Trust in the Lord
Learning To Trust In The Lord With All OF Your Heart.
George Wright
May 30, 2021 41m
Are you willing to step out in faith and trust in God? This message, out of Proverbs chapter three, encourages you to trust in the Lord with all of your heart and know that he will show you the way. Video recorded at Columbia, South Carolina.
TranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
George Wright: [00:00:02] Thank you, brother. What a gift, what a gift it is to be able to lift our voices together in such a beautiful way. Thank you for joining in the singing and the worship here this morning on this Memorial Day weekend.
George Wright: [00:00:17] I do want to say before I step into this message, how grateful I am, how grateful we are as a church to all who have served, who are serving, who are veterans in our church. One of the great blessings of Shandon, especially being right here next to Fort Jackson, is we have a lot of veterans here at Shandon, and we have a lot of active military. We certainly know there are some whose loved ones have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, protecting and serving and laying down their lives in the line of duty. So, would you just join me right now and thanking those who are serving, those who have served, those who have sacrificed greatly? What a gift it is, absolutely. Thank you for all that you've done, to our veterans, to our active military, we love you, we are grateful for you. And we consider it a tremendous privilege to be able to gather together in freedom the way we can in this land, and we know that freedom has come at a great cost to many. So, let's be reminded today of all that we have to be grateful for as we gather and as we worship.
George Wright: [00:01:31] Let me turn your attention now to Proverbs Chapter 3. It was said a few moments ago in the service that we are stepping into a new series in the Book of Proverbs, specifically Chapter 3, that will carry us through the next few weeks, kind of getting us into the summer. Proverbs chapter 3. And I'm going to read verses 5 and 6 to get us started here together this morning. We're going to end at verse 6 today, but I want to read this right up front because this kind of sets the tone for this entire chapter of the scripture. And Proverbs 3:5-6 have been called the most famous verses in all of the Proverbs. So you may have heard these before, you may know these verses, these are verses that I can remember at a young age committing to memory.
George Wright: [00:02:17] So I want to invite you to stand with me as we turn our attention to the Word of the Lord. And if you are new to Shandon, or if you're joining us online right now, the reason we stand for the reading of God's Word is so that we can all be reminded that the Word of God is the foundation underneath the feet for the people of God. It is the firm foundation on which we stand, the unshakeable, immovable, Word of God. So we look to the Word of God needing to hear what God has to say, we turn our attention to him.
George Wright: [00:02:51] This is what the scripture says. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. 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." "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." Do you want your path to be made straight and clear by God? Do you want to know the next step to take? Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
George Wright: [00:03:41] Let's pray that God would show us what we need to see, and lay before us what we need to hear, as we turn our attention to his word. Father, we look to you now, needing to hear from you. And as we turn our attention to Proverbs 3, specifically to these verses that that call your people to trust in you, not just partially, not just a little bit, but to trust in you with all of our heart, I pray, Lord, even now, that you would begin to show us if there's something in our life that we're holding on to, if there's an area of our life where we have not been trusting you, if there's a part of our heart we have not said I will trust in the Lord, show us that today. But Lord, we come before you now desiring that our path would be clear, we want to know the path that you have for us to take, we want to live in the center of God's will, we want to follow in your footsteps, Lord. Show us your path for our lives. We look to you needing your wisdom, praying that you would show us what we need to see. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated, thank you for standing.
George Wright: [00:05:04] So very brief definition of a proverb, a simple definition is, a proverb is a saying of practical truth that is easy to remember. A saying of practical truth that is easy to remember. And pretty much every culture has some proverbs that just kind of flow throughout the society and flow throughout the culture, some very short, practical, statements that most of us would be familiar with and are culturally true for us, or that are proverbs that we have heard from the time we were kids. Let me see if I can give you a few examples of this in our culture and our context, and maybe you can help fill in some of the gaps here. Let's start with this one, actions speak louder than what? Words. Actions speak louder than words. How about this one, practice makes? Perfect. Man, y'all are doing great, the interaction is fantastic, thank you for speaking out. How about this one, a picture is worth? A thousand words. Very good. How about, when the going gets tough, the tough get? Going. Yes, that's good. Man, you all are knocking it out. Don't judge a book by its? Cover. Don't judge a book by its cover, what a great proverb, what a great thing to live by. How about this one? Good things come to those who? Wait. Patience, man, that is, what a proverb, we all need that one. How about this, Laughter is the best? Medicine. Absolutely, some of y'all need to smile a little bit more. And then one that I really love, two wrongs don't make a? Right. But as my dad used to always say, but to Wrights made an airplane, so boys, imagine what three Wrights can do. That's our proverb in our household. Let me give you one more here real quick, beauty is in the eye of the? Beholder. Very good. Or as my grandfather used to say, everybody has their own taste, said the woman as she kissed the cow. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that's all I guess it means. I don't know, it went over my head as well, but laughter is the best medicine, you're okay to laugh in church.
George Wright: [00:07:37] Hey, as we turn our attention to the Book of Proverbs in the Bible, it's important that we distinguish and differentiate here, these are not just some statements that apply to an old culture of years gone by. The proverbs that we just shared, those are cultural proverbs, you probably wouldn't hear some of those proverbs if you went to the other side of the world. But they would have proverbs for their culture, for their context, things that have been passed down generation to generation. But as we step into the Word of God, and specifically, as we step into the Book of Proverbs and look at chapter 3 here this morning and in the weeks ahead, we are stepping into wisdom that applies to every culture. We are stepping into wisdom from God that is relevant and appropriate and necessary for every culture and for all people. The Book of Proverbs is the very wisdom of God given to us, to know what it means to live a godly life, to know what it means to experience the blessings of God as we seek to follow him in faith.
