Pod Prep: 6-30-17
How Can We Learn to Trust God Deeply ?
WE MUST LEARN THAT GOD IS RIGHT AND MANKIND IS OFTEN WRONG
Learning to trust God more than we trust ourselves and our human wisdom is vital. Things that seem so wise to people, simply do not work. God's laws cannot be ignored. Just as the Law of Supply and Demand always works, so do God's inviolable laws. If a person steals often, his character will be undermined just as his life and work ethic will. Lying will destroy a person's relationships with others. A first step in trusting God is to know that He is always right. Trust in God not self or mankind's wisdom.
Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
(NKJV)
True freedom is not choosing your own way but in yielding to God's way. If God directs our paths we are moving in directions that works. We must know this and believe this deep down to our core.
Mt 13:46 "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
(NKJV)
We must learn to value our calling. We know that God's salvation thru Jesus is the most valuable discovery in our lives. If that understanding sinks in deeply we start to appreciate and trust Jesus Christ deeply. Trust that adding to our account in heaven is more valuable than earthly wealth.
Ps 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.
GOD IS RELIABLE, NEVER VARIES AND IS A TRUSTED CONSTANCE
God never changes. He is reliable like the law of gravity. We can count on God and trust him. He has no variance. God is always faithful He never changes.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
(NKJV)
When in doubt and tough times come upon us, it is harder to trust God, but this is when our faith is most vital. God wants us to react in the opposite direction-trust don't doubt. When times are toughest God wants us to show trust in Him and his way's. Remember during tough circumstances that God is reliable and that the test will ultimately be to our benefit.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Putting God first in our lives is one way to start a life of trusting God's reliability. Our lives when organized around God are saying 'we trust God'!
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
When we surrender ourselves and all of our troubles to God, we learn to trust God more and more. Let God be the master of everything in our lives. God is first not our world. If pressure arises think upon encouraging scriptures. The more we know the Bible the stronger we will become under pressure.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
We must put God first in our lives. It is much easier to put ourselves first. When something good happens we congratulate ourselves and when things go bad we want to blame someone else or God. When it comes to money, the struggle is even harder.
Pr 3:9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
Putting God first in our lives is the primary step in learning to trust God for everything in this life. Our material blessings can become a stumbling block. Especially if we think upon them as what we deserve or must have to be happy.
THINK UPON OUR PAST SUCCESSES AND BLESSINGS
We need to rejoice over our past victories using God's help. Each win should build our trust to a higher level.
Mt 28:20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Ps 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
Have we sacrificed a job for allegiance to God to later find that we were led to a better circumstance? Sometimes it may take a five year review of our lives to fully appreciate the victories given us by God. We look back and then fully appreciate the hand of God. If we feel that we have no victories with God we must just think and review deeper. All have answered prayer from God. He can be counted on to deliver blessings to those that choose him. When reflecting on the past five years do not resent any of God's rebukes or tough lessons. They are ultimately good for us.
Pr 3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
Develop a mind like God's. A Godly conscience will keep us out of trouble. God's Holy Spirit will through our conscience lead us into moral victories and the safe path.
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Our past answers to our past prayers are the proof we need to fully trust God in the unknown future. For instance you think upon your entrance into the church. It may have been made very difficult by your parents pressure. Now however, you realize that the pressure made you a stronger convert to the truth. It was a great blessing in disguise. You learned to be fully committed. Like a butterfly fighting his way out of the cocoon to spread his wings and fly so high.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
God will be pleased with us if we let hope and love determine our attitude We love God and have hope in the future no matter the present, because we know God is good and faithful.
