WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.980 I know all of you, so I won't introduce myself, but it's good to be with you again. 00:00:06.419 --> 00:00:12.700 As I mentioned earlier, God's law is what shows us the way to walk in this world, that we can 00:00:12.700 --> 00:00:18.400 experience blessing, and so that's why we turn at this time in our service. So we do every Sunday 00:00:18.400 --> 00:00:23.240 to hear from God because we believe that he has something to say to us, that he speaks with power, 00:00:23.240 --> 00:00:29.039 that he hasn't left us to wander, stumble alone in the dark, but instead he's given us his word 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:34.899 to show us the way to go. We're continuing our series in the book of Proverbs, and you'll remember 00:00:34.899 --> 00:00:41.280 that the book of Proverbs is a book about wisdom, and wisdom is skill and the art of living, and as 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:46.120 we've seen, it begins with the fear of the Lord, that's the foundation of wisdom, and it continues 00:00:46.120 --> 00:00:55.560 with humility and teachability. Last week, we looked at how we grow in wisdom. We saw that it was an 00:00:55.560 --> 00:01:03.300 issue of love, that we have to love wisdom to get wisdom. We can't be protected by wisdom unless we 00:01:03.300 --> 00:01:10.480 embrace it. This week, we're going to look at the idea of blessing. Wisdom offers to bless us. As we 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:16.300 read chapter three, you're going to see the word blessing show up over and over again, but this also 00:01:16.299 --> 00:01:25.519 raises some questions and some confusion. If everything that God gives us is by grace, in what 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:33.599 sense can we say he blesses those who are obedient? If we know that the prosperity gospel is wrong, the 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:39.519 idea that God's main purpose in this life is to bring us material blessing, then what do we do with the 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:49.019 Proverbs promises of blessing? What is the relationship between our obedience and what God 00:01:49.019 --> 00:01:53.640 gives to us? That's what we're going to look at in Proverbs chapter three. This is a chapter with many 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:57.359 things in it, so we're not going to look at everything equally. As we look at the whole chapter, I'm going 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:02.959 to give a special focus to verses five and six, which are two of the most famous verses in the Bible, 00:02:03.679 --> 00:02:07.239 which tell us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. 00:02:07.239 --> 00:02:13.659 But we'll simply ask this, what are the blessings that we should expect from wisdom? 00:02:15.099 --> 00:02:21.879 What are the blessings that we expect from wisdom? It's with that that we turn to read Proverbs 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:26.199 chapter three. I invite you to turn with me in your worship guide or in your Bible or on your phone. 00:02:27.139 --> 00:02:32.800 And no matter where you turn, remember that this is God's word. And Proverbs chapter 30, verse five, 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:40.180 tells us that every word of God proves true. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 00:02:41.020 --> 00:02:44.260 And so that's why we read now together, starting at verse one. 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:51.620 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments. 00:02:52.700 --> 00:02:56.980 For length of days and years of life and peace, they will add to you. 00:02:56.979 --> 00:03:06.179 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Find them around your neck. Write them on the tablet 00:03:06.179 --> 00:03:14.139 of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Verse five, 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:21.819 trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:29.159 acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:35.079 and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. 00:03:36.459 --> 00:03:43.979 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof. For the Lord reproves him whom 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:51.799 he loves as a father, the son in whom he delights. Verse 13, blessed is the one who finds wisdom 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:56.660 and the one who gets understanding. For the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her 00:03:56.660 --> 00:04:02.340 profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire can compare with her. 00:04:03.420 --> 00:04:10.280 Long life is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:16.420 and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. 00:04:16.420 --> 00:04:24.860 Those who hold her fast are called blessed. Verse 19, the Lord by wisdom founded the earth. By 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:30.319 understanding, he established the heavens. By his knowledge, the deeps broke open and the clouds 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:37.360 dropped down the dew. My son, do not lose sight of these. Keep sound wisdom and discretion and they 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:44.460 will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely and your 00:04:44.459 --> 00:04:52.019 foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 00:04:53.159 --> 00:04:58.819 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked when it comes. For the Lord will be 00:04:58.819 --> 00:05:05.379 your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:13.459 due when it is in your power to do it. Verse 28, do not say to your neighbor, go and come again. 00:05:13.459 --> 00:05:19.519 Tomorrow I will give it when you have it with you. Do not plan evil against your neighbor who dwells 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:25.779 trustingly beside you. Do not contend with a man for no reason when he has done you no harm. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:33.560 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways. For the devious person is an abomination 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:40.620 to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence. The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:47.660 but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble 00:05:47.660 --> 00:05:57.560 he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace. I invite you to pray with me 00:05:57.560 --> 00:05:59.920 as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:11.640 Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the ordinary, normal, week-by-week worship of you, 00:06:12.640 --> 00:06:18.460 and you're the words that come from you. We thank you that we have the privilege to hear from you 00:06:18.460 --> 00:06:24.360 over and over again. We ask that we wouldn't take it for granted. We wouldn't take for granted the 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:31.060 freedom to worship you together, in person, in public, and we wouldn't take for granted the 00:06:31.060 --> 00:06:35.439 privilege of hearing from you in your word. We ask that you would do that now, that you'd send your 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:41.800 Holy Spirit in a powerful way, that we would be challenged and encouraged by the grace that you 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:49.220 offer us in your word. We ask these things not because we deserve them or have earned them, 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:51.620 but we ask them in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:59.300 If you have an iPhone or a smartphone, 00:07:00.460 --> 00:07:06.140 you know that there are limits on what you can put on that phone. For example, if you have an iPhone, 00:07:06.880 --> 00:07:09.240 if you want to put an app on it, it has to be in the App Store. 00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:15.420 And if it's not in the App Store, you're not going to get to put it on. Of course, there's protocols and 00:07:15.420 --> 00:07:19.980 requirements for something to be put into the App Store. Not everyone just gets to publish what 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:24.540 they want. It has to be approved. It has to be vetted. And there's reasons for this, but there's 00:07:24.540 --> 00:07:29.740 also people who don't like those limits. They think it's artificial. It's their phone. They own it, 00:07:29.780 --> 00:07:34.860 right? They should be able to put on it what they want. And so there's this term, jailbreaking, 00:07:35.780 --> 00:07:41.480 when you take your phone and you remove all the limits from it. It allows you to put apps on it 00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:46.259 that maybe wouldn't be allowed by the App Store. It allows you to access parts of the phone you 00:07:46.259 --> 00:07:50.340 wouldn't normally be able to access. It allows you to change and modify things. 00:07:52.180 --> 00:07:57.680 And yet, companies warn against it. Your warranty's void often if you do it. 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:03.800 There's a potential your updates won't work anymore. And in fact, Apple has an article out 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:08.140 warning of all the things that could happen to you if you jailbreak your phone. You would be more 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:13.740 vulnerable to hackers coming and taking it. Your battery life will not function as well. 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:21.599 It's possible that you won't be able to install new things on your phone. And if it has problems, 00:08:21.779 --> 00:08:26.959 you may not be able to recover it. So you'll find people who are in favor of jailbreaking. You'll 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:34.279 also find people who cry many tears wishing they could go back and undo it. And there's a fundamental 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:39.959 principle there that's also given to us here in Proverbs chapter 3. The builder, the creator, 00:08:40.419 --> 00:08:41.579 actually knows what they're doing. