Divine Promises

Glorious Jehovah, My covenant God, all your promises in Christ Jesus are yes and amen, and all shall be fulfilled.

You have spoken them and they shall be done, you have commanded them and they shall come to pass.

Yet, I often doubt you and live as if you don’t even exist.

Forgive me for trying to find something apart from you.

Forgive me when I have been content to seek my hope and security in worldly things.

I praise you, that through your grace, you have allowed me to repent and see my pardon in the wounds of Jesus in whom my soul trusts as the ground of my life and spring of my hope.

Teach me to seek only your will, to delight in your law, and to believe that you are always working for my good and your glory.

Help me to leave my concerns in your hands, for you have power over evil, and even from it you bring good until your purposes are fulfilled.

Bless me with a faith that does not stagger at your promises in unbelief.

May I not seek to instruct you in my troubles, but glorify you in my trials.

Grow me in life divine; that I may leave the mists of doubt and fear in the valley, and climb to the hill-tops of security in Christ by simply believing that you cannot lie or turn from your purpose.

Give me the confidence I ought to have in you who are worthy to be praised.

Divine Promises

Glorious Jehovah, My covenant God, all your promises in Christ Jesus are yes and amen, and all shall be fulfilled.

You have spoken them and they shall be done, you have commanded them and they shall come to pass.

Yet, I often doubt you and live as if you don’t even exist.

Forgive me for trying to find something apart from you.

Forgive me when I have been content to seek my hope and security in worldly things.

I praise you, that through your grace, you have allowed me to repent and see my pardon in the wounds of Jesus in whom my soul trusts as the ground of my life and spring of my hope.

Teach me to seek only your will, to delight in your law, and to believe that you are always working for my good and your glory.

Help me to leave my concerns in your hands, for you have power over evil, and even from it you bring good until your purposes are fulfilled.

Bless me with a faith that does not stagger at your promises in unbelief.

May I not seek to instruct you in my troubles, but glorify you in my trials.

Grow me in life divine; that I may leave the mists of doubt and fear in the valley, and climb to the hill-tops of security in Christ by simply believing that you cannot lie or turn from your purpose.

Give me the confidence I ought to have in you who are worthy to be praised and blessed forevermore.

Proverbs 3:5-6
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.

Don’t Lean on Your Understanding

The verse involves a positive–something you must do. But it also involves a negative–something you must not do. Don’t lean on your own understanding. Basically, the verse is telling us that we ought not to be self-reliant. We cannot pursue a course of action, a financial decision, a business move, a relationship, or an educational choice, simply based on our own understanding. It must be founded in our trust in God.

Self-reliance is such a deceptive trap. We begin to pride ourselves in something–our savvy, our looks, our intellect, our spirituality, our family, whatever. And when we do, it takes away our trust in the Lord. It has become trust in self. The result is a dangerous compromise that will lead to destruction.

Instead, Acknowledge God. In Everything.

The antidote to this self-reliance is found in the first command of the verse. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” Which is developed in the next verse: “In all your ways acknowledge him.” The word “acknowledge” isn’t merely a polite tip of the hat to the Man Upstairs, or a few words of grace over your meal, or even perfunctory attendance at church to let Him know we’re still cool with what He’s doing. It’s way more. It’s allowing Him access, control, command, and involvement in all your ways.

What’s the result of this? Will God ruin your life? Will he be a Sovereign Killjoy? Will He rob you of fun? The verse ends on a promise. What is it?

He will make your paths straight.

The promise is put in the form of a metaphor. What does it mean to have straight paths? Several things. First, paths lead toward an end–a destination, a goal. Thus, trusting God wholeheartedly in every area of life gives your life a sense of purpose and priority. Second, it indicates that there will be a clear understanding of where you are going and what you are doing. It makes daily decision-making an easier and less painful task. You realize you are trusting Him. He, in turn, is making your paths straight. Thus, the way ahead is more apparent. Third, “straight paths” suggests moral purity. It suggests a life that has less of sinful compromise and more of wholesome attitudes, actions, and behavior.

That’s the kind of life that God promises. It’s the kind of life that you can have. It begins with trust. It involves acknowledging God in every way.

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.

Let’s break down this life-changing truth to make sure we understand it.

Trust in the Lord.

It starts with trust. Any real relationship has to start with some level of trust. It’s the only way a friendship will endure. It’s the only way a marriage will work out. It’s the simple reason why an employer hires workers, or why the workers stay employed. It’s all about trust. Trust in the Lord, however, takes on an entirely new dimension. This is our trust in an eternal, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving God. He is worthy of our trust. The trust is important, not just because of who God is, but because of the way in which we must trust him: with all your heart. It involves every fiber of your being. That’s the kind of trust we can have in God–a complete, unshakable, deep, abiding trust.

If you are a Christian, you trusted God for salvation. You can trust Him with the rest of your life, too–every detail.

Read part 2, Don’t Lean On Your Understanding

We believe that we have been saved by the grace of God for the glory of God.  We celebrate this grace and strive to bring God glory through singing and praying together, hearing His Word preached, loving Him, and loving one another.  This website will give you a feel for how we do these things as a body and why we feel they are important.  Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Brent Blake