Bible Study - Extraordinary - Getting My Most Important Relationship Right - Proverbs 3 - May 5, 2013

Bible Study – Extraordinary – Getting My Most Important Relationship Right - May 5, 2013

This is lesson one in our new series entitled, “Extraordinary Relationships.”

Our scripture is Proverbs 3:5-8, 13-18 and 31-35.

For the entire month of May we will be studying selected scripture from Proverbs. Scholars consider that much of Proverbs was written by King Solomon, King David’s son, to teach people how to attain wisdom and apply it. The scripture for lesson two was written by King Lemuel, which was an oracle that his mother taught him. The key is a person’s relationship with GOD because GOD is the source of wisdom. Wisdom has been described as knowledge applied to GOD’S plan. As such, wisdom is available to all who have an intimate loving relationship with GOD through CHRIST.

In the Old Testament GOD was generally thought of dwelling in the temple or tabernacle and could only be approached by the priest after a blood sacrifice was made. First, the priest had to confess his own sins and offer a sacrifice for them. Then he could approach GOD in behalf of the people. Since the passion of CHRIST, GOD dwells within each person who has placed his/her faith in CHRIST as represented by the Holy Spirit. Christians are priests and are GOD’S representatives to the world. They are the light and the salt.

King David had a unique and personal relationship with GOD.

GOD’S desire is for HIS chosen to get to know HIM intimately, as their very best friend. This intimate relationship can only be accomplished through CHRIST. This is not to know about HIM but to know HIM personally as their very best friend.

Recently, I saw a video on conception to birth. It gave a graphic example of this process, which I believe can be applied to GOD perfecting us in time (our life upon earth) for eternity. Humans were not made for time but made for eternity as expressed by Dr. Henry Blackaby in “Experiencing God,” LifeWay Press, Nashville, TN. Once we have been Spiritually conceived, through the miracle of rebirth through CHRIST, GOD perfects HIS children in the incubator of earth, time and circumstances until they are fully birthed into HIS presence in eternity. The perfecting process, upon earth, is GOD’S way of making HIS children into the image of CHRIST. Step one is salvation through CHRIST followed by the process of sanctification.

Let’s read Proverbs 3:5-8:

Trust the Lord

1 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands; 2 for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being. 3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.

These first verses read much like some of King David’s expressions as he journeyed and developed an intimate relationship with GOD. It was written for teaching. In verse one; we see that it is a father teaching his son, which also includes daughters.

Proverbs 3, verses 1-10 focus on loyalty and faithfulness to GOD which is ground zero in building relationships with others. Verses 1-10 are five couplets, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10. These statements are examples of parallelism. The first statement is declarative and the second statement gives the contrast or completes the thought of the first statement. Our focus verse 5 gives us a clear example.

Proverbs is all about building your relationship with GOD and in turn it will build your relationships with others. As we focus on verse 5, we notice the first word is “Trust.” Most Christians have likely memorized verses 5 and 6. Let’s explore!!!

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

Trust is step one in any relationship. In the Old Testament days, the Israelites worshipped the unseen GOD, whereas others worshipped all sorts of gods - stone images, wooden carving, the moon, sun, stars and the list goes on. The GOD of the Israelites was located in the tabernacle or temple. People went to a physical place to worship GOD. They went to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices for their sins. They observed certain days as holy days or weeks as holy weeks. Their worship was physical and mechanical.

To trust in the unseen GOD was a big step and a vital step for the worshippers of Yahweh. So what was their basis for trusting Yahweh? The Israelites had their heritage and remembrance of GOD’S deliverance of them from Egyptian slavery. GOD’S call to Abram/Abraham in the Ur of Chaldeans was revealed to the Israelite through Moses, who wrote the first five books of the Bible. Abram placed his faith in the unseen GOD. It was Moses who got GOD to reveal HIS name, I AM. A person cannot build a lasting relationship with someone without trust. God and Moses developed an intimate, trusting relationship as revealed in the first five books of the Bible.

GOD, over the years, revealed HIS presence and power as the Israelites journeyed with HIM. This in turn revealed the various attributes and character of GOD, which built trust in GOD. As we study the Old Testament, we witness the attributes and character of GOD. When we study the New Testament, we see the fulfillment of the promises GOD made in the Old Testament in the LORD JESUS.

