Remember and Trust

Intro

Love weddings. Marriage is about a covenant. You agreeing to your end.

Need: We struggle to trust God’s provision in this covenant.

Proverbs 3:1-12

Main Idea: God’s covenant requires us to remember and trust

Solomon was given wisdom from God, and he wrote much of the wisdom literature. Most of Proverbs is written like a father to a son.

Imperative #1: Remember God’s ways are different from ours (1-4, 11-12)

Exp. Notice commands in odd numbers. God’s provision in even numbers. Verse 1-2. Focused on heart. Heart is forgetful. Solomon writes about the heart’s forgetfulness. God will increase years in life. Generally true. Points to eternal life and abundant life. No, they wouldn’t die if they obeyed. Man desires many days. Verse 3-4. Don’t let love and faithfulness leave you. How? Bind them on neck and write on heart.

Ill. 2004 Tennessee vs Florida. James Wilhoit kick. Impressed on my heart forever. That’s how the gospel should be. When we think about God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, it should move us.

Exp. Not literal, but figuratively. Like Deuteronomy 6. Make it so impressed on your heart.

2 Corinthians 3:3, “And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” We will have favor with God and man.

Christ - In Christ, we will be granted eternal life and harmony with others.

App. Remember: God’s commands are to be internalized. We love what we internalize.

Memorize Scripture

Exp. The end of the passage. Verses 11-12. Discipline and correction. It’s necessary. We can feel like we don’t need correction. We can respond poorly to his discipline. Become angry or hard hearted. We fail to see that God’s correction for us displays his love to us. He disciplines those he loves.

Ill. Parents don’t discipline other children. You’d like to, but not because you love those other kids. God disciplines those who belong to him.

Christ - How could he do that? God poured out his judgement on Jesus. How could he do that?

App. Remember: God’s discipline is for our good. Eliminate sin and allow him to grow you. Sometimes he allows us to face the consequences of sin. Other times he allows suffering for growth in maturity.

Expect his discipline

Repent

Imperative #2: Trust God’s ways are better than ours (5-10)

Exp. Solomon points out that our natural bent is to follow ourselves. Verse 5. Sometimes, we only lean in our understanding. What will he do? Verse 6. Seek the Lord. You will not regret any step that follows prayer. Tempted to make decisions from spiritualizing them. Still rationalizing. Still based in our understanding. Seek the Lord.

Ill. Christian is supposed to be getting dressed and brushing teeth. Instead he begins cleaning room. It’s a good thing, but it’s not what was instructed. Sometimes God leading us doesn’t make rational sense. That’s how I know it’s from God.

Exp. Common theme throughout Scripture. Not going into Promised Land. Verse 7. Repeat from before, but adding “fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” Wisdom and evil are not in the same company. If your rationale leads to sin, it is ungodly. Why? Sin leads to death. If we fear the Lord, then verse 8. The opposite. Length of days. Favor from God and men. Refreshment to our bodies.

Christ - We must seek God’s way because Jesus sought God’s way. Jesus’ wisdom was godly wisdom. He is the fulfillment of all Proverbs. We can have that wisdom to be humble because he did.

App. Trust: His leading in daily life and in big life decisions.

Seek God daily.

Seek God before you rationalize.

Exp. We must honor him with our firstfruits. Verse 9. This is a financial statement. Generosity is not only for the wealthy. Greed is the opposite. Give firstfruits. Tithe off the top, not the leftovers. When you get paycheck, tithe first. What will happen? Verse 10. God will give you what you need. Remember, covenant relationship. He is not asking you to trust, if he is unwilling to bless.

Christ - Joyful Generosity. We give firstfruits because God gave his firstfruits: Jesus. Jesus was his first and best.

App. Trust: Him with money.

Trust God now with money. If you wait until you have enough money to give, you’ll never start giving.

Switch your view of giving.

Start a budget.

Conclusion

God calls us to action. But he will covenantally bless us. Long life.