Look to and Trust in God

 

Scripture Text

Proverbs 3:5-10

Intro: Solomon instructs us that to have favor and success with God and Man we need to look to and trust in God and His word.  Just as people in haste can reach out to the wrong set of answers looking for their needs to be met, we too, can hastily reach out to answers which are insufficient and outside of God's best for our lives.

1. When You Face Life's Challenges Trust in God. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding; Heart in Hebrew refers more often to one's intellect (understanding, discernment, and will.) To trust in the Lord wholeheartedly means one should not (lean) or rely on his own understanding. Human insights are never enough. God sees things from His perspective and His ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) ⁸  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. ⁹  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. He is always trustworthy. All the wisdom a person may acquire here on earth can never replace the need for full trust in God's superior ways.

  2.When You Reach for Life's Answers Look to God. Proverbs 3: 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. There are many places a person can turn for life's answers but the place that never fails is God and His wisdom. In (all) your ways, recognize the existence of God, truth of God, and the facts of God. A person who puts His trust in the Lord and His wisdom and has an intimate knowledge and recognition of God in all his ways, finds that God directs or makes his paths straight. This means more than guidance; it means God removes the hindrances and sin, making a smooth path or way of life, bringing one to the correct answer or goal. Direct your paths means God will assist and bless all your endeavors and keep you from the paths of sin and destruction.
 
3. When You Look for Wisdom Turn to God. Proverbs 3:7 (NKJV) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. People who acquire God's wisdom need to remember that they did not become wise by themselves; wisdom comes from God. A heart awareness of and proper response to God keeps us from evil. The fear of the Lord occurs 11 times in Proverbs. Fearing the Lord, Solomon wrote, is the beginning of knowledge. "Beginning" in the Hebrew means "the start." Fear as used here refers to a deep respect, reverence, and awe for God. It is used to describe the attitude of a person who recognizes God’s power, majesty, and holiness. The “fear of the Lord” is also associated with His wisdom and knowledge. One cannot gain knowledge of spiritual things if he begins at the wrong point, refusing to fear the Lord. To recognize God's character and respond by revering, trusting, worshiping, obeying, and serving Him help prevent the evil of pride and sin.

4. God's wisdom brings healing. Proverbs 3:8 (NKJV) It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Seeking and following God's wisdom instead of your own will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. As a result of fearing God and turning from evil, you will have health and vigor. Health in one's bones, mentioned several times in Proverbs suggests that spiritual and physical health are related.

5. Life's Priorities Start with God. Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; ¹⁰  So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. In Israel, honoring the Lord with their wealth and the first fruits of all one's crops was a way of expressing gratitude to Him for His provisions. They gave a tithe of all they earned and all their crops. It was a way of acknowledging, honoring and thanking God for His help. In return, God then promised to fill the barns (with grain) and the vats... with new wine. ("Freshly squeezed grape juice"). Honoring God first results in gain and brings prosperity, spiritual and material. (Matt. 6:33) Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these shall be added to you.

Conclusion: We should prioritize God in our lives and be sure that our ways belong to God and His wisdom if we want to be successful in this life.

Invitation: God's wisdom says that to enter His kingdom you admit you are a sinner and confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Then invite Him into your life to save you from hell and guide you with His wisdom. Be baptized as a public testimony to your faith in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.