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What Is Your Life?

James: Faith Works
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Pastor Jojo Ma

 

11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, He who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”, 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

11-12 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, He who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

When we use our mouths to hurt or harm others, we violate the royal law, the law of Christ, the law of love. You are not loving God or your neighbor when you speak evil against them.

You can’t be humble and submitting yourself to Christ and also speak evil against your brothers and sisters in Christ.

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”, 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

What’s wrong with this businessman is not his planning but his perspective, not his organizing but his outlook, not his arranging but his attitude.

14-15 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

You won’t be done on earth until God says you’re done --- not a second before or a second after. If the Lord wills! How is that not exciting and encouraging?

16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Do you spend too much time watching TV or playing video games or self-entertaining on the internet? Are you consumed with making money for the purpose of living a comfortable life or upholding a certain self-image? Does work preoccupy you to the point that your family suffers and your commitment to the local church suffers? What changes need to be made in your life?

Missionary C.T. Studd: “Only one life, will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

First, learn to rehearse the gospel every day --- and most importantly in the morning.

Second, memorize 1 Corinthians 10:31 and make it a key verse for your life: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of G.”

Third, think hard how you can maximize God’s glory in your life.

Take time to think about God’s reputation and God’s people and your life and how they can best intersect because two seconds and it’s over. “Only one life, will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”