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:50.899 The person who designed something is the one who knows how to keep it safe. There are boundaries 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:58.480 and limits that are good. They're protecting you, right? Apple's not trying to take away your fun. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:02.639 They're actually trying to enable it. They're trying to make your experience good and pleasant. 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:08.259 They're trying to protect you from those who would take advantage of you. As we talk about blessing in 00:09:08.259 --> 00:09:13.860 the Proverbs, that's the first type of blessing that we experience from wisdom. It's the blessing 00:09:13.860 --> 00:09:18.980 that comes with honoring the creator. We see this in verses 19 and 20. 00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:24.800 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth. By understanding, he established the heavens. By his knowledge, 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:30.319 the deeps broke open and the clouds broke down the dew. In other words, wisdom was how God created 00:09:30.319 --> 00:09:40.359 the world. And so, of course, if we follow the ways of wisdom, things are going to go well. We are doing 00:09:40.359 --> 00:09:45.759 things the way the creator wanted us to do them. God's law, as I mentioned earlier, is not arbitrary. 00:09:45.899 --> 00:09:51.459 When he tells us certain things about how we handle our money, when he tells us how we handle our bodies 00:09:51.460 --> 00:09:56.680 and our sexuality, when he tells us how we handle our relationships, he's telling us, this is how I 00:09:56.680 --> 00:10:01.840 made the world. Wisdom is not random. It works because wisdom is how I created the universe. 00:10:03.680 --> 00:10:10.800 And so, of course, there is going to be a certain kind of blessing that comes from living within the, 00:10:11.040 --> 00:10:14.879 living along with the grain of the world rather than against the grain of the world. 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:20.039 And this is the kind of blessing we see throughout chapter 2. If you keep wisdom, 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:23.220 verse 2, you'll have long life, more likely. 00:10:25.879 --> 00:10:29.200 Proverbs is going to tell us certain things about what we do with our bodies, right? 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:34.000 If we follow that, the chances of us having long life is greater. 00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:39.740 Verses 13 through 18 tell us about all these things that are going to be good. 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:43.379 Again, verse 16, long life, riches, and honor. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:45.299 Verse 17, peace. 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:50.600 If you follow the instructions of Proverbs, you're more likely to have peace in relationships with others, 00:10:50.680 --> 00:10:52.080 less conflict. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:55.740 And this isn't some special blessing from God, right? 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:59.539 It's the same kind of blessing that comes from not jailbreaking your phone. 00:10:59.659 --> 00:11:03.500 You're just living with the instructions that the Creator gave you. 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:08.379 Last week, we talked about the love of wisdom and how it protects us. 00:11:08.379 --> 00:11:10.840 And I told you that wisdom was like a compass. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.240 It directs us in the right way. 00:11:13.259 --> 00:11:15.340 It's like something that holds a kite down. 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:19.939 This week, it's not that it's a compass and a kite, but that wisdom is the architect. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:23.000 Wisdom is the designer. 00:11:24.659 --> 00:11:28.100 Wisdom built this world, and so there's just a natural blessing 00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:31.399 that comes from doing what wisdom tells us. 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:35.779 Just like if we had a problem with this building and we weren't sure what was going on, 00:11:35.779 --> 00:11:39.500 it would be wise for us to go and speak to the person who designed it. 00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:43.379 They might know more than any of us know, even though we live in the building. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:47.039 So God is the architect of this world. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:48.839 Wisdom was there with him at the beginning. 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:53.079 And so there's a natural blessing that comes from walking God's ways. 00:11:53.080 --> 00:12:00.100 That's a lot of the blessing that's promised here in chapter 3. 00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:06.340 That's where this long life, verse 16, riches and honor come from. 00:12:07.540 --> 00:12:13.740 And so we trust God even when the things that he says don't make sense to us. 00:12:13.740 --> 00:12:21.620 If God tells us to do something that seems counterintuitive to what our culture is telling us, 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:24.919 what our friends are telling us, maybe what we're telling ourselves, 00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:26.480 we do it anyway. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:30.080 Because we trust that he's the architect. 00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:35.240 We trust that God actually knows what he's talking about. 00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:41.100 Wisdom was there at the beginning. 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:44.940 We believe that God actually knows best. 00:12:46.259 --> 00:12:48.899 And when we do that, God promises blessing. 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:51.500 It's blessing in a natural way. 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:54.920 It's blessing with going along with how God designed the world. 00:12:56.060 --> 00:12:59.159 Problem, of course, everyone agrees, right, that Apple makes the iPhone. 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:05.480 I do not know of any Apple deniers who claim that the phone was made by some other organization. 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:07.560 We all agree about that. 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:12.139 What everyone does not agree about is whether God made the world or not. 00:13:15.259 --> 00:13:18.899 And so that's where so much of the conflict comes from in our culture. 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:22.519 It's not that we are people who hate the world. 00:13:22.899 --> 00:13:24.059 It's not that we're bigots. 00:13:25.339 --> 00:13:26.639 It's not that we're backwards. 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:29.860 It's just we believe in a different maker. 00:13:31.939 --> 00:13:35.539 We believe that God, rather than anything else, is the architect. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.539 God tells us things then that are true. 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:43.539 We expect if we follow those things, there will be blessing. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:46.860 The makers of the iPhone are not vindictive. 00:13:46.860 --> 00:13:49.180 They're not out to get us. 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:53.860 They don't put limits on the phone so that they can pull on over on us. 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.279 No, they're actually trying to make things good and pleasant. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:02.259 They want us and our phones who have long life and riches and blessing. 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.580 And so they put boundaries and limits in place. 00:14:06.580 --> 00:14:12.240 When and if we follow those boundaries and limits, we expect good things to happen. 00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:17.680 We talked when we went through 1 Peter about there being different types of suffering. 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:23.060 And I told you there's a type of suffering that comes from sin, right? 00:14:23.160 --> 00:14:24.460 There's consequences that come. 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:27.740 There's also a type of blessing that comes from righteousness. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:34.980 There's natural consequences, good consequences, from living in the way God has told us to live. 00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:37.360 Of course, we need to be reminded of this. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:42.539 The son here needs to be reminded to keep these commandments in his heart, verse 1, 00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:46.139 because the world, the flesh, and the devil are constantly lying to us. 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.740 The enemy of our soul, Satan, has no new strategies. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:14:52.840 We're aware of what his strategies are. 00:14:53.920 --> 00:14:56.700 And one of his strategies is that he's the father of lies. 00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:01.800 And so he constantly is telling us the same thing he told Adam and Eve in the garden. 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:05.519 Did God really say, and does God really have your best interests at heart? 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:15.359 Proverbs 3 is reminding us, yes, God did really say, and he really has your best interests at heart. 00:15:16.459 --> 00:15:22.579 Trust God, even when he's telling you the opposite of what everyone else is telling you. 00:15:22.580 --> 00:15:27.240 Trust him, because he is the expert. 00:15:27.460 --> 00:15:32.379 Trust wisdom, because wisdom, verse 19, founded the earth. 00:15:37.300 --> 00:15:39.100 How then do we experience blessing? 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:41.259 What's the relationship between blessing and obedience? 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.580 Well, one of the ways is just natural blessing. 