Proverbs 16:3
Committing Our Works to God
A. Commit
1. The term defined: to roll; to roll oneself; to roll away; to flow to.
a. It came to mean to TRUST… to commit to… entrust…
b. Used in Ps. 37:5 – commit thy WAYS unto the Lord.
c. Used in Ps. 22:8 – translated “trusted.”
d. It seems to speak of turning something over to another… rolling your burden on to someone else.
e. It is quite similar in meaning to “Cast your cares upon the Lord…” (Commit them to Him; roll them off your shoulders and on to His)
f. Thus, we are here instructed to commit our works into God’s hands… into His care…
B. Works
1. Works = deeds; actions; business, pursuit; undertaking; enterprise; labors.
a. This speaks of any sort of labor or endeavor in which we engage ourselves.
b. It would apply to our jobs… what we do for work.
c. It would apply to the forms of entertainment we engage in.
d. It would apply to our labors at home…
e. It would apply to our service for the Lord…
f. It would apply to any and every pursuit in life…
g. It would apply to WHATSOEVER ye DO in word or deed!
h. The term is broad enough to include all of the affairs of our lives.
2. We need to be careful about our works.
a. Ps. 106:35, 39 – they mingled among the heathen and LEARNED their works.
b. Prov. 31:31 – OR a godly woman’s works will praise her in the gates.
c. We can find ourselves in works and activities that HINDER our spiritual walk and growth OR we can find ourselves involved in works that INCREASE our spiritual growth.
d. Ecc. 2:4-11 – Solomon was engaged in many work projects.
• But after some time, he realized how EMPTY were the works of his hands.
• His works were not evil in themselves (building up Jerusalem; Temple; gardens; groves; government buildings; etc.)
• Ecc. 2:17 – But he soon discovered that there was no lasting value in much of his labors. All was vanity.
• If building an empire apart from God does not satisfy, certainly our little projects will not satisfy either.
• Solomon’s works were done “under the sun.”
• Ecc. 12:14 – Solomon also learned that God will one day bring every work under judgment. Whatever is done for selfish motives will not last. Whatever is done for the glory of God will.
3. Therefore, whatever works we do are to be COMMITTED to God.
a. Our works need to be examined in light of His Word.
b. Our works need to be prayed about ahead of time.
c. Our works need to be done with the right motives and intentions.
d. Our works need to be the result of the leading of the Holy Spirit.
e. Our works need to be the result of God working in us.
f. Once we ROLL the affairs of our life over to the Lord, (committed our lives over to Him), it is no longer OURS.
g. We have thus left our works… our ways… our welfare into HIS care. He is in control.
h. This means also that whatever HIS will is, we have but to say, “Thy will be done.” (whatever that might be!)
i. If we can’t say, “Not my will but thine be done”, then we have not committed our works to Him.
4. Our works are to be committed to God BEFORE we act upon them.
a. We are not to go ahead and ACT and then expect God to bless our labors.
b. We are not to ASSUME God’s will… and go ahead to DO some service or labor and expect His blessing upon it.
c. BEFORE we act… before we DO… before we become engaged in a work or activity… we are to commit it to the Lord.
d. In other words, before our works even BECOME works they are to be committed to the Lord.
e. That means that in the PLANNING stage, we are to commit all of our desires, ideas, plans, purposes, goals, and pursuits into God’s sovereign care.
f. Rom.12:1-2 – present your body a living sacrifice to GOD before your body even begins to pursue a goal or activity.
g. Our works will not be committed or dedicated to God unless WE are committed and dedicated to God.
h. We cannot say that we have committed or entrusted an endeavor into God’s care unless we have first PRAYED about it.
i. We also need to be sure that we have been LED in that direction by God and not self.
j. We cannot say that this activity is committed to the Lord unless we are sure He’s IN it… that it is pleasing to Him… and will ultimately bring GLORY to Him.
k. In other words, if our works are going to be committed to God, we need to be real sure that WE are committed to pleasing Him… to doing HIS will and not our own…
l. Jas. 4:13-16 – if the LORD WILL we shall DO this or that!
→ The Lord rebukes these business men NOT for planning ahead for their business.
→ Rather He rebukes them for leaving God out of their plans… for pursuing them without consulting Him… without prayer… without first seeking His will.
→ Don’t we often do the same? We assume and then act.
→ “This is a good plan… this is a good pursuit… this is a good activity. Let’s do it!”
b. If we seek God’s will FIRST… put Him and His will and His glory FIRST… and then act… we can expect His blessing.
→ But we often do things backwards.
→ We act… we do… we carry out OUR plan and put it into action and THEN ask God to bless.
→ Prov. 3:6 – in ALL thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy steps. Acknowledge God BEFORE you act…
A. Thoughts Established
1. Established: to be firm; be stable; be established; fixed; to cause to stand.
a. Used in Prov. 16:9 – the Lord DIRECTS (makes firm; establishes) his steps.
b. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. (Prov. 4:26, same term)
c. Our steps and the pathways we choose are not firm and solid… unless the LORD directs them walk and MAKES them firm!
