Who Wants a Happy New Year? #2

Let me give you two reports of my health so that you would think rightly about life and live a life that glorifies Christ have a sense of serenity and well-being in your soul as you look to an uncertain future and have a happy new year to words. Therefore, if you want a happy new year.

Trust and obey God. That's the lesson we began to unpack last time the truth pulpit with Don green founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio hi Bill Wright were concluding our series as the calendar turned Proverbs 3 verses five through six tells you to 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. That's quite a set of commands and an amazing promise will gain a better understanding of this passage today as we join Don green now in the truthful, you realize the great way that God is love you in Christ and is bless you immeasurably giving you every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians chapter 1 says in your response to that is God. I see your pristine undiminished unmitigated goodness to me. You have given me such great blessing in Christ. I have such a wonderful salvation. You know what I'm going to do in response. All of this great love.

You shown the male God trust you going on are you going to love you even in the midst of the contrary, tides of life when they come not because I know how the circumstances are going to come out, but because it's right for me to love you with all of my heart, soul, strength in mind it is right for me to respond to you with trust in light of what you have done so greatly for me that's the only right way to be. So you see beloved. What this does. I realize that in practical life. This doesn't this doesn't necessarily settle every anxiety for all time that you ever face what this does do is it gives you a disposition of perspective upon which you should think about life and rather than nursing those anxieties nursing the fears that you so often have given into in the past, and maybe justified may be accommodated may be made room for in your life, say, well, life is really hard after all, no one's perfect rather than making a spiritual truths with that kind of anxiety you shift your perspective and say no I can't think that way. This is not something that I accommodate. This is something that I declare war against this is something that I work against this is something that I say is not acceptable in my heart to have unworthy thoughts of my God like that I wouldn't even trust him for this life that I recognized the foolishness of saying all trust Christ with my eternal soul but I will trust him with the details of life is shown by my anxious heart see the back of Proverbs chapter 3 verse five trust in the Lord with all your heart, with all your heart, that your heart is undivided in this confidence in the goodness of God toward his people that in all your heart and in all of your ways and in all of life. This perspective informs the way that you think about present circumstances and what they will bring to you is with a sense of confidence in the blessing of God. However, he chooses to define that all of your heart, your mind, your emotions and your will, your commitment, beloved, stated simply, when we talk about trusting God what that means is this, it means that you have an unconditional confidence. Say it again you have an unconditional confidence that God will be good to you. In the end, no matter what your present adversity may be in that's rooted not in a blind faith, but in revealed certainties is rooted in the reality of your salvation is certified to you by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And that's a way that you think about life and anything contrary in your heart is an unwelcome intruder that you drive out because that's what God is worthy of Isaiah 26 versus three and for the steadfast of mind, you will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in you trust in the Lord forever friend.

God, the Lord, we have an ever lasting and immovable fortress where we can go and find safety, security and serenity in who he is now in one sense for most of you, I wouldn't expect that anything that I said in the past 15 minutes was really something new. Maybe for some of you that are new to our church or new Christians.

Maybe these are welcome truths in their new to you. In that sense. But for most of us we get that we've heard these things before but the question is then, then if if we know these things. How do we get off track.

How is it that we don't live in that constant sense of settled serenity and security in light of everything we know to be true. I would get off track member. The second point they were answering here is who will you trust.

We said was scriptural clarity trust God and given you the reasons why the Proverbs here is teaching by way of a contrast in showing us the negative side of what trust where we fail in trust. He gives us the negative side force to think about verse five. Look at it with me again. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. Positive side of the contrast trust in the Lord with all of your heart. The negative side, do not lean on your own understanding. There is a pivot point there is a hinge right in the middle of this that points us to the way that we are to think so. Who will you trust you trust God on the other side. You do not trust yourself, you do not trust yourself, you do not trust your own judgment. You do not trust your own opinions, beloved, you do not trust your own perceptions about what you see happening in front of you and now I gotta say it emphatically because we just have to be really clear, precise and definitive because everything is at stake here. If you stumble on this point. Beloved, you will not have a happy new year and that wouldn't be good as we want you to have a happy new year. If you have a happy new year, you're going to have to realize that you cannot trust yourself. The positive command is to trust the Lord. The negative command is not lean on your own understanding what is happening not lean on your understanding and understanding that the idea of leaning here in this verse has the idea of resting upon you know. And so when I'm up here sometimes all lean on the pulpit and all rest on an all lean my weight into it. Leaning on us post to support you from falling in the spiritual realm to lean on your own understanding means, but how all this fits together to lean on your own understanding means that your confidence as you look to the future rises or falls based on your perceptions of what you see happening around you. So for example, someone might say in their heart probably wouldn't say this in a conversation with the fellowship of believers, but in your heart you think this way. Well know we have our health and we have a good job and a good bank account this coming year is going to be good. Resting on your own understanding.

