Proverbs 21:1-4 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 21:1-4, which read,

v.1 - The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.

It is amazing how the speaking previously of an earthly king was about the justice they were to perform and therefore a power that they held but now we put that human power up alongside of God's power and it is nothing.  God can turn the king's heart whichever way He wants it to go.  It is God who is in control.  Let's look at some examples of God over the kings.

Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:23:  Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

Cyrus in Isaiah 45:1:  Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:34:  But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

Remember that a king is writing this, King Solomon, who is probably realizing that his power is nothing in comparison to the power of God.

v.2 - Every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.

This proverb is very similar to 16:2 which reads, "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives."  This is a check on whose eyes we are using when it comes to a situation we are facing.  Are we looking at it through the eyes of the Lord or are we just looking through our own eyes. Our own eyes will distort the image to make it look good.  Our own eyes will factor in our own agenda to our benefit.  Our own eyes are not 20/20 for only God's eyes are perfect.  His eyes will give us true reality.  His eyes will make us walk in the spirit of His heart and motives.  His eyes will keep us bowing to His will instead of our own.  The Lord weighs or measures for the purpose of making level our hearts and motives.  He wants to take what we see and change it to what He sees so that our hearts and motives will change to be for His eternal glory.  "This looks good to me God but what do You think and whatever You say is what I am going with."

v.3 - To do righteousness and justice is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

A sacrifice was an external form of worship done usually in a religious setting.  What is more desired by God than me performing a religious activity is living a life of righteousness and justice.  The scribes and Pharisees were experts and performing external forms of worship and especially with the tithe principle but they were rebuked by Jesus for not showing mercy and grace.  Jesus said they needed to be doing both but the mercy and grace were the weightier elements to actually do.  

1 Samuel 15:22 says, Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."

Hosea 6:6 says, "For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."

Is my spiritual life defined by just some external religious activities that I do and check off for the week or is my spiritual life defined by my daily walk and word that is God infused with righteous and holy living?  

v.4 - Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin.

Haughty eyes are eyes that are raised up.  Usually we say someone is stuck up because they have their nose up in the air.  This is the same person who has their eyes so elevated that they don't see anyone else.  They are above you and everyone else in who they think they are.  The way they are acting with haughty eyes and a proud heart is sin.  Solomon just names it here.  There is no getting around it.  This way of life lights the way they are going and what they are doing and it is sin.  It is off mark, off course, and unclean.  They are relying on their own eyes instead of the eyesight of God.

Who has your heart?  Who has your eyes?  Who has your way?  God wants your heart to be after His own heart.  God wants your eyes to see His will to follow.  God wants your way to be holy rather than sinful.  Maybe some surrender time is needed this morning.  Let us pray.

"Lord, You are all powerful.  We think we know what is best but You always know what is best.  We try to limit our worship of You to a Sunday morning ordeal but You want our worship every day of the week and everywhere we are at.  When we don't follow after You then we follow after ourselves and that turns very quickly into sin because we are elevating ourselves over the others that You have commanded us to love.  Lord help us to surrender our eyes, our ways, and our hearts to You today.  Amen."

Pastor Adam