God as My Guide

Here at the school I have the privilege of teaching 7th grade Bible as well as 12th grade Bible. I enjoy both classes, it is always a ton of fun. Every Friday I make them take a quiz over the content we learned that week as well as a memory verse. There’s a certain point in the semester, however, when Proverbs 3:5-6 is on their quiz every week along with whatever other content or verses we had for that week. After they leave my class I’m okay with them forgetting my corny jokes or boring life lessons, but what I want them to remember is the Word of God. I want them to remember Proverbs 3:5-6 because it is such a great promise.

Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV 1900

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.

Introduction

In Sunday School in the Youth, we are going through a series on the life of Joseph and we just finished the section where he was falsely accused and imprisoned.

As Joseph sat in a prison for years, what do you think he thought about? Although the Bible doesn't record what questions he had, he may have wondered when his trial was going to end. He may have even wondered if it was ever going to end.

What we do know about Joseph was that he was a man who trusted God. It would have been easy for him to quit; yet everywhere he went, he did his best, finding favor with those around him. Although he would not have had Proverbs 3:5-6 to guide him, he certainly applied the principles of this verse to his life.

Now put yourself in Joseph's shoes for a moment.

Imagine sitting in a prison (for a crime you did not do) and living your life not knowing how God would work everything out. Proverbs 3:5-6 would be your lifeline in a dark time like that. This would be a passage you would most likely need to quote to yourself every day.

Coming back to reality, think of where you are in your life right now. What decisions do you have to make? Are there any changes coming up in your life soon? What is the

"unknown" for you right now?

As humans with limited knowledge, we live our lives not knowing what tomorrow holds. If we are not careful, we can allow this to bring trepidation into our hearts. But as Christians, we have no reason to fear. God has given us a formula for knowing what to do. Although He will not show us the future, He will show us what steps to take one step at a time. We find this formula in Proverbs 3:5-6.

1. Trust

The words trust, faith, and believe all mean basically the same thing in the Bible. They all have the same core meaning. There are specific connotations though for each of these words. I love the word faith.

When it comes to faith, there is a saving faith, and then there is a sanctifying faith.

Saving faith - Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9 KJV 1900

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

*explain gospel

Sanctifying faith - Colossians 1:23

Colossians 1:23 KJV 1900

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

*explain sanctification process

There’s three distinctions to understand biblical trust:

A. To be persuaded

To be persuaded by anything is to be moved to action.

Trusting the Lord goes so much further than merely thinking that God probably is what He says He is. It is so much more than thinking God is good, thinking God is sovereign, or thinking God is love. It means to be completely convinced that He is everything He claims to be.

Everything that happens in your life—whether good or bad—is not always authored by God, but it is all allowed by God. If you are going through a trial, you do not have a reason to doubt that God allowed it and that He has a perfect plan in it. Be persuaded that He is good; be convinced that He is wise; be sure that He is perfect.

B. To be obedient

If you are convinced that God's ways are the best, that belief should naturally lead to obedience! Why would you choose to reject what you truly believe is best for you? Obedience to Christ is a key way to prove that you truly do trust the Lord.

As missionaries come through the church or as church projects arise, the Lord may lay it on your heart to give a certain amount. He may even ask you to increase what you give on a weekly basis. If you truly do believe that the Lord will bless you (even if you give what seems like too much), you will give what He lays on your heart.

But if after receiving clear direction from the Lord, you fight with the Holy Spirit, you are saying with your spirit,

"Lord, I know better than You do."

True trust is always backed up by obedience. You cannot justly say you trust God if you don't obey God.

Illustration

The beloved hymn "Trust and Obey" was inspired by the simple testimony of a young Christian. During a revival meeting in Brockton, Massachusetts, this man stood to his feet and shared that he was not sure about everything God wanted him to do, but he knew that whatever it was, he was going to do this: "I am going to trust, and I am going to obey."

These words stirred the heart of the song leader, Daniel B. Towner. Towner then shared these words with his friend John Sammis.

John Sammis was someone who knew what it meant to trust and obey. At an early age, he entered the business world and eventually was on staff at the YMCA. After entering this career field, he felt the Lord tugging at his heart to enter the ministry. He chose to trust and obey the Lord by choosing to preach, leaving his business career behind.

