, this is sin. No matter how we want to couch it, we have told God I am in control.

I am God, and I will walk in a direction that I think is best, and I don't care what you say, God. Those three are pretty heavy. So how should we live? That's where number four comes in, and this is the one I want you to focus on. Number four, write this one down. The fourth attitude is just doing the will of God. It's doing the will of God. Listen, from the beginning of this message, this has been the point, is it not? It's doing the will of God. We've pointed out that the calling on our life, the primary mark of a believer's life, should be that we know Jesus is Lord; we see him as Savior. We know that he's the leader, and what do we do?

We get behind him and do what he says to do. This is a simple message today. James asks: are you going to see God for who he is as Lord? Or will you see God as a genie in the sky who you can acknowledge and have a relationship with when you want? That's what James is saying here. The reality is, if you want to know if God has radically saved you and if your faith is real, you need to ask yourself, do I have a desire to walk lockstep in the will of God? Now, here's what I know: I've said the word will of God.

About a third of you are not even sure if you know the will of God for your life. That's what we've been taught to do. We've been taught the will of God is some mystical thing out there that we have to pray for earnestly, and still, we might never know. But listen, God wants you to know his will. He's just laid it out for us all over scripture. I'm going to spend a couple of minutes before we close this message, and I want to give you five things that are the will of God for your life. If you can grab onto these five things, it will change your life.

Number one, God's will for your life is for you to be radically saved. The bottom line is that God wants a relationship with you. He wants to save you. He wants to radically remove you from the sin of your life and make you his son or daughter. This is the gospel. This is why he created us. We broke the relationship. God sent Jesus to restore the relationship. But we have a choice to make. Whether we will walk into his loving arms or not. He wants to radically save you, and listen; it pleases the heart of God when you are radically saved. One Timothy 2:4 says: This is good, and it pleases God, our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and come into a knowledge of the truth.

God takes no pleasure in people not following him. The number one will that God has for your life is for you to be rescued from your sin and to become his child. So let me ask you something this morning. Do you know him? Have you surrendered your heart to him? If he has not radically saved you, the rest of you trying to find God's will for your life will never happen because you don't know him. Number two is to be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit. God's will for you is that you are filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit. Once again, this is not a mystical thing. Here's what God wants to do in your life:

He wants to be in charge. It's as easy as that. When we take his word, open up his word, read something in the morning in His Word, and just do what he says, that's what it means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. It's not mystical. It means that he leads us, that he guides us. It's his power. It's us just looking at him going, if you say it, I'll do it. He wants to control us. I love how Ephesians five 17 says this. It says, therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, but instead be filled with the Spirit.

What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? It means that we get to a point in our lives where his will is inside of us. So much so that we don't even realize it's guiding us. Paul makes the correlation. It says, don't be controlled by anything else like fame or power, popularity, prosperity, drugs, alcohol, pride. But it says Be controlled to the point where he points you, fills you, lifts you, and gives you the words to say. Paul says, if you want to be controlled, be controlled by the Spirit. That's God's will for you. So, if you can't make this decision and honestly say: Is this the Spirit of God leading me to do this?

Then don't do it. It's as easy as that. Number three, continually pursue a pure life. God's will for your life is for you to walk in him continually, seeking his presence, power, and purity. It is a lifelong pursuit of knowing Jesus, the things of Jesus, and the pure life that only Jesus can give. It's us being sanctified. Sanctified is just a big word that means we are becoming more and more and more and more like Jesus.

I love what it says in Second Timothy 2:22: Here's God's will for you. Flee from the evil desires of your youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. What it looks like is to walk in a way where you're asking yourself, am I walking in his purity? Number four is that you submit to his authority. Submission is probably the biggest struggle of the Christian life. Because we want control, right?  And in many ways, we've been taught that we should have control.

Those of you who have surrendered your life to Jesus, you gave that up a long time ago, and you offered yourself to him. Now, that's not a threatening thing. That's a freeing thing because he holds the keys to eternity. And number five is to remain faithful. Remain faithful in times of plenty because we can show what it looks like to walk out God's will for our life, even when he's blessing us. Remain faithful in times of suffering because only believers know what it looks like to suffer under the name of Jesus, knowing there's another day coming for us. He says to remain faithful in times of question because we know the one who can answer our questions.

We know the one who suffered in sorrow but still submitted to God's will. There is a promise that if we take care of these five - we're radically saved, controlled by the spirit, seeking a pure life under his authority, and remaining faithful even in the hard times. As we're walking with Jesus, talking with Jesus, and experiencing Jesus, here's what begins to happen: the rest of our lives will be consumed by the things of God.

God's spirit will begin to direct us in a way where our desires begin to change into his desires. We won't fully understand what's happening, but we will know we are walking with God, and that's his will for us. This is the promise in Psalm 37:4 - Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe passage. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. God wants you to walk fully in him to feel that safety and security in him, and so many people have taken the second part of the verse way out of context. We don't pray for whatever we want, and God will give it to us.

When we deeply connect with God and God's will, our soul is attached to the soul of the creator of the universe. Our desires will change, and his desires will begin to rule. God will then put us in a situation where full joy, hope, mercy, grace, and love of him rule our hearts.  The book of James and I went at it this week. Because I took a little bit of offense to James calling me nothing but a fog on the bathroom mirror. And I'm sure you did as well because it seems rough. But around Thursday afternoon, something happened to me while reading James 4:13–17. James says: Why?

You don't even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist. That appears for a little while and then vanishes. For me, that was a threatening verse until I realized something: There's freedom in knowing I may be temporary in this life, but when I unite with the family of God, as a son of God, seeking the will of God – he remains eternally, and he gives me life. No matter how long it takes for me to vanish on this earth, God is preparing the next one for you and me, believers. This is not threatening; this is freeing and comforting. This is me fully understanding how chasing and putting so much stock in the things that will vanish is empty and pointless. When I should grab hold of the will of the one preparing our tomorrow by simply saying, Lord, here's my life. I want to walk in your will. 

 

 

Follow Along with the Message

God Willing

 

October 13, 2024

PRINCIPLE: A true Christian has an ongoing, commitment to do the will of God.

Mark 3:35
35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
Psalm 40:8
8 I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”
Psalm 143:10
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
1 Peter 4:2-3
2 …they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do…

 

1 John 2:17
17 The world and its desires will pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
James 4:13-17
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
4 ATTITUDES TOWARD GOD’s WILL

1. the Will of God.

James 4:14
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes

2. the Will of God.

James 4:16
16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

 

3. the Will of God.

James 4:17
17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

4. the Will of God.

GOD’s WILL IS THAT YOU:

1. Be radically .

1 Timothy 2:3-4
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2. Are filled and by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:17-18
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit…

3. Continually pursue a life.

2 Timothy 2:22
22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

4. Submit to His .

5. Remain .

Psalm 37:3-4
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 
James 4:13-14
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 
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