Trust In The Lord, Sermon Notes

Closing to our Holiday Trip thru Proverbs, Searching for Wisdom...

Remember where we have been..Life for Dummies, Proverbs 1:7; Living the Lazy Life, Proverbs 10:4; Marriage is a Good Thing, Proverbs 18:22; Spiritual Value of Friendship, Proverbs 13:20; Words at their Best, Proverbs 12:18; Handling Criticism Well, Proverbs 12:1...
If we just look at that list and are not careful, we can think that it is all up to us! But, underneath it all, I need to rely on God! It isn’t just up to me!

Simple message today; Our text today is my favorite passage of Scripture. Memorize it!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean. not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Prov. 3:5-6

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” The Message

1. Trust in the LORD with all your heart

What does it mean to trust?
~Trust always includes unanswered questions!

I talked about Trusting God Anyway and a special I had just watched on CNN by Christiane Amanpour on Genocide...http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/scream.bloody.murder/

“Always trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie Ten Boom

“In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” Ps. 22:4-5

The flowers and the birds. (Mt. 6:25-34). What would Christ say to you? "O you of little faith?”

~Trust is required.
We trust in an invisible God.

“He who trusts in himself is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.” Prov. 28:26

~Trust is active.
“I choose to trust in you, God.”

~Trust is daily.
When difficulties come our way, we can worry, fret, fear or trust.

2. Lean not on your own understanding

God doesn’t always do things the way that we think they should be done:
~Joshua and Jericho... ~Gideon losing his soldiers...
~Why should I give when I can’t afford it? (economy, media...hoarding isn't Biblical...give and it will be given unto you)
~Deciding that I really do have to forgive that person, even if they really hurt me, if I don't forgive God can't forgive me...

3. In all your ways acknowledge Him

What does it mean to “acknowledge him in all your ways?” The opposite -- To be “un-acknowledged” is to be ignored; to be snubbed.

In ALL your ways. There is nothing in your life that God is unconcerned about!
Not in some of your ways; not in the ways that you can’t figure out for yourself. (everything)

4. And he will make your paths straight

We cannot skip to this result if we have not done steps 1-3.
Your paths will be straight (purposeful); they will not always be easy.

“Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. 7 And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Psalm 125:1