Plans, plans
So today's sermon was entitled "The Truth about Planning," covering Proverbs 16:1-15.
Here are some of the points from today's 'fill-in-the-blank' outline that came in the bulletin:
"HUMAN PATHS:
Are ultimately determined by God.
In your planning: Be guided by, and consistent with God's clear work.
In your planning: Transparently roll out each decision before the Lord.
In your planning: Bear in mind, you answer To God.
HUMAN PATHS:
That delight God defuse hatreds."
Some of the verses and some of my sermon notes:
- Verses 1-9 are about the course, the way of one's life.
- Verses 1 & 9 capture the theme
- Verse 1: "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD." --> It means the last word is from the LORD.
- Verse 9: "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." --> "steps": procession or parade
- Aspire, but then rest
- Verse 3: "Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established."
Thoughts & Questions:
Yes, everything is ultimately under God's control. But decisions can be made that run contrary with what the Bible says. So, can big decisions about jobs, etc. be made contrary to what God hopes? Does God's desires = His will = His plan = ultimately what will happen? Is His "Plan" what will ultimately happen, and is His "plan" stuff he desires to happen but may not always happen? Is that possible? He is ultimately in control, but how does our decision-making play into that? Yes, it is ultimately God who "establishes his steps" (vs. 9b) & "the answer of the tongue is from the LORD" (vs. 1), but how does it all pan out? Basically is the solution in vs. 3 (committing to God)?
1 comment:
In retrospect I can see where I have made decisions that ran contrary to what the Bible says. But God saved me from the direr consequences often associated with such decisions leaving mostly feelings of regret and guilt. Some of those rescues occurred before I became a Christian.
Again, in retrospect, I realize He has been steering me away from wrong decisions without my realizing it until much later. He steered me away from the wrong college, chased the wrong girls away, led me to the right one and saw to it that I received just the one job offer that He picked.
That's just a sampling. Almost daily I remember some event that now seems miraculous. It's taken a long time but now I know my life is in God's loving embrace and if I make decisions prayerfully, all will be well.
Post a Comment