The Bryce Crawford Podcast - Proverbs Series Chapter 3 (EP 103)

Episode Date: July 3, 2025

Proverbs 3

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Get your tickets and we'll see you in Nashville, San Diego, Chicago, and Birmingham. fall. What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another episode of the Bryce Crawford podcast. I'm Bryce, and today we are on episode 3 of 31, breaking down the book of Proverbs for the month of July. Guys, I pray that this series is helping you guys if you want the free downloadable PDF to track your progress. Go to Jesus in the street.org slash Proverbs. Download the PDF for free. Print it out, put it on your phone, check it off whenever you follow along. But today we're going to be in Proverbs 3. And if we could give a thesis statement to summarize Proverbs chapter 3, like we're doing every proverb chapter, it would be trust in the Lord with all your heart. The famous Proverbs 3, 5,

through 6 verse is in this chapter. We're going to break down the whole passage. Let's start out with verses 1 and 2. I'm going to break this thing down. My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments. For length of days and years of life and peace, they will add to you. So Solomon is writing to his son. All right, we got to give a back story here. Solomon, he's a little bit of a player, all right? He had 700 wives, 300 girlfriends, but only one son. And the one son he had was named Rehaboam. So when Solomon is writing this collection of Proverbs, now he wrote most of them, there's a few other extra authors, but for the most part, this book that Solomon put together is speaking to Rehaboam, and he says, my son, do not forget the law. He is warning his son

not to forget the word of God. And this is more than just a mental exercise. This is more than just memorizing scripture. It's also connected to a life of obedience to God. So when he says, let your heart keep my commandments, he's saying, look, memorizing scripture is a part of it. Memorizing the law of God and writing it on your heart is great. We're going to read that down a few verses later,

but he says, we've got to actually apply this to our lives to keep our heart near his commandments. So he's giving a warning to his son to not forget God's word. But we also have to understand, And not only Solomon writing to his literal son, this is also God speaking to you and I as his children saying, hey, my son, my daughter, don't forget my word. Don't stay near to it. Don't forget it. Everything's okay. Then you go to verse two. The length of days and years of life and peace will be added to you. This means that the obedience to God and an obedient life to God is going to lead to a long, peaceful life.

Now what does that mean? Because the prince of peace exists and he lives inside of you, and his teachings and his word lives inside of you, it is going to produce a long, peaceful life. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Find them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart. Verse four. So you will find favor and good success

in the sight of God and man. Solomon is saying, do not turn away from the loyal love of God. The crazy thing about today's society is is that your friends, your co-workers, that friend group at school, this, that, and the other, the people that following you on social,

media, they can change what they think about you. They could be great, amazing, sincere people, but even they will let you down. But the most beautiful, magnificent thing about the loyal love of God is that he doesn't change his mind about you and him being an all-knowing God, knowing all the mistakes you're going to make, all the times you're going to turn and rebel from him in the future, not even from this present moment. And his love is so loyal to you, do not turn from it, Solomon warns. Versus five through six, trust in the Lord with all your do not lean on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths verses five through six tell us to walk rightly with god solomon has realized that god is trustworthy

he sought out wisdom from god he understands through communing with god spending time with him and and understanding his character that this man is trustworthy so he's saying trust him trust him It is in the human nature to trust someone or something. You want to trust the bottle. You want to trust the sex. You want to trust the money. You want to trust the social media. I mean, so many people put their trust and identity in their social media platform.

And I remember when TikTok was going to get deleted, everyone was having an identity crisis. Because all these things, these foundations are saying they're rocky. It's in our nature as human beings to trust someone or something. And Solomon's saying, put your trust in the Lord. all of it. He has put all of it in there. Because if your trust in God isn't true, then it's not complete. If you're trusting God isn't complete, then it's not true. You can be giving God 50% of yourself and then the other 50% of yourself is unknown. So if you don't trust God completely, then your trust isn't true. And he says, do not lean on your own understanding,

trust in the Lord. To lean on is implying to rely on. Don't rely on yourself. Proverbs 14 says is the way that seems right to a man, but what in the end it leads to death? Your feelings outside of the word of God and discernment with God's word and his character are going to lead you astray. Now, can someone be a good moral person without God? Absolutely, but you have no purpose to your life. So when we lean on the discernment and wisdom of God, it actually helps us and invites us into this peaceful, long life.