George Wright: [00:08:57] The Hebrew word for Proverbs means simply this, to represent or to be like. Why does that matter? Well, that helps us understand that as we turn our attention to these Hebrew Proverbs in the scripture, in the Old Testament, these sayings of wisdom from God, we are turning our attention to sayings that serve as a model or a representation of things we experience in this life. The Proverbs speak wisdom that we need to hear, the proverbs show us what it means to live a wise and godly life.
George Wright: [00:09:40] The Book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon; King Solomon was called the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon's in the lineage of King David, King David was called a man after God's own heart. So here what we have in these proverbs, are we have the godly heart of David that has been imparted to Solomon, and we have the godly wisdom of Solomon that has been given to him by God, that combined together through divine inspiration to lay before us the wisdom of God. Chapter 3, specifically, is pointing to us or showing to us the blessings of God as we live by faith, this is wisdom for the people of God, a father speaking to his children. Proverbs 3 shows us the heart of God for his children, and Proverbs 3 reminds us that the heart of God for his children is always for our good, the wisdom of God is always a blessing to your life.
George Wright: [00:10:56] That's what we see at the very beginning of this chapter, verses 1 and 2, look back at it with me. The Scripture says, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you." My son, do not forget my teaching, lets your heart keep my commandments. What are we seeing right up front here in Proverbs 3? This is the call to the people of God, the children of God, from God the Father himself saying, pay attention to what I say.
George Wright: [00:11:36] Pay attention to what I say, these verses are all about our focus, where are we putting our attention? Where are we putting our focus? Think of how important that is to consider, right? Because there are so many things that are fighting for our attention, so many voices speaking to us, trying to capture our heart, trying to capture our mind's attention. Let me just ask you right here, right up front, what are you paying attention to the most? Are you paying attention to something that is actually giving you the gift of peace, or are you paying attention to something that is robbing you of peace? Are you listening to voices and watching things on TV, or your iPad, or wherever it may be, that are contributing to peace in your life, or are you listening to voices, and watching things, and paying attention to things, that actually increase your stress level, and increase your amount of worry, and increase your fear? Here in Proverbs 3, we are reminded by the father speaking to his children, if you pay attention to his voice, you will be paying attention to the voice that leads you to the path of peace. Are you paying attention to the voice of God, are you listening to what the word of God actually has to say? What are you looking to, to try and find peace?
George Wright: [00:13:30] Let me read to you a portion of Ray Ortlund`s commentary on Proverbs, specifically on chapter 3, listen to what he says about peace. He says, "However you define Shalom." That's the Hebrew word for peace. "However you define your shalom, your peace, if it is not Christ, then it is an idol, demanding your all but giving nothing. And if you obey it, it will break its promises. If you fail to obey it, it will punish you. For our problem is not just our wandering wills; our problem is our false beliefs. And that is why our Father is saying, stay alert to what you are believing moment by moment. If you'll guard my teaching with your heart, you will experience it as your true shalom, your true peace." The Word of God here is saying in Proverbs chapter 3 that those who walk in wisdom, and those who truly find peace, are those who pay attention to moment by moment the Word of God. Pay attention to my teaching, listen to my commandments, God is saying. For remember, this is a Father speaking to his children, and his commandments, his teaching, is always for our good, it's always because he loves us.
George Wright: [00:15:08] We're reminded of this in verse 3 of Proverbs chapter 3, where it says, "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." This verse is so incredibly important as we think about the wisdom of God, as we think about the desire that we all have to find peace in this life, we are reminded here that true wisdom and the path of peace is more than just what you know. It's more than just knowledge, it's more than just intellect, it's more than just your IQ, the true wisdom of God is on display in the lives of the people of God when knowledge from God's Word transforms our heart and our mind and we become more like him. It's not just what you know, it's allowing what you know about the Word of God from the Word of God to transform your heart and your mind so that you live differently based on what you know. You see, the reality is you can have a lot of knowledge and still reject wisdom. You can have a very high intellect and still walk away from wisdom altogether. The true wisdom from God is not just about what you know, it's about what you know impacting the way you live, transforming your life as you become more like Christ.
George Wright: [00:16:47] How is that displayed? Well, verse 3 shows us, you let steadfast love and faithfulness become defining characteristics of your life. This is so important because it shows us what God demonstrates toward us, he is the very description, the very definition, of steadfast love and faithfulness toward us. So, let me just ask you, is steadfast love and faithfulness so much a part of your life, that it's like you're wearing it around your neck everywhere you go for people to see? Is steadfast love and faithfulness so much a part of your life that it's like it's been tattooed across your heart, and everywhere you go, it is what introduces you to other people?
George Wright: [00:17:46] You see here the Scripture is saying, in wisdom, the wisdom of God transforms a life, the wisdom of God brings forth characteristics of God, in the people of God, characteristics like steadfast love and faithfulness. How we need to hear this in our culture today, we've all probably heard the examples of people that have been burned or burned out by religious people. Burned or burned out by people who say, yeah, I have a relationship with God, but steadfast love and faithfulness is nowhere to be found. And the Scripture says true wisdom invites the Word of God to impact our heart and our life in such a way that it transforms the way we live and the way we interact with other people, where steadfast love and faithfulness becomes what we are known for, not just what we know.
George Wright: [00:18:50] The Apostle Paul talks about this as well in his very famous writing about love, First Corinthians 13. You probably have heard these verses at a wedding ceremony before, it's one of the greatest things ever written about love. But before the Apostle Paul describes what love is, and how love is revealed, he first says something very important about love. He says that in verse 1 of First Corinthians 13, we'll put this up on the screen. He says, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." Do you know what these verses are saying? This is something we really need to hear in the church in our culture today, these verses are saying nobody really cares what you have to say if steadfast love and faithfulness do not describe your life. That's kind of hard to hear, isn't it? Because we want to prove that we're right, and we want to correct people when they're wrong And those are good desires most of the time, but the way we go about it matters. And we may have the right thing to say, and we may even have a great vision for the future and the way things could be, prophetic powers, we may even sacrifice and give and serve and do all these things, but if we don't have love, nobody really cares. And so the proverbs are saying, if you want to walk in wisdom, if you want to know the heart of God for his people, let steadfast love and faithfulness be defining characteristics of your life that will reveal the true wisdom of God to a watching world. Let it be like a necklace that is the first thing seen around your neck.
