Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs 16:3[1]
There are different ways to fail to commit whatever we do to the Lord. Some people commit their work only superficially. They say the project is being done for the Lord, but in reality, they are doing it for themselves. Others give God temporary control of their interests, only to take control back the moment things stop going the way they expect. Still, others commit a task fully to the Lord but put forth no effort themselves, and then they wonder why they do not succeed. We must maintain a delicate balance: trusting God as if everything depended on him while working as if everything depended on us.
Think of a specific effort in which you are involved right now.
Have you committed it to the Lord?[2]
Ø
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (7) Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and depart from evil. (8) It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones. Proverbs 3:5-8 (NKJV)
Ø
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 14:12 (NKJV)
Ø
There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
Ø Commit
your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. Proverbs
16:3 (NKJV)
Ø
He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and
whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. Proverbs 16:20
(NKJV)
Ø
A fool has no delight in understanding, but in
expressing his own heart. Proverbs 18:2 (NKJV)
Ø
The words of a man's mouth are deep
waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. Proverbs 18:4
(NKJV)
Ø
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV)
Ø
The foolishness of a man twists his way, and his
heart frets against the LORD. Proverbs 19:3 (NKJV)
Ø
A man's steps are of the LORD; How then
can a man understand his own way? Proverbs 20:24 (NKJV)
Ø
A wise man scales the city of the mighty and
brings down the trusted stronghold. Proverbs 21:22 (NKJV)
Ø
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There
is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:12
(NKJV)
Ø
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but
whoever walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26 (NKJV)
Ø The
fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs
29:25 (NKJV)
Cast yourself and all
you do upon the Lord: Depend totally on Him and your plans will succeed.
Total commitment to the Lord is necessary for success in God’s eyes. To commit means to roll and is used of rolling a stone (Ge. 29:3; Jos. 10:18; 1 Sa. 14:33). Notice that this is the only instruction, the only command, in this set of proverbs. God wants to work His gracious, sovereign purpose in our lives. Therefore, we need to trust God and roll everything we do upon Him. As difficult as it may be, we need to give up control of our lives and completely turn them over to the Lord. When we give ourselves fully to God, our thoughts—our plans and purposes—will be established. Too many of us strive to control every detail of our lives, and we panic when something is outside our control. Thus, God exhorts us to yield control of our lives to Him and let Him work out His plan through us.
bible reading: Matthew 8:18–27
key bible verse: But
Jesus told him, “Follow me now! Let those who are spiritually dead care for
their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22)
Our commitment to Christ must be complete. It is possible that this
disciple was not asking permission to go to his father’s funeral, but rather to
put off following Jesus until his elderly father died. Perhaps he was the
firstborn son and wanted to be sure to claim his inheritance. Perhaps he didn’t
want to face his father’s wrath if he left the family business to follow an
itinerant preacher. Whether his concern was financial security, family
approval, or something else, he did not want to commit himself to Jesus just
yet. Jesus, however, would not accept his excuse.
Jesus was always direct with those who wanted to follow him. He made sure they counted the cost and set aside any conditions they might have for following him. As God’s Son, Jesus did not hesitate to demand complete loyalty. Even family loyalty was not to take priority over the demands of obedience. His direct challenge forces us to ask ourselves about our own priorities in following him. The decision to follow Jesus should not be put off, even though other loyalties compete for our attention. Nothing should be placed above a total commitment to living for him.
bible reading: Joshua 24:14–27
key bible verse: If
you are unwilling to serve the Lord,
then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors
served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose
land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
Our commitment to God must be consistent. The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven his trustworthiness, or obey the local gods, which were only man-made idols. It’s easy to slip into a quiet rebellion—going about life in your own way. But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you. In taking a definite stand for the Lord, Joshua again displayed his spiritual leadership. Regardless of what others decided, Joshua had made a commitment to God, and he was willing to set the example of living by that decision. The way we live shows others the strength of our commitment to serving God.
bible reading: Romans 5:1–11
key bible verse: God
showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were
still sinners. (Romans 5:8)
Christ committed himself to us first. While we were still sinners—these are amazing words. God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, not because we were good enough, but because he loved us. Whenever you feel uncertain about God’s love for you, remember that he loved you even before you turned to him. If God loved you when you were a rebel, he can surely strengthen you now that you love him in return.
key bible verse: Anyone
who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and anyone who
marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Luke 16:18)
Life commitments should be lifelong. Most religious leaders of Jesus’ day permitted a man to divorce his wife for nearly any reason. Jesus’ teaching about divorce went beyond Moses’ (Deuteronomy 24:1–4). Stricter than any of the then-current schools of thought, Jesus’ teachings shocked his hearers (see Matthew 19:10) just as they shake today’s readers. Jesus says in no uncertain terms that marriage is a lifetime commitment. To leave your spouse for another person may be legal, but it is adultery in God’s eyes. As you think about marriage, remember that God intends it to be a permanent commitment.
bible reading: Psalm 37:1–39
key bible verse: Commit
everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you. (Psalm 37:5)
Commitment is the beginning of trusting God. David calls us to take
delight in the Lord and to commit everything we have and do to him. But how do
we do this? To be delighted in
someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This
happens only when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the Lord, we
must know him better. Knowledge of God’s great love for us will indeed give us
delight.
To commit
everything to the Lord means entrusting our life, family, job, and possessions
to his control and guidance. To commit ourselves to the Lord means to trust
in him (37:5), believing that he can care for us better than we can ourselves.
We should be willing to wait patiently (37:7) for him to work out what is best
for us.
PRAYER
God, I want my life to be lived for Your Glory. In moments where it is difficult for me to surrender my plans to You, please help me focus on Your vision for the future. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Related Topics: Covenant, Faithfulness,
Promise(s)[4]
[1] The New King James
Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] Life Application
Bible Notes. 2007. Tyndale.
[3] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2012. Proverbs.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership
Ministries Worldwide.
[4] Wilson, Neil S. 2000. In The Handbook of
Bible Application, 96–97. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc.
Pics From YouVersion Bible App
No comments:
Post a Comment