Sold by HORIZON EXPRESS and ships from Amazon Fulfillment. You will exist forever. KJV, Reference Bible, Compact, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version. We therefore have no excuse in this matter; we know what we are to do. Yours will vary depending on how God has gifted you. People are like a vapor, their days like a shadow that disappears. There are so many easy and unexpected ways to die! Life Is Like A Vapor Dan Rodgers James 4:14 Sunday, August 22, 2004 "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. Our Price: $10.49. We knew of a young couple who was serving with Campus Crusade. Where is the right balance between thinking about life as a vapor versus not becoming morbid and depressed? In your marriage, the goal may be to schedule a half-hour daily to sit down and talk as a couple, or two evenings each month to go out for a date. You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. His words imply a third truth: Verse 13 reeks with arrogance: “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” There is a lot of mention of what we will do, but there isn’t any mention of God! For what is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a … Which it will be is proven in this life. 2:19, 24), but sometimes he did not (Acts 19:21; Rom. Because life is a vapor we should humble ourselves before God and obey His will. James says that if you don’t do them, to you it is sin. I love the experience of transporting to another world. But he always depended on the Lord and bowed before His sovereignty with regard to the future. Fiction is one of my favorite genres to read. For what is your life? Nor was it a problem that they were capitalists engaging in business to make a profit. Our economy may crash. James writes (4:13-14a), “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” And this life is a vapor. Eternity Is Long. You do not know what will happen tomorrow. James 4:13-17 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. You may be thinking, “That’s morbid! It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Recognizing that our lives are like a vapor interjects a serious note into our daily activities. That only adds up to about 603 weeks or 138 months! Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. Life Is A Vapor: Meditations on Ecclesiastes 1:1-11. I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. He compares life to the grass of the field that sprouts in the morning and by evening, it has faded under the hot sun. A friend of mine wisecracks that life is like the roll of toilet paper—the closer you get to the end, the quicker it goes!” You may not care for the analogy, but it’s true! If you are a Christian, it is not enough just to avoid sinning. So James states that life is a vapor and that God is sovereign over every aspect of life. Sometimes Paul used the phrase, “if the Lord wills,” when speaking about the future (Acts 18:21; 1 Cor. Posted on April 23, 2018 April 21, 2018 by Mathew Gilbert. George Bernard Shaw astutely observed, “The statistics on death are quite impressive. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo... More. World English Bible Man is like a breath. It’s amazing! My retirement investments may fail. "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. I hope you can see that and be inspired but this poem. I believe in saving and investing as I’m able towards the day when I may be too feeble to work (Prov. It's here then it's gone. Or we got angry in violation of God’s commands against anger. Her mother told her to go lie down. The aim is to number your days so as to present to the Lord a heart of wisdom (Ps. Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. Two seconds, and we will be gone. Life as a Vapor: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Faith - Kindle edition by Piper, John. Life is frail. That’s why Moses prays (90:12), “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” On October 1st, I’ll be 58 and a half. 1:10; 1 Cor. I’m not suggesting that you obsess on these things. They were making plans without taking into account their own mortality and God’s sovereignty. And this life is a vapor. His days are like a shadow that passes away. Retail: $14.99. Your business ethics should reflect that you are not in charge of your business; Christ is in charge. Jesus taught us how to think when we hear about such disasters. Life is like the fresh, warm cup of coffee in your cup in morning that let’s off a little smoke, and in a moment, it disappears. They went on a weekend getaway. Napoleon Bonaparte was a military genius, but his pride led to his downfall. "LIFE IS BUT A VAPOR" in the KJV Bible. We fall into pride when we do not keep that in mind. What is true biblical humility? Eternity Is Long. 15:20-28). - New American Standard Version (1995) whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. 25:41-44). Are your ready for that day? At first glance, verse 17 seems somewhat disjointed from the preceding context. Eternity Is Long. Their sin was not that they actively abused these people. But if you don’t ever think about them, you will not live in proper dependence upon God. And, once you’ve lost it there’s no getting it back. Like a morning mist that soon vanishes, so life is short and uncertain. You and God are both in the universe to stay—either as friends on his terms, or enemies on yours. You will exist forever. He was about to invade Russia, but a friend tried to dissuade him. What is your life? Perhaps spiritually, the goal would be to spend at least 20 minutes each morning in the Word and prayer, and to work on memorizing at least one verse each week. 90:12). . Through God we can find love everlasting, and something that can change us from the inside out. Now he turns to the subject of humility with regard to the future. You and God are both in the universe to stay—either as friends on His terms, or enemies on yours—which it will be is proven in this life. Life is short. Not to be ready for something that is 100 percent certain would be really foolish! God has given you a spiritual gift and He calls you to serve Him in some capacity. This is a sobering truth to pause and think on. It’s like the visible air you see from your mouth on a cold day, but before you can turn your head, it’s gone. You and God are both in the universe to stay—either as friends on his