The Danger of Doing Things My Way or Proverbs 3:5-6

Do you remember the story of the 12 spies that went to spy out the land of Canaan? They saw many great sights--a land flowing with milk and honey, grapes that took two men to carry a cluster, and GIANTS!

10 spies saw the obstacles....

 2 spies saw God's promises

These men saw! They walked on the land God had promised! 10 spies let the enemy defeat them without a battle.

How could this happen????

1. Rebellion-they chose their own way of seeing and doing. God's way is found in the Bible.

2. Complaining-infecting others with rebellion.

3. Doubting God's ability, character, and Word. This breaks down absolute truth making everything subject to opinion.

4. Fear-Without the boundaries in God's Word, who will know what is safe?

5. Unbelief-The spies chose to walk away from God based on the decision that He was not worthy or able to lead them.

When man chooses to be his own "god", he ignores God's good and perfect way.

" As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.". Psalm 18:30

There were two other spies. Caleb and Joshua were different. They trusted God--even though the rest of the Israelites were planning to throw rocks at them until they died!

God led Israel back into the Wilderness. Those 10 spies died in that Wilderness. Only Caleb and Joshua went into the Promised Land--40 years later with the next generation. Were they a failure for having to wait??? NO! This was a growing time for them and their families!

They found that truly:

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds."

 "How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings."

Psalm 36:5 and 7


"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 In all thy way acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Proverbs 3:5 and 6

"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 3: 15-21


The danger of doing things my own way is that I will miss God's way. He has the only way of salvation:
1. A person recognizing self as a sinner in need of a Saviour (Ro. 3:23)
2. Recognize that Jesus Christ took the punishment for sin on the cross. He bled, died, and rose again to become our Saviour.
Ro. 10:9, 10, 13
3. Ask for Jesus to save their soul

He has the only way to an abundant life--because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.