2. Thoughts:
a. Defined: thoughts; device; plans; and purposes.
b. The term can be used in a good sense (good goals or purposes) or in an evil sense (schemes and evil plots).
c. The thoughts or plans in this proverb have to do with the WORKS that follow.
d. When our works are REALLY committed to the Lord… put in His care and control… trusting HIM for the outcome… THEN our thoughts and purposes will be made FIRM.
3. We may choose to take steps and follow pathways and activities in life on our own… but there is no guarantee that those choices will be successful.
a. They could turn out to be colossal mistakes… missteps… the wrong pathway.
b. Our works might turn out to be giant failures.
c. So much of our labor will thus go up in smoke as wood, hay, and stubble.
d. And once we make those choices, we are forced to EAT the fruit of those poor choices.
e. That usually results in worry, despair, discouragement, fear, uneasiness, even depression.
f. When our works are NOT committed to the Lord first, our thoughts suffer afterward… sometimes for long periods of time even after we change direction!
• Did I do the right thing? Did I make the right decision?
• Did I step out of God’s will? Will the Lord bless this?
• Will the Lord deliver me out of this mess?
4. But if we have determined not to act until the Lord directs… and our works were COMMITTED to the Lord BEFORE we moved, and THEN will our THOUGHTS be established!
a. There is no worry, fear, regret, misgivings, discouragement, fear or depression when our works are FIRST committed to God.
b. Regardless of where the chips may fall, we know we are in God’s will. He led us all the way. That brings REST.
c. Phil. 4:6-7 – if we made our requests to God and he led us… then the peace of God will KEEP our minds and hearts. That removes all worry and anxiety.
d. Even if our works turn out to be UNSUCCESSFUL in the sight of men… if we were led of the Lord in following that pathway, we need have no worry or fear. We were in the center of God’s will!
e. That brings JOY and EASE to our thoughts. Peace, rest, sanity, calm, and confidence…
f. And it doesn’t matter if the business God leads us to begin fails. If our works were committed to Him, and we followed His leading, then we need not be discouraged. It was God’s teaching tool… to teach us humility… and there are good lessons in failure!
g. If we pray and commit our schooling to God, God does not guarantee that we will be tops in our class… but our thoughts will be established… firm… solid… stable… and there are good lessons to be learned in being #16 in a class of 25!
h. As we pursue goals and pathways in life. As we engage in various activities and endeavors in life… God never promises earthly success. But He does promise that our thoughts can be established… made firm… caused to stand.
i. We don’t have to fall to pieces and be torn to pieces in worry… distraught… angered… flustered… anxious… troubled.
j. If before we act, we cast our cares upon Him, we can REST in this: Jesus led me all the way! Once the cares and burdens are rolled over on to the Lord… the burden for success or failure is no longer ours…
k. And we can from that point on REST in God’s sovereign will for our lives… whether His blessing comes in the form of much or little.
5. This is a wonderful promise in every area of life.
a. As a parent…
• If we pray about decisions we make… if we seek God’s will and seek to implement His word…
• If we commit the rearing of our children into His care… then we can have REST of mind and heart… for He loves them more than we do!
• If we commit our family to the Lord and seek His guidance and will BEFORE we act… THEN our thoughts will be established.
• If we act on our own feelings… do that which seems expedient… act without regard for His Word… then we will WORRY about the outcome.
• Then we will be filled with anxiety, worry, and troubled in the inner man over the outcome.
• Because when we act alone, we bear the responsibility of the outcome alone.
• But when we don’t move until God leads, then we can rest… knowing that whatever the outcome… it was God working out His perfect will in my family.
• And even if the result is not what we had hoped… we need not be distraught… Jesus led me all the way!
• If (to the best of our understanding) the decisions we make at home are in harmony with the Word of God, then we can proceed with a pure conscience… and peace of mind… even if the way is rough.
b. As a business owner:
• If we pray before we buy or make big decisions…
• If we honestly seek God’s will…
• If we commit our business to God, we can rest.
• We can leave the outcome in His hands.
• We can thank Him for the success…
• We can thank Him for lessons learned in failure…
• If we have prayed earnestly and committed our business to the Lord, we don’t have to worry about the competition or the stock market.
• We can TRUST in God. We have committed our business to someone who knows all about us and knows exactly what we really need.
• God is wise enough to know that some men can handle earthly success… and will use it for His glory.
• He also knows that success might be the spiritual ruin of others.
• If our business is genuinely committed to the Lord, we leave the outcome in His care.
• THEN our thoughts will be established.
c. As a young person:
• If we have truly committed our whole lives over to God (as we ought) then we will trust HIM to make it good.
• We will trust Him to work out all the tangles…
• If we have determined to do His will and obey His word no matter what—then HE will establish our thoughts.
• He will give us peace and rest… confidence and assurance… no need to worry or fear if we have committed our lives to Him… and are following His leading.
• Then you will have good success.