Guidance: God’s Plans and ours We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster. (Prov 16.1-4) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours Proverbs is practical wisdom. Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. (24.27) Don’t visit your neighbors too often, or you’ll wear out your welcome. (25.17) Wisdom is the ability to make discerning choices in life. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours We start out naïve and must gain wisdom (or not). While it’s wise to learn from experience, it’s wiser to learn from the experiences of others. Rick Warren Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours We need guidance to live wisely. In Hebrew, guidance is “rope-pulling”. We need God’s guidance to navigate through the bewilderment of life. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (16.9) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically Truth #1: Instead of just letting life happen, we must be strategic, have good advisors. Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. (21.5) Plans go wrong for lack of advice; Many advisers bring success. (15.22) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically Truth #2: At the same time, every decision is of the Lord. We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. (16.33) No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord. (21.30) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically Paradox: The Bible states we’re absolutely free and absolutely determined at the same time. What you do is controlled by you BUT what happens is absolutely fixed. We can’t grasp this. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically Paradox: The Bible states we’re absolutely free and absolutely determined at the same time. What you do is controlled by you BUT what happens is absolutely fixed. We can’t grasp this. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically Our culture says you determine your future by your choices. No, God does. Naturalism holds that everything is determined. No, God is involved. Chinese culture believed fate determined the future. No, God does. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically If you believe it’s all on your own choices you’ll become an anxious activist. If you believe it’s all determined, you’ll become passive and paralyzed. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically Example: Paul in a storm (Acts 27). He asked God’s guidance, and got it: no one will die. Still, Paul warned that the sailors shouldn’t get in the life raft. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Paradoxically Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Paradoxically If it’s both God and you, you can choose and relax, dependent on God. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Non-obviously Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Non-obviously The Lord has made everything for his own purposes, even the wicked for a day of disaster. (16.4) God perfectly weaves people’s evil choices and good choices into his plan. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Non-obviously Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Non-obviously Example: OT Joseph. His father played favorites among his wives and sons. The spoiled son Joseph was proud and shallow. The other brothers were jealous and vengeful. Result: slavery, prison, silence from God for years. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Non-obviously Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Non-obviously Yet through this Joseph became a great leader, his family was rescued from famine and his brothers healed. You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. (Genesis 50.20a) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Non-obviously Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Non-obviously Example: Jesus’ passion. The major players – Judas, Pilate, the religious leaders – made their own choices. They’re responsible for them, but God determined the outcome. [Peter] God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. (Acts 2.23a) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Non-obviously Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Non-obviously Don’t think God isn’t working. Truly, O God of Israel, our Savior, you work in mysterious ways [a God who hides himself]. (Isaiah 35.15) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

How does God guide? Non-obviously Guidance: God’s Plans and ours How does God guide? Non-obviously Don’t think you can figure it out. The LORD our God has secrets known to no one [the secret things belong to God] (Deut 29.29) Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! (Rom 11.33) Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours The Guidance God Gives: Pay the Price Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. (16.3) This is a complete reversal of how we think. Commit your deeds to the Lord and you’ll become the kind of person that makes good plans. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours The Guidance God Gives: Pay the Price Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. (16.3) Unconditionally trust God for everything that happens in your life. You’ll slowly become someone who makes good, God-directed plans. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours The Guidance God Gives: Pay the Price What’s the price? You come to God for guidance; his fee is everything. The more we pay for advice, the more we’re likely to listen to it. (Elisabeth Elliot) Lord, what you will, when you will, how you will. (John Newton) Want to discern the will of God? Make a decision. And dream big dreams. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

The Guidance God gives: Guidance: God’s Plans and ours The Guidance God gives: Develop the wisdom Don’t look for quick fixes, take the long road of wisdom. Practice it in your choices: major in college, career, marriage, location to live, ministry, relationships. God trains us for maturity, not for micromanagement. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

The guidance God Purchases Guidance: God’s Plans and ours The guidance God Purchases None of us pay the price totally. None of us develop wisdom fully. Jesus did this for us. In a storm the disciples yelled, don’t you care that we’re going to drown? (Mark 4. 35-41; Luke 8.22-25). Jesus calmed the storm, then asked, where is your faith? He’s going to go through a cosmic storm for us, with no guidance from the Father, and be drowned. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

God’s guidance makes us confident, humble and dependent on Jesus. Guidance: God’s Plans and ours God’s guidance makes us confident, humble and dependent on Jesus. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Dreaming big dreams for God? Guidance: God’s Plans and ours And you? Anxious and activist? Passive and paralysed? Choosing and relaxing? Dreaming big dreams for God? Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom

Guidance: God’s Plans and ours And ROOTS? Imagine ROOTS full of mature men and women making wise choices, dependent on Jesus. Proverbs: the Way of Wisdom