Sunday Morning Worship
July 22, 2012
Series: “Solomon Says”
Today: “Commit Your Plans”
Scripture: Proverbs 16:1-3 NKJV The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits. 3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs 16:1-3 NIV To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. 2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. 
The word commit means: to give in charge, to entrust, to put, to roll or to transfer to one stronger. 
I. Remind yourself of who God is and why you can trust Him.
1 Samuel 17:41-47 NIV Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field! ”
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
Psalm 103:2-5 NKJV
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 
II. Seek His face , not His will .
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Psalm 105:4 NIV Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
Psalm 34:10 NIV The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Isaiah 55:6 NIV Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Matt 6:33 NKJV But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Knowing Him will be enough. 
III. Live in a place of brokenness and vulnerability .
The parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32 NIV
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.[a]’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Notes from painting:
What do you see in this painting?
Father?
Young Son?
Older Son?
The kneeling, disheveled son resting in his Father’s chest is a call to you and me to go against the norm of this world and live in a place of brokenness and vulnerability where we can hear the voice of God .
Psalm 51:17 NIV The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.
Proverbs 16:18 NIV Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
Conclusion: When you fully commit your plans – here is your promise:
Your Plans will succeed! Your thoughts will be established!
Romans 8:28 NKJV And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
— Gina Wessel