James 4:13-5:6 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*


 <http://www.2rbetter.org/>

*MAY 13 - JAMES 4:13-5:6 - WISDOM IN PLANNING AND RICHES*


 *1. 4:13-14a (4:13-14) VAIN CONFIDENCE. “Come now, you that say, Today or
tomorrow we will go into this :city, and spend a year there, and trade, and
get gain: 14 whereas you know not what is your :life on the morrow.” (NNT).
**Here* is a Kingdom principle we all need to remember! *None* of us have *
any* guarantee of the future. Father, our trust must *always* be in *You*,
and *You alone*! *Hallowed be your :name.*


 *2. 4:15 TRUE CONFIDENCE. “Instead of your saying, If the Lord will, we
shall both live, and do this or that.” *Father, help us *always* to consult
You in our planning; as our Senior Partner, supervise *all* our plans and
decisions. Then we will be walking in a childlike way, well-pleasing to
You. Then we are always deferring to You, doing *Your* thing. *Your
:kingdom come.*


 *3. 4:16 VAIN BOASTING. “But now you glory in your :vauntings: all such
glorying is evil.” *This is a picture of both unregenerate and carnal man.
We repudiate this standard Father, and would be like *Jesus*: meek and
lowly of heart (Matthew 11:28:30). Let us lean harder on You, Jesus, and
come closer, day by day. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 4:17 TRUE ANALYSIS. “To him therefore that knows to do good, and does
not, to him it is sin.” *What a serious word! Father, write this upon our
heart, deeply. If we love You, we *will* be keeping Your commandment. O
forgive us for our hard hearts: knowing, or being able to know Your perfect
will, and then deliberately going our own way. *Our :daily :bread Give us
this day.*


 *5. 5:3 (5:1-3) RICH MEN WARNED. “Your :gold and your :silver is rusted;
and their :rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your
:flesh as fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.” *Father, we
would be rich unto You by laying up our treasure in *heaven*, not on earth.
We would live with eternity’s values in view! We would have *true*perspective.
*And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 5:4 A CAUSE FOR WARNING. “Lo, the hire of the laborers who mowed your
lands, which is of you kept back, cries out: and the cries of them that
reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” *Rich people who
defraud the poor are noticed by You, Father. They who forget the poor
consult *not* their own interests. We *repudiate* such selfishness. *And
bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 5:5-6 CARELESS RICH: IN SLIPPERY PLACES. “You have lived delicately on the
earth and taken pleasure; you have nourished your :heart in a day of
slaughter. 6 You have condemned, have killed the righteous One; he does not
resist you.” *We fear Father, for the rich who carelessly and deliberately
oppress the poor. They are as sheep led to the slaughter! *But deliver us
from the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 4:14b (4:13-14) TRANSITOR**INESS: OUR LIFE! “For you are a vapor
that appears for a little, and then disappears.” *This is like Psalm 90.
Here is wisdom. Circumcise our hearts with this truth Father, that we might
evermore walk in it.


 In the Old Testament - *Proverbs* is the Book of Wisdom, written by
Solomon. He wrote 3 of the Old Testament books: Song of Solomon as a young
man: Proverbs as a father for his children; and Ecclesiastes as a sad
record of his later sinning days, and how he finally returned to the Lord.
Riches, wives and horses ruined him.


 But James is the New Testament book - and an update on the Book of
Proverbs. They *both* major on Wisdom, and Jesus is made unto us
*Wisdom*by God - plus Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption.


 Wisdom is especially needed by the Rich - they too often let their riches
carry them away from the heart of the Gospel. There *are* rich like Job,
who use their riches for the glory of God - but the majority of the rich
forget the poor, the widow and the orphan - and consume their riches on
their own lusts. It *is* possible for the rich to be like Job. Jesus told
His disciples how difficult it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of
heaven - but *God* can make what is impossible - possible!


 These 11 verses *major* on the difficulties of the rich to be
God-pleasing. We need to pray for our rich friends, that they might read
this passage - and then call on the God of grace to help them to be like
Job!


 *Our Psalm for the Day: 133:1-3 WHEN BROTHERS DWELL IN UNITY. “Behold, how
good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the
precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the
blessing, life forevermore” (ESV). *In the place of *unity*, You have *
commanded* blessing, Father! *Hallowed be Your :Name! *



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