- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
Sure Steps for Straight Paths
Proverbs 3:5-6
Illus. Steps for Success.
This morning we turn our attention to Proverbs chapter 3 where we are given steps that lead to a life lived as God directs, one that is set on a straight path, walking according to His will. God’s will for one’s life is quite important in this life. Not just from a biblical perspective, but from a personal perspective. Many surveys have been sent out asking people, “if you could ask God one question, what would that question be?” In survey after survey, included in that list was a desire in people to know what God’s will for their life is. This comes through in responses such as: “what does God want from me?” “What is God’s purpose for me?” or “How can I know I am doing what He wants me to do?”
As we turn to Proverbs 3:5-6 this morning, I want to turn not only our attention there, but also see God’s intention there to make clear to us the steps associated with walking into and according to God will. When walking according to, and within His will, we can know for certain that we are taking sure steps for straight paths in our lives.
Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
As we consider these verses this morning it is worth noting that verses 5 and 6 of Proverbs chapter 3 are among the most popular verses in all of the Bible. It is not surprising if in survey after survey people want they answer to the question, “what is God’s will for my life?” that verse dealing with that very subject are highlighted in their life. Proverbs 3:5-6 are number three on the list of most highlighted Bible verses in all the kindle Bible apps. Additionally, these verses are consistently found at or near the top of Bible search websites as one of the most searched for and sought after.
Proverbs 3, like much of the book of Proverbs, was written in the form of a father’s instruction to his son. In the New Testament we often get instruction written to a church addressing specific things, here we get instruction written to a child for right living and sure steps for straight paths. Through this father’s direction and instruction to his son, we get direction and instruction from the Lord to His children!
In response to the question of direction that many desire to know from the Lord for their life personally. This is not something the He wants us lacking in. Throughout the pages of Scripture it become clear that the Lord desires to lead us and direct our paths, the question is, are we willing to take the steps He directs? If we do, we will surely be taking steps associated with straight paths and I want to draw your attention to that. We are going to study this Proverb line by line as the Lord, through Solomon defines the steps associated with a straight path in your life and mine.
The proverb ends with that promise, that the Lord will make your paths straight, or NKJV translates it, God will direct your paths, He will lead you and direct you straight to His will…It is a promise, but a conditional promise. That means there are some conditions we must commit to prior to accessing the promise. Those conditions are the steps given leading up to the promise in verses 5 and 6.
- Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
- As we go line by line through these two verses, I want to take the time to understand the meaning behind it all, so I will slow down even more by going through it phrase by phrase.
- The first phrase our attention is drawn to is “trust in the Lord…”
- The Hebrew word for “trust in,” means to “have confidence in,” “find security in.”
- It is a word that depicts a person who is willing to throw their full weight onto another.
- In order to throw oneself onto another and at their mercy, there must be a complete confidence, a certainty, a belief that there is safety in being at that person’s mercy.
- In our English dictionaries, “trust” means similarly, “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, or a person or thing: to place your confidence there.
Illus. Trust run.
- Solomon gives the necessary direction of our trust, because trust can often get redirected situationally.
- Solomon doesn’t direct us just to trust any person or thing, he points us to a God directed trust… “Trust in the Lord…”
- The Lord is the object of the trust. We put our confidence in Him.
- But the trust must also be a wholehearted trust… “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”
- Since we are diving in on phrases, it is important to know what the Bible is referring to whenever we see a phrase like, “with your whole heart.”
Illus. The heart.
- When the Bible refers to one’s heart, it is a reference to the essence of who a person is, inclusive of their mind, will, and emotions. The heart is the control center. It is inclusive of emotions, but also our thoughts, without the separation that many often put in place.
- In Proverbs 23:7 we read, “as a man thinks in his heart…” Or in Matthew 9:4, Jesus knew what the Scribes were thinking and asked the question, “why do you think evil in your hearts?”
Proverbs 4:23, Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (NIV)
- When we read “trust the Lord with all your heart” then, we are reading, trust the Lord will all your that you are, with everything and in everything, trust Him totally.
Psalm 62:8-12, Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us.
- He told the people to trust God at all times, not just sometimes, or part-time, all the time.
- David was waiting on God, trusting in Him. Which is to have confidence in, security in, and to place ones hope in.
A refuge is a safe place, a sure place…a place to run to…
God is the one to run to…
Illus. How sure?
Numbers 23:19, God is not a man, that He would lie, nor a son of man, that He would change His mind; has He said, and will He not do it?
Proverbs 29:25, Whoever trusts in the Lord is safe…
Psalm 28:7, The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
- This leads us to the second half of verse 5 and the next sure step for straight paths…
- Do Not Lean on Your Own Understanding
- I mentioned earlier that trust here is a word that depicts a person who is willing to throw their full weight onto something or someone.
- What Solomon knew, and we must know is that when it comes to trusting, we must avoid trusting in anything that we allow the take the place of trusting the Lord.
- The second half of Verse 5 gets specific with it…There we are told not to lean (or trust in) our own understanding.