George Wright: [00:21:22] Verse 4 shows us how powerful this truly is, it says, verse 3,
"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." Verse 4, "So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man." Do you want to know what would stand out in a cancel culture? Steadfast love and faithfulness. Do you want to know what would stand out in a culture where people really want to argue and fight about everything? Steadfast love and faithfulness. Do you want to know what would stand out in a culture where people want to draw a dividing line and separate everyone into different sides and different categories and then demonize and vilify everyone on the other side? Steadfast love. And faithfulness. And if steadfast love and faithfulness are around your neck, and written across your heart, if steadfast love and faithfulness or the characteristics that your life is known for, the wisdom of God says, all of the sudden, you will find a favor with other people that maybe you've never experienced before. There will be open doors, perhaps, that never were open before. There will be handshakes, perhaps, that never had been offered before. There can be friendships and relationships, perhaps, that were once enemies. Let steadfast love and faithfulness define your life, and you will see the wisdom of God lived out in a way that people recognize the power of God at work.
George Wright: [00:23:22] And then we come to verses 5 and 6, the most famous verses in all of the Proverbs. I told you at the beginning, these are some of the first verses of the Bible that I can remember committing to memory, right up there with John chapter 11 verse 35, "Jesus wept." Right. I mean, that's the first verse that every church kid should memorize in the Bible, that's the shortest one. Kids, if you need to know what the shortest one is, the easiest one to memorize is that. John 11:35, "Jesus wept." But Proverbs 3:5-6 is one that as long as I can remember, it's been committed to memory, I think my parents wanted me to have this Proverb written on my heart. In fact, 20 years ago, almost next month will be 20 years of marriage for Megan and I. And 20 years ago, when she gave me my wedding ring, on the inside of the wedding ring was engraved Proverbs 3:5-6. It's been one of those verses that just stands out for us, it's been a guiding light, it's been a verse that we've fallen back on so many times at different points in our faith journey. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." "Trust in the Lord with all your heart."
George Wright: [00:24:42] This past week, our family was at Disney World, and this was the big trip that Covid took away last year. It was given to us by my parents in 2019 for Christmas, we were supposed to go in 2020, that didn't happen. So last week was the first time that all the family could get together and go to Disney World, we had a great time with the nieces and nephews, and everybody was all together. But the one disappointment I had, there was only one, we went to Hollywood Studios and the Indiana Jones epic stunt spectacular was closed. It's closed, yeah, it was sad. They're not doing any shows at Disney right now, yeah, it's not happening. I love Indiana Jones; I absolutely love Indiana Jones. In fact, when I was growing up, Indiana Jones, that was my favorite movie series of any, better than Star Wars, better than Back to the Future. Indiana Jones, that was my jam, I absolutely love Indiana Jones, the cool hat, the awesome whip. In fact, when I was a kid, I had an Indiana Jones whip. Right now, kids, y'all don't get to use whips anymore, that's too dangerous. But when we were kids back in the 80s, man, it was awesome, anything goes in the 80s. And I got to have a whip, and I used it on my brothers, and I would chase around the house, and I would pop the cat. I mean, it was incredible, I loved my Indiana Jones whip. But by far, my favorite Indiana Jones movie is Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, it came out in 1989, I was like 10 years old when it came out. My dad took me to this movie, it was one of those movies where it's like, I can't believe my dad is letting me watch this in the theater, this is so cool, so awesome. And at the end of that movie, which, by the way, should have been the last Indiana Jones, they made another one, it was terrible. I feel bad for everybody that didn't grow up in the 80s and had to watch the most recent Indiana Jones, and you thought that was good. It's terrible, go back to the last crusade, that's where it should have ended, 1989 Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.
George Wright: [00:26:47] Anyway, at the end, I digress. at the end of the movie, there's this whole scene where Indiana has to go through all these life-threatening obstacles to get to the Holy Grail, and he needs the Holy Grail because his dad's been shot, and the Holy Grail hopefully is going to heal his dad. So, this is serious, right, he's going through all these death-defying things, there's like saw blades that come out of the wall and try to chop his head off, and there's this pathway that he has to cross without falling through the middle, and then he comes to the final obstacle, it's this giant chasm from one side of the cave to the other, and there seems to be no way across, and the only clue that Indiana has been given is that this is called the leap of faith. So it's very dramatic, as only Spielberg can do, and Harrison Ford, who has that, you know, he always looks concerned, he has that great concerned face at all times. He picks up his foot, he leans out over this chasm, and he just takes a step. And when he takes the step and he goes all the way, his foot lands on this invisible bridge and he's able to walk across because he took the leap of faith. I just wanted to talk about Indiana Jones.
George Wright: [00:28:11] No, when I think about Proverbs 3:5. Trusting in the Lord with all of my heart, trust in the Lord with all of your heart. I just wonder, are there areas of your life today, where you know the only way to move forward is to take that leap of faith, but you're just holding back? I mean, wouldn't we rather the verse say, hey, trust in the Lord with just a little bit of your heart? And then you control the things that you're most worried about, and you hold on to the things that you're most afraid of, and you squeeze tightly to the things that you don't want to let go of? Wouldn't we love for that to be what the verse says? That's not what it says it all, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." And if you're going to trust in the Lord with all your heart, there's going to be times when you're not going to be able to lean on your own understanding, you're going to have to trust that he has a way that's better than your way, you have to trust that he has wisdom that's higher than your wisdom. But if you trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, then it says, he will direct your path, he will make straight your path.
