Whatever You Say

January 4, 2015

Morning Worship

Text: Proverbs 16:1-3

Subject: Resolutions

Title: Whatever You Say!

Happy New Year. OK, so I have to ask. We are 4 days into 2015… how many resolutions have you broken?

I read some great quotes about resolutions.

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.

Benjamin Franklin

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.

Helen Keller

Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing. Believe in yourself. And believe that there is a loving Source - a Sower of Dreams - just waiting to be asked to help you make your dreams come true.

Sarah Ban Breathnach

I stopped making resolutions for the New Year. But what I have done is to commit myself to live in the presence of God every day of my life. And if I am going to commit to that then I must also commit myself to believe that He has my best interest in mind and that He has given me everything I need to be faithful to my commitment.

Proverbs 16:1-3 (NIV2011)

1 To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue.

2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

I believe this is God’s word…

I believe it is for me…

I accept it as mine…

I resolve to live it out beginning today…

God wants the best for your life beginning today.

I. You have to have a plan in order for God to honor it. 1 To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. How many of you would say that you have good plans for the coming year? Last week we look at what it meant to be committed to the Lord and what you could expect to happen if you were committed. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV2011) 9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. Now I believe that Christians everywhere would consider themselves committed to the LORD. Sometimes more so than at other times. But I think the key to that verse is the adverb that comes before the word “committed”. And that word is fully. The LORD is look for people to strengthen and yet many Christians miss out on what God wants to do in their lives because they just haven’t committed to Him at the necessary level. We have to be committed to God not only in that we believe that He is able to do something for us, but that His desire is to do for us and to give us the desires of our hearts. When we stumble at that point we hinder the work of God in our lives. C.S. Lewis gave us the following insight: Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition, when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV2011)

6 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. Every Christian believes the first part of that verse – that God exists. But millions of Christians around the world and throughout the history of the church have missed out on the second part – that He rewards those who earnestly or diligently seek Him. That’s talking about being committed isn’t it? Do you have a plan for your life for the New Year and really for the rest of your life? Do you expect God to do anything with it? … from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. God will honor the things that you say when you agree with what He says about you. You know, more and more Charlotte and I find ourselves doing this when we feel a sickness or some affliction coming on us. “NO! NO! sickness is from the devil and healing is from the LORD and I claim what God has for me instead of what the devil has for me. I just hear on Thursday that the flu epidemic is becoming worse and worse and only 1/3 of those who have received a flu shot are being protected. So all over the media we are being bombarded with “Get ready! You’re probably going to get sick”! But do you have to receive it? Psalm 91:1-7 (NKJV)