James What is Your Life?

James

What is Your Life?

We hear a lot about life’s purpose, meaning and worth

James warns us not to become boastful about our past or our future

Don’t become arrogant and brag in your title or accomplishment

All such boasting is evil James 4:16

James concludes with these simple words

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins James 4:17

Each day of our lives should be about doing what we know is good

For some of us it may seem like doing good goes unnoticed

And for others they will get their names engraved

Our goal in life is not for the recognition

 Our goal is to do what is good

So that Jesus Christ will be lifted up and others will benefit 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

 

 

What is Your Life?

 

Tell me about your yesterday.

 

Is there anything tangible left of the last 24 hours?

 

You can tell me of your memories.

 

You may even be able to show

me things you made yesterday.

 

But in reality your yesterday is gone.

 

Like a vapor it was here and now it is gone.

 

That’s life.

 

And the closer we get to the end of it…

 

 The more we realize how fast life passed and it

seems like a vapor that was here and now gone.

 

I am always making plans.

 

 I strongly believe that…

 

 “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”

 

I hope you have lived a life you are proud of.

 

I hope you look at the future with

great hope of accomplishment.

 

But all of us should be very careful we

do not allow our pride to become boastful.

 

James asks…

 

What is your life?

 

A wise thing to consider, as it

is like a vapor going by so fast.

 

Why is life so short?

 

 Maybe this is the greatest question

and the best place to start.

 

The answer is…

 

 A long life on earth of 100 years is

hardly registered on the scale of eternity.

 

Moses realized this as he watched the Israelites

die in the wilderness as they wander for 40 years.

 

I imagine there are too many of us who

feel like half of our earthly life was

wandering, trying to figure out life.

 

Moses is very somber as he writes Psalms 90.

  

Where James compares our life to a vapor,

 Moses compares the 70 or 80 years

as a span of trouble and sorrow

that quickly passes and fly’s away.

 

I believe it was Supreme Court Nominee Amy

Coney Barrett that said something like this…

 

“Life is full of difficulties,

thank goodness life is short.”   

 

Moses recognized the time

value of eternity as he wrote…

 

For a thousand years in your sight

are like a day that has just gone by,

or like a watch in the night.

You sweep men away in the sleep of death;

they are like the new grass of the morning — 

though in the morning it springs up new,

by evening it is dry and withered.

Psalms 90:4-6

 

James warns us not to become boastful

about our past or our future.

 

Don’t become arrogant and brag

 in your title or accomplishment…

 

All such boasting is evil.

James 4:16

 

James concludes with these simple words…

 

Anyone, then, who knows the good

he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

James 4:17

 

Each day of our lives should be

about doing what we know is good.

 

For some of us it may seem

like doing good goes unnoticed.

 

 And for others…

 

 They will get their names engraved.

 

Our goal in life is not for the recognition…

 

 Our goal is to do what is good

 so that Jesus Christ will be lifted

up and others will benefit.

  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

James 4:13-17  NIV

 

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 and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.