After hearing the testimony of this young Christian, John Sammis took those words, "I am going to trust, and I am going to obey," and he used those to write the lyrics to what would become one of the most loved hymns,

"Trust and Obey." After choosing God's call over his own plans, he had learned that it is always better to trust and obey.'

C. To be willing

Desperately wanting to win, your will fights against the Spirit. And, in order for you to trust the Lord, your will must be broken. Proverbs 3:5-6 is the perfect description of what a willing heart does.

One of the greatest biblical examples of someone willing to do what God asked of him was Joshua. He was told to March around the city of Jericho several times and that the city would be destroyed. Don’t fight with the enemies, just march around the city and blow a trumpet and their city will fall and you will win. At this point in Israel's history, Israel had seen God do great things. God had miraculously brought them out of Egypt and had allowed them to cross the Red Sea.

They had enough evidence to know that they could trust the Lord.

God then told Joshua and the children of Israel to take a step of faith —a step they had to be willing to take.

As they faced Jericho—which was probably their toughest battle—God told them to do something that could have seemed strange. They could have had questions in their mind, such as, "What if as we're marching, the people of Jericho kill us?" or "What if the people of Jericho use these next seven days to get a head start on us?"

But they were willing to do what God asked of them.

They trusted God, did what He asked, and the walls came down!

If you want to see the walls come down in your life-the walls of fear, pain, and sin—you need to be willing to do whatever God asks you to do. If you seek fulfilment from anywhere other than God, you will find yourself disappointed. Trust in Him with all your heart.

2. Lean

(TEACHING TIP

Lean on either your podium or wall to demonstrate what leaning is.)

Anytime you lean on something, you are relying on it, and you are resting on it.

A. To rely

One of the most dangerous places to be is a place in which we are relying on our own understanding. So often we try to reason in our minds what God's will must be. We form scenarios in our minds, we weigh out the pros and cons, and in so doing we eliminate God from the picture.

Never rely on your own understanding. This includes your own understanding of what you assume God's will to be. So often, we become so consumed with our own hopes and dreams that we convince ourselves that they must be God-given dreams. The problem comes when we love those dreams more than we love God. It's good to have vision for the future. It's good to desire for God to use us. But our desire for God to use us should never replace our desire to simply know God. Never trust in what you think God's doing; just trust in God.

B. To rest

When you say that you are "resting" on something, you convey a message. You convey that you are finding comfort on what you are resting on. You have found a spot that brings ease and contentment. As you lean on God, you will be amazed at the peace He will bring you.

ISAIAH 26:3

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

When you are trusting in the Lord, you have no reason to worry about anything. You are resting in the almighty God of the universe— the God who spoke this world into existence. He has a perfect plan for your life, no matter how unfortunate your circumstances may seem right now. When you trust Him, you find rest and perfect peace.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

You Probably know the song Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

What a fellowship, what a joy divine Leaning on the everlasting arms What a blessedness, what a peace is mine Leaning on the everlasting arms

What have I to dread, what have I to fear Leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near Leaning on the everlasting arms

Leaning, leaning Safe and secure from all alarms Leaning, leaning Leaning on the everlasting arms

"Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" is the result of an epiphany based on the text of Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms". Anthony Showalter was the author. He was a musician who conducted singing schools. He studied music in England, France, and Germany and served as an elder of First Presbyterian Church in Dalton, Georgia. Showalter was inspired by this Scripture after hearing the news that the wives of two of his former pupils had died and were buried the same day. In a letter of sympathy, he created the refrain out of a verse from Deuteronomy. "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms".

You’re leaning on something today, but are you leaning on the everlasting arms of God?

3. Acknowledge

This word means, "To perceive; to recognize." As you recognize God in all that you do, He will direct your steps.

Here are three ways we acknowledge God.

A. Through prayer

The minute you pray, you have acknowledged God. Isn't it a blessing that prayer is not limited to a specific time and place? Aren't you thankful that you don't have to set up an appointment to talk to God? God is always available for you, and He wants to hear from you!

JEREMIAH 33:3

3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

As you go throughout your day, pray constantly. You do not have to have your eyes closed the whole time, and you do not have to be in a kneeling position every time. If you can think at any time, you can pray at any time.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:17

17 Pray without ceasing.

This verse teaches us to be in a constant state of prayer. What that means is to be in communication with God as if you were talking to a person walking with you all day long. After all, that's exactly what God is doing.

