All In

INTRO

Prayer for our Country

“Father, today we come to you not with political agendas, but with humble hearts. We’ve seen the headlines and we know our world feels tense and uncertain. But You are not shaken. You are still seated on the throne. You still hold the hearts of kings and leaders in Your hands. So we pray for our country, for wisdom and restraint among our leaders, for protection over innocent lives, and for peace to be pursued above all else. Where there is fear, bring peace. Where there is hatred, bring healing. Where there is war, bring Your justice and mercy. Help us, as the Church, to be people of prayer, humility, and love—never panic, never division. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Trust Fall Example

You see, the trust fall only works one way—you have to let go. You can’t half-fall.

You can’t peek behind you. You can’t brace yourself.

The moment you hold back, you’ve already failed to trust.

This isn’t just about believing in God.

This is about falling back into His arms—even when it feels risky, even when you can’t see what’s behind you, even when you’re afraid.

Just like the trust fall, this kind of faith only works when you go all in.

MAIN POINT

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

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

When you fully trust God, he fully directs your life.

1. Trust Fully.

Proverbs 3:5 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

A. Trust is Total, Not Partial

God doesn’t ask for a percentage of our trust—He wants the whole heart.

Half-trust is full doubt in disguise.

You don’t test a parachute halfway out of the plane—trust means full commitment.

B. Trust is Relational, not Transactional

Trusting in the Lord implies a relationship, not just a belief in outcomes.

You don’t trust someone you don’t know—intimacy with God deepens trust.

Psalm 9:10 NLT

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

C. Trust is a choice

You won’t always feel like trusting—but faith chooses to believe anyway.

“Faith is not the absence of doubt, it’s the decision to trust in spite of it.”

2. Let Go.

Proverbs 3:5 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

A. Our understanding is limited.

We see in part; God sees the full picture.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NLT

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

B. Leaning on self brings strain.

“Lean” in Hebrew implies putting your weight on something for support.

When we lean on self, we get stressed. When we lean on God, we find strength.

Illustration: Like leaning on a wobbly ladder—it might hold for a moment, but it’s not secure.

C. Faith begins where understanding ends.

True faith often looks foolish to our own reasoning.

Hebrews 11:7 NLT

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

Noah built an ark without ever seeing rain.

Proverbs 3:6 ESV

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

3. Submit completely.

A. All means all.

“In all your ways” — not just church on Sunday or big decisions.

God wants to be Lord over your parenting, business, marriage, schedule, and even your rest.

B. Submission requires surrender.

The word “submit” means to acknowledge or yield to His authority.

You can’t ask God to guide your life if you’re unwilling to surrender the steering wheel.

Luke 22:42 NLT

“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

C. God straightens what we surrender.

He doesn’t just show the way, He makes a way.

Your role is submission—His role is direction.

Even crooked places (mistakes, detours, regrets) can be straightened by the grace of God.

4. Watch God Work.

Proverbs 3:6 NLT

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

A. God doesn’t just show the way, He shapes the way.

“Make straight” in Hebrew implies removing obstacles, leveling, or smoothing out.

This isn’t just about direction—it’s about divine construction. He reshapes your future based on your surrender.

Isaiah 45:2 NLT

This is what the Lord says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains.* I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

B. God works while you walk.

Your job is obedience; His job is outcomes.

The more you trust, the more you see Him move—not always instantly, but always intentionally.

Illustration: It’s like walking in fog with headlights—you can’t see the whole path, but with each step, more becomes visible.

C. Straight doesn’t always mean easy.

“Straight” means directed, purposeful, God-aligned—not always painless or comfortable.

Joseph’s “path” included betrayal, slavery, prison—but God straightened it into purpose and influence.

Sometimes the most “crooked-looking” paths become the clearest testimony of God’s hand.

RESULT: RESULT OF INFO

So what does this mean for us?

If you’re in a season of uncertainty…

If you’re struggling to see what’s ahead…

If you’re tired of carrying the weight of trying to figure it all out…

The invitation today is simple, but not easy:

Trust fully. Let go completely. Submit honestly. And then—watch Him work.

The straight path isn’t found by striving—it’s formed by surrender.

CHALLENGE: PERSONAL CHALLENGE

What part of your heart are you still holding back?

Where are you relying too much on your own understanding?

What is one “way” today that you can fully submit to Him?

CONCLUSION/CLOSE

Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Closing:

Trust is not a formula, it’s a lifestyle.

