Plain Truth!

(Prov 16:20 GNB) Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful; trust in the LORD and you will be happy.

Here Solomon gives us some sound counsel, but it is written so plainly that some may miss the power behind it. Many people are searching for ‘deep revelation.’ They pore over the scriptures, in search of deep truths that are hidden in places that only the Holy Spirit can reveal. While it is true that we definitely need divine revelation in searching, reading, receiving, and understanding God’s Word, there are many truths in the Word that are in plain sight.

This scripture is a good example. There is nothing deep about it. Solomon had Godly and worldly success and by all indications, at the time of this writing, he seemed to be very happy as well. He was successful and happy. Isn’t that what most people are looking for? If you walk up to the average person on the street and ask them what they want in life, the majority will tell you that they want to be successful (whatever that means to them) and happy. Well, Solomon had both and here he tells us how to experience the same in our lives.

The key to Godly success is not hidden behind a guarded door, nor is it waiting for us at the end of an arduous obstacle course. The key to Godly success is sitting on most people’s coffee table – it is found in the Word of God. When Solomon says, “Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful,” he is talking about Godly instruction. Most believers have a Bible, or more than one Bible, but not all believers read it.

If we want to experience the success that the Father desires for us to have, then we must do things His way. We must pay close attention to learning His way of doing things, and then, we must turn our learning into living! Learning the Word does no good if we don’t turn the corner from information to application. I could rephrase this verse to say: “Read your Bible, do what it says, and trust the One who wrote it.” How hard is that to understand?

Back in chapter 13 Solomon said something that was equally as plain. He said, “If you reject God's teaching, you will pay the price; if you obey his commands, you will be rewarded” (13:13). Jehovah created us, knows us, and loves us. It only makes sense, then, to listen to His instructions and to do what he says. The Bible is God’s unfailing Word to us. It’s like an owner's manual for a car. If you obey God's instructions, you will “run right” and “run long.” However, if you ignore His manual you will have breakdowns, failures, and severe accidents.

That takes care of the first portion of the text, but what about this trust issue? We are to live by faith and you can stand in faith when you are standing on his Word. You have a Word from God and you are determined to stand on it, no matter how long it takes.

But what about the times when you don’t have a Word from God yet? What about the times when you don’t know what God is going to do? What do you do then? Well, you trust Him! You trust that God has you’re your best interest at heart and that He will see you through whatever challenge you are facing. In my old church we used to say, “Trust Him, even when you can’t trace Him!” In other words, trust Him, even when you don’t know what He is doing! Jeremiah said,

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (17:7,8).

So what does this mean to you ? I’ll just restate something I already said. It means that you should read your Bible, do what it says, and trust the One who wrote it.”

Father, I thank You for blessing me with Your Word. Your Word is the truth that I live by. I am determined to walk in accordance with Your Word all the days of my life. I read my Bible, I do what it says, and I trust in the One who wrote it. I stand in faith, in accordance with Your Word, daily. But even when I don’t have a Word yet, I fully trust in You. I trust You, even when I don’t know what You are doing! My trust and my faith will give me access to Godly success and happiness! In Jesus’ name. Amen!