00:15:44.400 --> 00:15:47.040 We live in line with the way God created the world, 00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:49.860 and we expect things to work out because of it. 00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:53.360 We also see here, though, a different type of blessing, 00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:57.200 not just a natural blessing, something that comes from natural consequences, 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:59.600 but there is a special blessing as well. 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:05.180 We're told in verse 4, we will find favor in the sight of God. 00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:11.700 So God shows his favor, a special blessing, on people who honor him and obey him. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.200 We see that also in verse 6. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:15.600 There's an active element to what God's doing here. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:19.519 If we acknowledge him in all our ways, he will make straight your paths. 00:16:20.460 --> 00:16:24.039 Verses 9 and 10 seem to imply some sort of divine intervention. 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:25.700 You're honoring God with your wealth. 00:16:26.419 --> 00:16:28.340 Your barns will be filled with plenty. 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:31.259 That seems a little counterintuitive, right? 00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:33.379 You'd think the more you give away, the less you'd have. 00:16:33.460 --> 00:16:36.580 So there must be some element here of God being at work, 00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:38.659 blessing those who honor him. 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:41.960 And then verse 26, we see it again. 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:43.720 The Lord will be your confidence. 00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:46.220 He will keep your foot from being caught. 00:16:46.220 --> 00:16:53.019 There is this active intervention by God to provide blessing for those who obey him. 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:59.080 Now, this is where we begin to run into some trouble, right? 00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:05.160 Sometimes it can be hard to figure out and understand exactly how these blessings work, 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:06.900 but the Bible gives us examples of them. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:09.700 And in fact, the best examples are the ones that come from the Bible, 00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:14.840 because it's hard for you and me to discern exactly how God makes our paths straight. 00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:18.460 But we see him doing it various places in Scripture. 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:20.960 One, for example, is the beginning of the book of Exodus. 00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:23.220 If you're familiar with the book of Exodus, 00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:26.059 you know it tells the story of God's people leaving slavery. 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:30.840 The very beginning of the book, we meet these Israelite women who are midwives. 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:34.939 And Pharaoh tells them, 00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:42.279 your job as Israelite midwives is to make sure you kill any male children who are born in Israel. 00:17:44.379 --> 00:17:45.759 What do these midwives do? 00:17:46.139 --> 00:17:48.859 They, verse 5, trust in the Lord with all their hearts, 00:17:48.939 --> 00:17:50.399 and they lean not on their own understanding. 00:17:50.959 --> 00:17:53.379 They don't do what they're told, even though it's dangerous. 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:57.199 They do not kill any of the children that come from the Israelite women, 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:00.799 even though they could be punished for it. 00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:01.460 And what happens? 00:18:02.019 --> 00:18:04.200 Verse 6, God makes straight their paths. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:08.580 We're told at the beginning of Exodus that God gives them a special blessing 00:18:08.580 --> 00:18:10.059 because of their obedience. 00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:13.019 He gives families to these midwives. 00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:15.519 That doesn't tell us exactly how that happens. 00:18:15.620 --> 00:18:19.240 Maybe he provides spouses providentially that they didn't have. 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:22.180 Maybe he provides pregnancy that they didn't have, 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:25.660 but God blesses them specifically for their obedience. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.180 They honor him. 00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:28.920 They trust him. 00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:31.259 When it's hard, he makes their path straight. 00:18:32.140 --> 00:18:34.740 We've also seen an example of this in the book of Proverbs. 00:18:34.840 --> 00:18:36.440 I told you when we started Proverbs, 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:38.000 their very first sermon on it, 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.460 the story of Solomon. 00:18:40.140 --> 00:18:42.480 God came to Solomon and asked him what he wanted. 00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.779 And Solomon said, 00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:45.720 more than anything else, he wanted wisdom. 00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:48.960 We know wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:49.940 So Solomon is saying, 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:53.700 I want what you have to offer God more than anything else. 00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:55.360 I'm trusting you with all my heart. 00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:56.420 What does God do? 00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:57.940 He makes his path straight. 00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:59.740 He says, because you've asked for wisdom, 00:18:59.860 --> 00:19:01.019 I won't just give you wisdom. 00:19:01.360 --> 00:19:04.259 I'm going to give you everything else you could have asked for. 00:19:05.300 --> 00:19:08.300 I'm going to give you riches and wealth and honor. 00:19:10.060 --> 00:19:12.740 And so God gives Solomon a special blessing 00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:15.620 for his trust and his obedience. 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.700 Same is true for us. 00:19:19.700 --> 00:19:23.920 Now we don't know exactly how or when. 00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:26.819 I'm not going to tell you authoritatively 00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:29.120 how God is going to bless you, 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:32.279 how he might provide for you in certain ways. 00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:33.500 What I can tell you is this. 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:34.819 The book of Proverbs tells us, 00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.140 if we trust him, 00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:37.799 God will care for us. 00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.840 If we trust him, 00:19:41.600 --> 00:19:42.620 God will care for us. 00:19:42.619 --> 00:19:46.000 We have another example from Deuteronomy chapter 8. 00:19:46.779 --> 00:19:47.939 Israelites are in the wilderness. 00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:49.599 God tells them, 00:19:49.699 --> 00:19:50.379 when you were in the wilderness, 00:19:51.459 --> 00:19:53.359 I kept your clothes from wearing out 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.619 and I kept your feet from swelling. 00:19:57.619 --> 00:19:58.779 I intervened. 00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:00.699 I gave you a special blessing. 00:20:00.859 --> 00:20:02.000 I protected you. 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:04.739 Remember verse 26. 00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:07.220 The Lord will be your confidence 00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:09.480 and will keep your foot from being caught. 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:13.660 Now this is exactly the point 00:20:13.660 --> 00:20:14.920 where we start to run into trouble 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:16.099 because of course we know 00:20:16.099 --> 00:20:17.660 in our own lives 00:20:17.660 --> 00:20:19.900 and in the lives of other Christians, 00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:21.700 there's times when we've trusted God 00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:24.120 and it's led not to material blessing, 00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:26.220 it's actually led to suffering of various sorts. 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:29.059 Bible has those kinds of stories too. 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:31.240 Remember Stephen, the first deacon 00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:32.940 in Acts chapter 6 and 7, 00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:35.140 is faithful in proclaiming the gospel 00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:37.640 and he gets a faith blessing, right? 00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:38.779 He becomes extremely wealthy. 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:41.460 No, he's stoned to death. 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:45.519 He doesn't experience material blessing here and now. 00:20:45.600 --> 00:20:46.820 In fact, he loses his life. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:49.340 We just spent a whole series in 1 Peter 00:20:49.340 --> 00:20:50.600 talking about the suffering 00:20:50.600 --> 00:20:52.720 that comes from being a Christian. 