Here is a full sermon draft for Week 2 of “Summer Sunrise” based on Proverbs 27:17 that matches the tone, rhythm, structure, and voice of your “Dig the Well” message:

SUMMER SUNRISE - WEEK 2

Message Title: “Sharpen the Edge”

Text: Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

MAIN POINT

God designed you to grow in relationships that refine your purpose, deepen your character, and expand your calling.

1. DULLNESS IS A DANGER

1. DULLNESS IS A DANGER

Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron…”

A. A dull blade can’t do what it was created to do.

Iron doesn’t sharpen itself. Left alone, it corrodes.

A dull life is ineffective—spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

B. Many of us are operating with a spiritual edge that’s worn down.

You’re busy, but not fruitful.

You’re working, but not growing.

C. Isolation is the enemy of sharpening.

The blade only sharpens through intentional contact.

Staying disconnected is how we grow dull without realizing it.

Maybe you’ve been trying to cut through life—but it’s not working. You’re trying to fight battles with a blunt blade.

🛠️ Sharpening requires contact. Connection. Community.

2. FRICTION ISN’T ALWAYS A FIGHT

2. FRICTION ISN’T ALWAYS A FIGHT

Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron…”

A. Sharpening implies resistance, not rejection.

Friction is necessary to refine the edge.

Some people avoid conflict and call it peace—but in doing so, they miss growth.

B. A real friend challenges, not just comforts.

If everyone in your circle only agrees with you, it’s not sharpening—it’s enabling.

Growth often comes from the tension of truth spoken in love.

C. Most of us want results without resistance.

We pray for clarity, then resist correction.

Iron sharpening iron requires courage—both to give and to receive honest feedback.

Who do you have in your life that makes you better… not just happier?

🔥 Jesus didn’t surround Himself with yes-men—He walked with people who questioned, challenged, and ultimately helped shape the early church.

3. SHARPENING IS A TWO-WAY STREET

A. You’re not called to be passive in community.

It’s not just about who’s sharpening you—who are you sharpening?

Your life, your voice, and your encouragement can pull someone else into purpose.

B. Unbalanced relationships lead to spiritual exhaustion.

If you’re always giving and never receiving, you burn out.

If you’re always receiving and never giving, you stagnate.

C. Sharpening happens best in intentional environments.

This is why small groups matter.

This is why discipleship and mentorship matter. They create circles where sharpening is normal.

✋ Maybe it’s time to evaluate:

Who’s in your circle?

Who are you sharpening?

Who is sharpening you?

Hebrews 10:24 – “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…”

4. STAY SHARP OVER TIME

4. STAY SHARP OVER TIME

Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron…”

A. One sharpening session doesn’t last a lifetime.

Life has a way of wearing us down—disappointment, stress, distractions.

You don’t stay sharp by accident; you stay sharp by rhythm.

B. Staying sharp requires regular, intentional contact.

Weekly worship, consistent friendships, Scripture in community—these are rhythms of sharpening.

Just like a blade needs upkeep, your spirit needs consistent realignment.

C. Sharpening is underground work—unseen but essential.

You may not always feel the difference day to day, but you’ll see the results over time.

Legacy is built through habits, not hype.

That’s why small groups, serving teams, and intentional friendships matter.

You need voices in your life that say:

“You’re better than that.”

“Don’t quit now.”

“Let’s pray right now.”

“Let’s chase purpose together.”

RESULT: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STAY SHARP?

When you stay sharp:

You start cutting through confusion with clarity.

You start living with conviction instead of compromise.

You become a witness to those around you.

👀 People don’t need perfection—they need to see someone who’s growing, being sharpened, and still showing up.

Remember: Dull blades injure. Sharp ones build.

Jesus Himself was sharpened in community. He discipled and was surrounded by the twelve. And even in His most painful moments, He didn’t walk alone.

INLOOK – PERSONAL REFLECTION

🧠 Ask yourself:

Am I dull right now?

Do I have anyone who speaks truth into my life?

Have I isolated myself?

Who am I sharpening?

CHALLENGE

Before the sun sets today:

Text someone who sharpens you. Thank them.

Pray about who God is calling you to invest in.

Commit to a sharpening relationship this summer.

Join a group or start one—because sharpening happens in circles, not rows.

CONCLUSION / CLOSE

You weren’t meant to walk through life dull, drained, and disconnected.

You were made to live sharp—with purpose, power, and people beside you.

So this week, don’t just survive summer—sharpen during it.

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”