All or Nothing

J.J. Stark

May 13, 2016

Field Time: Browning, MT

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study

All or Nothing

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”

– Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV)

The phrase “with all your heart” is one that I have read numerous time, but also one that I previously haven’t stopped to truly meditate on its meaning.  It is a curious thing how one can go through life for a long period knowing some saying or old rhyme, yet never give a second to what is actually being implied.  I realize now that this has been the case for myself with this Proverb.  It has been a personal favorite for years, and always a “go-to” verse during stormy time in my life.  Recently it has become more of a reality, but now taking this second look at it, the Lord has really spoken it as both a question and a challenge.  To re-state it as a question to myself, do I trust in the Lord with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding?  Ouch…again that phrase resounds loudly from God… “with all your heart.”  Oh, double-minded man that I am!  How often to I say “Oh yes, I have given everything for God, I will do anything for God!”, yet turn right around and be worrying about how much money I have, or clinging on to a possession, or an even harder one – a person…I feel just like Peter in Matthew 26:33, “…Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”  But just as Jesus new Peter’s heart, He knows mine – a very wayward one at that. 

But I serve an awesome God, one who deals with this constantly throughout His word, starting in 1 Samuel 16:7b by saying “…but the Lord looks at the heart,” and Psalm 7:9b – “…the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.”  The fact that Christ is actually looks at my heart and tests it, all of the sudden makes me shudder, as His Holy Spirit makes aware to me the things that still hold pieces of my heart, things that I treasure.  Another reminder comes in Matthew 6:19-21, “¹⁹Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… ²⁰but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  This drives the Sword home.  If things are still holding pieces of my heart, then the answer to my earlier question, is “NO!”  Jesus went on to say more about this in Matthew 10:37-39, saying, “³⁷He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  ³⁸And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  ³⁹He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Lord God in heaven, my loving Savior, forgive me for my selfishness, tucking things away in my heart and trying to keep back some of it for myself!  I lose my life, wash me anew in Your cleansing blood so that I may pick up my cross and be counted worthy by You.  Continually remind me of Your lovingkindness, that I can learn to trust in You, Lord, with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding, and in all my ways acknowledge You, and You shall direct my paths (Proverbs 3:5-6, personalized).  Let me come to You just as 1 Samuel 2:1-2 says, “And Hannah prayed and said: ‘“¹My Heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord.  I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation.  ²No one is like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.”’”

Application:  Today as a reminder and meditation, I will write Proverbs 3:5-6 in my journal over and over until I fill a whole page.