terms, or enemies on yours. Sometimes I would lie in bed at 6 a.m. and listen as the announcer would say, “You want to avoid the 605 northbound. This means three things: A. And this life is a vapor… As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gon e (Psalm 103:15-16). His wife looked out the window and saw him lying on the ground, dead from a heart attack. To know this and to neglect to get involved in serving is sin. You may be young and healthy this morning, but you easily could be a corpse by sundown tonight. Things here are passing away. When it became apparent that Napoleon would not be budged, the friend shared the familiar proverb, “Man proposes, God disposes.” Napoleon angrily snapped back, “I dispose as well as propose.” A Christian upon hearing this remark said, “I set that down as the turning point of Bonaparte’s fortunes. Life is a Vapor Blog was started in October of 2018 with the purpose of exhorting Christians to stand firm in their faith and live as if tomorrow were not promised. Trusting in God is the only true source of security for the future. Of course, this verse applies to all areas of the Christian life pertaining to what are called “sins of omission.” We all tend to focus on sins where we have violated some direct command of God. True faith judges pride by humbling oneself before God. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2005, All Rights Reserved. You see the mist at one moment and a few minutes later it’s gone. While entertainments and relaxation are important parts of a healthy life, they must never be our primary reason for living. Like the prosperous man in Jesus’ parable, they were saying, “I’ll build bigger barns to store my goods,” and “I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! So, James is giving us a mindset that needs to permeate all of life. Eternity Is Long. He never came out of the coma. It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears. And this life is a vapor. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Spiritual Life, Basics for Christians, Sanctification, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. His days are like a shadow that passes away. Their trust was not in God, but in their business ventures and in all of the money that they supposed they would make. life as a vapor Wednesday, January 7, 2015. photo 6. But it is possible for a Christian to fall into practical atheism, where he proudly thinks, “I have decided to do this and nothing is going to stop me. You will proudly make plans and go on about life as if you will be forever young and healthy. James writes (4:13-14a), “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” Or, the text may read, “You do not know what will happen tomorrow.” We don’t even know what will happen ten minutes from now, let alone tomorrow or next year! Live Like It. Our lives are like a vapor, and that means we may not have tomorrow; … What is your life? Our country may be overrun by terrorists. James tells us that our lives are vanishing vapors or fleeting mists (4:13-17) — here today, gone tomorrow. James is not giving a trite formula that we need to tack onto every sentence. Time is precious. Berean Literal Bible who know not what is on the next day. 16:7; Phil. Life is a Vapor. You are loved, More than you know, More than you could hope for, After everything you've done. I don’t want to think about such things!” But if you ignore these things, you will not live your life properly in light of eternity. How to Obtain Help from Jesus (Matthew 15:21-28). He writes (90:10), “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away.” Even if you live to be a hundred, how quickly life flies by! Two seconds, and we will be gone. We need continually to be aware of our finiteness and dependence on God and His sovereign purpose in every aspect of life. Living knowing that your life is a vapor is different than just living. 4:7), “What do you have that you did not receive? They are clearing a fatal accident at Slauson.” And he would go on with the conditions on the other freeways. It is impossible to cover all possible contingencies. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. They only mentioned him on the radio to say that his death created a traffic jam!”. Live Like It. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. 6:33). King James Bible Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. If you come to church just to sit and take in whatever seems to grab you, or to meet with your friends, you do not have a ministry mindset. Life Is Short. You’ve got to hold on to what will stand. Reading fiction is great therapy for a tired and weary soul. Life is but a vapor; and with each breath of air, or wisp of wind; with each tick of the clock, life is quickly passing by, only to disappear into eternity. As I’ve often said, one of the most basic and helpful lessons in life to learn is, “God is God; I am not God!” He is sovereign; I am not sovereign. I will succeed!” He chuckles at his own resolve and strength of character. This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’” (Luke 12:19-20). Some people reported to Him about some Galileans whom Pilate had slaughtered. Jesus is Lord of all of life, from the boardroom to the bedroom. Life Is Short. Only 1 left in stock - order soon. In Psalm 90, Moses laments the brevity of life. You are just using the church to meet your needs, with no regard of how God wants to use you. We have, however, "something firm to grasp…the gospel is firm and lasts forever." It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Every minute counts. Life is a Vapor Blog exists to equip Christians to live a life of radical love and service. Everything in this reality will fade away. Savor what matters. You will exist forever. Eternity Is Long. You see this attitude in the powerful Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. But we also violate it when we ignore our neighbor and live selfishly. In these thirty-one meditations, John Piper will connect you to a fresh understanding of God and a renewed relationship with Him. You can spend it like the foolish rich man and hoard treasure for yourself, or you can spend your life for the Kingdom of God, making disciples and leading them to make other disciples, sharing the love of Jesus with as many people as possible. You know that you ought to do these things. In Life as a Vapor: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Faith, John Piper leads the reader through a month of devotions, focusing on specific Bible passages and themes to guide you through your day. Life is a vapor. Perhaps we stole something in violation of God’s command not to steal. