For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. - James 4:15
If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that.
The Apostle does not condemn the buying and selling of merchandise nor the lawful practice of going about one's business. He is rebuking those who plan and promote those things without consulting the will of God or considering the uncertainty of human life. We must not say that we are going here or there, that we are going to do this or that as if these things are in our power and that we have no dependence on the providence and will of God.
You and I know nothing of tomorrow, nor even if we shall live until then. Therefore, it is foolish and even haughty to determine what we shall do and where we shall go without considering the will of God, in whom we live and move and have our being. “What is your life?” or, what is the nature of your life? We are but a wisp of vapor, a puff of smoke, a mist that is visible for a short time and then disappears. Instead of saying we will go to such and such a place, or we will do this or that, it should be said, “If the Lord is willing, we shall live and we shall do this or that.”
We must be careful not to boast presumptuously of tomorrow, nor of the continuance of life, nor of going to certain places and doing certain things. All such boasting and planning, without regard to the will and providence of our Lord, is evil.
About Henry Mahan
Henry T. Mahan was born in Birmingham, Alabama in August 1926. He joined the United States Navy in 1944 and served as a signalman on an L.S.T. in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946, he married his wife Doris, and the Lord blessed them with four children.
At the age of 21, he entered the pastoral ministry and gained broad experience as a pastor, teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. In 1950, through the preaching of evangelist Rolfe Barnard, God was pleased to establish Henry in sovereign free grace teaching. At that time, he was serving as an assistant pastor at Pollard Baptist Church (off of Blackburn ave.) in Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1955, Thirteenth Street Baptist Church was formed in Ashland, Kentucky, and Henry was called to be its pastor. He faithfully served that congregation for more than 50 years, continuing in the same message throughout his ministry. His preaching was centered on the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, in full accord with the Scriptures. He consistently proclaimed God’s sovereign purpose in salvation and the glory of Christ in redeeming sinners through His blood and righteousness.
Henry T. Mahan also traveled widely, preaching in conferences and churches across the United States and beyond. His ministry was marked by a clear and unwavering emphasis on Christ, not the preacher, but the One preached. Those who heard him recognized that his sermons honored the Savior and exalted the name of the Lord Jesus Christ above all.
Henry T. Mahan served as pastor and teacher of Thirteenth Street Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky for over half a century. His life and ministry were devoted to proclaiming the sovereign grace of God and directing sinners to the finished work of Christ. He entered into the presence of the Lord in 2019, leaving behind a lasting testimony to the gospel he faithfully preached.
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