Tuesday, November 1, 2011
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14
“Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow”- This is a statement of the obvious. No matter how much we plan, we can not know ahead of time everything that will actually happen. James’ readers have begun to think at to plan as those who believe that they are fully knowledgeable and in control of the future.
“For what is your life…vapour…vanishes away”- Like a puff of smoke, or our breath that we can see on a cold day, our life is short. Our time on this earth is not an infinite resource. These people have presumed that because they have planned their future that it would happen the way they planned. James is saying that if their plans haven’t included God and what He wants, their life can be wasted on thier plans with know thought of God.
Here is the point:
We don’t have the time to make plans that don’t consider what God wants.
To see this theme further check out Job 7:6-7, and Psalm 39:5
Application:
As you make plans, formally or informally, take this into consideration- Although it may seem like you have all the time in the world, you don’t really know for sure. We have no idea what our future holds. Because that is true, we must make sure to consider the One who really knows and controls what our future looks like.
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
I think that this passage is saying that you dont know what is tomottow or something or you don’t know what will happen tomorrow…that it gives you an example, smoke, it says that we are like smoke I guess that like we appear for like a second then we vanished. My mom is always telling me that I need to figure out my future now and I might not have to tomorrow that you don’t know what will happen the next day and I always say “I have time to figure this out mom don’t worry” buy now I know that really you don’t have all the time in the world that you don’t know what will happen to you today or the next day or the next or the day after that…we might know what we want to be and then it changes, but the really person who know what we’re gobna be and what our future is gonna be is the one and only God and we need to look up to him do that he could lead us to the right path.
Typos- gonna* and so*
“Life is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” I hear that part of the verse a lot! But it’s cool to actually look into what it really means! Lately I have been feeling like life is going by really fast. I mean, it’s almost the end of the year! Sometimes I wish life would slow down, but I know that’s not going to happen. So because life is going by so fast, I need to be careful what I do with I time. I try to do what God wants, although sometimes it can be really hard. But lately I’ve been thinking really far into the future, and I really want to make a difference for God. I’m not sure how, but I don’t want to get to the end of life and be like “wow, I wasted so much time. Why didn’t I just do what God wanted?!” I’ve realized that what I do now as a teenager is going to affect me as an adult. So I really want to do what God wants for me now! 🙂
Good stuff Alexis!
Thanks 🙂 haha
what i think this is saying is that we don’t hv all the time in the world.im kinda going back and forth w/ ministry or maybe a youth pastorlike pastor ben does.its my dream 2 work w/ people in a church and help them learn more about God.like w/ the puff of smoke.we hv a short life.we don’t hv a whole lot of time 2 think about this stuff.we should make plans that consider what God wants.i hope going into ministry or being a youth pastor is what God wants me 2 b and i will work towards that!! 🙂
u guys encourage me soo very much.since im one of the youngest members in H2O,all u older guys set such a great example 4 me.u guys r one of the best things thats ever happened 2 me.u guys r such a blessing.this goes 4 all the leaders and teenagers.love u guys!! <3333 u guys r the best!!!! 🙂 <333333333
Allie- You made my day girl.. 🙂
ur welcome!! 😀 it may sound weird but u saying that in a way makes my day cause i know i made someone happy! 🙂
What this is saying is that no one noes the future or what it holdes it sees life is like a vapour it comes for a little time I my self and others at times think that we no whats coming we should not have to worry about are salvation or others salvation. Pastor sees this the clock is ticking the lord is coming back and even if he doesint come back for a nother 50 years we still need to be concerned.
great point blake! 🙂 whether he’s coming tmrw or 50 yrs. from now,we still need 2 b concerned! its very imporatant knowing that he’s coming back 2 take us 2 a place he’s spent time preparing 4 us.he’s done soo much 4 us! good job!! 🙂
Thanks Allie!:)
ur welcome!! 🙂
That’s right Blake, whether God is coming back tommorrow or 50 years from now, we should be just as concerned. No one knows the day. But, one thing we do know is that someday our life on this earth will end and we will all stand before God.