George Wright: [00:29:41] Are you trusting in the Lord with all of your heart? Let me give you a couple of questions to ask to evaluate your own life. Are you trusting in the Lord with all of your heart as it relates to Jesus being the only way to salvation? Do you really believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the only way to salvation? Because, you know, there's a lot of people that would say there's a lot of different ways to be right with God. Do you really believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the one who saves? And if you would say yes, let me ask you this, are you telling anyone about it? When was the last time you shared your faith with someone else? When was the last time you told your story of what God has done in your life with someone who's far from God? When is the last time that you shared the gospel with someone who does not agree with you? Do you really believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the only way by which man can be saved? And if you do, are you sharing that, trusting in the Lord with all your heart.
George Wright: [00:30:59] How about this, do you trust in the Lord with all of your heart when it comes to your finances? That's a tough one to consider. You know, the Bible says a lot about money, and one of the things that the Bible makes clear about money is that the way we use our money reveals what's going on in our heart. In fact, Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Are you trusting in the Lord with all your heart in the way that you give? The Bible teaches that the starting point for trusting in the Lord with all of your heart as it relates to your finances is a tithe, that's 10 percent, giving 10 percent of your income and trusting it back to the Lord, is that the way you give? Do you show that you trust in the Lord with all of your hearts in the way that you faithfully give?
George Wright: [00:31:55] How about this, do you trust in the Lord with all of your heart in the way that you serve? There's a very interesting scene of Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper. We often think of the Last Supper as the time where Jesus laid out the Lord's Supper, the communion that we often observe together as a church, and that does happen at the Last Supper. But there's something else very significant that happens at the Last Supper, right before Jesus goes to the cross, he pulls out a bowl of water and he grabs the towel and he begins to wash the dirty, disgusting, nasty ingrown toenail, feet of the disciples, that's a job that only the lowest of the low would do. And after Jesus washes the disciple's feet, he looks at the disciples across the table and he says, I have given you an example of what you are to do for one another. For a servant is not greater than its master, so you serve as you have been served. Look, the reality is we all love to be served, we all love it when others serve us. I just want to ask you, though, are you trusting in the Lord with all of your heart as it relates to serving others because this is what Jesus called his disciples to do.
George Wright: [00:33:32] "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 was the last time you took an intentional step of faith? Not a step of faith that you were kind of forced into because the world flipped on its head and you now had to do some things that you had never done before, I'm talking about when was the last time you took an intentional step of faith where you said, I want to be where God wants me to be, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone, I'm stepping out of what I can control, and I'm trusting in the Lord with all of my heart?
George Wright: [00:34:14] Maybe you're here today and you're at a crossroads, and you really want to hear from God, you really want to know what you should do, but right now you're just unsure, you're unclear, you don't know what to do? Perhaps today, the path really has not been made straight for you, and you're wondering, God, where are you in all of this? Well, maybe, just maybe, you've already been given all that you're going to be given to know what to do until you step out on faith. And when you step out on faith, then the next step. Will be clear. Listen, I believe this is incredibly important as it relates to verse 6, "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." There are times when we come to a crossroads in our lives, and we just don't know what to do. And we can begin to conclude, well, maybe God is holding out on us. Please don't miss this, when you come to a place and you don't know what to do, God is not holding out on you. This is important, God is not holding out on you, but there are times that he brings us to a point where he simply will not reveal the next step until we take the next step. There are times when God brings us to a point where he's giving you all the information that he's going to give you, and you're not going to have any more information until you take that leap of faith. "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." I believe that there are some of you that really need to hear that today. You are trying to determine what's next, you don't know what to do, the Word of God, the wisdom of God, is saying to you, if you will trust the Lord with all of your heart, if you will take a step of faith, the path will become more and more clear as you walk. Step out on faith, trust the Lord with all your heart, and he will make straight your path.
George Wright: [00:36:52] We'll pick up right there next week as we step back into Proverbs 3. Let me bring us now to a word of prayer as we close this message. Father, God, I'm so grateful for the gift of your wisdom laid before us in the Proverbs. Oh, how we need your wisdom. Father, I recognize there are many different circumstances, many different scenarios represented in this room today, many represented in the lives of those joining online for this message. Lord, there are many people, at many different places, trying to determine what's the next thing, what's the best move, what do I do now, which direction do I go? So, Lord, I pray, I pray that you would give us the faith to simply follow, to simply step. We want to have all the answers, we want to have all the information, we want to have everything in our hands, we want to be in control, and yet the path of wisdom, the path of peace, is actually a path of letting go of control and trusting you, Lord. Father, show us what is it that we need to trust you with today? What is it perhaps that we need to let go of? What is it that is preventing us from going all-in with all our hearts to trust the Lord? Are there areas of our life that we need to lay before you? Are there areas of our heart where we've been gripped by fear or worry or doubt? Lord, show us what we need to see, give us the faith to open our hands and take a step.
George Wright: [00:39:00] What a gift it is to recognize that you love us so much, that as we trust you, you continually lay before us the gift of steadfast love and faithfulness that has been so patient and so gracious and so merciful with us. Lord, I pray that steadfast love and faithfulness be the way we are known by the world around us because of what you have done for us.
George Wright: [00:39:33] Father, as I close this prayer and we lift our voices in a song of worship, I pray, Lord God, for any among us who have never trusted their life to you in any form or fashion. Perhaps they've been in church for a while, perhaps they would even call themselves religious, or maybe they're here today listening to this message, and they know how far they've been from God, I pray that they would see that you are pursuing them with steadfast love and faithfulness even now. I pray that they would see the incredible gift of what Jesus Christ has done, that he gave his life at the cross to cover our sins, to cover our shame, and to invite us into a new life with forgiveness and grace. I pray there would be some that would cross that line of faith, they would step out on faith today and say, Jesus, I'm ready to follow you, I'm laying my heart and my life for you, please save me.
