Pause, reflect, look back, look forward

Pause, reflect, look back, look forward
Proverbs 16: 1-9

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Intro… Game of life/ life maps etc. These are games where the risks aren't quite so high, but we learn lessons nontheless from these games.
• We hit this time of year and we can’t help but to pause, reflect, etc.
• Sometimes it seems like God places us in a holding pattern between Christmas and New Years. I think it’s for the purpose of evaluation.
• Christmas, family gatherings, old year passing, new year coming etc.

Big Pic: Let’s take advantage of the natural seasons God gives us to evaluate our lives according to a biblical standard.

Text: Proverbs 16:1-9

It’s so easy to rush ahead with our plans. Let’s take a look at some good, solid, practical, biblical advice when it comes to planning our lives.

v. 1, 9 There is an important balance between the plans of our heart and the directions the Lord gives us.
• On one hand, we have to go with what seems right in our hearts.
• On the other hand, we need to base our decisions on biblical study.
• Three ways God has revealed himself throughout history (OT, Jesus and the Holy Spirit)
• The more time we spend in the word, the more we know God’s character.
• We also learn from all the saints that have gone before us.
• We learn from the mistakes and victories of those in the Bible and other great Christians throughout the centuries.
• We just need to be careful that our emotions or heart doesn’t get too carried away and make decisions that God would not be pleased with.
• The heart-action with God’s guidance is an important connection.
• God has given us emotions and logic.
• Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it doesn’t.
• Sometimes we step out completely in faith, other times we are more sure of God’s direction.
• Questions/thoughts?

v. 2-8 give us some practical advice on how we combine the two. (heart/logic)
v. 2 Reminds us that we can justify just about anything…but we’ve got to let God weigh our spirits or hearts.
• Listen to the Holy Spirit. Usually you know if it’s right or wrong.
• This comes with more time in the Word, being around other Christians etc.
• That’s the value of the church community…

v. 3 Commit your (life) work to the Lord…
• Baby dedications…that should be the pattern for your whole life.
• Dedicating everything, everyday to God, asking for his guidance and blessing.
• When we’ve given everything to God, or dedicated it to him, then our plans will be established, in the way God wants them to be.

v. 4 God “allows” everything.
• Just think about this last year—or better, the last two or three years.
• Things haven’t gone at all like you expected, have they?
• As an example, you may be living in a completely different city than where you lived three years ago.
• In fact, you may have assumed you would be living in that previous location all your life.
• But you’ve now come to realize there are other places to live . . . and that God’s grand plan for you includes a complete change of scenery.
• As we ask God to guide our lives each year, be open to the changes he may bring that you weren’t expecting.

v. 5 Pride comes before a fall.
• Maybe you’ve had a great year and are giving yourself too much credit.
• Taking too much credit (arrogance) is an abomination to the Lord!
• Abomination: anything greatly disliked or abhorred, a vile, shameful, or detestable action, condition, habit.
• I think we’ve all experienced the punishment from too much pride.

v. 6 There is power in steadfast love and faithfulness.
• The ultimate example of steadfast love and faithfulness is God.
• Because of that love he atoned or paid for our iniquity, or sins through Christ’s death on the cross.
• That should give us such respect and fear of God that we will turn away from evil.
• The right response to God’s grace is moral effort…continually trying to do the right thing.
• And that helps us make good life choices, year in and year out.

v. 7 When our plans please the Lord, all will be at peace.
• So as we face a whole new year, we all want peace, right?
• That peace comes when our ways, our paths, our choices please God.
• Sometimes that path is easy and sometimes it’s hard…
• When the path gets rough... tragedy strikes, a dark shadow has been cast across your life . . . or perhaps within the life of someone in your family…
• At such times, it helps to cling to the perspectives of Joseph and Paul, who factored God’s sovereignty into the struggle of their lives. (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28)
• And somehow, we even make our enemies at peace.
• That one I can’t really explain, but it’s right here in the Bible, so I’m going to believe it.

v. 8 Even a small bit of righteousness goes a long way.
• At times it seems like evil wins out over righteousness, but God is ultimately righteous and that will win out.
• That’s why we want to keep doing what it right. It’s the right (godly) thing to do.

v. 9 Just have to remember that tricky balance.
• I’ve been a Christian my whole life and never heard an audible voice from God…
• Yet I’ve also spent my whole life studying the Bible…
• I’ve made good and bad decisions, thankfully nothing to disastrous.
• Whatever we might say about the events of the past few years, we have to confess that most of these things have come without announcement.
• We really had no way of knowing they would occur.
• As we close out the old year and prepare for the new, we often find ourselves shaking our heads in amazement as we look back . . . and lifting our eyes in faith to heaven as we look ahead.
• The future remains a vast, unknown, open space. Yet it lies completely in the hands of our sovereign Lord. “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3).

As you step out into the unknown, stay close to Him.

Questions/thoughts?