00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:55.539 And so what do we do 00:20:55.539 --> 00:20:57.160 with these promises of blessing 00:20:57.160 --> 00:21:00.400 when we don't have the experience of the midwives? 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:04.040 What do we do with promises of blessing 00:21:04.040 --> 00:21:06.360 when we feel more like Stephen? 00:21:09.019 --> 00:21:11.360 Well, there's a couple things we have to remember. 00:21:11.540 --> 00:21:12.200 First of all, 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:16.720 there is sometimes or often blessings now, 00:21:17.860 --> 00:21:20.860 always blessing in the future. 00:21:22.280 --> 00:21:22.680 In other words, 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:24.700 there's an eternal perspective that we have 00:21:24.700 --> 00:21:25.940 as we think about God's blessings. 00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:28.039 We may suffer now. 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:31.400 We look forward to the time 00:21:31.400 --> 00:21:32.279 when Jesus returns 00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:33.380 and he makes all things right. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.640 And the author of Proverbs 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:39.039 has that same sort of eternal perspective. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:40.500 Remember we saw that last week. 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:42.480 The upright will inhabit the land. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:44.400 The wicked will be cut off from the land. 00:21:45.059 --> 00:21:46.059 And so that's part of how 00:21:46.059 --> 00:21:47.320 we have to think about these things. 00:21:47.860 --> 00:21:49.400 We have to remember in this life, 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:50.559 Jesus knows this by the way, 00:21:50.600 --> 00:21:51.559 the Bible's aware of this. 00:21:51.620 --> 00:21:53.720 He tells us in John chapter 6, verse 33, 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:55.579 in this life you'll have tribulation, 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:57.200 but I've overcome the world. 00:21:58.279 --> 00:21:59.819 So there's an ultimate blessing 00:21:59.819 --> 00:22:01.039 that we look forward to 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.900 when Jesus returns. 00:22:03.980 --> 00:22:05.500 The other thing we have to remember 00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:07.839 is the way that Proverbs works. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:09.180 I hinted at this 00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:10.140 when we started the series. 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:11.940 If you have your Bible with you, 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:12.819 you can go back all the way 00:22:12.819 --> 00:22:14.000 to Proverbs chapter 1. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.839 Remember, part of wisdom 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:17.860 is knowing how to interpret wisdom. 00:22:19.140 --> 00:22:20.519 Chapter 1, verse 6, 00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:22.819 there's wisdom to understanding 00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:24.039 a proverb and a saying. 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:25.460 Verse 2, 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:27.900 to understand the words of insight. 00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:29.079 So we have to understand 00:22:29.079 --> 00:22:30.579 how the words of insight 00:22:30.579 --> 00:22:31.759 of chapter 3 work. 00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:32.599 And they work like this. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:34.819 Proverbs, as many people have put it, 00:22:34.859 --> 00:22:36.599 are not rules but principles. 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:40.119 They're not rules but principles. 00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:41.319 That's the way the genre 00:22:41.319 --> 00:22:42.500 of a proverb works. 00:22:43.859 --> 00:22:44.900 They have to be applied 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:45.940 in the right time, 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:46.819 in the right place. 00:22:47.420 --> 00:22:48.940 They are not guarantees. 00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:51.680 Proverbs is not a legal document 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.460 where God guarantees 00:22:53.460 --> 00:22:54.820 rigid blessings 00:22:54.820 --> 00:22:55.519 for obedience 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.380 in a certain way 00:22:56.380 --> 00:22:57.080 in a certain time 00:22:57.080 --> 00:22:57.799 in a certain place. 00:22:59.740 --> 00:23:01.259 Instead, Proverbs tells us 00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:02.100 the way the world 00:23:02.100 --> 00:23:03.799 generally works, 00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:05.279 the way it is supposed to work. 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.779 It doesn't mean 00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:07.640 there aren't exceptions. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:08.920 That's part of the reason 00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.580 God's given us 00:23:09.580 --> 00:23:10.360 the book of Job 00:23:10.360 --> 00:23:11.580 and the book of Ecclesiastes. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:13.580 So Job is a righteous man. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:15.039 He trusts in the Lord 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:15.880 with all his heart. 00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:19.380 And all his wealth 00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:19.800 and family 00:23:19.800 --> 00:23:20.700 are taken away from him 00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:21.200 with the exception 00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:21.740 of his wife. 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:25.920 And Job's friends, 00:23:26.020 --> 00:23:27.100 as many people have pointed out, 00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:27.880 come to him 00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:29.620 and quote Proverbs 3 00:23:29.620 --> 00:23:30.500 logic to him. 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:31.560 You're suffering. 00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:32.580 Obviously, 00:23:32.840 --> 00:23:33.900 you haven't trusted the Lord. 00:23:37.060 --> 00:23:38.180 So there's a wisdom 00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:39.360 to reading Proverbs 3. 00:23:39.540 --> 00:23:40.080 Just because 00:23:40.080 --> 00:23:41.120 righteous needs 00:23:41.120 --> 00:23:42.320 leads to blessing 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:43.659 does not mean 00:23:43.659 --> 00:23:44.099 that everyone 00:23:44.099 --> 00:23:44.779 who suffers 00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.819 has sinned. 00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.079 It means that 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:48.960 this world is broken. 00:23:49.679 --> 00:23:50.399 While it's meant 00:23:50.399 --> 00:23:51.439 to work this way, 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:52.159 it doesn't always 00:23:52.159 --> 00:23:52.960 work this way 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.779 in the here and now. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.200 It's also helpful 00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:55.899 to remember 00:23:55.899 --> 00:23:57.539 in the Old Testament, 00:23:58.259 --> 00:23:59.559 there's a greater focus 00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.480 on physical, 00:24:00.659 --> 00:24:01.559 material blessing 00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:03.339 and less of a focus 00:24:03.339 --> 00:24:04.339 on spiritual blessing. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.639 In the New Testament, 00:24:06.919 --> 00:24:08.419 there's a greater emphasis 00:24:08.419 --> 00:24:09.879 on spiritual blessing, 00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:11.480 less of an emphasis 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:12.620 on material blessing. 00:24:13.560 --> 00:24:14.660 But both 00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:15.500 are in both. 00:24:16.320 --> 00:24:16.900 So there's both 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:17.740 spiritual and material 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:19.020 blessing in the Old Testament, 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:20.900 both spiritual and material 00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:21.980 blessing in the New Testament. 00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:25.040 When we trust 00:24:25.040 --> 00:24:25.600 in the Lord 00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:26.760 with all our heart, 00:24:27.760 --> 00:24:29.080 and it seems like 00:24:29.080 --> 00:24:29.760 he's not making 00:24:29.760 --> 00:24:30.840 our path straight, 00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:33.960 we continue to trust 00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:34.760 in his goodness 00:24:34.760 --> 00:24:36.140 knowing that he will 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:37.720 fully and finally 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.360 one day. 00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:40.920 When we trust 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:41.280 in the Lord 00:24:41.280 --> 00:24:42.200 with all our heart, 00:24:42.280 --> 00:24:43.000 but it looks like 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:43.820 he's not making 00:24:43.820 --> 00:24:44.720 our path straight, 00:24:44.820 --> 00:24:45.700 we trust him 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.920 knowing that he will 00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:48.040 fully and finally 00:24:48.040 --> 00:24:48.820 make them straight 00:24:48.820 --> 00:24:49.420 one day. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:50.640 We sometimes 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.480 and often 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:52.520 see blessing now, 00:24:52.660 --> 00:24:53.460 we will always 00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:54.040 and ultimately 00:24:54.040 --> 00:24:54.940 see it in the future. 00:24:57.020 --> 00:24:57.600 And in fact, 00:24:57.660 --> 00:24:58.480 that's how much 00:24:58.480 --> 00:24:58.960 of the Bible 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:00.680 works and talks. 00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:04.440 So there's blessing. 00:25:05.420 --> 00:25:06.420 There's blessing 00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:07.620 that comes from wisdom. 00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:09.819 There's natural blessing 00:25:09.819 --> 00:25:11.419 that comes just as a consequence 00:25:11.419 --> 00:25:12.779 of living in the world 00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.659 the way God intended. 00:25:14.439 --> 00:25:16.019 And there's a special blessing 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:18.399 that God gives to his people, 00:25:18.619 --> 00:25:19.439 showing them 00:25:19.439 --> 00:25:21.119 what it tells us in verse 4, 00:25:21.219 --> 00:25:21.919 his favor. 00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:27.239 I focus so far mainly here 00:25:27.239 --> 00:25:28.139 on verse 6, 00:25:28.279 --> 00:25:29.179 God making straight 00:25:29.179 --> 00:25:29.779 our paths, 00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:30.919 the blessing that comes, 00:25:31.419 --> 00:25:32.519 but this blessing comes 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:34.779 specifically from trusting God. 00:25:34.779 --> 00:25:37.579 There's a dance here. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.519 There's a trust 00:25:38.519 --> 00:25:39.879 blessing dance. 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:42.519 And we're given 00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:44.279 sort of general commands 00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:45.220 here to trust God, 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:45.519 right? 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:46.359 Verse 5, 00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.079 trust in the Lord 00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:47.819 with all your heart. 00:25:47.899 --> 00:25:48.480 Do not lean on 00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.259 your own understanding. 00:25:50.139 --> 00:25:50.819 Verse 6, 00:25:50.879 --> 00:25:51.480 in all your ways 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:52.299 acknowledge him. 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:53.859 Whatever you do, 00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:54.980 live according to 00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:56.059 what God has told you, 00:25:56.279 --> 00:25:57.000 his instructions. 00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.000 He's the architect. 00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.599 He's written the manual. 00:26:00.220 --> 00:26:01.039 Pay heed to it. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:01.599 Now, 00:26:02.599 --> 00:26:03.539 it would be wonderful 00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:05.599 if chapter 3 of Proverbs 00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:06.200 ended there. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.000 It would be a great, 00:26:09.139 --> 00:26:09.779 pithy saying. 00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:11.319 We could have someone 00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:12.359 write it in calligraphy 00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.019 and put it on a wall 00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:13.659 in our house 00:26:13.659 --> 00:26:15.079 and there'd be no specifics. 00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:15.920 We'd just get to say, 00:26:16.059 --> 00:26:16.819 we trust in the Lord 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:17.420 in this house. 00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:20.240 Problem is, 00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:22.259 verse 3 actually tells us 00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:22.879 what trust, 00:26:22.980 --> 00:26:24.379 or chapter 3 actually tells us 00:26:24.379 --> 00:26:25.180 what trust in the Lord 00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:25.659 looks like. 00:26:25.899 --> 00:26:27.659 Gives us a specific list 00:26:27.659 --> 00:26:29.619 of what trusting people do. 00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:30.079 In other words, 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:31.599 trust is not just 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:32.519 an action of the heart. 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:33.799 It's something that leads 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:35.759 to real behaviors 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.740 in time and space. 00:26:36.859 --> 00:26:38.179 It's not just a feeling. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.819 Trust is a behavior 00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.779 and it's behaviors 00:26:40.779 --> 00:26:41.500 that are outlined 00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:42.299 in this chapter. 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:44.339 We're told, 00:26:44.639 --> 00:26:45.159 verse 7, 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:46.179 be not wise 00:26:46.179 --> 00:26:47.339 in your own eyes. 00:26:47.659 --> 00:26:48.199 Fear the Lord. 00:26:49.099 --> 00:26:49.960 So there's an action 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:50.639 of humility 00:26:50.639 --> 00:26:51.599 which we've talked about 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.599 multiple times now 00:26:52.599 --> 00:26:53.119 in Proverbs. 00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:55.099 If we trust the Lord, 00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:56.619 we're going to be humble 00:26:56.619 --> 00:26:57.259 and fear him, 00:26:57.339 --> 00:26:58.000 which means we're going 00:26:58.000 --> 00:26:59.279 to be looking to his word 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:00.460 for advice and instruction. 00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:01.720 We're going to be talking 00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:02.639 to other people 00:27:02.639 --> 00:27:03.940 and asking for their input. 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:06.039 That's part of our behavior 00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:06.960 of trusting God. 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:08.519 It gets even scarier 00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:09.240 in verse 9. 00:27:09.379 --> 00:27:10.180 If we are people 00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:11.240 who trust God, 00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.740 we will honor him 00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:13.460 with our wealth. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:17.200 Our checkbooks reveal 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:18.859 whether we trust God 00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:19.420 or not. 00:27:20.460 --> 00:27:21.899 It is one thing 00:27:21.899 --> 00:27:22.960 to memorize 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:23.759 and quote 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.720 Proverbs 3, 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:25.940 verses 5 and 6. 00:27:26.860 --> 00:27:28.420 It is another thing 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:29.940 to write a check 00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:31.220 when it hurts. 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:34.400 And yet the Bible 00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:34.960 tells us 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:36.480 that that is what shows 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:38.120 our trust in God. 00:27:39.860 --> 00:27:41.200 As I mentioned last week, 00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.680 wisdom is not a strategy, 00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:43.579 it's a relationship. 00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:45.319 So this person 00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:46.220 in verse 9 00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:47.720 is honoring the Lord 00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:48.779 with their wealth, 00:27:49.339 --> 00:27:50.319 not so they can get 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.339 a return or a blessing, 00:27:51.980 --> 00:27:52.620 but because of their 00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.620 relationship with God, 00:27:53.619 --> 00:27:54.559 their trust in him 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.399 because they want 00:27:55.399 --> 00:27:56.219 to honor him. 00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:00.359 By the way, 00:28:01.919 --> 00:28:03.000 Deuteronomy chapter 8, 00:28:03.159 --> 00:28:03.419 again, 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:04.219 I mentioned it earlier, 00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:06.639 God tells the people 00:28:06.639 --> 00:28:07.299 that when they were 00:28:07.299 --> 00:28:07.679 in Egypt, 00:28:07.859 --> 00:28:08.519 he protected them. 00:28:08.579 --> 00:28:09.500 He kept their clothes 00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:10.299 from wearing out. 