George Wright: [00:40:41] Thank you, Lord, thank you for who you are, thank you for what you were doing, thank you for what you have invited your people into as we seek to follow you. It's in Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
George Wright: [00:40:55] Won't you stand with me as we sing a final song of worship?
Recorded in Columbia, South Carolina.
George Wright: [00:00:17] I do want to say before I step into this message, how grateful I am, how grateful we are as a church to all who have served, who are serving, who are veterans in our church. One of the great blessings of Shandon, especially being right here next to Fort Jackson, is we have a lot of veterans here at Shandon, and we have a lot of active military. We certainly know there are some whose loved ones have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, protecting and serving and laying down their lives in the line of duty. So, would you just join me right now and thanking those who are serving, those who have served, those who have sacrificed greatly? What a gift it is, absolutely. Thank you for all that you've done, to our veterans, to our active military, we love you, we are grateful for you. And we consider it a tremendous privilege to be able to gather together in freedom the way we can in this land, and we know that freedom has come at a great cost to many. So, let's be reminded today of all that we have to be grateful for as we gather and as we worship.
George Wright: [00:01:31] Let me turn your attention now to Proverbs Chapter 3. It was said a few moments ago in the service that we are stepping into a new series in the Book of Proverbs, specifically Chapter 3, that will carry us through the next few weeks, kind of getting us into the summer. Proverbs chapter 3. And I'm going to read verses 5 and 6 to get us started here together this morning. We're going to end at verse 6 today, but I want to read this right up front because this kind of sets the tone for this entire chapter of the scripture. And Proverbs 3:5-6 have been called the most famous verses in all of the Proverbs. So you may have heard these before, you may know these verses, these are verses that I can remember at a young age committing to memory.
George Wright: [00:02:17] So I want to invite you to stand with me as we turn our attention to the Word of the Lord. And if you are new to Shandon, or if you're joining us online right now, the reason we stand for the reading of God's Word is so that we can all be reminded that the Word of God is the foundation underneath the feet for the people of God. It is the firm foundation on which we stand, the unshakeable, immovable, Word of God. So we look to the Word of God needing to hear what God has to say, we turn our attention to him.
George Wright: [00:02:51] This is what the scripture says. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. 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." "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." Do you want your path to be made straight and clear by God? Do you want to know the next step to take? Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
George Wright: [00:03:41] Let's pray that God would show us what we need to see, and lay before us what we need to hear, as we turn our attention to his word. Father, we look to you now, needing to hear from you. And as we turn our attention to Proverbs 3, specifically to these verses that that call your people to trust in you, not just partially, not just a little bit, but to trust in you with all of our heart, I pray, Lord, even now, that you would begin to show us if there's something in our life that we're holding on to, if there's an area of our life where we have not been trusting you, if there's a part of our heart we have not said I will trust in the Lord, show us that today. But Lord, we come before you now desiring that our path would be clear, we want to know the path that you have for us to take, we want to live in the center of God's will, we want to follow in your footsteps, Lord. Show us your path for our lives. We look to you needing your wisdom, praying that you would show us what we need to see. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated, thank you for standing.
George Wright: [00:05:04] So very brief definition of a proverb, a simple definition is, a proverb is a saying of practical truth that is easy to remember. A saying of practical truth that is easy to remember. And pretty much every culture has some proverbs that just kind of flow throughout the society and flow throughout the culture, some very short, practical, statements that most of us would be familiar with and are culturally true for us, or that are proverbs that we have heard from the time we were kids. Let me see if I can give you a few examples of this in our culture and our context, and maybe you can help fill in some of the gaps here. Let's start with this one, actions speak louder than what? Words. Actions speak louder than words. How about this one, practice makes? Perfect. Man, y'all are doing great, the interaction is fantastic, thank you for speaking out. How about this one, a picture is worth? A thousand words. Very good. How about, when the going gets tough, the tough get? Going. Yes, that's good. Man, you all are knocking it out. Don't judge a book by its? Cover. Don't judge a book by its cover, what a great proverb, what a great thing to live by. How about this one? Good things come to those who? Wait. Patience, man, that is, what a proverb, we all need that one. How about this, Laughter is the best? Medicine. Absolutely, some of y'all need to smile a little bit more. And then one that I really love, two wrongs don't make a? Right. But as my dad used to always say, but to Wrights made an airplane, so boys, imagine what three Wrights can do. That's our proverb in our household. Let me give you one more here real quick, beauty is in the eye of the? Beholder. Very good. Or as my grandfather used to say, everybody has their own taste, said the woman as she kissed the cow. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that's all I guess it means. I don't know, it went over my head as well, but laughter is the best medicine, you're okay to laugh in church.
George Wright: [00:07:37] Hey, as we turn our attention to the Book of Proverbs in the Bible, it's important that we distinguish and differentiate here, these are not just some statements that apply to an old culture of years gone by. The proverbs that we just shared, those are cultural proverbs, you probably wouldn't hear some of those proverbs if you went to the other side of the world. But they would have proverbs for their culture, for their context, things that have been passed down generation to generation. But as we step into the Word of God, and specifically, as we step into the Book of Proverbs and look at chapter 3 here this morning and in the weeks ahead, we are stepping into wisdom that applies to every culture. We are stepping into wisdom from God that is relevant and appropriate and necessary for every culture and for all people. The Book of Proverbs is the very wisdom of God given to us, to know what it means to live a godly life, to know what it means to experience the blessings of God as we seek to follow him in faith.
George Wright: [00:08:57] The Hebrew word for Proverbs means simply this, to represent or to be like. Why does that matter? Well, that helps us understand that as we turn our attention to these Hebrew Proverbs in the scripture, in the Old Testament, these sayings of wisdom from God, we are turning our attention to sayings that serve as a model or a representation of things we experience in this life. The Proverbs speak wisdom that we need to hear, the proverbs show us what it means to live a wise and godly life.
