Life can change in a heartbeat, for better or for worse. It may be in the form of an accident, a health concern that comes out of nowhere; major inconveniences and problems; financial changes. Two men fell off a bridge in NYC on the same day over the same amount of money. One man jumped because he lost several million dollars in a stock market crash and only had $100,000 left. The other man fell accidentally because he was drunk, celebrating winning $100,000 in the lottery (John Maxwell). Life has it's share of sudden changes, twists and turns. In the Olympics in Torino, Lindsey Jacobellis was almost within sight of the finish line in the snowboard cross competition, with a huge lead to capture a gold medal, only to fall down and be lucky just to get second. Life is like that sometimes. And the turns may come from circumstances beyond our control, or they may involve choices we have made.

If you are in business, or if you have big plans and dreams, good for you. But you need to listen to the counsel of James, as he addresses a problem that most of us face. Please turn to James 4:13-17.

The attitude described is one of the typical businessman or merchant, who is planning for and banking on good success. He has separated his business life from the spiritual side of life, as though that were possible (“God is just for weekends at church”). What we easily forget is that life is both uncertain and brief. As we make our plans and pursue our dreams, we often leave God out, and then wonder why we are not under his blessing.

One example in Scripture is King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4. He was the most powerful man in the world. He boasted that he was in control, strong, and powerful, but God showed him otherwise, by banishing him from human society for seven years, “until [he] acknowledge[d] that the Most High [God] is sovereign over the kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (Daniel 4:32). This is one lesson you do not want to learn the hard way.

The story is told of the man who, while walking on the beach, found a used magic lamp washed up on the sand. When the genie answered his rub, he told him that the lamp contained but one remaining wish. The man pondered for a moment, and then requested a copy of the stock page from the local newspaper, dated exactly one year later. In a puff of smoke, the genie was gone, and in his place was the financial news. Gleefully, the man sat down to peruse his trophy; he could invest with certainty, knowing the winners one year hence. As the paper fell to his lap, it turned over to the obituary column found on the reverse of the page, and the name on the top of the listing caught his attention: it was his!

As carefully as we may plan, there is an uncertainty about our futures (vs. 14a). And life is short (vs. 14b). This does not call for fear or depression. Instead, it calls for us to have 1) a healthy respect for God and for life itself, 2) confidence in God, and 3) a willingness to follow God's plan. We should seek his direction and submit all of our plans, dreams, desires, and hopes to him.

D. Prioritize your eternal, spiritual security over your financial security and wealth. Financial security is a good thing, but it is does not come before a right relationship with God.

God can do more than we can ask or imagine – our plans are puny compared to God's plans for us. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” That is what it is all about, God doing his work, which is far beyond our work, and God gets all the credit, honor, and praise. That's the only way to live.