DAY 16 - 31 DAYS OF PROVERBS!

Read Proverbs 16

I read Proverbs 16 in the New Living Translation and the Amplified Classic.

My thoughts on Proverbs 16:

• We can plan but we should take our plans to the Lord to get His input. Sometimes what seems right and appears to be the best way isn't. Holy Spirit wants to guide us and help us avoid pitfalls. "There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12 AMPC) God knows what we don't and He sees what we can't.

• God sees our hearts while people see what we want them to see. Your motives matter to God. "But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7 AMPC)

• Commit what you do to the Lord. Do it for His glory and your plans, your works, will be established and succeed. Commit - To give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust; with to; To put into any place for preservation; to deposit (Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary) Established - Set; fixed firmly; founded; ordained; enacted; ratified; confirmed (Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary) "Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed." (Proverbs 16:3 AMPC)

• Be careful of becoming prideful or forgetting to give God glory for all you do. He's the one that gives us the ability to do whatever we do. "Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you." (1 Peter 5:6 AMPC) Know this, God sets Himself against those that operate in pride. "But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it)." (James 4:6 AMPC) I know I don't want God to set Himself against me, do you?

• God didn't say we wouldn't have enemies because we will. However, He does promise that when our lives please Him our enemies will be at peace with us. Keep in mind there is a way we must treat our enemies and it's not easy but there are benefits when we do. "To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more payback. Live generously." (Luke 6:27-30 MSG) We must trust God even when obedience to God requires us to step out of our comfort zone.

• Let the Lord show you what steps to take. "I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." (Psalm 32:8 AMPC) "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6 AMPC)

• Be honest and fair in all your interactions. Integrity is critical in all of our relationships. "Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord." (Psalm 119:1 NLT)

• Desire, seek after wisdom and good judgment as your vital necessity. They are priceless.

• It's important to listen to godly instruction. Seek God first and ask Him who you should share what's going on in your life with. "You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny." (Psalm 73:24 NLT) Make sure you have godly counselors. "Where there is no [wise, intelligent] guidance, the people fall [and go off course like a ship without a helm], But in the abundance of [wise and godly] counselors there is victory." (Proverbs 11:14 AMP)

• Choose your words carefully. Let them be laced with kindness and healing. Let them be lifegiving. "Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak]." (Proverbs 4:29 AMP)

• Be slow to anger practicing self-control in all encounters. "Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment]." (Proverbs 19:11 AMP)

The verses that spoke to me:

"The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the [wise] answer of the tongue. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart). Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed." (Proverbs 16:1-3 AMPC)

My takeaway:

I believe God wants us to dream and to plan. He made us to be creative. I also believe He wants us to consult Him. As the Creator of the universe, is there anyone better to seek wisdom and insight from? We were created on purpose by a God of purpose for purpose. We can't lose sight of that.

God is concerned about our motives and we should be too. Know your why in doing things then determine if your why will glorify and honor God before committing to doing it. While what we may be doing is a good thing, if our heart is wrong, we shouldn't do it. "So whenever you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you [to advertise it], as the hypocrites do [like actors acting out a role] in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored and recognized and praised by men. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, they [already] have their reward in full." (Matthew 6:2 AMP)

Ask God to show you your heart. We may think our motives are pure but they might not be. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10 AMPC)

Sometimes we just have to ask God for a do over:

"Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me." (Psalm 51:7-10 MSG)

Anyone need a do over, a fresh start? Well, your loving Abba Father has a fresh start with your name on it. Just ask Him. I'm praying for God to shape a Genesis week in my life. You know what that means? Creation! Newness! Rebirth! New Life!

Anybody with me?

When I blow it, I'm thankful for, and encouraged by, 1 John 1:9, Lamentations 3:23 Romans 8:1-2, forgiveness, new mercies, and no condemnation, that allow me to begin again.

FAITH CONFESSION:

Thank You Lord that I am an orderly thinker and get my wisdom from You. Because I spend quality time in Your Presence and in Your Word, I look to You to help me keep my ways aligned and in sync, with Your heart. I trust You to show me when my motives get off track and I am building my kingdom and not building Your Kingdom. I commit and trust my works to You knowing in You my plans will succeed. My heart's desire is that You will let Your Kingdom come, and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, through me.

Share in the comments what verse spoke to you and why. Let's grow in wisdom together.

#LeisaWilkins #EncouragementInTheWord

Be Encouraged! ❤