Wise Words: The Wise Way

June 22, 2014

Wise Words

The Wise Way

Proverbs 16:1-9

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Introduction

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We all are familiar with the classic hymn “Amazing Grace.”

• Many of us know it by heart, because it reminds us of ourselves, and the grace we received.
• There is a powerful line in this hymn.
• “I once was lost, but now I’m found…”
• Lost and found!

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Have you ever been lost?

• I remember going shopping with my mother as a small boy.
• I was busy playing in the clothes rack and got turned around.
• For a few moments I was lost.

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What feelings does being lost create?

• Being lost is unpleasant...it is even scarry.
• Maybe you feel as though you are trapped in life’s hole…
• You do not know what direction you are going.
• You’ve sough after the world and it’s success, but you’re not satisfied!

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We can know the path God wants us to take...we can know life’s path:

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” - vs. 9

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Text

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. 3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. 7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:1-9

The text that we have this morning tells us that life doesn’t have to be lived in a hole.

• There doesn’t have to be uncertainty, unpleasantness, or fear!

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There is nothing wrong with making plans.

• In fact, most of us plan our day...what we’re going to do.
• There is nothing wrong with this!

“Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” - Proverbs 20:19

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” - Proverbs 21:5

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• I do learn from this text that my plans without God will equal being LOST!
• Why is this?
• Usually, my plans pull me away from God.
• God’s plan pulls me away from the world.

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God’s desire/command is for us to 100% committed to Him.

• We cannot be 100% committed when we are also committed to something/someone else.
• God’s desire can be seen in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Lesson

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Why do we become so easily lost and unsatisfied?

• Because we are on our own path without God.
• Our satisfaction is not in God...it all about SUCCESS:

Success in careers

Success by what we own

Success by our social status

Success by the way we view our self

Jesus taught against seeking satisfaction this way:

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“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20

• As we saw last week, it is a matter of priority!

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Matthew 6:33

Which way is the right way?

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• Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
• Jesus is the right way to be on.
• He is the one that we should follow.

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EX. Abraham Lincoln said, “No one ever got lost on a straight path.”

• Following Jesus is a “straight path.”
• If we follow Jesus we will not get lost!
• I remembering learning in Math, “The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.”
• If we follow Jesus and His straight path...we won’t get lost!

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“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

• This passage doesn’t say that all things are good.
• It does say that when we are in relationship with Him...“things work together for good.”

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• Proverbs 3:6 says it this way, “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

PRAY

Conclusion

I began with the line from the song “Amazing Grace.”

• Most of know the rest of the story…

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• It was written by John Newton who was a self admitted slave trader.
• He was selfish, harsh, and down right EVIL!
• The was no God in his life...he had his own path, and he was LOST!
• He did later become a man of faith, and did a lot of work across England, preaching, writing hymns and being a tireless opponent against the slave trade.

When life is senseless and meaningless what do we do?

• We MUST realize that we are on the wrong path.

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• We MUST “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” - Prov. 16:3
• When were lost and know the way we must REPENT!

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Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” - Luke 19:10

• “I once was lost but now I’m found…”