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This week, I am hoping to challenge each of us to consider what we are doing with our life right now.  The circumstances we are facing with ever changing COVID conditions, civil unrest and division and uncertainty with coming elections has many on edge.  It could be extremely easy for many of us to go into suspended animation and lack life in our living as we wait for this season to come to an end.  The reality is, there is a lot of living to do in seasons of uncertainty.

Proverbs 3: 5-6 (NIV) reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.”

Last week I challenged us to live fear of the Lord, not fear of the world.  That fear that I discussed is the foundation of trust, not a dread or disdain.  The wisdom of this proverb rings true in every element, circumstance, age, or season of life.  The proverb also is specific about the order we must keep ourselves for straight paths.

Trust God above all things, do not rely on your own logic, reason, emotions, or education.  The only way one can truly surrender a life to the Lord is to first trust in Him fully.  Then an only then will a person be able to travel on a straight path.  Remember that the shortest distance between two points is a straight path.  Notice that the word path in this proverb is plural.  I take this to mean for us that life is full of going from one point to another point.  From one place to another place.  From one season to another season.  The best way from one point to another point is a straight path.  God has promised that if we trust in Him, He will keep us on the best path from one point to another.

I am convinced that we need to trust God more and more and more as we are on this current path.  I am also convinced of the same truth when this time changes.  I would like to ask you to help me with a project for the rest of the month of July.  Every weekday, Monday- Friday, at 3:05 pm, I would like to ask you to share Proverbs 3:5-6 through some form with others.  This could be through social media, a phone call, email, text or even a note you mail to someone.

I am dreaming with flooding Orange County with the scripture in such a way that all 80,000 or so of us will hear it multiple times in the coming day.  Instead of us being overcome with fear and dismay, let us be overcome with overcome with hope and joy as we trust in the Lord!  Will you join me in this task, it could help transform our thinking right here where we live.  When we change the way we think, we change the way we feel, and we change the way we live.

Join me on this journey of intentionally getting the word out to our area of the call to trust in God.  If we can trust the Lord and journey on straight paths, there is nothing the devil can bring against us that will cause us to fall.

Trusting in Him Together!  You are valued and loved!

Pastor Brad McKenzie is Lead Pastor at Orange First Church of the Nazarene, 3810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Orange.