Our Way Verses His Way

Scripture

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 
~Proverbs 16:3, NIV

Quote

The life you long for is found when you put your absolute confidence in Jesus Christ.
~Max Anders
 
Biblical righteousness is fundamentally an attitude of trust in God and wickedness is not merely disobedience, it is the prideful attitude that says, “No thanks God, I’m doing this my way.” We humans consider it a danger to trust someone we cannot see and then to follow this invisible one to an end we cannot envision. Solomon states our human dilemma in verses 5 and 25,  All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD… There is a way that appears to be right… to us but of course we cannot see the end which is destruction. It is a major undertaking for a man to let go of his wisdom and ways and put his trust in the LORD. Actually, this collection of Proverbs [Chapter 16] deals with the decision making process.
  • Proverbs 16:1–To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. 
  • Proverbs 16:3–Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 
  • Proverbs 16:9–In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
  • Proverbs 16:20–He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
  • Proverbs 16:33–The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

One thing is sure: whether one makes details plans or resorts to casting lots, events and circumstances are all in God’s control. Not only are the wise cautious, but above all, they put their faith in God and not in human plans. Verse 20 sums it up, “He who carefully considers a matter will prosper and blessed is he who trust in the LORD.”


When I was younger and paid attention, I could return to a place by relying on my memory but those days are gone. Today, I use the nav system in my phone and the signs along the highway. With these two helps and a good co-pilot, I can go to places I’ve never been. Mr. Hardy and I drove the Charlotte, NC in the dark just a couple of weeks ago but we had lots of helps. The headlights on the truck were absolutely necessary for the trip but the nav system and the road signs were also important. I had never seen our destination [hotel near Samaritan Purse] and could not see it when I pulled out of the drive way but by following the light produced by my head beams and following the signs, and listening to Steve, we made it. Only a fool would attempt to make this trip without these helps. Can you imagine a man saying, “I don’t need lights, I don’t need road signs, I don’t need navagational instruments and I don’t need a co-pilot [any human assistance] because I can do this on my own.” I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting in a vehicle with such a fool. Unfortunately, some people have this same attitude about life: they ignore all the helps available and do it their way.


When it comes to the future, God has a distinct advantage: He has foreknowledge and He also has ultimate control. What it all boiled down to is this: if you believe that God is good, that He loves you and wants what is best for you–you will trust Him. If you do not believe God is good and has your best interest at heart– you will not trust Him.


There is only one man that I know of in the NT who was labeled a fool. It was the rich farmer who made his plans to retire without consulting the LORD. A word of advice: “Never leave the LORD out of your plans.”
Well, I got a chance to share my Mary Magdalene message yesterday and I enjoyed every minute. I praying for a place to share it again this week. LORD willing, I will be driving up to Vanderbilt on Tuesday and our LCBS group it sending them some money to snack on. Joe David will share more about that on Wednesday night. We may do a “Gift Card” shower for the Tanners. My assignment is to see what is available near the hospital. Our first prayer is for Vanderbilt to locate the problem.


I was looking for something to watch on TV last night and I came across the Gladiator. I’ve probably seen it a half dozen times. It amazes me how prophetic some of these movies are and I don’t think the creators intended it to be this way. Some things are just woven into the fabric of the universe and they have a way of coming out. Commodus, the son of Marcus Aurelius, is a sniveling coward and morally unfit to become Rome’s next emperor. He is jealous of Maximus, Rome’s heroic general. The most praise and decorated soldier in the Roman army and dearly beloved by Marcus Aurelius and the army. Commodus murders his ailing father and takes the throne. He attempts to have Maximus executed but Maximus escapes. Eventually, Maximus is captured and becomes a gladiator. As such he gets to go to Rome and perform in the Colosseum before the wicked Commodus. The crowd falls in love with Maximus and cheers him madly. Commodus is visibly shaken. He had seized the glory that Aurelius intended for Maximus and due to the depravity of the Roman people, he enjoyed a season of success but when Maximus returns to Rome as a Gladiator he takes the glory back.

The devil seized the glory in the garden with his despicable ways and due to the depravity of this fallen world, he gets more press than Jesus but it will not last. Jesus will return and take back the glory. The next time you watch the gladiator, see Jesus on the white horse riding in triumph over all those who tried to rob Him of His glory. I tried to paste you a picture of the Gladiator on the White Horse but they are copyrighted.

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