Our choices are to be influenced by the brief time available to us. Our life is transitory in its nature. We need to make the right choices for our day so that God's way is our way, and that our earthly life fulfills the eternal purposes of God.

	Like Nehemiah, pray over your choosing: Nehemiah 2:4 "Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven."
	Like Abraham, let God do the choosing: Genesis 13:12 "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom."
	Like Matthew, choose to follow Jesus: Matthew 9:9 "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him."
	Like the Psalmist, choose the way of truth: Psalm 119:30 "I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me."
	Like Moses, choose to reject temporal worldly pleasures: Hebrews 11:25 "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;"
	Like Paul, choose to obey the heavenly vision: Acts 26:19 "... I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:"
	Like Elijah, choose to do all things at the Lord's word: 1 Kings 18:36 "... let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word."

Abundant life in Christ restores what was stolen, and exchanges the temporal for the eternal (John 10:10 ). We are assured of the Lord's counsel to guide us in all our choices, difficulties, troubles, bringing honour, not shame in this life and reception into heavenly glory.

Psalm 73:24 "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."

James 4:15 "... If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."

How sobering it is when drunk with grand plans, to acknowledge that they can only be realised "if the Lord wills." Your very life here is in His hands. God cannot be left out of your arrangement. This should affect all your plans, purposes, engagements, transactions, travels. When you live an acknowledging, God-guided, God-controlled, God-empowered, God-submitted life; when you want what the Lord wants in your doing this or that, then as the "if" proves to be His "go" you do what you have to do boldly in His will, knowing He will see the work completed. So that no matter when your preset life ends you will have fulfilled God's plan for you.

Submitting your going and doing to His will:

	Ensures His involvement: Mark 16:20 "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."
	Evidences His inward law: Psalm 40:8 "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."
	Fulfills His commands: John 2:5 "... Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."
	Recognises His good Spirit: Psalm 143:10 "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."
	Gives Him pleasure: Hebrews 13:21 "Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

James 4:16 "But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil."

James knows that the thoughts of the person who leaves God out of their calculations, are defiant, haughty, boastful. They glory in their proposed business engagements and prospective gains. Such boasting is called evil. God-centred thinking is God-assisted thinking that rejoices in everything as God-given. Glorying in the Lord issues from dependency on Him, and shows humility of mind, which makes walking with Him beautiful in His sight. Calculating on God-assisted thinking is the key to success in business and service.

God-assisted thinking belongs to His people:

	Those who have the mind of Christ: 1 Corinthians 2:16 "For 'who has known the mind of the Lord ..."
	Those transformed by the renewal of their mind: Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
	Those living in harmony with the Holy Spirit: Romans 8:5 "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
	Those who concentrate on things above: Colossians 3:2 "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
	Those receptive to the revealing Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 2:10 "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. What are you assured of by submission to His will in your going and doing? (James 4:15 ).
2. When God is left out of a persons thoughts and calculations, do you think it leads to evil boasting? (James 4:16 ). Is "God assisted thinking" a characteristic of the Lords people? (1 Corinthians 2:16 ).