Choosing the Right Path: Life, Love, and Learning

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God in Every Step

Description: Trusting in the Lord with all your heart and not leaning on your own understanding is crucial for a life of peace and fulfillment. This trust is not just a one-time act but a continuous, daily commitment to seek His guidance in every aspect of our lives. When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He promises to direct our paths, leading us to a life of peace and fulfillment. This means surrendering our plans, desires, and fears to Him, knowing that His ways are higher and better than ours. [29:13]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 2: Loving with Wisdom

Description: The love of wealth and material possessions can lead to destruction and sorrow. Instead, we should seek wisdom and understanding, which are more valuable than silver and gold. Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves is the true path to a fulfilling life. This kind of love brings peace and contentment that material wealth can never provide. It involves prioritizing relationships and spiritual growth over the accumulation of material goods. [41:07]

Proverbs 8:10-11 (ESV): "Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her."

Reflection: Think of a recent decision where you prioritized material gain over relationships or spiritual growth. How can you make a different choice next time to align with God's wisdom?

Day 3: Learning from God's Wisdom

Description: Learning through hard knocks and suffering is the wrong way. Instead, we should transform our minds through God's wisdom and learn from the experiences and teachings of others. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy is understanding. This approach to learning brings peace and stability to our lives. It encourages us to seek out godly counsel and immerse ourselves in Scripture to gain a deeper understanding of God's will. [50:15]

Proverbs 9:9-10 (ESV): "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."

Reflection: Identify a recent mistake or hardship. How can you seek God's wisdom and the counsel of others to learn from this experience and avoid similar pitfalls in the future?

Day 4: Repentance and Renewal

Description: Leaving this world without knowing Jesus leads to eternal separation from God. The right way is to trust in the Lord, repent of our sins, and be renewed in our spirit. This ensures that we will be directed into eternal glory with God. Repentance is not just about feeling sorry for our sins but turning away from them and seeking a renewed relationship with God. It involves a heartfelt transformation and a commitment to live according to His will. [01:00:51]

Acts 3:19-20 (ESV): "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus."

Reflection: Reflect on a sin or habit that you need to repent of. What steps can you take today to turn away from it and seek a renewed relationship with God?

Day 5: Living as a Servant

Description: Serving others brings a special blessing into our lives. When we live as servants, we experience the joy of being used by God to bless others. This selfless way of living aligns us with God's will and brings His blessings into our lives. Serving others also helps us to keep our focus on God and not on ourselves. It involves looking for opportunities to help and uplift those around us, reflecting Christ's love in our actions. [33:52]

Galatians 5:13 (ESV): "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who could use a helping hand or encouragement. How can you serve them today in a way that reflects Christ's love?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good evening, everyone. Tonight, we are reminded that there is a right way and a wrong way to live, love, learn, and leave this world. Proverbs 16:25 tells us, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." This verse sets the stage for our exploration of the paths we choose in life. We began by discussing the importance of living the right way, which involves trusting in the Lord with all our heart and not leaning on our own understanding. Proverbs 3:1-6 emphasizes that if we acknowledge God in all our ways, He will direct our paths, leading to a life of peace and fulfillment.

We also examined the right and wrong ways to love. The wrong way involves loving wealth and material possessions, which can lead to destruction and sorrow. In contrast, the right way to love is to seek wisdom and understanding, which are more valuable than silver and gold. Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves is the true path to a fulfilling life.

Next, we discussed the right and wrong ways to learn. The wrong way involves learning through hard knocks, suffering, and sinfulness. The right way is to transform our minds through God's wisdom and to learn from the experiences and teachings of others. Proverbs 9:9-10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Finally, we explored the right and wrong ways to leave this world. The wrong way is to leave without knowing Jesus, which leads to eternal separation from God. The right way is to trust in the Lord, repent of our sins, and be renewed in our spirit. This ensures that we will be directed into eternal glory with God.

###

Key Takeaways

1. time act but a continuous, daily commitment to seek His guidance in every aspect of our lives. [29:13]
2. Love Wisely: The love of wealth and material possessions can lead to destruction and sorrow. Instead, we should seek wisdom and understanding, which are more valuable than silver and gold. Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves is the true path to a fulfilling life. This kind of love brings peace and contentment that material wealth can never provide.

3. Learn from God and Others: Learning through hard knocks and suffering is the wrong way. Instead, we should transform our minds through God's wisdom and learn from the experiences and teachings of others. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the holy is understanding. This approach to learning brings peace and stability to our lives.

4. Repent and Be Renewed: Leaving this world without knowing Jesus leads to eternal separation from God. The right way is to trust in the Lord, repent of our sins, and be renewed in our spirit. This ensures that we will be directed into eternal glory with God. Repentance is not just about feeling sorry for our sins but turning away from them and seeking a renewed relationship with God.

5. Live as a Servant: Serving others brings a special blessing into our lives. When we live as servants, we experience the joy of being used by God to bless others. This selfless way of living aligns us with God's will and brings His blessings into our lives. Serving others also helps us to keep our focus on God and not on ourselves.