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:12.859 We trust 00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:13.939 that when we give 00:28:13.939 --> 00:28:14.919 first to God, 00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:17.759 demonstrating our trust 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:18.139 in him, 00:28:18.919 --> 00:28:20.000 he's going to care for us. 00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.419 Maybe it will be 00:28:22.419 --> 00:28:23.599 in a Deuteronomy chapter 8, 00:28:23.619 --> 00:28:24.259 8 sort of way, 00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:24.879 maybe he'll keep 00:28:24.879 --> 00:28:25.299 our clothes 00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:25.959 from wearing out, 00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:26.899 maybe it will be 00:28:26.899 --> 00:28:27.539 in a different way, 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:28.359 we don't need to know. 00:28:30.139 --> 00:28:31.099 What we need to know 00:28:31.099 --> 00:28:31.879 is that we belong 00:28:31.879 --> 00:28:32.399 to God 00:28:32.399 --> 00:28:33.859 and he cares for us. 00:28:35.979 --> 00:28:37.099 The list continues, 00:28:37.239 --> 00:28:38.279 verses 11 and 12, 00:28:38.439 --> 00:28:39.500 trust in God 00:28:39.500 --> 00:28:40.239 means we remain 00:28:40.239 --> 00:28:41.079 faithful to him 00:28:41.079 --> 00:28:42.139 when things are difficult. 00:28:43.939 --> 00:28:45.379 If we're not seeing 00:28:45.379 --> 00:28:47.479 our paths made straight, 00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.239 if our barns 00:28:48.239 --> 00:28:48.759 are not filled 00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:49.359 with plenty, 00:28:49.899 --> 00:28:50.719 even though we've 00:28:50.719 --> 00:28:51.139 given God 00:28:51.140 --> 00:28:51.980 the first fruits, 00:28:53.120 --> 00:28:54.020 it's not coincidental, 00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:54.759 by the way, 00:28:54.840 --> 00:28:55.920 that verses 11 and 12 00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:57.200 follow verses 9 and 10, 00:28:57.960 --> 00:28:59.680 we continue to trust God. 00:28:59.780 --> 00:29:00.759 We don't despise 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.380 his discipline. 00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:03.880 So we remain faithful, 00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:04.980 seeking God, 00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:06.040 even when things 00:29:06.040 --> 00:29:06.759 aren't turning out 00:29:06.759 --> 00:29:07.720 the way we want them to. 00:29:07.800 --> 00:29:08.759 That's how we demonstrate 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.960 our trust. 00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:11.540 Then we're told 00:29:11.540 --> 00:29:13.240 in verses 27 and 28, 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:14.900 trust looks like 00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.640 loving our neighbor, 00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:17.660 which sounds a lot 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.800 like verses 9 and 10. 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.460 Loving our neighbor 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.400 is going to cost us 00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:21.019 something, right? 00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.960 We trust God 00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:24.960 that when we give up 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:25.940 for others' good, 00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:27.000 he's going to continue 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.480 to protect 00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:28.620 and provide for us. 00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:31.140 And we demonstrate 00:29:31.140 --> 00:29:31.880 that trust 00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:33.220 by actually providing 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:33.920 for others 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:36.460 rather than hoarding 00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:37.360 as much as we can, 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:38.860 trusting our storehouse 00:29:38.860 --> 00:29:40.420 rather than God's provision. 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:43.460 These are the actions 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:44.160 that show 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:45.740 whether we trust God. 00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:47.380 Verses 28 through 32 00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:48.660 present us 00:29:48.660 --> 00:29:49.800 with some shortcuts, 00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:51.740 some alternate ways 00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:52.240 we might try 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:52.860 to get blessing. 00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:54.340 We might try 00:29:54.340 --> 00:29:54.880 to get blessing 00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:55.520 not by trusting 00:29:55.520 --> 00:29:56.000 the Lord, 00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:56.720 verse 28, 00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:57.960 but withholding good 00:29:57.960 --> 00:29:58.520 from our neighbor. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.860 We might try 00:30:00.860 --> 00:30:01.440 to get blessing 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:02.440 by planning evil, 00:30:02.540 --> 00:30:03.140 verse 29. 00:30:04.840 --> 00:30:05.860 We might envy 00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:06.340 someone 00:30:06.340 --> 00:30:07.780 who has more blessing 00:30:07.780 --> 00:30:08.240 than us, 00:30:08.320 --> 00:30:09.060 verse 31, 00:30:10.060 --> 00:30:10.920 but has gotten it 00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:11.760 for the wrong reasons. 00:30:11.820 --> 00:30:12.440 We might envy 00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:13.320 a violent man. 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:16.079 Why would we envy 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:16.799 a violent man? 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:17.139 Well, 00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.639 he probably has barns 00:30:19.639 --> 00:30:20.379 that are full, right? 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:22.019 He's plundered 00:30:22.019 --> 00:30:22.619 other people. 00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:23.919 He's doing well 00:30:23.919 --> 00:30:24.359 in life. 00:30:24.419 --> 00:30:25.419 He has success. 00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:28.200 He has the blessing 00:30:28.200 --> 00:30:29.659 maybe we want to have. 00:30:31.659 --> 00:30:33.079 And so we remember 00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:34.099 that God's blessings 00:30:34.099 --> 00:30:35.099 are sometimes, 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:36.039 often now, 00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:38.220 always in the future. 00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:42.240 That's the warning, 00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:42.680 too, 00:30:42.860 --> 00:30:44.019 for this violent man. 00:30:44.120 --> 00:30:44.720 Verse 33, 00:30:44.839 --> 00:30:45.680 the Lord's curse 00:30:45.680 --> 00:30:46.819 is on the house 00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:47.220 of the wicked. 00:30:47.360 --> 00:30:48.240 It doesn't matter 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.460 how much 00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:50.160 that violent man 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:50.759 has now. 00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:53.000 He will not have it 00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:53.440 in the future. 00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:56.620 But, 00:30:56.940 --> 00:30:57.900 verse 33 again, 00:30:57.980 --> 00:30:59.100 he blesses the dwelling 00:30:59.100 --> 00:31:00.319 of the righteous. 00:31:03.460 --> 00:31:03.920 Of course, 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:05.059 this shouldn't surprise us 00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:06.279 because Jesus tells us 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:07.500 in Matthew chapter 22 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:08.779 that the sum of the law 00:31:08.779 --> 00:31:10.240 is that we love God 00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:11.039 and we love our neighbor. 00:31:12.119 --> 00:31:13.140 And that's what we see here 00:31:13.140 --> 00:31:14.140 in Proverbs chapter 3. 00:31:14.299 --> 00:31:15.220 Trust in God 00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:16.319 is demonstrated 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.420 through love of God, 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:19.740 treasuring His commandments, 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:22.359 giving our first fruits to Him, 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:23.880 and love of neighbor, 00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:25.740 doing what we can 00:31:25.740 --> 00:31:26.759 to serve our neighbor, 00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.299 knowing that God 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:29.460 will provide for us. 00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:33.319 And so our trust 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:34.440 has real actions, 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:37.279 real behaviors, 00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:39.119 that can help us know 00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:41.119 whether we actually believe 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:42.660 God is going to protect 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:44.220 and provide for us. 00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:48.099 Our Lord Jesus 00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.599 teaches us the same thing. 00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:51.180 I'm a broken record 00:31:51.180 --> 00:31:51.740 at this point, 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:53.039 but Jesus is the great 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:53.799 teacher of wisdom. 