George Wright: [00:09:40] The Book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon; King Solomon was called the wisest man who ever lived. Solomon's in the lineage of King David, King David was called a man after God's own heart. So here what we have in these proverbs, are we have the godly heart of David that has been imparted to Solomon, and we have the godly wisdom of Solomon that has been given to him by God, that combined together through divine inspiration to lay before us the wisdom of God. Chapter 3, specifically, is pointing to us or showing to us the blessings of God as we live by faith, this is wisdom for the people of God, a father speaking to his children. Proverbs 3 shows us the heart of God for his children, and Proverbs 3 reminds us that the heart of God for his children is always for our good, the wisdom of God is always a blessing to your life.
George Wright: [00:10:56] That's what we see at the very beginning of this chapter, verses 1 and 2, look back at it with me. The Scripture says, "My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you." My son, do not forget my teaching, lets your heart keep my commandments. What are we seeing right up front here in Proverbs 3? This is the call to the people of God, the children of God, from God the Father himself saying, pay attention to what I say.
George Wright: [00:11:36] Pay attention to what I say, these verses are all about our focus, where are we putting our attention? Where are we putting our focus? Think of how important that is to consider, right? Because there are so many things that are fighting for our attention, so many voices speaking to us, trying to capture our heart, trying to capture our mind's attention. Let me just ask you right here, right up front, what are you paying attention to the most? Are you paying attention to something that is actually giving you the gift of peace, or are you paying attention to something that is robbing you of peace? Are you listening to voices and watching things on TV, or your iPad, or wherever it may be, that are contributing to peace in your life, or are you listening to voices, and watching things, and paying attention to things, that actually increase your stress level, and increase your amount of worry, and increase your fear? Here in Proverbs 3, we are reminded by the father speaking to his children, if you pay attention to his voice, you will be paying attention to the voice that leads you to the path of peace. Are you paying attention to the voice of God, are you listening to what the word of God actually has to say? What are you looking to, to try and find peace?
George Wright: [00:13:30] Let me read to you a portion of Ray Ortlund`s commentary on Proverbs, specifically on chapter 3, listen to what he says about peace. He says, "However you define Shalom." That's the Hebrew word for peace. "However you define your shalom, your peace, if it is not Christ, then it is an idol, demanding your all but giving nothing. And if you obey it, it will break its promises. If you fail to obey it, it will punish you. For our problem is not just our wandering wills; our problem is our false beliefs. And that is why our Father is saying, stay alert to what you are believing moment by moment. If you'll guard my teaching with your heart, you will experience it as your true shalom, your true peace." The Word of God here is saying in Proverbs chapter 3 that those who walk in wisdom, and those who truly find peace, are those who pay attention to moment by moment the Word of God. Pay attention to my teaching, listen to my commandments, God is saying. For remember, this is a Father speaking to his children, and his commandments, his teaching, is always for our good, it's always because he loves us.
George Wright: [00:15:08] We're reminded of this in verse 3 of Proverbs chapter 3, where it says, "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." This verse is so incredibly important as we think about the wisdom of God, as we think about the desire that we all have to find peace in this life, we are reminded here that true wisdom and the path of peace is more than just what you know. It's more than just knowledge, it's more than just intellect, it's more than just your IQ, the true wisdom of God is on display in the lives of the people of God when knowledge from God's Word transforms our heart and our mind and we become more like him. It's not just what you know, it's allowing what you know about the Word of God from the Word of God to transform your heart and your mind so that you live differently based on what you know. You see, the reality is you can have a lot of knowledge and still reject wisdom. You can have a very high intellect and still walk away from wisdom altogether. The true wisdom from God is not just about what you know, it's about what you know impacting the way you live, transforming your life as you become more like Christ.
George Wright: [00:16:47] How is that displayed? Well, verse 3 shows us, you let steadfast love and faithfulness become defining characteristics of your life. This is so important because it shows us what God demonstrates toward us, he is the very description, the very definition, of steadfast love and faithfulness toward us. So, let me just ask you, is steadfast love and faithfulness so much a part of your life, that it's like you're wearing it around your neck everywhere you go for people to see? Is steadfast love and faithfulness so much a part of your life that it's like it's been tattooed across your heart, and everywhere you go, it is what introduces you to other people?
George Wright: [00:17:46] You see here the Scripture is saying, in wisdom, the wisdom of God transforms a life, the wisdom of God brings forth characteristics of God, in the people of God, characteristics like steadfast love and faithfulness. How we need to hear this in our culture today, we've all probably heard the examples of people that have been burned or burned out by religious people. Burned or burned out by people who say, yeah, I have a relationship with God, but steadfast love and faithfulness is nowhere to be found. And the Scripture says true wisdom invites the Word of God to impact our heart and our life in such a way that it transforms the way we live and the way we interact with other people, where steadfast love and faithfulness becomes what we are known for, not just what we know.
George Wright: [00:18:50] The Apostle Paul talks about this as well in his very famous writing about love, First Corinthians 13. You probably have heard these verses at a wedding ceremony before, it's one of the greatest things ever written about love. But before the Apostle Paul describes what love is, and how love is revealed, he first says something very important about love. He says that in verse 1 of First Corinthians 13, we'll put this up on the screen. He says, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." Do you know what these verses are saying? This is something we really need to hear in the church in our culture today, these verses are saying nobody really cares what you have to say if steadfast love and faithfulness do not describe your life. That's kind of hard to hear, isn't it? Because we want to prove that we're right, and we want to correct people when they're wrong And those are good desires most of the time, but the way we go about it matters. And we may have the right thing to say, and we may even have a great vision for the future and the way things could be, prophetic powers, we may even sacrifice and give and serve and do all these things, but if we don't have love, nobody really cares. And so the proverbs are saying, if you want to walk in wisdom, if you want to know the heart of God for his people, let steadfast love and faithfulness be defining characteristics of your life that will reveal the true wisdom of God to a watching world. Let it be like a necklace that is the first thing seen around your neck.
