Today's Scripture
Question #14 – Proverbs 16:1-3 Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
Proverbs 16:1-3 The Amplified Bible Version
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
16 The plans and reflections of the heart belong to man,
But the [wise] answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions],
But the Lord weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].
3 [a]Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him],
And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance].
Steph's Devotion
As we start 2017, we wanted to examine the 22 questions of John Wesley. He challenged his followers to ask these rigorous self-examining questions, as they walk toward holiness. For the next four weeks, we will examine each question, daily. Also, I encourage you to read the ‘One Year Bible Reading Plan’ suggested by Bishop Sharma Lewis.
What the passage says
16:1 – We plan according to our wills, needs and perceptions. The Bible teaches us that we may make what seems like good, practically – wise, and even kind decisions but they may not be Godly decisions if we have not consulted God.
16:2 – It’s hard for us to see our selfish intentions. We can justify our choices. God has higher “scales” than we do because He is all knowing; He sees how what we do impacts all of His beloved.
16:3 – When we acknowledge our limited knowledge of the outcomes of our decisions, and trust the Lord for guidance, the direction He provides will always be best. For a Christian, obedience to God’s Will is Success.
What does the passage say to me/us?
Have you noticed the more you study God’s Word and the more you seek His Ways THEN the more willing you are to follow what you know would be His choices. Lately, I have been busy, too busy to truly stop and consider God’s Will. I justify being more selfish, intolerant, and just plain feisty. What about you? What happens to your “godliness” when you are choosing without considering God Will?
John Wesley’s 14th Question is important because sometimes if we continue to do or think in ways that initially make us uneasy we may completely become numb to our good conscience.
I once took the youth into our stable yard. I had left the horses in there a good while and there was lots of manure. “Steph, this is gross and stinky.” I ignored them and gave out manure forks and had them all move the manure out of the barnyard into the manure pile – just over the fence. After a while I asked, “Is it still stinky around here?” They said, “It’s not that bad.” I said, “I know, you get used to it, don’t you? That is just what happens when we tolerate bad attitudes and actions, questionable websites, nasty song lyrics and other things that at first bother us. If we stay around these things too long they no longer seem wrong or bothersome. That’s a problem. We need to pay attention to our initial spiritual reaction. God gave us noses to realize manure isn’t something to “wallow” in. He gives us a conscience to guide us away from corruption of our Spirit.
Prayer
Oh Lord, You know us inside and out. We can’t run from You or hide anything we do from You. Won’t You give each one of us an irresistible conscience. May it be our hearts’ desire to seek You and please you in thought, word and deed every moment, every day. Amen.
Submitted by Stephanie Dickenson
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