00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:55.079 He's greater than Solomon. 00:31:55.960 --> 00:31:57.079 We saw last week 00:31:57.079 --> 00:31:57.859 that He tells us 00:31:57.859 --> 00:31:59.039 in John chapter 14, 00:31:59.180 --> 00:31:59.880 if you love me, 00:31:59.940 --> 00:32:00.960 you'll keep my commandments. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:04.579 Jesus also motivates 00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.779 obedience and faith 00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:07.519 and trust 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:09.160 through promises of blessing. 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:12.360 Jesus calls us 00:32:12.360 --> 00:32:13.519 to trust Him 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:14.519 with all our hearts 00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:16.160 and in all our ways. 00:32:16.620 --> 00:32:17.059 He does this 00:32:17.059 --> 00:32:17.980 in Mark chapter 8. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:18.319 He says, 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:19.099 if anyone would come 00:32:19.099 --> 00:32:19.579 after me, 00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:21.119 let him deny himself 00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:22.259 and take up his cross 00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:23.059 and follow me. 00:32:23.740 --> 00:32:24.740 For whoever would save 00:32:24.740 --> 00:32:25.819 his life will lose it, 00:32:26.159 --> 00:32:27.439 but whoever loses his life 00:32:27.439 --> 00:32:28.319 for my sake 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:29.059 and the gospels 00:32:29.059 --> 00:32:29.799 will save it. 00:32:30.659 --> 00:32:31.720 For what does it profit 00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:32.599 a man to gain 00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:33.279 the whole world 00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:34.639 and forfeit his soul? 00:32:36.339 --> 00:32:37.220 God calls us 00:32:37.220 --> 00:32:38.059 to take up our cross 00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:38.659 and follow Him. 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:39.480 He calls us 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:40.659 to obedience and trust. 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:44.139 God also promises 00:32:44.139 --> 00:32:45.019 blessing. 00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:46.359 He tells us 00:32:46.359 --> 00:32:47.519 in Matthew chapter 6, 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:48.680 seek first 00:32:48.680 --> 00:32:49.720 the kingdom of God 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:51.400 and His righteousness 00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:53.839 and all these things 00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:54.700 will be added to you. 00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:57.460 Trust in the Lord 00:32:57.460 --> 00:32:58.220 with all your heart. 00:32:59.220 --> 00:32:59.639 Lean not 00:32:59.639 --> 00:33:00.599 on your own understanding. 00:33:01.879 --> 00:33:02.460 He will make 00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.660 your paths straight. 00:33:04.980 --> 00:33:05.759 Jesus tells us 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:06.859 about giving and blessing. 00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:07.319 He tells us 00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:08.660 in Matthew chapter 6 again 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:09.859 that when we give 00:33:09.859 --> 00:33:10.359 to the needy, 00:33:10.420 --> 00:33:11.299 don't let your left hand 00:33:11.299 --> 00:33:12.180 see what your right hand 00:33:12.180 --> 00:33:12.619 is doing. 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:13.900 Do it in secret. 00:33:15.019 --> 00:33:16.180 And your heavenly Father 00:33:16.180 --> 00:33:17.460 who sees in secret 00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:17.940 will what? 00:33:19.619 --> 00:33:20.779 He'll reward you. 00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:23.200 Jesus promises 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:25.019 rewards for obedience. 00:33:26.059 --> 00:33:26.799 He tells Peter 00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:27.940 in Luke chapter 18 00:33:27.940 --> 00:33:29.019 when Peter says, 00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:30.079 see, we've left our homes 00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:30.859 and followed you. 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:31.920 Jesus says, 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:32.839 truly I say to you, 00:33:32.879 --> 00:33:33.460 there is no one 00:33:33.460 --> 00:33:34.240 who has left house 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:34.879 or wife 00:33:34.879 --> 00:33:35.859 or brothers 00:33:35.859 --> 00:33:36.480 or parents 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:36.960 or children 00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:37.619 for the sake 00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:38.579 of the kingdom of God 00:33:38.579 --> 00:33:39.759 who will not receive 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:40.700 many times more 00:33:40.700 --> 00:33:41.400 in this time 00:33:41.400 --> 00:33:42.980 eternal life. 00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:47.019 Jesus calls us 00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:47.700 to obedience. 00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:49.379 Jesus also promises 00:33:49.379 --> 00:33:49.859 blessing. 00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:53.279 Jesus knows, 00:33:53.379 --> 00:33:54.460 like the book of Job 00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:55.240 and Ecclesiastes, 00:33:55.400 --> 00:33:56.259 that things don't always 00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:57.599 work out in this life. 00:33:59.299 --> 00:34:00.039 Jesus is the one 00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:00.879 who said that 00:34:00.879 --> 00:34:02.839 foxes have holes 00:34:02.839 --> 00:34:03.579 and birds of the air 00:34:03.579 --> 00:34:04.099 have nests 00:34:04.099 --> 00:34:04.859 but the Son of Man 00:34:04.859 --> 00:34:05.879 has nowhere to lay his head. 00:34:05.880 --> 00:34:08.800 Jesus is the one 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:09.960 who tells his disciples, 00:34:10.160 --> 00:34:10.720 blessed are you 00:34:10.720 --> 00:34:11.519 when people hate you 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:12.160 and exclude you 00:34:12.160 --> 00:34:12.960 and revile you 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.780 and spurn your name 00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:14.320 as evil 00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:15.820 on account of the Son of Man. 00:34:16.700 --> 00:34:17.780 Rejoice in that day 00:34:17.780 --> 00:34:18.820 and leap for joy 00:34:18.820 --> 00:34:19.539 for behold, 00:34:19.640 --> 00:34:20.840 your reward is great 00:34:20.840 --> 00:34:22.840 in heaven. 00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:25.400 Sometimes, 00:34:25.660 --> 00:34:26.420 often now, 00:34:27.220 --> 00:34:28.680 always in the future 00:34:28.680 --> 00:34:29.860 in heaven. 00:34:31.559 --> 00:34:31.880 Jesus knows 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:34.240 that it doesn't work out 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:35.259 like a math problem 00:34:35.259 --> 00:34:36.159 here in this life. 00:34:36.379 --> 00:34:37.099 Blessing doesn't work 00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:37.579 like that. 00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:39.719 But he also promises 00:34:39.719 --> 00:34:40.899 us rewards 00:34:40.899 --> 00:34:42.139 for obedience. 00:34:43.739 --> 00:34:44.919 And he secures 00:34:44.919 --> 00:34:45.699 those blessings 00:34:45.699 --> 00:34:46.439 for us 00:34:46.439 --> 00:34:48.039 by his death 00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:48.919 and his resurrection. 00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:49.799 These aren't things 00:34:49.799 --> 00:34:50.579 that we earn. 00:34:51.859 --> 00:34:52.719 They're things 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.139 that Jesus has earned 00:34:54.139 --> 00:34:54.659 for us. 00:34:54.739 --> 00:34:55.319 This might sound 00:34:55.319 --> 00:34:56.079 very similar 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:57.399 to the beginning 00:34:57.399 --> 00:34:58.539 of 1 Peter, 00:34:58.899 --> 00:35:00.219 which we looked at 00:35:00.219 --> 00:35:00.859 in September 00:35:00.859 --> 00:35:01.619 of last year. 00:35:01.619 --> 00:35:03.900 Remember, 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:04.599 it says this 00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:05.359 in chapter 1, 00:35:05.480 --> 00:35:06.599 God has caused us 00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:07.380 to be born again 00:35:07.380 --> 00:35:08.539 to a living hope 00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:10.079 through the resurrection 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:10.940 of Jesus Christ 00:35:10.940 --> 00:35:11.619 from the dead 00:35:11.619 --> 00:35:12.900 to an inheritance 00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:14.859 that is a reward, 00:35:14.980 --> 00:35:15.579 a blessing, 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:18.219 that is imperishable, 00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:19.019 undefiled, 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:20.039 and unfading, 00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.420 kept in heaven 00:35:21.420 --> 00:35:21.920 for you. 00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:24.279 In other words, 00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:25.619 nothing can touch 00:35:25.619 --> 00:35:26.420 the blessing 00:35:26.420 --> 00:35:27.500 that God has for us. 00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:30.780 That is the ultimate 00:35:30.780 --> 00:35:31.340 blessing 00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:32.219 that we look forward 00:35:32.219 --> 00:35:33.699 to in our obedience. 