Untitled Sermon (19)

Intro: I once read a story about the former heavy weight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali. He was flying to an engagement and found himself living up to his nickname, “The Louisville Lip.” The plane came into some bad weather and encountered bad turbulence which tossed it about. The pilot turned on the seat belt light signaling that passengers stay in their seat with their seat belt buckled. All the other passengers were still and quite, many were praying for deliverance. But not Ali, He even refused to put on his seat belt. Noticing this, a flight attendant approached him and requested he follow the captain’s order and put on his seat belt. Ali audaciously responded, “Superman don’t need no seat belt.” The flight attendant did not miss a beat and replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane either.”

Do you ever ask, why is my life in shambles? Why are things so difficult for me? Why do I live in constant regret and spiritual weakness? it is most likely because we are not living in the direct center of God’s will. Like Ali we view ourselves as superhuman or worse supernatural and chose our will over His will for our lives.

Several years ago while at a meeting of The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bobby Richardson, former 2nd baseman for the New York Yankees offered this prayer. “Dear God, your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else, Amen”

God has a plan for our lives but we often get off course and make a train wreck of our lives.

CPS: Today we must purpose in our hearts to live according to this verse by completely relying on the Lord as we make moment by moment decisions, recognizing Him in all that we do, and revere Him as Lord, daily turning to Him and turning away from sin.

I. We Must Completely Rely upon the Lord (5)

It is important that the Christian not only trust the Lord for salvation but also for everyday life and every moment decision making. The theme of this verse is Godly wisdom verse human wisdom and under divine revelation Solomon tells us to Trust the Lord with all our heart. Trust is the Hebrew verb bā·ṭǎḥ which means believe to the point of complete reliance.

ILL: There is a story about a group of scientist who were exploring a remote region of the alps in search of a new species of flowers. One day while looking through binoculars they noticed a flower of such beauty and rarity that its value was incalculable to science. The flower laid deep in a ravine and the only way to it was by being lowered by rope off a steep cliff. A curious young boy stood near by watching the scientist, they offered to pay him well if agreed to be lowered over the cliff and retrieve the beautiful flower. The boy took one look down into the deep ravine and said “wait a few minutes I’ll be right back.” He shortly returned with an older man and approached the scientist saying I’ll go down and get that flower for you BUT ONLY IF HE HOLDS THE ROPE. The scientist asked the boy who the man was, he answered, “he is my dad.”

The young boy completely trusted his father to lower him down and to bring him back up. He knew that no matter what; his father would not to let go of that rope. The Lord desires for us to trust Him in the same manner. In fact like a loving father He truly knows whats best for us therefore you can read this as a command” Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

Heart is the Hebrew noun lēḇ and Solomon is not referring to the blood pumping organ in your chest but the totality of your being. He is talking about inner being, your emotions, thoughts, and volition. We are to trust the Lord with all that we are submitting our thoughts to Him, our emotions to Him and OUR WILL TO HIM! Notice the contrast we are to trust the Lord not ourselves. “Lean not unto thine own understanding!”

Lean is the Hebrew verb šā·ʿǎn it also means to rely on or to rest/depend upon an object to the point of being in jeopardy if the object fails. It is the idea of leaning upon a physical object for support like this pulpit. Now this pulpit is sturdy and its not going anywhere but what if I leaned of Kaylee’s Microphone stand? I would fall flat on my face. So it is with our own understanding.

In this verse understanding means discernment or the ability to react to life’s situations. God created us with the ability to think so we shouldn't leave all common sense at home but we are told not to completely trust our sense but to trust God who created us, saved us, and sustains us. To trust anything or anyone other than the Lord results in disaster. Prov. 28:26a “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool!

Each day is full of decisions, and whether or not we find ourselves in God’s will comes down to the decisions that we make. Will we be in compliance to the holy Scriptures and trust God to hold our rope, trust Him to make life’s decisions for us through prayer and obedience to scripture. James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

If you want to live in God’s will you must completely rely on Him!

II. We Must Constantly Recognize the Lord (6)

There is an old saying, God is Lord of all or not Lord at all. We must recognize God’s Lordship over our lives and seek Him and His ways in all areas of our lives. We would do good just to hand ourselves over to God for Him to do with us, in us, and through us as He pleases.

Acknowledge (Verb) yā·ḏǎʿ - to make known or to notice. In this context it is to recognize God as our heavenly Father, Savior, and Sovereign Lord and to yield to Him in all our ways. Ways (noun) dě·rěḵ means conduct or what is done. Simply put it means that we live for the Lord, constantly seeking His will and being obedient to His Lordship in a way that honors and glorifies Him. When Jesus saved us He bought us with His blood thus he has full ownership of our lives. Do we acknowledge this truth?

ILL: Shortly after joining the Navy, the new recruit asked his officer for a pass so he could attend a wedding. The officer gave him the pass, but informed the young man he would have to be back by 7 p.m. Sunday. “You don’t understand, sir,” said the recruit. “I’m in the wedding.” “No, you don’t understand,” the officer shot back. “You’re in the Navy!”

We too often live as though we don’t understand the term Lordship! Abraham Kuyper, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands correctly said: “There is not an inch of any sphere of life of which Jesus Christ the Lord does not say, “Mine.” We find ourselves living outside of God’s will and our life is a train wreck because we don’t acknowledge the Lord in all that we do.

If we were to live like this the train wouldn't come off the track because He has straightened out and paved the paths of life that we walk down. What a promise, HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS!

In Hebrew direct is yâshar , it means to literally cut a straight path. This is more than guidance but the removal of obstacles! Listen to Is. 40:3-4 “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, And every mountain and hill shall be made low: And the crooked shall be made straight, And the rough places plain.”

When we acknowledge the Lord in all our ways He will bulldoze a path through the wilderness. The obstacles will be removed and by the providence of Sovereign God your path will be straight and you will be on it! Living in the will of God!

III. We Must Completely Revere the Lord (7)