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Five Street-Savvy Sayings LIFEFAITHFUSION DEVOTIONAL SCRIPTURE STUDY
Proverbs 3:1-12 Matthew 7:1-12 Proverbs 3:1-2 1 Samuel 15:10-23 Hebrews 11 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 Romans 12:1-2
Proverbs 3:5-6 THE CHALLENGE OF FAITH
DIGGING DEEPER Trusting God is a challengeespecially when our intellectual reasoning seeks to dominate our choices. Living life in the spirit means we hear God speak and obey. PRAYER FOCUS Father, I ask that you give me openness of heart to share all that I know about you. Help me to discern between Your voice, my own thoughts, and Satan’s deception. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Most proverbs in the Bible are short, compact statements that express truths about human behavior. Not only are they truths about the human psyche, but they are also universal precepts that, if observed, enhance our lives. The proverb is often accompanied by a blessing. “A wise son brings joy to his father,” (10:1) is a prime example. Such reflections are simple and direct. If a son is wise, the parents will be pleased. An intentional investment in the spiritual life of a child will reap benefits both for the parent and the offspring. Too often a mother and father are so concerned with the earthly needs of their children that they neglect the critical development of the child’s inner life. Please refer to the Guidance study, Day Three, for further exposition of this passage. Solomon writes in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Remember that chapter three of Proverbs focuses upon living a life of full commitment to the Lord. Solomon gives the reader three guarantees in this brief passage: Trust God with all you have, with your heart (soul); don’t lean or rely solely upon your own mind (understanding); acknowledge Him (His lordship and sovereignty); and your Heavenly Father will make your paths straight (He will keep your life on track.) The initial statement is the foundation of the entire verse. The character and faithfulness of God must be trusted. We must implicitly rest in His love and integrity. For many, a balanced view of God is a life-challenge.
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If your earthly father was capricious and undependable, trusting God is tough. Only after much prayer, Bible study, and life experience can an individual’s view of God be shaped more correctly. Understanding the loving, consistent nature of our Heavenly Father is the foundation of faith. Such assurance of God’s love and wisdom affects every area of our lives. Praying in faith is a perfect example. Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:7-12. Christ explains that we can pray believing God the Father will answer because He loves us deeply: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! NIV How much easier it is to follow God’s wishes when we know without question that He always has our best interest at heart! •
Write a brief description of your earthly father (or your primary caregiver from ages one through twelve). List some of the positive character traits you remember. List the unmet needs you can recall. Find a trusted friend and mourn the hurt of those unmet needs, and allow him or her to give you comfort. Then, spend some time asking God to give you an understanding heart for your parent.
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Now, create two columns on the back of this sheet. List some qualities your Heavenly Father possesses. List similar attributes that your earthly dad demonstrated. List some ways that your earthly and Heavenly Father look differently.
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Spend some time praying about your relationship with your Heavenly Father. Thank Him for His steadfast, unconditional love. Are there areas of your life that you find difficult to trust to God? What are they? Have you made progress in trusting God along your spiritual journey? Why or why not?
THE DECEPTION OF RATIONALISM King Saul, David’s predecessor, exemplified the havoc human reasoning can wreak when followed instead of obeying God’s precise instructions. In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul was facing a crucial battle with the Amalekites. Instead of complying with God’s command to wait for the prophet Samuel to offer a sacrifice before Israel attacked, Saul panicked and offered the sacrifice himself. The king was also instructed to destroy all of the Amalekites, their families, flocks, and possessions. God warned the prophet Samuel of Saul’s flagrant disobedience in 1 Samuel 15:10-11: “Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." NIV When Samuel arrived on the scene, Saul rationalized his behavior and related to the prophet that he had complied, and even improved upon God’s initial instructions: “When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?" Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest." NIV
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On the surface, it would seem that King Saul’s intentions were noble. He did, after all, offer a sacrifice to God before the army entered into battle. The king saved the best livestock to offer a thank offering to God. God did not command the king to do either “noble” gesture. Such intellectual rationalization caused the fall of man in the first place. Eve twisted the words of God, was tempted by the tasty fruit, and assumed God would want her to be smarter, more knowledgeable. What seemed to be an innocent variation of the truth was really a heinous sin that had life-altering consequences. Listen to the scathing denunciation of Saul’s behavior by Samuel and the serious ramifications of his disobedience in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” KJV Saul’s rebellion caused him to lose his kingdom. Eve’s transgression cost humankind eternal life. Trusting God without “improving” upon His words is critical. Our intellect apart from our conscience will always lead us away from God. Samuel further warns that to rebel causes us to be ensnared in the traps of Satan. Modifying God’s word invites deception and destruction. Such wisdom is clearly highlighted in this passage. Trusting God in faith is in direct opposition to reliance upon on our own reasoning apart from God’s revelation. Obedient faith is the essence of this proverb. •
Can you recall a time when God asked you to do something, and you chose not to listen? What were the circumstances? Did you question your ability to hear God’s direction in the first place? Were you afraid of the cost of your obedience? Were you afraid of what people would think? What were the results?
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Can you remember a time in your life when you knew you followed God’s call? What was it? How did it make you feel to surrender to Him? Was it easy or difficult? Why? What were the results?
As Americans, we tend to compartmentalize. We can go to church and behave one way. Our conversation becomes “Christianese.” We can go to the secular workplace and speak an entirely different way. We can follow God in our marriage, and compromise our values at our job. We can give God lipservice, and still ignore His lordship. The second sentence in Proverbs 3:6 discusses the integrity of a life lived consistently and authentically in God’s presence. In Practicing the Presence of God, a young monk named Brother Lawrence described his joy in praying and seeking God while doing the monastery dishes. This simple Christian classic describes the essence of “in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” God wants to be a part of your thoughts, your conversation, and your relationships. He does not want to stand as an outsider looking in. Jesus in John 15:4-6, elucidates this concept: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. NKJV Jesus, in this oft-quoted passage, completely refutes legalism. Life in Christ is not simply a moral code to be observed. It is a life filled with passion and power in God’s presence. All of life is simply the outgrowth of a love relationship between God the Father and His child. He walks with us “in all our ways.” The direction of our steps is naturally guided by God because we are holding His hand. Proverbs 3:5-6 encapsulates the essence of the Christian life. Trusting God implicitly and walking with Him day by day is the key to abundant living.