Application Monday #4

The Heart of Man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps

Proverbs 16:9

I have really thougth this last week on what this means in my life. And how this fits for plans that I want to make for my life, and how I know I am in God's perfect will as I have brought this up the past two Application Mondays! I done a little research this morning, and this is what John MacArthur had to say:

Man is here represented to us, 1. As a reasonable creature, that has the faculty of contriving for himself: His heart devises his way, designs an end, and projects ways and means leading to that end, which the inferior creatures, who are governed by sense and natural instinct, cannot do. The more shame for him if he do not devise the way how to please God and provide for his everlasting state. 2. But as a depending creature, that is subject to the direction and dominion of his Maker. If men devise their way, so as to make God’s glory their end and his will their rule, they may expect that he will direct their steps by his Spirit and grace, so that they shall not miss their way nor come short of their end. But let men devise their worldly affairs ever so politely, and with ever so great a probability of success, yet God has the ordering of the event, and sometimes directs their steps to that which they least intended. The design of this is to teach us to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that (Jam. 4:14, 15), and to have our eye to God, not only in the great turns of our lives, but in every step we take. Lord, direct my way, 1 Th. 3:11.

I could not have said this better! Dennis an

d I are restructuring our prayer life and attitudes! We spent some great company with some friends this last weekend and without knowing it they have spurred us on in righteousness! Please keep us in prayer that our prayers would be effective for the kingdom and not absorbed in our own requests and needs! We love you guys that read. We hope that you continue!

(Henry, Matthew: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody : Hendrickson, 1996, c1991, S. Pr 16:9)