TRUSTING GOD

March 5, 2005

Nahum 1: 7 & 1^St. John 2: 1 & Proverbs 3:  5- 6

INTRODUCTION;

1-    In all our wilderness journeying; How many of you feel you’ve learned to “TRUST IN GOD”?

2-    Obviously our “Forefathers” coming to America had learned to Trust in God!

3-    They Stamped “In God We Trust” it on our currency and today it still remains.

 

BUT HOW MANY TODAY REALIZE THE DIFFERENCE IN KNOWING HIM & KNOWING OF HIM?

1-    Jesus tell us of those who will come before Him saying “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, cast out devils in thy name and done many wonderful works in thy name?”

2-    But They’ll hear Him say; “Depart from me, I never knew you”!

3-    Even after having worked “Miracles” If you do not know me; you’ll be sent away.

 

BELOVED; TO TRUST HIM, YOU MUST KNOW HIM:

1-    For to trust Him is to know Him and to know Him is to “TRUST” Him!

THE ELEMENT THAT KEEPS THE HEART IS PRAYER:

1-    We are to “Pray Without Ceasing”.

2-    That is not to mean with hands folded, head bowed and eyes closed continually.

3-    But to live in a continual relationship between yourself and God.

4-    Trusting God is Spending Time with him.

5-    And don’t do all the talking yourself;

6-    But listen to Him; Abraham did; and We can. Amen?

 

TRUSTING GOD MEANS TO BE FAITHFUL & OBEDIENT REGARDLESS OF LOGIC;

1-     When Christians experience the life changing moment of their life;

2-     It came by “TRUSTING GOD”.

3-     You were ‘FAITHFUL” to trust Him.

4-     You were “OBEDIENT” to trust Him.

 

BELOVED; CHRISTIANS CAN NEVER GIVE UP BEING FOUND “FAITHFUL”

1-    FAITHFULNESS constitutes the reward.

Well done thy good and “faithful” servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, now I shall make thee ruler over many, enter thou into the joy of the Lord. Mt. 25: 21

1-    Notice who He didn’t say would enter in>

2-    He didn’t mention the good & honest or the good & smart or anointed or punctual.

3-    But He did say the “GOOD & FAITHFUL.

4-    God wants our best; but the best is what brings confusion.

5-    Our best becomes entwined with our own understanding.

“Lean not to your own understanding”.

 

JOSHUA AND CALEB COULD HAVE LISTEN TO THE 10 USING THEIR UNDERSTANDING:

1-    Doubt said; there are giants like grasshoppers in the land; we can’t overtake them.

2-    But FAITH in Joshua and Caleb said; “We be well able to take the land”!

3-    How many of you know that “The foolishness of God is wiser than men” 1^St. Cor. 1: 25

 

WHEN ELISHA TOLD NAAMAN TO GO DIP IN JORDAN SEVEN TIMES;

1-     Naaman’s understanding made him; Are not Abana and Pharpa rivers better than this?

2-     His own understanding didn’t work;

3-     But FAITHFULNESS to the spoken word did.

4-     His flesh came again to him as a little child.

 

WHEN ABRAHAM AND SARAH TRIED IN THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING:

1-    The had a son who is the very cause of most of the Middle East problems today;

2-    Their own understanding told them how to do it and fail.

3-    But not understanding God’s way; yet allowing Gods way; Isaac was conceived of Sarah.

 

WHY SHOULD WE TRUST IN GOD?

FIRST OF ALL HE IS ALL POWERFUL!

“Behold, I am the Lord. Is there anything too hard for me”? Jer. 32: 27

 

DID GOD NOT MAKE HIS CASE WITH JOB?

1-    Satan came before God to blame Job.

2-    He came telling God what he could do with the servant of the Lord.

3-    But he didn’t; he failed then and he’ll fail in the end; Amen?

4-    God is all “POWERFUL”, He is omnipotent!

5-    When God says, “Cast all your burdens on the Lord”

6-    You immediately know that the problem belongs to Him.

 

LISTEN TO PAUL IN EPH, 3: 20

Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

1-    That power is on the inside of every believer.

2-    And it simply is carried out in our lives through Faithfulness and Trust!

 

ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US:

1-     According to the power that was at work in Daniel.

2-     God saved Daniel; and turned a nation and their King to God.

3-     And punished those who stood against Daniel.

4-     God is “ALL POWERFUL; ALL MIGHTY!

 

WHY TRUST GOD; HE IS ALL POWERFUL AND HE CARES:

1-    God cares so much; even for the little things.

“Are you not worth more than the sparrows which he takes care of?” Mt. 10: 29- 31

AND GOD CARES FOR THE BIGGER THINGS:

1-    He promised Jerusalem a whole city.

2-    God loves us corporately; He loves the whole wide world.

3-    Trust Him; He loves you!

4-    He loved and Kept Elijah by the brook;

5-    He caused even the Ravens to bring him flesh and bread in the morning & evening.

6-    And He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son for us all!

7-    Trust Him; He is “All Powerful; and He cares for you!

 

TRUST IN HIM;

1-    I’ll guarantee His arm is not short; He’s reaching out to you today.

2-    And you’ll either believe His promises or you won’t.

3-    TRUST IN GOD!

“Cursed be the man who puts his trust in man instead of God, and blessed be the man who trusteth in the lord” Jer. 17: 5-7

TRUST IN GOD;

HE HAS PROMISED AND HE IS FAITHFUL:

1-    Cast your cares upon Him; He has promised to help you in time of need!

 

BUT BELOVED; THERE ARE REASONS WHY PEOPLE DO NOT TRUST IN GOD:

1-    There that little thing called “FEAR”.

2-    What if it doesn’t work?

3-    Paul said; “If God doesn’t deliver me out of their hands and I am killed”

4-    Then I will be with God and I have gained and not lost.

5-    God will reward us for “TRUSTING”, even in death, there’s a reward!

 

SHADRACH, MESHACK AND ABEDNEGO:

1-    Stated just before being thrown into the fiery furnace said;

2-    Our God is able to deliver us; but if he doesn’t then His word is still true.

3-    If our trust doesn’t work; He’ll s till reward us for TRUSTING IN GOD!

 

WHEN OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING TELLS US THAT GOD WAS LATE AND SOMEONE DIES:

1-    Most folks will stop believing;

2-    The enemy tells you that God isn’t all Powerful or He doesn’t care or He doesn’t keep His word.

 

THOMAS STATED THAT WHEN HE SAW HE’D BELIEVE:

1-     But Jesus said; “Blessed are those who have believe having not seen”.

2-     Eyes have not seen nor ears heard the things that God has in store for those who believe.

3-     Lord; I believe; Amen?

 

TRUST IN GOD; YOU WILL BE REWARDED:

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and from throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him”. 2^nd. Chr. 16: 19

 

DON’T YOU WANT TO HEAR HIM SAY WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL?

1-    Then He says, “Casting all your cares upon Him for He careth for you”!

2-    Beloved; you don’t have to bear your burdens alone;

3-    In fact you don’t have to bear them at all.

4-    Leave them at His Feet; the foot of His cross.

 

FOLKS THE DEVIL MAY TELL YOU DIFFERENT;

BUT THERE’S NEVER A NEED FOR PLAN ‘B” WITH GOD;

1-    Cast your cares upon Him for he cares for you.

2-    Leave it there; God will watch over His word to perform it.

3-    He will do what He has promised@!

 

BUT WHAT IF IT DOESN’T WORK?

1-    Trust in God anyway; there will be a reward for “TRUSTING IN THE LORD”!

“Cursed be those men who put their trust in men”