It won’t matter to God that we had alot of stuff or an impressive job or house. What will matter is how much we did for Him and how much we did to help others, through prayer and service and by telling people about Jesus. This verse is a good reminder to us that life is a vapor. We don’t know how much time we have left. It’s important to stay focused on what God would want us to do for Him each day and not let the distractions of the world keep us from doing it.
Wow i feel bad, i havent been on in days! 😦
Its SO true, life is like a vapor, it flys.. Im 15, i can drive with my momma in the car, and im almost halfway thru my sophomore year. The plans for my future seem so far away, but its really not!!! I dream of being a teacher, marrying a man who loves God and treats me like a princess, and raising my kids in a good christian home. I have these dreams that i hope one day will happen, but i know that God needs to be in every* plan of my life & not just my future. Like right now!!! Its crazy how off track i can get.. I didnt do my devos because i was on vacation & didnt have time, but seriously thats not an excuse.. God is whats important. Im just a normal, forgetful girl, and sometimes i feel like i need to drill in my brain the fact that God is who im living for, not myself. This short life needs to be directed to God, not Lindsey.
Btw Pastor Ben i totally forgot to do the connection cards this week, time got away from me!!! I’ll do them tomorrow night, a brand new week 🙂 sorry again!
I’m glad your back Lindsey Mentzer 🙂 No problem, just let me know when you’re done!
Ah! This verse is so important and simply put at the same time. I was living like I had all the time in the world not making enough plans for the future, worrying about everything important. As a result of this my grades started slipping because I let everything get in the way of school work, I wasn’t living for God, and I was missing out on so much. I woke up from fantasy land and realized that Jesus can come back tomorrow and I wouldn’t be ready. I honestly couldn’t say that I was happy with the way I was spending the time I have here.. This verse tells us that life is like a vapor, and it’s so true! I’m almost halfway through my senior year of high school and I can’t believe how fast it’s going. In April I’ll be 18.. I’ll be an adult! :O that’s weird.. Lol What I’m getting at is, I had to change my attitude and the way I was living because it wasn’t fully for God. I was wasting the time I have here on earth and now i’m using the time I have for greater things! It’s crazy to think about how many people aren’t going to heaven because they refuse to believe or they haven’t had anyone to tell them about God. I believe I can use my life here on earth to lead people to Christ! It’s such a burden in my heart and I’ve really been considering the missions field. I’ll go whenever God takes me! This life whethere it ends tomorrow, or like Blake mentioned, 50 years from now. I want to be able to, well I want God to be able, to say that I spent my life here well and made a difference for Him! 🙂
good job mel!! 🙂 is today daniel’s birthday?
Thank you Allie 🙂 and yes it is!
tell him i said happy Birthday!! 🙂
He said thank ya very much 🙂
Life is short. Failing to plan is planning to fail. We should plan out what we’re gonna do with our life because it’s just like a vapor. It just a short time and then BAM we die. haha. That’s kind of morbid, but seriously! It will be over before we know it and I wanna do all I can for God while i’m still living. There’s so much I, and other Christians, can do to be a light. When I die I wanna know I made a difference for Jesus. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is plan your life, dont waste it. And make sure “your plans” are what God wants. Because He knows so much more than us and ultimately His plans are better than our own. I’ve been trying to do that, lately, but sometimes it’s hard because you can’t see the whole picture and you wanna choose your plans over God’s. SELFISH. I know. It’s really hard for me, though. soooo yea. see you guys tomorrow 🙂
Your “BAM” scared me when I read it. It was kinda sudden 🙂
lol. 🙂 yeaa…
Life is way to short to just waste and live careless, I know it sounds obvious but God should and does need to be #1 in your life. I know culture says differently that if it feels right do it and live for yourself but thats not true. So what I got out of this was that life is short and God needs to be what im living for and not myself.