by David Brenneman
"The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives. Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished. By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil. When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice. The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. A divine decision is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in judgment. A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; All the weights of the bag are His concern. It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, For a throne is established on righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And he who speaks right is loved. The fury of a king is like messengers of death, But a wise man will appease it. In the light of a king’s face is life, And his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart will be called understanding,
And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of fools is folly. The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. A worker’s appetite works for him, For his hunger urges him on. A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. A man of violence entices his neighbor And leads him in a way that is not good. He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass. A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord." Proverbs 16.
It's interesting that when you remove the parsing and formatting, a simple thing really, a portion of Scripture doesn't seem to be so long.
But, my Dear Reader, look at the richness of what King Solomon wrote!
When God is involved, when Jesus is invited, when the Spirit leads, things happen in the plan of God for us that otherwise wouldn't have happened.
When life's waves roar, and the clouds stir and the rains come, those who built their house on the Rock aren't concerned. They know that He is God and that He has their back. That the safest place to be isn't in the boat with the 11, but to be on the water in faith, with Jesus.
In my working experience, I have met very few, very very few, people who live their lives dependent upon the Rock that's supposed to be theirs in Christ Jesus.
We have the Creator of the Universe as our God and we still try to do life our way, by our plans...and wonder why stress enters the picture.
We read much in Proverbs 16. A side note about the why's of removing the way the chapter is written in a Bible. Those things were added. Your reading that chapter just as it was intended to be read, as Solomon wrote it. If you listen to the Bible rather than read it, you get the same thing.
The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. When we aren't leaning on our own understanding...quite often we don't realize why we answer someone the way we do. This would probably be why.
Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be established. When we're walking with Jesus the way we ought to, His plans become our plans and failures just don't happen.
When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. This is an interesting thing. Have seen this lived out in my own life.
The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. When we're putting what He wants ahead of what we want things happen. Our steps are supposed to be mimicking His. The Disciples were being taught how to live life in the plans of God. To follow in Christ's example of love and conduct. As I had been taught long ago, a saying used in Jesus's day for disciples was "May you be covered in the dust of your Master". Follow so closely that what comes off of him falls on you.
He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord.
We can go on and on. If you're up to the challenge, most apps and websites that will have the Bible, will let you listen to what book and chapter you choose. Try it, not with reading it at the same time, but listen with your eyes closed.
The plans of God for you were written before time began. Before you ever had your first heart beat. The Bible says of you that Jesus has loved you with an everlasting love. That His mercies are new every morning. That the forgiveness of sins...He casts those sins as far as the east is from the west...remembering them no more.
Worry doesn't do anything for anyone. It's you trying to figure out how or why or what without including God. Prayer includes God. We are easily quick to forget that He is in our tomorrow's before they have even existed. It's everywhere to notice that lives change in an instant. Many people enter eternity in a heart beat.
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
-1887 John H Sammis "Trust and Obey"
All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. Lockman Foundation.
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