00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:36.579 So what's the relationship 00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:38.679 between obedience 00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:39.360 and blessing? 00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:42.159 God blesses 00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:44.099 in natural ways 00:35:44.099 --> 00:35:44.500 through those 00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:45.179 who follow 00:35:45.179 --> 00:35:46.440 the rules 00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:46.880 that he's given 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:47.519 in this world, 00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:49.760 and God blesses 00:35:49.760 --> 00:35:50.960 in a special way 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:53.460 those who trust him 00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:54.420 in obedience. 00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:59.240 in the movie 00:35:59.240 --> 00:36:00.340 Grand Torino 00:36:00.340 --> 00:36:01.579 with Clint Eastwood, 00:36:02.260 --> 00:36:03.700 he plays the character 00:36:03.700 --> 00:36:04.639 of Walt Kowalski 00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:06.079 who's a Korean war vet, 00:36:06.460 --> 00:36:07.639 and he's been 00:36:07.639 --> 00:36:08.340 mostly abandoned 00:36:08.340 --> 00:36:09.139 by his family. 00:36:09.680 --> 00:36:10.720 His wife has died. 00:36:11.639 --> 00:36:12.579 He's a widower, 00:36:12.840 --> 00:36:14.320 and they visit him 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:14.900 infrequently, 00:36:15.159 --> 00:36:15.800 mainly because they're 00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:16.820 interested in his inheritance 00:36:16.820 --> 00:36:17.400 and his money. 00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.720 And he has 00:36:18.720 --> 00:36:19.639 this Grand Torino 00:36:19.639 --> 00:36:21.180 that his granddaughter 00:36:21.180 --> 00:36:22.760 is very excited 00:36:22.760 --> 00:36:23.820 about inheriting 00:36:23.820 --> 00:36:24.519 when he dies. 00:36:24.599 --> 00:36:25.500 So there's this interest 00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:26.180 not in him, 00:36:26.260 --> 00:36:26.960 not in a relationship 00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:27.519 with him, 00:36:27.780 --> 00:36:28.840 but in his death. 00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:30.740 On the other hand, 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:32.700 there's a young teenager 00:36:32.700 --> 00:36:33.820 that lives 00:36:33.820 --> 00:36:34.599 in Walt's neighborhood 00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:35.180 named Tao. 00:36:36.200 --> 00:36:37.220 Now Tao's not set up 00:36:37.220 --> 00:36:38.039 to inherit anything. 00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:39.820 He's not interested 00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:40.920 in Walt's money, 00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:41.940 but Walt develops 00:36:41.940 --> 00:36:43.000 a relationship with him 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.539 and he begins 00:36:43.539 --> 00:36:44.380 to mentor him. 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.700 He helps Tao 00:36:45.700 --> 00:36:46.440 get a job. 00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:48.559 He teaches him 00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:50.039 the ways of wisdom. 00:36:50.200 --> 00:36:50.800 He teaches him 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:51.519 how to talk 00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:52.340 to other men 00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:53.240 when he wants 00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:53.760 to get a job. 00:36:53.840 --> 00:36:54.360 He teaches him 00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:55.260 how to talk to women. 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:56.639 He coaches Tao 00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:57.740 through his dating life. 00:36:59.700 --> 00:37:01.039 And Walt ends up 00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:02.139 actually defending Tao. 00:37:02.260 --> 00:37:03.599 Tao and his family 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:05.460 are being tormented 00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:06.440 by a gang 00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:07.220 that's in the neighborhood 00:37:07.220 --> 00:37:08.800 and Walt stands up 00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:09.099 to them. 00:37:10.860 --> 00:37:11.559 Now I won't spoil 00:37:11.559 --> 00:37:12.519 the entire movie for you, 00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:13.440 but at the very end, 00:37:13.940 --> 00:37:14.940 Walt dies. 00:37:14.940 --> 00:37:17.300 and his will 00:37:17.300 --> 00:37:18.260 is opened up. 00:37:19.240 --> 00:37:19.880 His family, 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:21.559 who has ignored him, 00:37:22.260 --> 00:37:23.400 only interested 00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:24.300 in what they can get 00:37:24.300 --> 00:37:24.780 from him, 00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:26.679 find out there's nothing 00:37:26.679 --> 00:37:27.539 in the will for them. 00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:31.320 Tao, 00:37:31.880 --> 00:37:33.280 who has not been 00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:33.800 interested 00:37:33.800 --> 00:37:35.119 in anything 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:36.039 that Walt 00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:36.860 has to offer him 00:37:36.860 --> 00:37:37.920 outside of his advice 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:38.619 and his wisdom 00:37:38.619 --> 00:37:39.440 and his counsel, 00:37:40.099 --> 00:37:41.220 is the one 00:37:41.220 --> 00:37:41.639 at the end 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:42.420 who receives 00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:43.240 the Gran Torino, 00:37:44.200 --> 00:37:45.119 the Ford car 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:45.920 that the granddaughter 00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.820 desperately wanted 00:37:46.820 --> 00:37:47.700 but doesn't receive. 00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:49.880 And Walt 00:37:49.880 --> 00:37:50.579 has one instruction 00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:50.980 for him. 00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:51.619 You can have 00:37:51.619 --> 00:37:52.820 this car, 00:37:53.559 --> 00:37:54.139 just please don't 00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:55.079 make any modifications 00:37:55.079 --> 00:37:55.579 to it. 00:37:57.480 --> 00:37:58.159 And so, 00:37:58.280 --> 00:37:59.059 it's the one 00:37:59.059 --> 00:38:00.940 who wants 00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:01.680 the relationship. 00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:02.400 It's the one 00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:03.079 who wants 00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:04.000 the wisdom 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:05.900 looking for nothing else 00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:06.980 who receives 00:38:06.980 --> 00:38:07.519 the blessing. 00:38:09.680 --> 00:38:10.720 Brothers and sisters, 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:11.439 the same 00:38:11.439 --> 00:38:12.679 is true for us. 00:38:13.099 --> 00:38:14.439 Trust and obedience 00:38:14.439 --> 00:38:16.239 lead to the blessings 00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:17.379 of our Heavenly Father. 00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:20.079 Not because we want 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:20.779 what he has 00:38:20.779 --> 00:38:21.339 to offer, 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:23.239 but because we want 00:38:23.239 --> 00:38:23.879 him. 00:38:25.480 --> 00:38:26.219 Let's pray. 00:38:29.319 --> 00:38:30.559 Our Father in Heaven, 00:38:30.959 --> 00:38:31.199 we 00:38:31.199 --> 00:38:33.639 are astounded 00:38:33.639 --> 00:38:35.480 when we think of it 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:38.239 that you would 00:38:38.239 --> 00:38:39.079 actually take 00:38:39.079 --> 00:38:39.779 the time 00:38:39.779 --> 00:38:42.000 and the trouble 00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:43.000 of speaking to us 00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:43.879 and helping us 00:38:43.879 --> 00:38:45.419 even as we were 00:38:45.419 --> 00:38:46.319 people who rebelled 00:38:46.319 --> 00:38:46.819 against you 00:38:46.819 --> 00:38:47.559 and didn't know you. 00:38:49.339 --> 00:38:50.099 We ask 00:38:50.099 --> 00:38:50.699 that you would 00:38:50.699 --> 00:38:51.219 grow 00:38:51.219 --> 00:38:52.299 our obedience 00:38:52.299 --> 00:38:53.159 and our trust 00:38:53.159 --> 00:38:53.599 in you 00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:55.239 and that it would 00:38:55.239 --> 00:38:55.919 be motivated 00:38:55.919 --> 00:38:56.979 by our love 00:38:56.979 --> 00:38:57.399 for you. 00:38:59.859 --> 00:39:00.719 We thank you 00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:01.179 for Jesus' 00:39:01.419 --> 00:39:01.819 promise 00:39:01.819 --> 00:39:02.579 of blessing 00:39:02.579 --> 00:39:03.079 to us 00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:03.919 sometimes in this 00:39:03.919 --> 00:39:04.179 world 00:39:04.179 --> 00:39:04.859 and always in the 00:39:04.859 --> 00:39:05.419 world to come 00:39:05.419 --> 00:39:05.859 and we ask 00:39:05.859 --> 00:39:06.259 that we would 00:39:06.259 --> 00:39:07.099 remain faithful 00:39:07.099 --> 00:39:08.460 to you until the 00:39:08.460 --> 00:39:08.679 end. 00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:10.219 We ask these 00:39:10.219 --> 00:39:11.159 things in Jesus' 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:11.559 name. 00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:12.199 Amen.