George Wright: [00:21:22] Verse 4 shows us how powerful this truly is, it says, verse 3,
"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." Verse 4, "So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man." Do you want to know what would stand out in a cancel culture? Steadfast love and faithfulness. Do you want to know what would stand out in a culture where people really want to argue and fight about everything? Steadfast love and faithfulness. Do you want to know what would stand out in a culture where people want to draw a dividing line and separate everyone into different sides and different categories and then demonize and vilify everyone on the other side? Steadfast love. And faithfulness. And if steadfast love and faithfulness are around your neck, and written across your heart, if steadfast love and faithfulness or the characteristics that your life is known for, the wisdom of God says, all of the sudden, you will find a favor with other people that maybe you've never experienced before. There will be open doors, perhaps, that never were open before. There will be handshakes, perhaps, that never had been offered before. There can be friendships and relationships, perhaps, that were once enemies. Let steadfast love and faithfulness define your life, and you will see the wisdom of God lived out in a way that people recognize the power of God at work.
George Wright: [00:23:22] And then we come to verses 5 and 6, the most famous verses in all of the Proverbs. I told you at the beginning, these are some of the first verses of the Bible that I can remember committing to memory, right up there with John chapter 11 verse 35, "Jesus wept." Right. I mean, that's the first verse that every church kid should memorize in the Bible, that's the shortest one. Kids, if you need to know what the shortest one is, the easiest one to memorize is that. John 11:35, "Jesus wept." But Proverbs 3:5-6 is one that as long as I can remember, it's been committed to memory, I think my parents wanted me to have this Proverb written on my heart. In fact, 20 years ago, almost next month will be 20 years of marriage for Megan and I. And 20 years ago, when she gave me my wedding ring, on the inside of the wedding ring was engraved Proverbs 3:5-6. It's been one of those verses that just stands out for us, it's been a guiding light, it's been a verse that we've fallen back on so many times at different points in our faith journey. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." "Trust in the Lord with all your heart."
George Wright: [00:24:42] This past week, our family was at Disney World, and this was the big trip that Covid took away last year. It was given to us by my parents in 2019 for Christmas, we were supposed to go in 2020, that didn't happen. So last week was the first time that all the family could get together and go to Disney World, we had a great time with the nieces and nephews, and everybody was all together. But the one disappointment I had, there was only one, we went to Hollywood Studios and the Indiana Jones epic stunt spectacular was closed. It's closed, yeah, it was sad. They're not doing any shows at Disney right now, yeah, it's not happening. I love Indiana Jones; I absolutely love Indiana Jones. In fact, when I was growing up, Indiana Jones, that was my favorite movie series of any, better than Star Wars, better than Back to the Future. Indiana Jones, that was my jam, I absolutely love Indiana Jones, the cool hat, the awesome whip. In fact, when I was a kid, I had an Indiana Jones whip. Right now, kids, y'all don't get to use whips anymore, that's too dangerous. But when we were kids back in the 80s, man, it was awesome, anything goes in the 80s. And I got to have a whip, and I used it on my brothers, and I would chase around the house, and I would pop the cat. I mean, it was incredible, I loved my Indiana Jones whip. But by far, my favorite Indiana Jones movie is Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, it came out in 1989, I was like 10 years old when it came out. My dad took me to this movie, it was one of those movies where it's like, I can't believe my dad is letting me watch this in the theater, this is so cool, so awesome. And at the end of that movie, which, by the way, should have been the last Indiana Jones, they made another one, it was terrible. I feel bad for everybody that didn't grow up in the 80s and had to watch the most recent Indiana Jones, and you thought that was good. It's terrible, go back to the last crusade, that's where it should have ended, 1989 Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.
George Wright: [00:26:47] Anyway, at the end, I digress. at the end of the movie, there's this whole scene where Indiana has to go through all these life-threatening obstacles to get to the Holy Grail, and he needs the Holy Grail because his dad's been shot, and the Holy Grail hopefully is going to heal his dad. So, this is serious, right, he's going through all these death-defying things, there's like saw blades that come out of the wall and try to chop his head off, and there's this pathway that he has to cross without falling through the middle, and then he comes to the final obstacle, it's this giant chasm from one side of the cave to the other, and there seems to be no way across, and the only clue that Indiana has been given is that this is called the leap of faith. So it's very dramatic, as only Spielberg can do, and Harrison Ford, who has that, you know, he always looks concerned, he has that great concerned face at all times. He picks up his foot, he leans out over this chasm, and he just takes a step. And when he takes the step and he goes all the way, his foot lands on this invisible bridge and he's able to walk across because he took the leap of faith. I just wanted to talk about Indiana Jones.
George Wright: [00:28:11] No, when I think about Proverbs 3:5. Trusting in the Lord with all of my heart, trust in the Lord with all of your heart. I just wonder, are there areas of your life today, where you know the only way to move forward is to take that leap of faith, but you're just holding back? I mean, wouldn't we rather the verse say, hey, trust in the Lord with just a little bit of your heart? And then you control the things that you're most worried about, and you hold on to the things that you're most afraid of, and you squeeze tightly to the things that you don't want to let go of? Wouldn't we love for that to be what the verse says? That's not what it says it all, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." And if you're going to trust in the Lord with all your heart, there's going to be times when you're not going to be able to lean on your own understanding, you're going to have to trust that he has a way that's better than your way, you have to trust that he has wisdom that's higher than your wisdom. But if you trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, then it says, he will direct your path, he will make straight your path.
