Cindy - James 4

James 4
S – Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.’ You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring – what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead you should say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ James 4:13-15
O – In this passage, people are living life and making plans without God’s direction. James reminds us that life is a vapor and, instead of living life with our own agenda, we should be doing God’s agenda. He is the one who is in control and knows what tomorrow and the future will bring.
A – As high school graduations approach, I find myself talking with many teens and asking about their future plans. Some have thought about it, some haven’t. With both cases, the questions remain…Have you asked God what He wants of you? What does He want with your life? Where will He take you? How will He use you? These questions are easy to ask to someone who, like it or not, is facing a new chapter in life. But when I think about my life and where I am, how do these questions apply? Because my life too, is like smoke, a vapor, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. So I want to be the person that says, “Whatever God wants I will do, I will go, I will be…regardless of the cost or outcome.” I want to be obedient and willing in every aspect of life to do the will of the Father. I want to further the Kingdom in even the small details of life. I know He has brought me to this place, but am I doing ALL that He wants me to be doing? I don’t want to go along in my normal routine of life and not ask what God wants of me each day.
P – Pray that I would be sensitive to the Spirit, to know and do the things He is asking of me, especially the hard things. Also, pray that I would be mindful of how God wants to use me each day.

Amber- James 4

S- James 4:8-10 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

O-These verses are full of a lot of commands (Draw near, Cleanse, Purify, Be miserable, Mourn, Weep, Turn laughter to mourning and joy to gloom, Humble yourselves). It really made me start thinking about how active, rather than passive, our relationship with the Lord is. We can't just coast through life and our relationship with the Lord and expect to grow.

A- Yes, there is a time to rest before the Lord, but our faith should be an active faith...One that deserves my utmost attention. Secondly, how long has it been since I have truly been broken before the Lord for my sins? I mean, mournful and weeping over my sin This passage made me think about how seriously (or not seriously) I take sin in my own life. Only when my view of sin becomes like that of the Lord's can I truly be humbled and ultimately be exalted and free from my sin.

P-I had my job interview today and I think it went well. It sounded as if they have been interviewing quite a few people, so we will see what the Lord has in store. I probably have some points against me since I have been out of the classroom for so long and it was in a public school.
Thanks for praying.
Praying that I will take the time to seriously look at the sin in my life and to mourn over it.

Karlyn - James 4

S - v15-17 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.  Remember, it is SIN to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
My Bible cross referenced this with Luke 12:47-48B "And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions will be severely punished.  When someone has been given much, much will be required in return: and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."

O - I find myself playing stupid sometimes and pretend that I don't know what God is asking of me because I'm too tired or too lazy to be responsible.  Why would I ever think I could hide my thoughts or heart from him.  When it comes to planning I usually don't go to Him first and say, "OK what ya got on the books for us?"  It's mainly what I have in mind.  To be reminded it is SIN to disobey what I know he wants is humbling.  In the past 2 weeks I have obeyed him immediately with a couple of issues instead of dragging my feet and the outcome was so much sweeter than fighting against what I know he wanted and delaying the obedience.

A- In planning my hours, days, weeks I've got to stop relying on me and going to him first.  His schedule and timeline is always different and better than mine.  I also need to be so conscious of when he's calling me to obey and follow immediately and stop pretending I don't know what he's asking me to do!  Even with the things I already know I'm supposed to do without him pointing it out.

P- I will listen and obey just like I want my kids to do with me!!!  I will be with Holly this weekend.  I need prayers that I will have WISDOM to know what to say to her and how to help draw her near to Christ.  She's been running for a long time.  Not sure about her salvation.  She tunes us out quickly so pray God softens her heart and ears.  Praying for you today, Amber!