"God’s ‘text’ For Graduates"

Proverbs 3:1-6 "God’s ‘Text’ for Graduates"

1. The Consideration Of Wisdom -

3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

Notice the Fatherly tone of the book of Proverbs –Wisdom Pilots Our Paths -

2. The Consolation Of Wisdom -

(a) The Requirement In Keeping The Word - 3:1 My son, forget not my law;

(b) The Results In Keeping The Word -

3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

(c) The Reverence In Keeping The Word - 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:

bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Ps 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

(d) The Reward In Keeping The Word -

4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Success can come in 2 major forms- temporary or lasting

Temporary - is like a fireworks display that goes us with flare ..... But soon forgotten Some may think of this in secular terms - of power, possessions, position or popularity

Lasting - is leaving a lasting mark in this world

3. The Conformation To Wisdom -

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

(a) Success is a Life of Total Devotion to the Lord.

ENTIRE TRUST 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; - ‘Trust’-“to go for refuge”

– to have faith in the Father’s Providence, Promises, and Provision

‘The Lord’ - is Yahweh - the eternal covenant keeping God - the one who can be trusted

EXCLUSIVE TRUST 5 Trust in the LORD

– i.e. no other confidence, no confidence in the flesh can consist with it!

Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

a. With No Reserves b. No Retreats c. No Regrets

Ps. 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

(b) Success is a Life of Total Distrust in Self.

5 and lean not unto thine own understanding.

From Hebrew – means ‘do not prop yourself’ –

Solomon is putting this in the negative, telling us that we are not to rest or place our confidence in our own intelligence.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jer 17: 5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

Consider - One is either ‘Trusting in God with all your heart’ OR one is ‘leaning on his own understanding’ - cannot do both at same time.

“Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus had to counter with these strange words: “Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). He was willing to follow Christ so long as he could return to live with his father, until the old man’s death provided him with sufficient securities to obviate the necessity of wholehearted trust in Christ.

(c) Success is a Life of Total Dependence on the Lord.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The Hebrew term implies the “being ‘aware of’, and ‘having fellowship with’”

In every area of life, the believer is to recognize, appreciate, and treasure the knowledge and presence of God.

a. Acknowledge Him in Prayer

Philippians 4: 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

b. Acknowledge Him in His Precepts

Psalm 119: 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Colossians 3: 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

c. Acknowledge Him in His Preminence

Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

d. Acknowledge Him in His Presence

Genesis 12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Abraham acknowledged God. Wherever he pitched his tent, there was always an altar