Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:13-16

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16

I continue a pause of my study of Ecclesiastes to study James 4:13-4:17 (primarily vv13-16).  Recognizing that the text focuses on pride, and that my posts this week on this text have explored pride in more detail, its important to explore and understand what to do about pride, so this morning I turn to what John Piper refers to in his DesiringGod.com post The Remedy for Pride. Piper starts by describing a slippery slope as he warns that "[w]hen you take three categories of temptation to self-reliance — wisdom, power, and riches — they form a powerful inducement toward the ultimate form of pride; namely, atheism."  Referencing Psalm 10:4, Piper bluntly states: "[u]ltimately, the proud must persuade themselves that there is no God." Prideful people get to this place because as Piper describes "[p]ride cannot tolerate the intimate involvement of God in running the universe, let alone the detailed, ordinary affairs of life."  Piper admonishes us for the little things that may lead to pride such as ending a social interaction with a friend or co-worker "see you tomorrow."  If we say these things without a humble posture that it is God alone who either wills this or not, this is when we get into trouble and start down the slippery slope.  Pointing back to the text in James, Piper then shares "James says that not believing in the sovereign rights of God to manage the details of your future is arrogance." 

Piper then moves to describe how to battle arrogance and pride.  

1. "yield to the sovereignty of God in all the details of life"
2.  "rest in his infallible promises to (a) show himself mighty on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9)", (b) "pursue us with goodness and mercy every day (Psalm 23:6)", (c) "work for those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4), and to (e) equip us with all we need to live for his glory (Hebrews 13:21)."  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is in control of all things and You give me breath today and most importantly my salvation....thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings...no I am not...not by a long shot.  My sin continues every single day.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin and turn towards You to receive the mercies only You can pour out.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith and become more like You every day.  Take me I am Yours.  Please provide Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.