Category: Digging Deeper

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” — James 4:13

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Spaced Out

There was a planetarium that needed money, so its director dreamed up a gimmick that preyed upon future-oriented, hopeful, yet gullible people. He printed brochures offering one-thousand-acre lots on Mars for only twenty dollars. “This land still features pink skies, unlimited rock gardens, and not one but two moons. So peaceful, quiet, and romantic—even the natives are friendly,” the literature promised. “At one-sixth the gravity of Earth, your golf game will improve immensely—drives will be six times longer. Mars will provide a world of adventure for the entire family.” The gag was surprisingly successful. People across the country sent in their money for a deed.

James reminds us that making life plans without praying and seeking God is just as foolish as buying land on Mars. I may not know what the future holds, but I know Who holds my future. Because God holds eternity in His hands, isn’t it a good idea to trust Him with all your tomorrows?

 

Father, though I don’t know the future, You do. Help me make wise decisions today to prepare me for whatever the future holds. Amen.

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Steve Roach serves as Pastor of Spiritual Growth for NorthStar Church. He lives in Acworth, Ga., with his wife, Amy, and his four children.

Draw Near To God (James 4:8-10)

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.— James 4:8-10

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Today, we continue our journey word by word, verse by verse through the book of James. The Bible is God’s written word to us, so we believe that every word matters and has a bearing on our lives!

James 3:9-12 speaks to the inconsistency of the tongue. The same tongues blesses and curses. This incongruence should not be! James goes on to make use of illustrations from nature to make his point.

The Cure For Conflict (James 4:7)

7 Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. — James 4:7

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Today, we continue our journey word by word, verse by verse through the book of James. The Bible is God’s written word to us, so we believe that every word matters and has a bearing on our lives!

James 3:9-12 speaks to the inconsistency of the tongue. The same tongues blesses and curses. This incongruence should not be! James goes on to make use of illustrations from nature to make his point.