- “Your own understanding,” is defined as your own knowledge, wisdom, actions, insights, intelligence, or faculties…Putting your weight onto your own understandings of the circumstances and situations you come up against in life.
- The word “lean” is similar to trust, but specifically relates to what a person leans upon for support to hold them up. Do not lean on your own understanding.
- Put together, we are not to trust on our own understandings apart from God, because our own understanding is lacking.
Illus. Trust Fall.
- Our understanding is often based on what we have experienced, seen, or the way things seem. That can get in the way of our trusting.
Proverbs 14:12, There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.
Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:6, 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 seek Him. (NASB 95’)
Illus. Haven’t seen it…
Hebrews 11:7, By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Illus. More on Noah.
2 Corinthians 5:7, For we walk by faith, not by sight.
- The Bible doesn’t say to half lean, or partially lean, or lean occasionally on your own understanding, rather, do not lean on your own understanding.
Quote – “They trust not God at all who trust Him not alone. He that stands with one foot on a rock, and another foot upon a quicksand, will sink and perish as certainly as he that stands with both feet on a quicksand.” (John Trapp)
- Someone might ask, “then how can I live if I am not learning from my experience and what I’ve seen and then walking accordingly?” Good question!
- The idea here depicts the difference of a life that is centered on the Lord counsel, and the life that lacks it.
- If you want God’s will, if you want to know for certain you are walking according to His counsel and in the steps He directs, it cannot be according to your own understanding.
Isaiah 40:28, Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is unsearchable.
- When the Bible says His understanding is unsearchable, it is not like a google search term that yields the results, “unsearchable.” The Hebrew word is translated “infinite,” or “unending.” In saying God’s understanding is unsearchable, the meaning is that the ends of His understanding will never be discovered, His understanding is without limit, there is no end to His understanding.
Jeremiah 33:3, ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Proverbs 2:6-7, The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity
- So, trust in the Lord with all your heard, do not lean on your own understand, and now the third step for straight paths comes from the first line in verse 6…
III. In All Your Ways Acknowledge Him
- Verse 6 turns the attention from what you lean on in your understanding, to the way you are living, your ways.
- The word for “ways” is defined as your road, path, the course of your life, or any journey you take.
- The instruction given then is what to be sure to do, everywhere you go…In all your ways, everywhere you walk!
- The instruction for what to do in all your ways is to acknowledge the Lord.
- The word for “acknowledge” is defined by a long list of terms including, to know, be acquainted with, to regard, recognize, consider, discover, understand, or have knowledge of.
- That said, the instruction given is specific to every step you take, every road you travel, and every path you pursue, in all your ways and as you walk out your life…Acknowledge Him.
- In all your ways, remain acquainted with Him. In all your ways regard Him. In all your ways, recognize Him. In all your ways, consider Him. On every road you travel, consider Him, every journey you endeavor to discover Him. Every path you pursue, understand Him.
- To be acquainted with is to have personal knowledge of; the opposite is to be ignorant of.
- To regard is to pay attention to; the opposite is to disregard.
- To consider is to think carefully about someone or something in order to make a decision; the opposite is to ignore that someone or something.
- To discover is to get knowledge of, to gain sight of; the opposite is to keep concealed.
- In all your ways, in all you do, acknowledge Him!
Illus. Over there.
- Take the Lord with you in all you do and He will guide you. Not only this, but the Lord also wants to guide you, He desires to lead you.
- The bigger question is, do you want to be led by Him? If so, in all your ways acknowledge Him.
- In Isaiah chapter 30, the Lord speaks to His people saying, there had the opportunity to repent and be saved, they had the opportunity to trust in Him and find strength, but they would have none of it.
- They looked to the strength and swiftness of horses to save them, they had leaned on their own understanding and disregarded the Lord…But in verse 18, we reads that the Lord, however, was longing to be gracious to them.
- And he would be gracious to them by hearing them when they call to Him, and answering them.
- Though they had disregarded and ignored Him, He would not hide Himself from them…Their eyes would see Him when He heard the sound of their cry (Is. 30:19-20).
Isaiah 30:21, Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
- When you acknowledge the Lord, regard Him, reach out to Him, He will give guidance…
Psalm 37:23, The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him. (NIV)
Psalm 32:8, I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.
John 16:13, When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.
- Acknowledge Him, regard Him, consider Him, discover Him, look for Him, and listen to Him!
Illus. Stay focused.
Proverbs 3:6, In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
- Select the Paths He Provides
- The straight paths that God provides leads us to the promise given in these verses.
- NKJV translates it, “and He shall direct your paths.”
- Earlier I noted that given the opportunity to ask God a question, one question that frequently finds itself at or near the top of the list is, “how can I know God’s will for my life?”
- A promise is given here to those who want to make sure they are on the path God provide, “He will direct your paths!”
- That promise, however, is a conditional promise, it comes when you trust in Him with all your heart, when you lean not on your own understanding, when in all your ways you acknowledge Him, they you will see the straight paths He makes, you will see God’s direction on display, guiding your way.
Proverbs 16:9, The mind of a person plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.
Illus. Staying on the Right Path.
Hebrews 12:1-2, Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Proverbs 3:5-6