Trusting God Still

Trusting God Still

Welcome UCC Family and Friends

Opening: Over the last month I have seen and heard of some difficult times faced by different individuals. From getting an unfavorable diagnosis from a doctor, someone burglarizing your property, the lost of love one unexpectedly, and marital issues leading to a separation. Any given day, week, or month life can bring all kinds of difficult times. Our reliance in God is being tested, our confidence in God is being challenged and our trust is being targeted. What are we to do when outcomes seem unfavorable in our own eyes, and the we begin to fill the weight of life on our shoulders.

I have one suggestion for you, as well as for me as your servant leader. We have to keep our faith wrap into the promise and assurances of God the father. Everything God has spoken in His word is true no matter what our society, our social or our situation says. Amen! It going to be a tough pill to swallow, and it may hurt- yet God promise not to place more on you than you can carry and you have to believe it, you don’t have to agree or like it. Yet find a place of agreement that encompasses the love that God has for you.

Text: 1 Peter 5:6-9 (NLT)6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Talk Topic: Trusting God Still

The Story of Wendy

She lost both hands and both feet to a rare, fast-moving, and deadly if it’s not diagnosed immediately flesh-eating bacteria.

It’s could have been so easy for her to head south into a negative mindset., Convince that her world was coming to an end.  

Becoming a quadruple amputee could have made me throw the biggest pity party known to mankind.

However she chose to trust God. Creating the “oneexceptionallife.com website designed to help us all overcome challenges.

Her mission is to lift and support us to rediscover God’s joy and peace amid the trials in your life.

Wendy, say,” I am the most positive & happy quad amputee you'll ever meet. I get my joy from being a child of God, mom to 3 awesome 20-something's & a fur baby, & the wife to my loving hero.

Trans: We can learn from Wendy’s story that we make the choice to remain in a good place. A place to trust God still. I don’t no what other countries or cultures call them, but in America we have given the tough times we face in life a name- We call them called, Storms.

Define “Storm”

a disturbance of the atmosphere marked by wind and usually by rain, snow, hail, sleet, or thunder and lightning

a disturbed or agitated state

Simple a storm is a disturbance and We don’t like to be disturbed.

A storms can arrive in our lives at anytime. They are various types, sizes, and strength. With regards to weather, the four most common are:

The single-cell: small, brief, weak storms that grow and die within an hour or so.

The multi-cell: A group of cells moving as a single unit, with each cell in a different stage of the thunderstorm life cycle. Multicell storms can produce moderate size hail, flash floods and weak tornadoes.

The squall line: can produce severe weather in the form of heavy rainfall, strong winds, large hail, and frequent lightning.

The supercell: are likely to produce severe weather such as powerful wind, large hail and tornadoes.

Now how many can witness to having a single cell disturbance in your life from time to time, or perhaps there has been a supercell hanging out in your life.

When storms are on the way, already here or leaving it cause worry. Even the smallest amount of rain causes concern, due to the driving hazard it creates. However, we navigate the storm, we place trust in our car tires, brakes and driving ability. We trust our homes to withstand the wind and waves.

Spiritually we have to stay in place were we still trust God when storm enter into our lives. The promises of God will sustain us through the storm.

Trans: When storms come they stir up emotions. Peter noted two emotions “worries and cares”.

Peter wrote, 6: 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

We worried about what could happen, whats going to happen?

We worry about our family, friends, and co-workers- how will they endure the storm.

We care about people and wonder if everybody is going to be alright.

We care about how our children navigate life.

Those worries and cares are real and must be directed to God. Peter started with instructions: “7 Give all your...

“Give All Your”… Worries & cares

Worry-a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

Care: feel concern or interest; attach importance to something.

The NLT breaks anxiety into two terms Worry and Care for our understanding. Storm created levels of emotions. It can be a settling as caring for those facing the storm and rise to the level of uncertainty (worrying). The point is still the same- give it all to the Lord. Keep Trusting!

Give all Your- children, parents, emotions, diagnosis, employment, finances, marital issues, etc, to the Lord.

Why?

Trans: Why would Peter say, “give it all worries and cares to God, because God cares about you”. Peter knew from his own personal encounter with Jesus, that Jesus cared about him.

Luke 22:31–32 (NASB95) “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus cared so much about Peter that he prayed for His success, prayed that He would win with His faith because Satan wanted to sift or destroy Him.

One reason to trust God still is knowing that God cares about you.

God loves us and will remain with us all the the way in and through storms.

God is praying for our success and our protection.

God will keep us in perfect peace, just keep your mind on Him.

You keep caring and God will keep caring.

Note: Storms can be brought about through the works of the devil. Storms devour the forest. Yet God will not allow the devil to devour us.

Trans: Although you been through some stuff, you have not given up and giving in. You are determined to trust God Still. How to keep pushing and going through and getting through. How to keep up the energy and

Trusting God requires believers to Stand Firm against the Devil and Be Strong in Our Faith

I Peter 5:9.Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.

1. Stand Firm “against the devil”

Stand firm: to refuse to change a decision, position, etc

Disobedience is the objective of the devil. Get the believer to doubt what God has spoken and do the opposite.

Trust God still require a focused effort. A strategy back up with the promises of God.

We have to refuse to change, when it sounds good, when we are the only one standing.

The devil will use all the tools in his arsenal to get us from trusting God faithfully.

I’m trusting in God word because his word never changes and I refuse to change my decision on that. I choose to believe God and not what the devil or any of the people he using.

When the storm comes the trees with deep roots can with stand the winds. They a firmly rooted. When we are firmly rooted the winds will not move us from our foundation.

2. Be Strong in Your Faith

Strong In Your Faith: being able to trust that God has your life in good hands, finding strength in God, and knowing that we have stability in Him

Psalm 46:1–3 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2.Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3.Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.”

Faith- “pistis”- it means convicted and persuaded.

Strong in faith is something we have to continue to work at because if there is a strong. Then there is also a weak faith.

Closing: