Welcome to our Summer Inspiration series when our devotionals will be based on different texts of scripture that I’ve recently found inspirational. Today, we reflect on Proverbs 16:1-3 and how the wise seek God in all their planning.
To watch this devotional, follow the link below:
‘To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.’ (Proverbs 16:1-3)
This proverb has a simple idea that’s repeated three times. The first half of each the three sentences speaks of how humans can plan their lives:
i. ‘To humans belong the plans of the heart…’
ii. ‘All a person’s ways seem pure to them…’
iii. ‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do…’
God is telling us three important truths: Firstly, humans are to plan; secondly, however, we are prone to being blinkered to our poor motives; therefore, thirdly, the wise response is to plan prayerfully - to seek God’s will and wisdom with patience.
The second half of each of the three sentences speaks of how God acts in our decision making:
i. ‘…from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.’
ii. ‘…motives are weighed by the Lord.’
iii. ‘…He will establish your plans.’
God wants to humble us in our planning. Those who humble themselves to prayerfully seek God’s will and wisdom will have ‘the proper answer…true motives… established plans.’ It’s foolish to make plans without God and so have the wrong answer, have poor motives, have plans that fail and a life you don’t really want! Are you and I making plans prayerfully? Are we truly seeking His will and wisdom? Are we prepared to make the painful “No” or costly “Yes” as God leads? Are we led by our emotions and desires? concluding that If I feel good about it, then it must be God’s will! That is foolish! Let’s seek God’s will and wisdom with patience so that we have the ‘proper answer…pure motives…established plans’.
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Our message on Sunday was entitled, Don’t Settle for Second Best; the theme, from Exodus, was on how we are to prize the presence of God and not settle for second best in our lives.
Please read Exodus 33:1-3, 15-16; 34:19 and discuss:
What would you say is the main message and application of these readings?
Did God speak to you about anything specifically from Sunday’s message?
Why was Moses so keen that God’s presence rather than an ‘angel’ (messenger of God) go with them?
In what ways can we ‘practice the presence of God’ in our lives?
Take a moment to watch the devotional on this message together by following the link below:
SIV - They needed God’s presence; why will the theme of today’s devotional ensure that we also are effective in God’s mission?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus.
Let’s pray together that, this week, we will have opportunities to SIV; and pray for anything else that's come out of our time in God’s Word.
Comments