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.”. But it does seem that in most local churches, about 20 percent of the people do about 80 percent of the work, while the 80 percent of the people sit around doing nothing. Tag: Sermons on Life is a Vapor "Timely" Advice from our Biblical Ancestors. It may refer to all that James has said up to this point. Q. Don’t You Think You Are Overly Harsh In Your Description Of Jacob As A Rascal? Here we talk about how to boldly live out the Gospel in … And this life is a vapor. The problem that James hits was, they were planning as if they were sovereign and they were not bowing before the only Sovereign God. Since we’re often blind to our own pride, how can we guard against it? Probably James’ readers, who were professing Christians, were not as crass as Nebuchadnezzar or Napoleon in proclaiming their own greatness. Time is priceless yet it costs us nothing. Give me a heart of compassion as Jesus has, to love those who are distressed or downcast. His mercy will not end. The Scripture cuts, Christ is exalted in God, and we worship Him. James wants us to know that…. It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." How then should we live in view of the fact that life is a vapor, that God is sovereign, and that we’re so prone to pride? I once did a funeral for an 11 year-old girl who complained to her mother about a headache. As you know, four years ago on this date, thousands of New Yorkers headed for work on what seemed to be a normal day. Life is like that. As he got out of the hot tub at their motel, he was dizzy and fell, hitting his head on the edge of the pool. Then, review them periodically and adjust as the Lord leads. Ending off with a little prayer, each meditation is just perfect for the Christian in his or her daily walk. Life is but a Vapor. We've got a whopper of a list for you this month! I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”. But write them down. Our days are numbered and our hope is secure. Three texts resound in my ears: “Redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:16 ); “It is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (1 Corinthians 4:2); “His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 ). I would think, “Some guy left his house early this morning to head to work, probably didn’t even say goodbye to his still sleeping family, and he didn’t realize that he only had minutes left on this earth. For what is your life? Surely God means for our time on earth to count for something significant. He describes it as a vapor, a mist, a fog that appears for a little while then it is gone. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. As sure as the sun will rise, And chase away the night. Live Like It. We violate that command when we hate our neighbor, of course. Do it! Eternity Is Long. 4:19; see also, Rom. And this life is a vapor. James is right: Life is a vapor! You’ll find your faith stirred to make every day count for Christ when you consider life as a vapor. James’ first point is, life is a vapor. They were assuming that they were in control of their future and that everything would go according to their plans. 15:28; 1 Cor. You must conduct your business dealings in a manner that pleases and glorifies Him. The Apostle James reminds us that life is short. Or, we lied in violation of God’s command to tell the truth. Paul said, “In the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain” (Philippians 2:16). Jesus responded (Luke 13:2-5), “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? Think through some short-term personal goals in various areas where you need to grow. KJV, Value Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version. Although these people professed to know Christ, they were living with a worldly attitude that the apostle John calls “the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:15). Life Is Short. Use me today as a worker in Your harvest, for Your sovereign purposes.” By the way, you begin to serve God in your home! But, “therefore,” seems to connect it to what James has just said: “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Douglas Moo (The Letter of James [Eerdmans/Apollos], p. 208) explains the connection: “He has urged us to take the Lord into consideration in all our planning. The problem was not that these businessmen were making plans for the future. You will exist forever. We’re on a mission to change that. I have about 4,220 days until I’m at my allotted seventy, if I even make that. Ellie Holcomb. And this life is a vapor. In the same way, I have good hope from the Lord that my “labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). When you hear about disasters, whether human-caused, such as 9/11, or due to natural causes, such as hurricanes, make sure that you have repented of your sins, because if you do not, you will die in your sins and you will perish. But, we also sin when we fail to do something positive that God has commanded us to do. In these thirty-one meditations, John Piper will connect you to a fresh understanding of God and a renewed relationship with Him. Obviously, we can’t all do everything or there simply wouldn’t be enough hours in the day. And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Everything we have comes from God by His grace. Not to live that way is sin. Buy Now. Authors like Nabeel Qureshi, David Jeremiah, Frank Turek, Sean McDowell and and John MacArthur urge Christians to examine their faith and to identify false gospels. For what is your life? Indeed life is full of uncertainties and unexpected circumstances. Ministry is first a mindset and only secondarily an activity. Or, it’s easy for us as Christians to think, “I have succeeded because of my own hard work and smart business sense.” We disdain the poor, thinking, “If they would only work hard as I’ve done, they could succeed, too.” But we’re forgetting Paul’s pointed question to the proud Corinthians (1 Cor. 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.
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