TRUST AND LIFE’S JOURNEY TO THE END

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

The verse above makes it clear that only God is worthy of our utmost trust in all things. Do not put your ultimate hope in fallible man; strength diminishes with age and wisdom is the gift of God. Trust not in wealth because it may vanish in a moment, nor personal advantage because there are always others who have more. Only God deserves all our confidence.

PRAYER AND THE WORD OF GOD

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7 ESV)

Praying is difficult for many people. Some don’t think about it because they lead such busy lives. It is certainly not #1 on their “To-Do List”. Francis de Sales wrote:

Every Christian needs a half-hour of prayer each day, except when he is busy, then he needs an hour.

Martin Luther said on this subject:

I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that it is God’s Will that we should pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:1 ESV) Prayer leads to greater intimacy with God. Prayer changes things and my personal experience has been that God changes me through prayer. God’s desire is for us to pray. (1 Timothy 2:8 ESV) Studying the Bible and hearing God’s Word helps to make our prayer life more effective. If we are slack in seeking wisdom from God’s Word, our prayers may become an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 28:9 ESV)

TRUST IN HIM WHOLLY

Charles H. Spurgeon:

“What is it to believe in Him? It is not merely to say ‘He is God and the Savior’, but to trust in Him wholly and entirely and take Him for all your salvation from this time forth and forever as your Lord, your Master, your all.” (All of Grace, 32)

STAY IN THE WORD

Jerry Bridges:

“Don’t believe everything you think.  You cannot be trusted to tell yourself the truth.  Stay in THE WORD.” (The Great Exchange)

TRUST AND OBEY

Trusting and obeying Christ may not be simple at times. Let’s face the truth, it can be very uncomfortable. Some of your old friends may stop calling. Some in your family may think you are nuts. The guys at work may not hang out with you as before. You find that Christianity does not make you immune to health problems and you may lose your high salary job because your company is downsizing. Yet, no matter what negatives the world throws your way, you must still trust and obey Christ. We must join the Apostle Paul in saying, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:7-8 ESV)

IF A MAN WOULD LEAD A HAPPY LIFE …

Thomas Manton:

If a man would lead a happy life, let him but seek a sure object for his trust [or faith], and he shall be safe: “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” He hath laid up his confidence in God, therefore his heart is kept in an equal poise.

 

 

Trust in God

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

Do you trust God? Do you trust God in every circumstance of your life? Do you ever find yourself wishing you could trust God as much as someone you know does? It is obvious that some Christians trust God more than others do. How do they face the problems of life so calmly?

We find this clue in Psalm 56:3-4 ESV, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4 ESV) Now this is trust! The psalmist acknowledges that he is afraid, but he is going to trust God anyway. He understands that his trust in God will eventually overcome his fear of evil circumstances.

We are told in Jeremiah 17:7 ESV, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.” Psalm 112:7 ESV gives us this additional description, “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.”

Trusting God is putting all of your confidence in God. The psalmist reminds us, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7 ESV) Confidence in the Lord’s help will fill your heart with joy.

King David writes, “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust” . . . (Psalm 40:4 ESV) A simple trust in God is the mark of blessedness. Christians should seek to commit themselves with confidence to the protection of God. Men are blessed when they trust in God alone. Such men are safe and secure in Him. They are at peace in their souls because they rightly expect eternal happiness with God.