“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25 AMP
A man who wanders out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the spirits (of the dead). Proverbs 21:16 AMP
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs and tries the hearts.
Proverbs 21:1-2 AMP
When God created man in His image, man was pure and whole. He was completely obedient and submitted to God in everything. Man is a triune (three-part) being – consisting of spirit, soul, and body. Man’s spirit ruled his mind, which ruled his body, and his world was in perfect harmony. When temptation came, and he chose to disobey, the harmony of his world was shattered and sin, rebellion, confusion, and strife were the result. The flame of the life of God that was in man’s heart was now extinguished and darkness began to rule. Everything was subverted and turned upside down. Now man’s body and his passions began to rule and call the shots. Now his body dictated to his mind, which rebelled against his spirit. Instead of the wisdom of God, man now walked in worldly “wisdom,” which is completely dependant on his senses; on what he can see, hear, and feel. That is why so many people make so many bad choices, believing them to be good. They cannot see what God can see. They cannot see into eternity. That is why we need God. He sees and knows those things we cannot and do not see and know. That is why – if we want to succeed and be blessed and enjoy eternal life – we need to trust Him and obey Him by faith.
Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way? Proverbs 20:24 AMP
Not only does God see and know your future, not only does He have a specific plan for your life, not only does He desire to use you, but most of all, He wants to bless you! His thoughts and plans for you are for your welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome (Jeremiah 29:11). What He requires of you is that you would completely trust Him – which requires faith on your part – faith in Him, in His nature, His character, and His promises to you. It’s not just about keeping rules and regulations – it’s about trust and submission of the heart to Father God. That’s why faith in Him is so important. You don’t have any idea where you should be going or how to get there. You are utterly dependant on Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV says that, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” God is pleased by your faith because faith produces obedience and obedience opens the door for God to bless you as He desires to do.
The foolishness of man subverts his way [ruins his affairs]; then his heart is resentful and frets against the Lord. Proverbs 19:3 AMP
The devil does not want you to trust and obey God or to walk in His way. He wants to destroy you through disobedience. First he tempts you with rebellion and disobedience, and when you foolishly follow him and fall flat on your face, he provokes you to blame God and get mad at Him. Doesn’t this sound like some people you know? They are always doing stupid stuff and then when it turns out badly they get mad at God! You want to say to them, “Hey, if you want to find out who your problem is – go look in the mirror!” This is what is known as self-deception. Foolish people are people who are always resentful toward God. They would wise up 100% if they were truthful with themselves and realized that God was not their problem.
The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight. Proverbs 21:8 AMP
A wicked man puts on the bold, unfeeling face [of guilt], but as for the upright, he considers, directs, and establishes his way [with the confidence of integrity]. Proverbs 21:29 AMP
There are only two ways to go – the straight way or the crooked way. God’s way is a straight, smooth road, lit by the light of His word. It is not complicated – you just choose the right thing and you do the right thing – and you walk straight. When you wander from God’s way, there is no clear path to follow. You end up wandering this way and that way, tripping over stones and rocks and tree roots, losing your way in the dark. In the end you don’t know where you are and you don’t know how to get back. If you ever hope to see the light of day, you desperately need the Lord!
The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life.
Proverbs 16:17 AMP
The upright see evil and go around it; they leave temptations alone; they even avoid situations where they could be tempted. They control their thought life and submit it to God and His word. They have set a standard for their life and therefore they already have a plan for avoiding the temptations that may present themselves in the future. Because they have set a standard and guarded their way, they have preserved their life. They have chosen to honor God and they will walk eternally on the road of blessing and life.