Knowing God’s Will

There was a Scottish woman who would throw a stick in the air at every fork in the road — and let wherever it landed decide her path. The only problem? She kept throwing it because it kept pointing to the right, and she wanted to go left.

In this message from "A Faith That Works," Pastor Ron opens James 4:13–17 and addresses one of the most common questions he's ever been asked: how do I know God's will for my life?

The Boast of the Planner:

James confronts the person who maps out their entire future — this city, this year, this profit — with no room for God in the plan. He isn't condemning planning. He's confronting the arrogance of planning as though your life is entirely in your own hands. The truth is, your life is a vapor. It appears for a little while, and then it's gone.

If the Lord Wills:

The contrast is a believer who says, "If the Lord wills, I will live and do this or that." That's not passivity — it's humility. It's recognizing that God is sovereign over your steps, and that the believer's life is ordered by the Lord. Psalm 37:23 puts it plainly: the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

Knowing the Good You Ought to Do:

James closes with a striking statement: to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. It's not just about avoiding wrong things. Failing to do the right thing, when you know what it is, is also sin. Walking in God's will isn't just about avoiding evil — it's about actively doing good.