And so to acknowledge God, to acknowledge God and trust God in verse 6, in all your ways to acknowledge him, and he will make straight your past. It means to invite God into everyday life and conduct. Invite God into your decision-making. Ask God what you should eat for breakfast. Ask God what you should wear because God could use the clothes that you're wearing

to minister to someone. Ask what restaurant you should go to. Should I go to Chick-fil-A or McDonald's for breakfast because you might meet someone that needs the love of Christ that day. Invite God into your everyday life. Also, help him make decisions because you might make a stupid decision

out of your flesh that leads to total destruction. but if you invited God into that decision, you wouldn't have blown up your whole life. Versus seven and eight, be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones. Psalm is like, dude, don't be puffed up with conceit. Don't feel entitled. People that are entitled and think that they have the authority to speak on things are actually not teachable. And we have to live in this place

where we never stop being teachable. Because the second we become entitled, the second we think we've made it, the second we think we know better than God, we've lost. We've lost. And Solomon is echoing this proud message, this incredible message, the thesis of the thing, trust the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding. Don't trust yourself. You, yourself, your feelings, your emotions, what you want, your pride is going to lead you astray. But God is saying, if you trust me, the one who knows you better than your own self, the one who knows the number of hairs on your head. The one who made you with a purpose? Yeah, trust me. I know what's best for your life.

And I'm not trying to control you. I'm trying to actually free you to be who you were originally designed to be because the good life, the American dream is actually living for God and living under his judgment and under his righteousness and under his trust rather than trusting yourself because trusting yourself is going to blow your whole world up in your face. And I know from personal experience at times that I've trusted myself have been the worst decisions I've ever made. verses nine and ten honor the lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with the line this is another way

that we can trust the lord is with our finances why because we don't earn money god gives us money so for an example like when it comes to tithing and honoring god with our finances like we don't give god money we give back god the money that he's given to us does that make sense and so obey Back in the Old Testament, when it was time to tithe and give 10%, you didn't just give some random 10%. So when they would tie, they would tie their livestock. They would tide their flock. And they would give not just any 10.

They would give the best 10. Meaning if they had 100 sheep, they wouldn't just give some dirty old random 10. Oh, let me get rid of this one in Scott of Lent. Let me get rid of this one. Half its fur is missing. It would give the best 10. So when we give God our first fruits, the first fruits in verse 90, saying, give God your best 10.

So some practice that I like to take into plays when I, tithe, I try to pray and go, God, this is my best 10. I'm giving my best 10 to you right now, because that's something I like to do. I want God to know what that looks like, because we are trying to honor God with generosity. We can honor God with generosity that realizes that he's the great provider. That's what it is. When you honor God with your generosity, you're acknowledging that he is the provider, and that all the money is actually his money, and that you live in abundance is because he's in control. And God knows how to take care of those who honor him

with the resources that he's given them. And so I'm not preaching some prosperity gospel. See, that's the lie. There's this prosperity gospel out there that says if you give God $5,000, he's going to return you $5,000 and more. But the reality is, God blesses you when you honor him with your wealth.

It just may not be in return with wealth. God will bless you when you honor him with your tithes and with your money. But that doesn't mean he's going to give you money back. he might give you a friend or a brother for a lifetime and adversity. He might give you good community. Or you might grow in deeper revelation and intimacy. Whatever that may look like, he is going to bless you.

Versus 11 and 12, My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him who he loves as a father, the son, in whom he delights. This is when God brings or allows some sort of discomfort in your life. Discomfort produces character. trial produces character. The one who endures till the end will be saved. There's something about rejoicing with God at the peaks of the mountain,

but there's something about fellowshiping with God and the suffering that actually does something with our relationship with God. And so it's powerful. And God's correction to his people, to you and me, is a wonderful sign of his love. God's correction in your life is actually a sign that the Spirit of God lives in you. Can you go figure out what's going on to? God's correction to his children.

is a sign that the Spirit of God lives in you. If you're not being convicted, if your life isn't changing, if your steps aren't being altered and fixed to the righteousness and the word of God, then I would actually ask yourself, does God love you, are you listening to him? Because God's trying to correct you because He cares about you. Versus 13 through 18, let's read the benefits of God's correction.

Now, after we realize, hey, the correction of God is actually a beautiful thing from a father to a son. He's not a dictator over a socialist economy. he is a father to a son who cares about your heart and your physical and spiritual needs. Now we're about to read the benefits of God's correction in verses 13 through 18. Let's read through it. Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and the one who gets understanding. What they gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.