Basing it on what you see, my body is healthy. My wealth is secure and things are looking good. To which Scripture says, you fool. Don't you understand your life could be required of you tonight, you fool. Don't you understand that you don't know what tomorrow will bring.

How are you boasting in the year ahead.

James chapter 4 here's something else. Confidence based on your own perceptions in a negative sense. Why does God treat me this way. What's going to happen to me this is too hard based on what I see stew it's too difficult. I can't take this.

What is that except resting on your own understanding.

Measuring your spiritual ability by the circumstances and saying I guide that I can't do this. I don't want this. I reject this and all of it saying I can't do it.

What are you doing, except saying I'm basing my perception of life based on what I see and feel your leaning on your own understanding. When you do that saying this. Next thing with sympathy beginning to the point, hopefully where a lot of us live. What will I do if my loved one. My friend doesn't come to Christ. What will I do if they die without becoming a Christian is being wrapped up in that will I do this is what I see in how my going where my going to do leaning on your own understanding. Beloved, see beloved. I know for my own personal experience and I know that you're not that much different for me. You mentally know the promises of God. But when it comes to specific circumstances that are close to your heart. Scripture would show you that you're not trusting him, as shown by the anxiety or the self-confidence that marks the inner disposition of your heart and your anxieties betray you, even if others don't see it deep in your heart saying I've got a C and II got control it.

I'm not to be peace.

She Scripture comes and meet you at that level and says stop it. Stop trusting in your own thought processes. Stop trusting in what you see. Stop trusting in your own abilities to handle whatever life is bringing to you rather than letting that shape your perspective.

Go back to the first part of the verse go back to all the wonderful spiritual realities of which we spoke just a moment ago and let that inform your perspective you you have to choose you have to decide what it is it's going to frame the way that you think about life and have a happy new year.

Christian does worry consume you combat these two verses, but you trust in the Lord with all of your heart. However yeah however Christ has come.

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ is coming again.

Let me give you two words that might help. I'm just trying to find a multitude of ways to illustrate and help you with this so that you would think rightly about life and live a life that glorifies Christ have a sense of serenity and well-being in your soul as you look to an uncertain future and have a happy new year, you have a happy new year two words, think all that truth. We talked about coming and death of Christ. Eternal bliss awaits those who trust in him every spiritual blessing given to you in Christ.

On and on it went right, and 90% of you in this room would say amen. I believe good run same page could be on the same page. The next word that comes out of your mouth in response to that is two choices.

The next word that comes out of your mouth will tell you whether you really believe that whether you're really trusting in it or if it's just had knowledge to two words. Always great truth right I know you're dying here with the two words are on keep you in suspense. All this great truth. The one who is trusting in himself. Though the woman who is leaning on her own understanding. The next word out of his or her mouth in response to that one is leaning on her own understanding uses this 13 letter word but but you don't know where but this is happening, but this is hard, but this is this is been going on for so long but but but but in discounting the truth of God by saying but let me bring my life perspective into into this in a way that will help you understand why I can't just rest and be secure and serene but but but but but I believe that but why way what you mean but honestly contrast how are you separating yourself from the truth of God the glory and the love of Christ. How can you say that the word should say is this a little longer word all of two syllables instead of one. All of these things are true and you say this word therefore I will not be afraid all of that's true. Therefore, a look to the future with confidence. All of this is true, therefore all persevere without complaint without fear, without resentment without retaliation against those that hurt me because all that's true.

Therefore, this has consequences. Therefore when you say therefore you're lining yourself up with the flow and sale under let this rush through my mind rush through my heart and and change the whole direction of the way that I think I'm going to get on the boat that's going in that stream and flow with it.

Therefore I'll be confident, therefore, will be at peace. Not but separating yourself from standing in opposition to, that's what you're saying when you say but don't say, but say therefore and show that your trusting God and not in your self. See beloved, when I wish you a happy new year. Implied in my reading to you is this question.

Do you trust God or not.

