Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Preparations of the Heart (Proverbs 16:1)

We may think that we have control over every aspect of our lives, but in reality, everything about ourselves belongs to the Lord.

"The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the [wise] answer of the tongue." Proverbs 16:1, Amplified

What happens inside the mind of man belongs to man, or does it? Just because no one else sees it or hears it does not mean that we have the reigns of our existence. If thoughts and actions are actions are locked within the labyrinth of the mind, does not mean that the Lord did not know it was there. All things exist and are held together by the Lord. Nothing happens without His knowledge. I feel that it was misguided for the authors of the Amplified version of the Bible to insert "wise" into this verse. This verse isn't saying that all good answers come from the Lord, rather it is saying that when man opens his mouth to answer, good or bad, it is only because the Lord allows it.
In the book of Job we find an interesting conversation between God and Satan. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, 'From where to you come?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.' Then the Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job,that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?' So Satan answered the Lord and said, 'Does Job ear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, and his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands,and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!' And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.' So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord." (Job 1:6-12, NKJV) We all know the rest of the story. Job did not curse the Lord, but the Lord again allowed for Satan to attack Job physically. All this happened because the Lord allowed for it to happen.
"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'" (James 4:13-15, NKJV) Just because no one else can see it or hear it does not make it our own. Preparations may be made in the heart, but the Lord decides the physical outcome and manifestation of those preparations. But James leaves us with this warning, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17, NKJV)

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