Proverbs 3:6
Acknowledge Him
ACKNOWLEDGE GOD
1. Acknowledge: to know or to recognize… acknowledge…
2. The command is to acknowledge God. But HOW do we acknowledge Him?
a. We acknowledge God when we are conscious of His presence.
• The opposite would be to ignore Him… act as if He were not there.
• Ps.14:1-2 – the unbeliever does not consider God… he does not think about God… he does not acknowledge God. To him, there is no God!
• Rom.1:28–The wicked do NOT want to acknowledge God. They do not want to retain God in their thoughts… in their knowledge.
• Many men go to great lengths to block out any thoughts of God…
• For the sinner, thoughts of God make us responsible and accountable to Him! Unbelievers do not want to acknowledge that… hence, they do not want to acknowledge Him!
• If He’s there—even if we acknowledge His mere existence—then we are accountable to Him!
• Unbelievers do NOT acknowledge Him. We should!
• We SHOULD retain God in all our thoughts. We should be conscious of Him… of His presence in all of our choices and decisions in life.
• I Cor.10:31 – whatever we do—should be done with the consciousness of God… with concern for Him and His glory.
• Col.3:23 – all is to be done under the watchful eye of God—acknowledging that…
• Acknowledging God should have an effect on every part of our life!
b. We acknowledge God when we recognize who He is.
• He is everywhere… all knowing… all powerful. (Ps.139:1-12)
• These truths about God are to be acknowledged at all times.
• If we think a thought—acknowledge God’s omniscience!
• If we decide to go to a certain place, acknowledge God!
c. When we recognize who He is, we will reverence Him… fear Him…(Prov.23:7)
• Therefore, we walk humbly before Him… seek His will…
• We are to walk in the fear of God all day long… acknowledging Him…
d. When we acknowledge Him, we recognize His authority over our life.
• We acknowledge God when we are conscious of His Word… and restrict our actions accordingly.
• We acknowledge God’s authority over us by saying NO to things that appeal to our flesh… yet we know they are not pleasing to God.
e. When we give Him credit and glory, we acknowledge Him.
• Jas.1:17 – we acknowledge God when we recognize that every good gift is from Him ultimately!
• 2 Cor. 8:16 –Titus show concern and care for the Corinthian believers. Paul acknowledges that even that concern in his heart was from God!
• Ezra 7:27 – Ezra acknowledged that it was the Lord who put this in the king’s heart! GOD did that!
IN ALL THY WAYS
1. God is to be acknowledged in ALL of our ways.
2. WAYS: road, distance, journey, path; course of life (fig.)
a. In other words, God is to be acknowledged all through our journey here on earth.
b. God is to be acknowledged and considered in every way or direction our life takes. No turns are to be taken without acknowledging Him!
c. This would mean that we are to acknowledge God in every road we pursue… at every turn we take in that road…and each step along the way… in ALL thy ways…
d. God is to be left out of nothing!
e. Jer.10:23 – Jeremiah acknowledged that he needed God to direct his every move.
3. A good illustration of the opposite of this is found in Jas.4:13-15 – leaving God out of their plans. These men did NOT acknowledge God and His will in their plans.
a. They made good plans… but James rebukes them.
b. The rebuke is NOT for making plans, but for not acknowledging God in it all! (vs.15)
c. Does this sound like us? We make grandiose plans—and perhaps well thought out plans… but what about God? What does HE want us to do? Sometimes praying is the last thing we resort to—long after the plans are already made! We simply pray and ask God to bless what we have determined we are going to do. That is not acknowledging God.
d. In all of our steps… in all of our plans, we should acknowledge God! Don’t leave Him out!
e. Are you looking for a new job? Considering buying a new house? Thinking of changing careers? Thinking of serving in the choir? Considering quitting a ministry? Looking for a mate? A Pet? A new doctor? Thinking of putting up a church building? Let’s not leave God out!
f. Leaving God out invites disaster—and we may be led down the wrong road. These men THOUGHT they knew what to do. They thought they didn’t need to consult God or His will.
• Sometimes, we are like that. The way might seem so clear that it seems obvious to us what to do… so we forget to seek God’s face… no prayer!
• At other times, we have no idea of what to do… and therefore we seek God. (II Chron. 20:12) “We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee…”
• BUT—our eyes should be on God at all times… we should seek when we don’t know what to do… AND when we THINK we know what to do.
• Don’t ever leave God out of your plans.
4. We acknowledge God in ALL of our ways, when God is on our mind and our heart at all times.
a. Neh. 2:4-5 – praying on your feet! Nehemiah was God-conscious all through his conversation with the king.
b. Are we God-conscious in our daily lives? We should be!
c. Matt. 10:29-31–We should acknowledge God in ALL events in life… see His hand in it all… every last bit. Not a sparrow falls… acknowledge that He is sovereign!
d. Ps.19:1 – the heavens declare the glory of God. Do we acknowledge Him when we look up in the sky? We should!
e. Rom.1:20 – the invisible things of Him are clearly seen. Do we acknowledge Him when we see His creation? God holds the whole WORLD accountable to acknowledge Him in creation. Do we as His sons?
f. Phil. 4:6- in EVERYTHING let your request be made known unto God. Acknowledge God and His will and His power in everything we do!
g. We are to acknowledge Him as Lord and Sovereign over every detail of life—no matter how small and insignificant it might seem.
AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS
1. God promises to direct our steps. BUT—there is a huge prerequisite. He expects us to acknowledge Him in EVERYTHING!
2. In other words, He will direct the overall path of our life IF we acknowledge Him every step of the way—and not take a step without Him!
3. If we start leaving God OUT of even the smallest decisions—we have no assurance that we will be led in the right direction.
4. Another way of stating this: IF we know God… and keep our mind and heart FULL of God… THEN God will direct our steps.
a. The better we know God—the more assurance we will have that we are headed in the right direction.
b. The better you know the road map—the better your chances of not getting lost!
c. God’s Word is our road map. KNOW God. Acknowledge Him and His will as recorded in the Bible. We will NOT lose our way!
d. Matt.6:22 – if thine eye be single (looking only unto Jesus) then the whole body will be full of light! We will not be lacking for light and guidance and direction from God! BUT—wholehearted, single-minded acknowledgement of God is required!
5. God WANTS our pathway to be clear and safe. Therefore He said, “Consult me in everything!”
a. God has plenty of wisdom… and He wants us to come to Him and seek it!
b. Seek it wholeheartedly! (Prov. 2:3-5)
c. If we need wisdom—and we DO—then come to God for it. Ask Him for it—He giveth liberally! (Jas.1:5)
d. God will give us the wisdom we need to walk down the pathway of HIS choosing.
e. Acknowledge Him as LORD… as the One who has the right to set our course… to change our direction… to command us to stop… turn… march… as our commander in chief! Acknowledge Him as Lord, and He shall direct thy paths!