PROVERBS 3:5-7 – SIMPLE NAVIGATION
You and I are on a journey. It’s called life. Life is full of joys and sorrow. Life is full of ups and downs. Life is full of challenges.
Because life can get really complicated, we need help navigating through our years here on earth.
God has promised to give guidance to believers so we will be able to navigate through life. Psalms 32:8, Psalms 73:23-24, Psalms 119:105, John 16:13
In spite of these promises we often find ourselves, not sure what we are to do next. It would be nice if there was SIMPLE NAVIGATION that would help us each and every day to know that we are on the right track.
There’s Good News. God has given us that simple Navigational System.
Proverbs 3:5-7 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
The first thing that we need to do is lean.
LEAN
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
When you trust you are relying on something or someone. It is faith. You are leaning on that individual or item.
When you trust in the Lord you are putting your faith in Him. You are leaning on Him.
Because we are sinners, and don’t deserve Heaven, we need help getting there. That’s why Jesus died for our sins. He paid for our sins, because we were not able to pay for them. Romans 5:8
So what must you do to make Christ’s payment for sin applicable for you? You simply need to trust Him alone for forgiveness and eternal life. It is a matter of faith. It is a matter of trust. It is a matter of leaning upon Him. John 3:16
Trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior was only the first step of what should be a long series of events in which you trust in the Lord.
When you trust in the Lord you are leaning on Him for guidance.
When you trust in the Lord you are leaning on Him for help.
When you trust in the Lord you are leaning of Him for strength.
And by the way you can’t trust the Lord without trusting in His Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Notice that we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart.
There are times when we say that we are leaning on the Lord, that we are trusting in Him. Actually we are trusting in ourselves. We are leaning on our own understanding. We are trying to figure things out with our own wisdom and knowledge. The problem is that often we are trying to help God solve our problems when God doesn’t need our help! The trouble is, when we try to help God solve our problems, we are insulting the God of the universe. Isaiah 42:8
God does not want or your need your help in solving your problems.
God wants and needs two things from you.
He wants your implicit whole-hearted trust.
He wants your obedience. He wants you to obey what He tells you to do. Luke 9:23
And another thing, if we are living in fear we are leaning on our own understanding. We are not trusting God. 1 John 4:18
LEARN
Proverbs 3:6 – In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Would you like the Lord to guide you in everything you say and do?
Be careful before you can yes. It might be like sticking your head in a blast furnace!
Don’t say that you want the Lord’s guidance unless you are ready for change. Isaiah 55:8-9
If you really want to keep living the way you are living now. If you are contented with life the way it is now, don’t seek God’s will!
But
· If you have a yearning to please God
· If you want God’s best
· If you want true happiness
· If you want to impact your world for Christ
· If you want to see others come to Christ
YOU NEED GOD’S GUIDANCE IN YOUR LIFE
Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
See that God’s will is GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, PERFECT!
WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR?
So how do we go about learn His will?
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
That means in everything I am going to recognize His Lordship! It begins with Romans 12:1.
That’s the over all commitment. Lord here are my hands, my feet, my heart, my mind, my legs, my arms, my stomach, my mouth, it’s all yours!
When everything is his, then you can start seriously consider acknowledging Him in everything you do.
Basically, you should consult with the Lord before you do anything. Seek His guidance before you do anything.
· Check with God about the use of your time.
· Check with God about the food you eat.
· Check with God about what you say and how you say it – the use of your tongue.
· Check with God about the use of the television.
· Check with God about the places you go.
· Check with God about your romantic attachments and romantic thoughts!
· Check with God about who your friends are.
· Check with God about church attendance. Judging by prayer meeting attendance and evening church attendance, I doubt that many of you do much checking. And remember, the reason there are no children, young people and young adults here on Sunday night, is because you’re not here!
If you seriously want God’s will for your life, then you need to seriously acknowledge Him every step of the way!
LEAVE
Proverbs 3:7 – Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
There are two things we need to leave behind if we are going to have God’s simple navigation at work in our eyes.
First, we need to leave behind our own wisdom.
I have the world’s wisdom, that which proceeds from a wicked heart.
Let us leave behind the world’s wisdom in favor of God’s wisdom.
James 3:17-18 – But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Second, I am to depart from evil.
If it’s wrong, I’m to leave it behind.
If it’s questionable, I’m to leave it behind.
If it’s sensual, I’m to leave it behind.
If God hates it, I’m to leave it behind. Proverbs 6:16-19
If it’s evil in God’s eyes, I am to leave it behind.
But how will I be able to leave it behind.
That’s where the middle phrase in this verse comes into play. I am to fear God!
What is the fear of God?
It is being afraid enough to turn to Christ as Savior. Luke 12:5.
It is being afraid enough to be concerned about answering to God for the things we have done. Hebrews 4:13, 2 Corinthians 5:10
It is being afraid enough to reverence God as my Heavenly Father, who loves me more than any earthly father ever could. If He is all powerful, holy, and loving, He is deserving of my respect. 1 John 3:1
Proverbs 3:5-7 – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
SIMPLE NAVIGATION:
LEAN – Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
LEARN – In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
LEAVE – Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.