The following are sermon notes from Proverbs: The Planner. This is an eight week topical study of the book of Proverbs. To read more about this series, including the introduction, resources and listen to audio content click here.
The book of Proverbs has much to say about planning, but before we get into that it is important to note the relation between planning and two previous posts, The Sluggard and The Child. Three weeks ago we had a good laugh looking at the Sluggard. Now the Sluggard is a fool who is too lazy to work diligently and plan well; if it’s really bad he is too lazy to even feed himself. Because he just sleeps all day, or plays video games all day, he never makes any plans, and never accomplishes anything of lasting value. The Sluggard is practically the antithesis of The Planner. Then last week we took a look at The Child and what it means to give and receive discipline. If we are children of God then we will all be disciplined to one degree or another because we are all imperfect and need to continue to grow in Christ-likeness, we need to be sanctified. I believe discipline and planning are very closely linked. I don’t know about you, but when I make foolish plans, or I don’t make plans at all, I’m often left with the consequences of my poor planning. I am often disciplined, for my good, when I fail to plan well; to plan as God would have me.
PLAN WELL
The first major theme Proverbs addresses about planning is to just simply do it; plan. More than that though is to plan well. In order to plan well one must not be arrogant in ones planning. Both Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 state “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Do not be so arrogant as to think that your way of looking at things, your way of doing things or your way of thinking is the best and only way because, as we read, your way might be the way to death. Rather, we should be humble in our planning and we should seek godly counsel.
Many passages in Proverbs, Proverbs 15:22, 20:18 just to name a few, admonish us to seek wise and godly counsel when making plans. Often times we have biases or blind spots that a trustworthy and godly friend can help point out, other times we need to just be frankly, but lovingly, be told that our plans are foolish. None of us have all the answers, non of us are infinity wise; seek the counsel of fellow brothers and sisters.
Most of all, seek God in you planning. God is infinity wise and delights to give His children guidance when they seek it from Him (Proverbs 3:5-7, 16:3). If you find yourself needing to make some major plans spend some time in silence and solitude, and praying and fasting seeking the Lord. The beauty is that God has given us His Scriptures and His Spirit, who is our Counselor, to instruct us and guide us.
WORTHLESS
The second theme Proverbs addresses about planning is to not plan wickedness. The writer of Proverbs uses some pretty staggering words to describe someone who plans or devises wickedness. In chapter six verses 12 through 15 it says that someone who devises is evil is worthless, has a perverted heart and that in a moment they will broken beyond healing (Proverbs 6:12-15). Again verses 16 to 18, in the same chapter, show that a heart that devises wicked plans is something that God hates and is an abomination to Him. Like I said, these are rather intense statements about those who plan wickedness, and the Scriptures are abundantly clear on what wickedness is so study to know this.
FLEX
Last of all, Proverbs teaches us to be flexible in our planning. Proverbs 16:1,9; 19:21 make it plain that God is sovereign, even over our plans. This does not mean we shouldn’t plan, for it is also clear from these passages that we should, but rather we should be willing to forgo our plans should God change them. This also frees us from worry and anxiety, for we know that God is loving and good. If an all loving in good God is establishing our steps and insuring that His purposes stand then we are freed from fear and freed to take risks for His glory.
GOD PLANS
Finally, we should plan because God plans, and we are created in His image, His likeness; the imago Dei. We see God as a planner all throughout Scripture. We see it clearly in the creation accounts of Genesis 1&2. God very systematically and deliberately creates all that is. The first day light, the second day water and sky, the third day land, and so on. We also see God as a planner in the book of Exodus. Again God has this amazing plan to liberate His people from slavery so they can worship Him in freedom, and He will stop at nothing to accomplish His plans. But greatest of all, we see God as a planner in the story of redemption. Ever since the fall of man in Genesis 3, before that actually because we read in Revelation that Christ is the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world, God has been planning to redeem, to save, His people from sin, Satan and death. We see in Genesis 3:15 the first preaching of the Gospel, or the protoevangelium which is a Latin, or theology nerd, term for the first gospel. We see clearly in Acts 2:22-24 that the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was the definite plan of God; and again in 1Cor 15:3-5. So take heart. If you have been saved, if you love Christ and believe in Him, know that that is the plan of God. If you are reading this and you don’t know Christ, you don’t love Him; know too that God planned for you to be reading this today. He is pursuing you, He loves you. Trust in the finished work of Christ; cry out to Him.