If you don't trust God, you're not gonna have a happy new year and there's nothing I can do to make it better for you if you trust God, you'll have a happy new year no matter what life brings to you because this is the realm in which we are called to live as Christians, so we see in the context was seen the contrast. Let's look at the call point number three. The call McCall. Is this the call is to an intimate walk with God. The call is an intimate walk with God. Beloved in some ways it's hard to preach on such simple commands. It's hard not because Scripture is an adequate but it's it's hard not to. It's hard not to to talk in a way that just makes people think they were talking about trivialities or clichés. This is not a cliché call is to an intimate walk with God. You see, trusting God is a comprehensive approach to life is not is not simply all go through life and then when a hard time heads then all trusting God as if it say a crotch that you pull out of the closet when you're limping along in life and all. Trust God, then all that's not it at all its comprehensive is a comprehensive approach to life with the chapter 3 verse six and in the simplicity and the clarity of Scripture, see what it says in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. In all your ways and everything that you do in every aspect of your life, acknowledge him what I'm about to say is one my favorite parts of this text. This word acknowledge need to understand what saying here in English because you're the English way that we use acknowledge probably three off we say we say acknowledge acknowledge like I'm going to acknowledge that person on passing in the aisle in the grocery store all acknowledge him all nod my head. Hello just acknowledge her presence. Hello you nod your head and stranger by nodding at him. So what this is saying here in this context.

This Hebrew word is expressing intimate knowledge close relational knowledge. It's that word that's used in Exodus 33 when God says I have known Moses by name.

I've known him knows him intimately word use in Psalm 139, when David prays to God, you know when I sit down and when I rise you know me intimately. This is a call to this is an intimate knowledge, not a passing superficial one life going on what's going on.

Acknowledge God. Life goes on. What acknowledge God.

No, it's not like that.

God calls you to a thorough intimacy with him. Verse five says trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Verse six says no him in all your ways this this is a comprehensive call that all of your affections. All of your priorities. All of your activities would be saturated with the knowledge of this transcendent God the course of life would be determined by in all your ways know in C. Trusting God is not a last refuge. Beloved like to say this knowing God, trusting God is not incidental to life. Knowing God and trusting God is the reason that you exist you exist in order to know this God with the chief end of man to know God and glorify him forever to enjoy him forever in the words of confession.

What's the greatest command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength in mind this comprehensive say this this this verse is not a call to incidental praying when things go out of control in your life. This is for all of your ways and all of your heart with with all of your affection to give yourself over to know this God who is saved you. This is why you exist in intimate walk with God and what said the end of this brings us to point number four comfort we could say the promise. I just review these points with you real quickly.

The context is God honors obedience. The contrast with phrase in question.

Who will you trust God, or yourself the mind of God or the mind. That's inside your head between your two ears.

The call to an intimate walk with God all your ways should not be an area of your life. And somehow hasn't been impacted by the way that you think in response to God's word written and incarnate. Finally, the comfort that he will bless you. Look at verse six. Go for happy new year. Here's what I would desire for you. Verse six in all your ways acknowledge him, here's the comfort and he will make your paths straight. God promises to bless you.

When you walk with him in this way.

Why would you not want that blessing of God on your life. I would not. Why would you not orient the entire disposition of life, so that this would be yours and fullest measure. What does that look like Matthew Henry says this my close with this in all our ways to prove fair and pleasant. We acknowledge God with thankfulness in all our ways to improve cross and uncomfortable. We acknowledge God with submission RI must be ever toward God. Those that put themselves under divine guidance shall always have benefit you trust him like that. It's the key to a happy and with that we've come to the end of our series as the calendar turned pastor Don Greene has reminded us that we are called to a life of trust and obedience. If we live such a life. God promises the ultimate comfort he will direct our paths which lead to eternal life with him and with that in mind, it's easy to say happy new year.

What is more great teaching headed your way in the new year so please join us each day here on the truth pulpit.

Meanwhile, Don's back your in studio to close out the year and Don as we go out into everyday life. Encountering people in need of hearing the gospel what encouragement can you offer to listeners who feel a little overwhelmed when defending their faith, the power is not found in your clever arguments. The power is in the gospel itself.

It is in the word of God is living and active.

The best most effective thing that you can do in sharing your faith is to point people to the words of the Bible, the words of the gospel, found in Scripture and let God use his own word with power in their hearts. Thanks Don and Frank remember you have a standing invitation to visit the truth. Pulpit.com for more about our ministry now for Don Greene.

I bill right. I will see you next time on the truthful