Session 2 - Nothing of the World

What a great start to the weekend, what have yall enjoyed most so far?

What did you think of service tonight?

Session 2 Introduction

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Who is the strongest person you can think of on earth? What is the strongest thing you can think of?

What determines someone or something to be strong? EVIDENCE ~ RELIABILITY

Often times we rely on people that are strong. May not always be physical strength. They may show strength in leadership, love, kindness. We gravitate towards people that show strength in positive qualities that offer security.

Sometimes we see ourselves as the “strong person.” We rely on our own experiences and understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 teaches that we can’t lean on our understanding. The word LEAN in the Bible means to “support yourself.”

How long do you think you will make it in life leaning on your own knowledge or other people in the world? —You will likely make it to the end and possibly have a nice life.

What would change if you fully leaned on the Lord? How far will you make it in life? —You will make it to where you need to be. You will make it to where God has plans for you. You will make it to a life filled with real joy, peace, and love.

This is only possible when we Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Let’s take a look at the last part of verse 5 and see how we prevent our heart from leaning on our world understanding.

TRUSTING IN THE LORD IS

NOTHING OF THIS WORLD

Proverbs 3:5 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

What is the difference between leaning on the Lord and leaning on the world? Both are unknowns to us. Even though both ways are unknown, God’s way is guided. Leaning on the world for understanding is blindly walking with no reasoning or direction. Leaning on the Lord is entering an unseen future by us but setup by God.

There is a familiar story in the Bible that shows a strong man who leans on God sometimes and the world other times. It ends with him fully leaning on the Lord and then he fully leans on a bulding and tears it down. Let’s begin at his birth Judges 13:24 “24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him.”

Tell me about Samson’s Strength and Weaknesses…

W - Jd. 14:2 leaned on the Philistines (evil people) for a wife

S - Jd. 14:5 leaned on the Spirit of the Lord and killed a lion

W - Jd 14:10 leaned on his new Philistine bride in marriage

S - Jd 14:19 leaned on the Lord and was given strength to defeat 1,000 Philistines and protect the Israelites

W - Jd 16:4 Samson leaned on another Philistine woman

S/W - Jd 16:7-16 Samson stayed with a woman that almost got him killed by the Philistine army three times. He kept his strength but Samson was not leaning on the Lord.

W - Jd 16:17-22 Samson shared the covenant with God (his head cannot be shaved) to Delilah. The Philistines captured Samson when he no longer leaned on the Lord.

S - Jd 16:25-26,28-30 Samson LEANED (same word in Proverbs) on the pillars of the house. Then Samson LEANED on the Lord for strength and direction.

It was in his last moments that Samson FULLY LEANED on the Lord. Most of his life consisted of leaning on the world and only lean on God when convenient. We live our lives in similar ways.

In what areas of your life do you LEAN on the Lord?

In what areas of your life do you LEAN on the world?

These next years of your life are going to shape your future. They are filled with decisions! Who are you going to put your support on? Don’t wait till the last moments of your life to lean on the Lord.

Make a commitment NOW to TRUST IN THE LORD AND LEAN ON GOD!

Take ACTION NOW to TRUST IN THE LORD AND LEAN ON GOD!

Since the beginning in the Garden of Eden, humans have been given the choice lean on God’s knowing good and evil or lean on their own knowing good and evil.