George Wright: [00:29:41] Are you trusting in the Lord with all of your heart? Let me give you a couple of questions to ask to evaluate your own life. Are you trusting in the Lord with all of your heart as it relates to Jesus being the only way to salvation? Do you really believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the only way to salvation? Because, you know, there's a lot of people that would say there's a lot of different ways to be right with God. Do you really believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the one who saves? And if you would say yes, let me ask you this, are you telling anyone about it? When was the last time you shared your faith with someone else? When was the last time you told your story of what God has done in your life with someone who's far from God? When is the last time that you shared the gospel with someone who does not agree with you? Do you really believe with all of your heart that Jesus is the only way by which man can be saved? And if you do, are you sharing that, trusting in the Lord with all your heart.
George Wright: [00:30:59] How about this, do you trust in the Lord with all of your heart when it comes to your finances? That's a tough one to consider. You know, the Bible says a lot about money, and one of the things that the Bible makes clear about money is that the way we use our money reveals what's going on in our heart. In fact, Jesus says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Are you trusting in the Lord with all your heart in the way that you give? The Bible teaches that the starting point for trusting in the Lord with all of your heart as it relates to your finances is a tithe, that's 10 percent, giving 10 percent of your income and trusting it back to the Lord, is that the way you give? Do you show that you trust in the Lord with all of your hearts in the way that you faithfully give?
George Wright: [00:31:55] How about this, do you trust in the Lord with all of your heart in the way that you serve? There's a very interesting scene of Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper. We often think of the Last Supper as the time where Jesus laid out the Lord's Supper, the communion that we often observe together as a church, and that does happen at the Last Supper. But there's something else very significant that happens at the Last Supper, right before Jesus goes to the cross, he pulls out a bowl of water and he grabs the towel and he begins to wash the dirty, disgusting, nasty ingrown toenail, feet of the disciples, that's a job that only the lowest of the low would do. And after Jesus washes the disciple's feet, he looks at the disciples across the table and he says, I have given you an example of what you are to do for one another. For a servant is not greater than its master, so you serve as you have been served. Look, the reality is we all love to be served, we all love it when others serve us. I just want to ask you, though, are you trusting in the Lord with all of your heart as it relates to serving others because this is what Jesus called his disciples to do.
George Wright: [00:33:32] "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 was the last time you took an intentional step of faith? Not a step of faith that you were kind of forced into because the world flipped on its head and you now had to do some things that you had never done before, I'm talking about when was the last time you took an intentional step of faith where you said, I want to be where God wants me to be, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone, I'm stepping out of what I can control, and I'm trusting in the Lord with all of my heart?
George Wright: [00:34:14] Maybe you're here today and you're at a crossroads, and you really want to hear from God, you really want to know what you should do, but right now you're just unsure, you're unclear, you don't know what to do? Perhaps today, the path really has not been made straight for you, and you're wondering, God, where are you in all of this? Well, maybe, just maybe, you've already been given all that you're going to be given to know what to do until you step out on faith. And when you step out on faith, then the next step. Will be clear. Listen, I believe this is incredibly important as it relates to verse 6, "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." There are times when we come to a crossroads in our lives, and we just don't know what to do. And we can begin to conclude, well, maybe God is holding out on us. Please don't miss this, when you come to a place and you don't know what to do, God is not holding out on you. This is important, God is not holding out on you, but there are times that he brings us to a point where he simply will not reveal the next step until we take the next step. There are times when God brings us to a point where he's giving you all the information that he's going to give you, and you're not going to have any more information until you take that leap of faith. "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." I believe that there are some of you that really need to hear that today. You are trying to determine what's next, you don't know what to do, the Word of God, the wisdom of God, is saying to you, if you will trust the Lord with all of your heart, if you will take a step of faith, the path will become more and more clear as you walk. Step out on faith, trust the Lord with all your heart, and he will make straight your path.
George Wright: [00:36:52] We'll pick up right there next week as we step back into Proverbs 3. Let me bring us now to a word of prayer as we close this message. Father, God, I'm so grateful for the gift of your wisdom laid before us in the Proverbs. Oh, how we need your wisdom. Father, I recognize there are many different circumstances, many different scenarios represented in this room today, many represented in the lives of those joining online for this message. Lord, there are many people, at many different places, trying to determine what's the next thing, what's the best move, what do I do now, which direction do I go? So, Lord, I pray, I pray that you would give us the faith to simply follow, to simply step. We want to have all the answers, we want to have all the information, we want to have everything in our hands, we want to be in control, and yet the path of wisdom, the path of peace, is actually a path of letting go of control and trusting you, Lord. Father, show us what is it that we need to trust you with today? What is it perhaps that we need to let go of? What is it that is preventing us from going all-in with all our hearts to trust the Lord? Are there areas of our life that we need to lay before you? Are there areas of our heart where we've been gripped by fear or worry or doubt? Lord, show us what we need to see, give us the faith to open our hands and take a step.
George Wright: [00:39:00] What a gift it is to recognize that you love us so much, that as we trust you, you continually lay before us the gift of steadfast love and faithfulness that has been so patient and so gracious and so merciful with us. Lord, I pray that steadfast love and faithfulness be the way we are known by the world around us because of what you have done for us.
George Wright: [00:39:33] Father, as I close this prayer and we lift our voices in a song of worship, I pray, Lord God, for any among us who have never trusted their life to you in any form or fashion. Perhaps they've been in church for a while, perhaps they would even call themselves religious, or maybe they're here today listening to this message, and they know how far they've been from God, I pray that they would see that you are pursuing them with steadfast love and faithfulness even now. I pray that they would see the incredible gift of what Jesus Christ has done, that he gave his life at the cross to cover our sins, to cover our shame, and to invite us into a new life with forgiveness and grace. I pray there would be some that would cross that line of faith, they would step out on faith today and say, Jesus, I'm ready to follow you, I'm laying my heart and my life for you, please save me.
George Wright: [00:40:41] Thank you, Lord, thank you for who you are, thank you for what you were doing, thank you for what you have invited your people into as we seek to follow you. It's in Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
George Wright: [00:40:55] Won't you stand with me as we sing a final song of worship?
Recorded in Columbia, South Carolina.
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