When non-Christians place their trust in the passion of CHRIST by asking HIM to forgive them for their sins and to come into their lives, they receive forgiveness and salvation. Because of the passion of CHRIST, salvation is not mechanical or physical, it is Spiritual through the miracle of rebirth. All who receive CHRIST, as their Savior, are born into GOD’S family and become children of GOD. Their citizenship is in heaven. Salvation is step one in building trust with GOD. Salvation sets Christians aside or sanctifies them for service to GOD. That does not mean everyone is called to follow a Christian vocation but to serve GOD in the capacity that HE calls them to – clerk, plumber, custodian, teacher, mom, dad, student, pastor, missionary, engineer and the list goes on.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Complete trust means to step where there is no step. We cannot see the end of where we are going in life’s journey but trusting GOD as HE leads us is vital to building the right relationship with HIM, through CHRIST. That can come only from having the right relationship with HIM through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Here, I need to pause for a word of caution. Do Not Step Out On Your Own Or In Your Own Strength. You must wait upon GOD and only step when and where HE leads you to take that step. How do I know that; because I have been there and done that, meaning I have gotten ahead of GOD. It is a learning experience, which you may have to go through. But that is part of building the right relationship with GOD and getting to know HIM and not just knowing about HIM.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”

When we trust in the Lord and have the right relationship with HIM that is when we do not rely upon our own understanding. That is a learning experience. First, we must build trust through right relationship, as we step out in faith, as led by HIM; we stay focused upon HIM by thinking or focusing our thought life upon HIM. When we stay focused upon HIM, HE guides our paths as we obediently follow HIM. It is an awesome experience when HE leads and we follow.

There will be forks in the road of life as well as detours, barriers and crossroads. These are the times when we must stay focused on GOD but those pauses in the road of life can be times of tremendous Spiritual growth.

Let’s read Proverbs 3:7-12:

7 Don’t consider yourself to be wise;•fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 8 This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; 10 then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; 12 for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.

Education and learning is important but when we think we know it all and do not need the LORD in our lives, we cut ourselves off from the source of wisdom. GOD admonished us to honor, respect, reverence and seek HIM and HIS guidance and counsel. This will bring nourishment and healing to your Spiritual life, as well as, your physical life.

A natural out flow from having the right relationship with GOD, through CHRIST, will be your desire to give as you recognize and acknowledge GOD’S great gift to you. It is not the quantity or obligation of the gift to GOD but the attitude and gratitude of the heart. Our possessions can be material but it can be our time and commitment.

We read of the blessings from GOD because of our obedience. We think of material blessings but the greatest blessings are our Spiritual growth and walking with our LORD.

Christians must keep in mind that GOD disciplines those HE loves.

Let’s read Proverbs 3:13-18: Wisdom Brings Happiness

13 Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. 18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy.

Wisdom is more than academic education. It is insight and understanding that comes from a personal relationship with GOD through CHRIST. Godly wisdom can be taught, understood and applied in our lives by the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is portrayed as a woman. I can hear the ladies agreeing with that statement and it is true. Women look at many things differently from men and men are wise when they seek the counsel of women. Now, the main thing is, do we, as men, follow the counsel of the ladies?

As we read this, we see that wisdom is wealth and when followed, it has an everlasting quality to it as depicted by the tree of life. GOD is the source of wisdom and when we seek to have an intimate, loving relationship with HIM, we are wise.

Wisdom, yields – long life, riches, honor, pleasantness, peaceful, happiness and is a tree of life. Bottom line when we have wisdom and apply it in our lives we live prudently – eating, exercise, sleep with a clear conscience, plan according to our needs, live within our needs, stress is minimized and the list goes on.  

Let’s read Proverbs 3:31-35:

31 Don’t envy a violent man or choose any of his ways; 32 for the devious are detestable to the Lord, but He is a friend to the upright. 33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous; 34 He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise will inherit honor, but He holds up fools to dishonor.

GOD honors those who walk upright and obediently. HE detests those who are arrogant and do their own thing. GOD has a plan for every person and HIS desire is for HIS children to obediently follow HIM.

Verse 33 speaks of “The Lord’s curse.” This is not like foul language, some spell or wizardry but it is withdrawal of HIS presence from a person. It is not that GOD withdraws but the hardness of the person’s heart results in a barrier that the person has built between him and GOD. GOD knocks on the door of our hearts but it is up to us whether or not we open it. 

Revelation 3:15-21:

The •Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. 20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. 21 The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart is step one. Place your trust in CHRIST, Who died for you, and experience the miracle of rebirth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Yield your will to GOD and begin the process of building an intimate loving relationship with HIM through your relationship with CHRIST. Blessings!!!