By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

(Read: Proverbs 3:1-26)

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The Rev. Ron Purkey

Proverbs 3:5-6 are precious promises to Christians who want to know and do God’s will in every area of their life. God wants us to know and to do his will; he is eager to reveal his will to us (Ephesians 5:8-10; John 7:17).

There are certain conditions that we must meet before God can direct our paths.

First, Listen To God’s Word (Proverbs 3:1-4). God’s will is found in God’s word “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).

It is not only the mind, but also the heart that should remember and consider the word of God (i.e., the Bible). We must ask the Holy Spirit to write the Bible on our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:1-3). We must receive the word every opportunity we have — in class, in church services, through reading it. The better you know your Bible, the better you will know God’s will for your life.

Second, Obey God’s Word (Proverbs 3: 5-10). If we really trust God, we will obey him. We may think that our own wisdom is sufficient, but it is not; we need the wisdom of God. Verse 5 does not teach that Christians should fail to think and consider facts when making decisions, because God expects us to use our brains.

Rather, it means that we should not trust our own ideas or wisdom; we must ask God to direct us (James 1:5). A willingness to obey is the first step toward knowing God’s will (John 7:17). Notice that faithful giving is a part of obeying.

Third, Submit To God’s Word (Proverbs 3: 11-12). Sometimes God has to humble us to bring us into his perfect will; see Hebrews 12:5-11. If we submit to the Lord, God will turn it into a blessing.

Fourth, Treasure God’s Word (Proverbs 3:13-26). Matthew 6:33 summarizes this perfectly; put Christ first. Solomon lists, in verses 21-26, the blessings that come to believers who let God’s word direct their paths.

Notice how every part of the body should be controlled by God’s word: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Remember, It’s Jesus first, others second and you third.

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.