### [29:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:47] - Announcements
[02:33] - Opening Prayer and Offering
[13:37] - God's Mercies and Blessings
[23:10] - Introduction to Proverbs 16:25
[24:14] - The Right and Wrong Ways
[25:43] - Illustration: The Thirsty Boy
[26:40] - Proverbs 3:1-6
[28:20] - Trust in the Lord
[29:50] - The Right Way to Live
[31:56] - The Right Way to Love
[35:24] - The Right Way to Learn
[45:48] - The School of Hard Knocks
[50:15] - Learning from Others
[55:25] - The Right Way to Leave
[60:51] - Repentance and Renewal
[65:32] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
[70:29] - Final Announcements and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Proverbs 16:25, what is the outcome of following a way that seems right to a man? ([24:14])
In Proverbs 3:1-6, what are the benefits mentioned for keeping God's commandments and trusting in Him? ([27:37])
What does Proverbs 9:9-10 say about the beginning of wisdom and understanding? ([50:15])
How does the sermon describe the wrong way to love, and what are the consequences of loving wealth and material possessions? ([36:34])

Interpretation Questions

Why is it important to trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lean on your own understanding, according to Proverbs 3:5-6? How does this relate to the sermon’s message about the right way to live? ([29:13])
How does the sermon illustrate the difference between loving wealth and seeking wisdom? What does it mean to love wisely? ([41:07])
What does the sermon suggest about learning from God's wisdom versus learning through hard knocks and suffering? How can this impact our daily lives? ([50:15])
How does the sermon explain the right way to leave this world? What steps are necessary to ensure we leave the right way? ([01:00:51])

Application Questions

Trusting in the Lord is a continuous, daily commitment. What are some practical ways you can acknowledge God in all your ways this week? ([29:13])
Reflect on your current priorities. Are there areas in your life where you might be loving wealth or material possessions more than seeking wisdom and understanding? How can you shift your focus to love wisely? ([41:07])
Think about a recent situation where you learned something the hard way. How could you have approached it differently by seeking God's wisdom or learning from others' experiences? ([50:15])
Repentance is more than feeling sorry for our sins; it involves turning away from them. Is there a specific sin or habit you need to repent of and seek renewal in your spirit? How will you take steps towards this renewal? ([01:00:51])
Serving others brings joy and aligns us with God's will. Identify one person or group you can serve this week. What specific actions will you take to serve them selflessly? ([33:52])
The sermon mentioned the importance of living as a saint and having a dual citizenship here and in heaven. How can you remind yourself daily that your ultimate home is in heaven? ([35:24])
Reflect on your relationship with your neighbors and community. Are there ways you can show more love and kindness to them, as instructed in Proverbs 3:27-29? What specific steps will you take to improve these relationships? ([43:45])

Sermon Clips

1. "There is a right way and there is a wrong way of doing things. Most of us have heard the phrase before, where there's a will, there's a way. It just simply means that if you desire to do something, you'll probably figure out some way to do it. You're going to find some way to do it." [24:45] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If we want something bad enough, we'll find a way to get it. Well, tonight we want to talk about that we know that there is a way to live in this life. And it's true in life, there is a way. There's a right way and there is a wrong way." [25:43] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "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 path. This is the verse that we want to take a look at tonight, that God says if we'll trust him and if we'll acknowledge him in all our ways, he'll guide us through life. He'll show us how to live life." [27:37] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Length of days, not only length of days, long life, not only long life, but peace. That's one thing to have a lot of days. But if you're, all your days are filled with turmoil, those aren't fun. But if you can have a lot of days, length of days, and have peace during that time, during your life, what a blessing that is." [28:20] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Live for Jesus. Live for God. Live for the things that God said he would give to you. Listen, he said, if you live for him. It says, fear the Lord. That doesn't mean to be afraid of God. It means to reverence who he is, to respect who he is, to love who God is in your life. He says, if you'll do that, it'll give you life." [32:37] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "There is something special happens in the heart of a believer when they serve someone else. You know, when you do something for someone else and you can just see that God is using you to bless someone's life. Something stirs in you. Something exciting happens in you. God blesses you for being that kind of a servant." [33:52] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Love gaining wisdom. Love gaining knowledge about God. Love having an understanding of God's word. Love the Lord with all your heart. Isn't that what our verse for the theme for this year is? Love the Lord to God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. Learn of him. Learn of him and start leaning on him and lean on his knowledge." [41:07] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "There's a wrong way and there is a right way to live, to love, and to learn. One more point and it's ice cream time. The last one is this. There is a right way and there is a wrong way to leave. There's a right way and there's a wrong way to leave." [54:26] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "What a blessing to know is that he's going to direct my path, not just here on this earth, but he's going to direct my path right into glory, amen? He's going to take me into heaven someday. Someday I'm going to close my eyes in death, and I'm going to wake up in glory with him." [01:00:16] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "There is a way. And you get to choose which way. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we're blessed tonight. Thank you again for the opportunity to preach from your word. Lord, there's a right way and there's a wrong way. And I'll be honest, Lord, I've chose the wrong way. Even after being saved, even after being a pastor, there are times in my life where I've chosen my own way." [01:05:32] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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