She is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths. are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her. Those who hold her fast are called blessed. Solomon longed for his son to seek wisdom, just as God longs for you to cling on to his wisdom. And he's saying a couple things in verses 13 through 18 that the wisdom actually guides to a long, happy life. Wisdom is better than any material gain. Knowing God and growing in deeper intimacy with God

is better than any physical monetary gain that anyone can gain. And he is saying that long life is the equivalent to pleasantness, peace, and happiness. When you cling to the wisdom of God and achieve this long life, this long life is a life of pleasantness, peace, and happiness. Happiness is this joy found in the Lord, that he sustains you. Not the things of the world sustain you, but he sustains you. Verse 19, the Lord by wisdom founded the earth by understanding he established the heavens. By his knowledge, the deep, deeps broke open and the clouds drop down due. In God's great work, He showed great wisdom.

When God created you, he created you with intentionality, with beauty, with design. God loves the way you look. God loves the way he designed you. And you have his likeness in you, which means you bear the image of God. You bear the imprint of God on your life

because he created you in his image. This means you're not an accident. This means you weren't just a mistake your parents made on their honeymoon. This means you were created on purpose for purpose. When we understand that God created everything in this earth, you and I, with majesty, beauty, and intent, this means that you and I are in an accident. This means that our life has purpose. And our ultimate purpose is to glorify God with our life

because he gave his life for us. Verses 21 through 22. My son, do not lose sight of these. Keep sound wisdom and discretion. And it will be life for your soul and the adornment for your neck. The wisdom of God will keep your heart healthy. Verses 23. three through 26 is going to tell us about safety and walking wisdom of God. Then you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid. When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or the ruin of the wicked when it comes.

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. Versus 23 through 26 of Proverbs 3 echo the three questions that I asked us in Proverbs chapter 1. Where is your satisfaction, significance, and your security? If you're satisfied in Christ, you won't idolize other things. You will be content in Him. You'll enjoy things that God's created. You'll enjoy nature.

You'll enjoy social media. You'll enjoy these things, but they won't be an idol in your life. Where's your significance? Do you find your value and worth in that God created you with beauty and majesty? Or do you find your value and worth in the opinions of man? If you find it in the opinions of man, you'll be shaky. And where's your security? We can feel safe and know that what?

Verse 26, the Lord is our confidence. Meaning when trials come, when temptations come. And when hard times come, we don't have to shake. in our boots because we're founded on the rock and the Lord is our provider and our protector. He's our confidence. He gets us through the storm. Versus 27 through 30 are just going to be some practical lessons on the wisdom of God. Do not withhold good from those to whom it's due when it's in your power to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, go and come again tomorrow and I will give it to you when you have it with you. Do not plan evil against your neighbor who dwells trustingly beside you.

Do not contend with a man for no reason when he has done you no harm. Here's a couple lessons. someone first says we should do good when the power is in our hands to do so meaning if you have the ability to bless someone encourage someone serve someone do it don't wait for someone else god's going to use you then he says the good that we do we should do promptly meaning procrastination and hesitation is a lack of obedience to god and so if there's a need and we're able to provide do so and treat others well do under others as you would have them do to you. Love your neighbor as yourself. When you see yourself the way that God sees you, then you realize that everyone else is of equal value. So you want to treat them with the utmost

servanthood, respect, and humility. And verses 31 to close. Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways. For the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are his confidence. Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways. Some people are jealous of where Satan has other people than where God has them. Oftentimes we look at other people's circumstances and get jealous and covet, but we have to understand a covet thing.

Why would I be jealous of someone who doesn't walk with the Lord when I have the greatest gift ever, which is intimacy with God? I saw a podcast clip where an interviewer asked someone, he said, if you could spend five minutes with Jesus, what would you say? And the person on the podcast said,

you could spend five minutes with Jesus every day all the time. Because we have access to God, the veil is torn. Verse 33, the Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners, he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor, the wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace. The thesis statement and the ultimate goal and the ultimate thing that is echoed in Proverbs chapter 3 is to trust God with all your heart. Give him all your heart. When we trust God fully, we experience the fullness of God. Guys, I pray that Proverbs chapter 3 was a blessing of you.

I love you guys. See you guys tomorrow for Proverbs chapter 4. Guys, thank you so much for watching and listening to this episode. If you guys like it, subscribe to us on YouTube, follow us on Spotify, Instagram, and TikTok. Bless you guys and see you guys next week for the next episode.