Headed In The Right Direction

Headed in the Right Direction

Proverbs 3:1-10

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - May 28, 2008

*The Bible regularly describes the Christian life as a walk. In Romans 6:4 Paul tells us to “walk in newness of life.” In 2 Corinthians 5:7 he said “we walk by faith, not by sight.”

*The Christian life is a walk, but are you walking in the right direction?

-Many Christians are not. Many of us know people who used to be in church every time the door was open. They used to come, teach, serve and give, -- but now they don’t.

*I wish this Christian walk was a one way street, but it’s not. Some people are headed in the wrong direction. How can I head in the right direction?

1. First, remember God’s Word. In vs. 1-2 God speaks to us as a Father, and stresses the importance of His Word.

1-My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands;

2-for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

*God says: “Don’t forget my Word. -- Let your heart keep my commandments.”

-Your heart: That’s your whole inner-man: --your mind, emotions and your will. And when God talks about keeping His commandments, it’s the word picture of guarding His Word, -- keeping a close watch over His Word so it can touch your heart and transform your habits.

*The Bible is not just for getting us to Heaven.

-It will give us the best possible life down here.

-It will help you with your family and your finances.

-It will help you grow up and help you grow old.

-It will bless your children and build your character.

*That’s why vs. 3&4 say, “Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.”

*Mercy and truth represent our good character -- me at my best as instructed by the Word of God. But that can’t happen, if I only come to church once a month. That can’t happen if I haven’t read my Bible in months. God’s Word is so important, that we ought to study it every day. What’s keeping you from God’s Word?

*Robert Summer told the amazing story of a man from Kansas who was severely injured in an explosion. His face was badly disfigured. He was blinded, and he lost both hands.

*This man was a new Christian, and one of his greatest sorrows was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read Braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in Braille. He sadly discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been destroyed by the explosion. But one day, as he brought a Braille page to his lips. His tongue happened to touch a few of the raised letters and he could feel them.

*He thought, “I can read the Bible using my tongue.” -- And by the time his story was written, that man had read the whole Bible four times with his tongue! (1)

*Amazing! He lost his eyes, but he never lost sight of the importance of God’s Word.

2. To head in the right direction remember God’s Word. -- And rely on God’s guidance. As we see in vs. 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 shall direct your paths.”

*Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Put your total confidence in Him. Sometimes that can be scary, because God doesn’t let us see into the future. -- But God has promised to guide us, and He will.

*He wants our maximum trust. And He deserves our maximum trust, because He is always holy and good. He never lies. And He loves us beyond measure. Jesus Christ loves us so much that He died on the Cross for our sins. And now the Risen Savior says: You can trust me -- today, tomorrow and forever.

*We can trust God to guide us. But church, this doesn’t mean we will always agree on everything. That’s important to know as we consider the final decision on a new children’s building.

*Paul and Apollos are a good Biblical example for us. Of course we know a lot more about Paul than we do about Apollos. But we do know that Apollos was a good man. Acts 18:24-27 tells is that Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures. He was a great speaker; was passionate about God; was a great help to the believers. Apollos showed that Jesus is the Christ.