SANTIAGO 4: 13-17
INTRODUCTION: It is most common to hear or say "If God wants" or "If God allows it" after having mentioned something you want to happen. For the non-convert this could be a drawer phrase, a chorus, a saying, a saying, etc. And for us believers? What does the Bible tell us about it? Is there any reference to it? How important is it? What key role does it play in our plans, projects and programs? Let's see it:
A. WE WILL GO TO SUCH CITY: We are leaving, we are arriving, we are traveling
B. WE WILL BE THERE A YEAR: We will pass (NIV), we stay, we last
C. WE WILL TRAFFIC: Doing business (DHH), we will do business (BA)
D. WE WILL WIN: By earning money (DHH), we will earn (BA), we will earn money (NIV), we will make money (Other Translation) we will earn a lot of money (PDT)
The plan was to execute it and carry it out: “by tomorrow it was late” since everything was planned in a hurry, precipitated, slightly, to the race, perhaps without sitting down to study it well and carefully; they were as anxious (Psalm 39: 6; Proverbs 19: 21; 23: 4; Ecclesiastes 1: 3; 3: 22; 6: 12; 10: 14; Jeremiah 22: 13,14; Matthew 6: 25-34; 13 : 22; Mark 4: 19; Luke 12: 22-34; 21: 34)
The plan for them was "perfect": they were experts, professionals, good, self-sufficient and skilled to plan, program, dispose of their life and propose
The plan was planned outside of God or without God: without considering his will, without his providence, without guidance, without direction, without compass, without total dependence on God, without considering it (pending), without resorting, without think of him and without his help
They are proposing, organizing and disposing of their lives as if God did not exist or intervened in it and as if they needed their help, neither from Him nor anyone else's. Everything was programmed with total independence from God, believing himself self-sufficient. In fact this was their sin; omission (vr. 17). God was not in these plans anywhere, not at all and yet they seemed to "be sure" of everything planned: WE WILL GO, BE, NEGOTIATE, AND WIN
They forgot or did not want to involve, integrate, integrate God into their affairs. Who were these who planned without God? It was a group of Jewish believers, specialized in commerce and with a fine instinct for business, where they programmed everything, did it, planned it on their skills and self-sufficiency; but apart from God or without God. Everything we want to do without God can lead us to failure and total defeat; since without Him it is impossible to achieve, achieve and achieve it (Genesis 11: 1-11; John 15: 1-8; Philippians 4: 1-13)
A. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BE TOMORROW AND WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?
"More do not even know what will happen with their lives tomorrow" (PDT). Do you know what will happen to you tomorrow? You do not know what awaits you tomorrow! (Other Translation). Let's enjoy the "today" (present) that the "tomorrow" (future) God takes care of! (2 Kings 7: 1, 2, 16; Proverbs 27: 1; Ecclesial 3:22; 6:12; 8: 7; 10:14; Matthew 6:34)
B. SHARED THEM LIKE THE MIST THAT APPEARS AND DISAPPEARS
"For life is like a cloud of steam, which appears a moment and to the point dissipates" (Another Translation). Everything that is programmed, projected, planned, traced outside of God or without God is futile, useless, insecure, uncertain and falls apart (Genesis 11: 1-11; Acts 16: 1-10)
“If the Lord wants” (vr. 15): if God allows it, he desires it, he longs for it, considers it, if it is in his plans, if it is of his will. (Matthew 26: 42)
A. THEY SHOULD ALWAYS SAY IT: You should never miss this expression in your mouth: "On the contrary they should always say: If the Lord wants" (PDT). Nor should it be missing in ours!
B. THE TOTAL DEPENDENCE OF GOD IS RECOGNIZED: Not only in existing, but also in moving and doing as the Bible says: “Because in Him we live and move and we are (exist) (Acts 17:28). We are also considering His will, thinking, resorting, turning to God and His providence.