Illustration

One of the most influential prayer warriors of all time was George Müeller, who is famous for the orphanages he ran in England. Over his lifetime, he cared for over ten thousand orphans.

To someone who did not believe in God, it could have seemed that George Müeller's means of caring for the orphans was unreliable. He did not make enough money to buy everything the orphans needed, and he did not ask for funding. He relied solely on prayer. As he faithfully prayed for needs to be met, God faithfully supplied every need.

On one particular occasion, the children at one of the orphanages came to their breakfast table ready for their meal, just as they did every morning. What they did not know was there was nothing for them to eat.

Müeller had the children pray for the Lord to bless their food, though he himself did not know how they would have food. Shortly after they prayed, a baker stopped by offering free loaves. Then, a milk wagon broke down right outside of the orphanage, and they gave all of the milk to the orphanage. The Lord had provided all the bread and milk the children needed for that day.

May we, like Müeller, take our cares to the Lord in prayer. May we come before the Lord in faith, believing that we are praying to the almighty God of the universe.

The same God that George Müeller saw perform innumerable miracles is the same God we pray to today.?

JEREMIAH 32:27

27 Behold, I am the LorD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

B. Through praise

You not only acknowledge God through prayer, but you also acknowledge Him through praise.

TEACHING TIP

Take a few minutes to allow those in your class time to share things for which they praise the Lord. Encourage them to share any "big" praises if they have any, but also encourage them to share "everyday" things that they are thankful for.

When you praise the Lord, you are acknowledging Him by giving Him the credit that He deserves. When was the last time you took a minute to just ponder what all God is?

He is Jehovah-Jireh, your Provider. For everything that you possess, God is the one that you should be thanking. He provides your food, clothing, shelter —you name it, and He's provided it.

He is Jehovah-Nissi, your Banner. He is the one who protects you during both physical battles and spiritual battles. Never take for granted the protection He provides for you. Praise Him for it!

He is Jehovah-Qadash, your Sanctifier. He is the one who works in you to bring you closer to Christ.

He works through you, transforming you into what is ultimately best.

PHILIPPIANS 1:6

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

He is Jehovah-Raah, your Shepherd. He is the one who watches you, protects you, cares for you, leads you, and does all a loving shepherd should.

PSALM 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

He is Jehovah-Rapha, your Healer. Anytime you find yourself hurt or broken, turn it all over to the Lord!

He can heal your broken heart like nobody else. What an amazing thing to praise Him for!

PSALM 34:18

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

CORINTHIANS 1:3-4

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Acknowledge the Lord by giving Him the praise He deserves! After all God has done for us, we should strive to give praise to Him.

C. Through preaching

You doing the preaching and you listening to preaching.

You acknowledge Christ as you proclaim the truths of His word. Don't just keep your relationship with Christ to yourself. Share with others what God is doing in your heart. By preaching His word everywhere you go, you acknowledge His presence in your everyday life. Be a light for Him in this dark world through proclaiming the gospel to every creature.

Listen to preaching. Come to church and hear messages from God’s Word, listen to other pastors and podcasts online. I was just telling our students today in chapel that my thought when I’m walking into a service should be “This message that I’m about to hear, is for me. I’m going to apply it to my life.”

So listen to good preaching and then preach to others by telling them about Christ and how good He is.

Conclusion

As you apply these three words-trust, lean, and acknowledge—you will be amazed to see how God guides and directs your steps. He will take you to places you never thought you would go, He will bring you to people you never thought you would meet, and He will give to you opportunities that you never thought you would have.

Trust in the Lord! He is perfect in all of His ways, and His plans for you are better than any plans you could have for you.

Lean on Him! Rest on His strength and be content in His perfect plans. You will be amazed at the comfort and peace you find as you lean in the arms of your Heavenly Father.

Acknowledge Him in all your ways! He has great plans for you that He wants to show you. Constantly communicate with Him through prayer. Praise Him for all that He is to you.

But don't just stop there; preach His truths wherever you go.

God's plans are bigger and better than yours. Your plans are based on your limited knowledge; His plans are based on His infinite knowledge. Your plans are based on your imperfect strength; His plans are based on His almighty strength.

Everything God has planned for you is far greater than you could ever dream, and if you will trust in Him, lean on Him, and acknowledge Him, He will fulfill those plans in your life.