![]() ![]() And so that is why earlier a proverb said, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" ( Proverbs 4:23 ). I did all this." And the Lord says, "Hey, I never knew you." You see, your heart, the motivation was wrong. ![]() So where every deed is right in my own eyes I can say, "Look what I did, Lord. God's going to test one day our hearts, our motivations. His own desire to be a leader or whatever, and the motivation of the work is wrong. There are many things that a person does ostensibly for the Lord, but inwardly he is motivated by his own desire for recognition. For I say unto you, ye have your reward" ( Matthew 6:1 ). "Take heed to yourself that you do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of men. Now Jesus tells us that we will definitely be judged according to, not what I've done, but what motivated what I did. We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 that we are all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, in order that we might be judged according to our works what sort they are. ![]() Now it is possible that a person have the totally proper actions but the wrong motivations. God is always interested in not so much of what I do but what motivated that action. "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes."īut the LORD ponders the hearts ( Proverbs 21:2 ). It's amazing how that we can actually rationalize and justify every single thing we've done. The second proverb is one that we can all attest to.Įvery way of a man is right in his own eyes ( Proverbs 21:2 ): He directs them like the sluices of water wherever He wills. So as a child of God, we can say our hearts are in the hands of the Lord. And as a child of God, God expresses His will and His purpose for my life by the directing of my desires. "No longer on the tables of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of our heart" ( 2 Corinthians 3:3 ). The Lord said, "And in those days, I will write my laws on the fleshly tablets of their hearts" ( Jeremiah 31:33 ). That God would direct our hearts, and that's exactly what the scripture promises is the reality for us who walk with Jesus Christ. How we should desire that our hearts be in the hands of the Lord. And even as the king by the water sluices is able to direct the water to where he desires it to be, so God is able to direct the heart of the king according to God's will. So Solomon is declaring that, in reality, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. And these sluices were, of course, to turn the water to bring it to a desired area. The word "rivers of water" is in the Hebrew "as the water courses." Now in the land of Israel, they had made many sluices for the water by which they could direct the water from the river to their farm areas. The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will ( Proverbs 21:1 ). Shall we turn now in our Bibles to Proverbs 21:1-31. It is useless to fight against God, and just as useless to fight without him (30-31). ![]() Whether in general speech or in sworn testimony before a court, a person must give a genuine testimony of the truth, not merely put on a bold face to impress others (28-29). Religious acts done with wrong intentions are hateful to God, along with pride, laziness and selfish desires (24-27). Wisdom is more important than military might, and control of the tongue is a good defence against trouble (22-23). At the same time they realize that the only way to build lasting treasure is to practise righteousness and kindness (19-21). By suffering the evil they planned against the innocent, the wicked become the ransom for the innocent (18). One day they will justly suffer for their selfishness and dishonesty (13-17). Some people live solely for themselves, ignoring the needy and bribing the influential so that they can get whatever they want and live in complete comfort. They will come to ruin, but the righteous will enjoy blessing (9-12). Some people make life unpleasant for those who live in the same house, and others deliberately do evil wherever they can. Prosperity that comes through diligence is a fitting reward, but prosperity that comes through greed, lying and violence is a deadly trap (5-8). God knows people’s motives and he will not accept their sacrifices if their thoughts and actions are wrong (2-4). As God directs the course along which a stream flows, so he guides the decisions of national rulers according to his plan (21:1). ![]()
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