Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." *Principles of God's direction* Intro=> Today, I want us to study together Proverbs 3:5-6 and uncover God’s four principles on getting direction from God. *The first principle for getting God's direction is to* : 1. Trust Wholeheartedly in God a. We must not trust ourselves if we want to enjoy God's direction. - Self-sufficiency and self-dependence are characteristics of our fallen nature. God, condemns this error in (Proverbs 28:26) “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. “ b. We must trust our shepherd: Jesus Christ. - To trust God is to have confidence in Him: One reason that we fail to trust God is that we do not know Him as well as we should. Every day, we should be looking for characteristics of God in the Scriptures. Seek to know God’s character through His Word. - we must trust our shepherd with all our heart . God desires our wholehearted confidence in Him. Our heart includes our emotions, thoughts and will . Trust Him, not just in word, but also in passion. *The second principle is to*… 2. Rest Exclusively on God a. We must not lean on our own understanding - When we lean on something, we rest on it. Leaning upon our own finite understanding rather than God’s infinite understanding when making a decision is not wise. It is acting as if we know better than God does. We must lean on our shepherd. - We must rest fully on God’s superior understanding. (Psalms 147:5) “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite." When making a decision, we must rest exclusively on God’s divine understanding, even if it does not seem logical to us. *The third principle is to*... 1. Listen Carefully to God: We must acknowledge God - To acknowledge simply means to know. “Such acknowledgment of God implies the careful consultation of God’s word for guidance.” - We must seek to know God’s mind by listening to what He says. He reveals His mind through the statements, commands, and principles in the Bible. He also reveals His mind through the Holy Spirit as we pray. - God reveals His direction through His Word, the more carefully we listen to what God said in His Word, the clearer we will hear His direction. We must sincerely believe that God will never direct us contrary to His Word. Therefore, listen carefully for His direction as you read the Bible. Strive to get to know God intimately as you study and meditate on His Word. * The fourth principle is to*... Expect Confidently from God: He has promised to direct our paths, and He will surely do it. - The word for paths is a synonym for the word ways earlier in the verse. It is the road you travel in life or every event in life. Your path may be your work, your friendship, your marriage, your education, your hobby, your pleasure, It includes every path. - We must confidently expect direction from God. If we fulfil God’s requirements, we must expect Him to do as He has promised. God will direct our paths every time we follow the instructions in these verses. Conclusion: Do you need direction from God tonight? If so, follow these principles carefully. Prayers.