A Matter Of Trust

INTRO:

What do you do when you’re faced with a fiery furnace, a giant, or a lions den?

PRAY!

Prov 3:5-6 “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.”

It’s all about WHO your trusting.

a. We are to put all our trust in God and none of it in “Ourselves.”

Is 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Prov 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

We can’t trust ourselves!

b. Our wisdom is NOT sufficient and our feelings lie to us

1 Cor 3:18-20 “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.””

If we put our trust in God almighty and steer clear of our own worldly wisdom

We are given a promise:

“He” will make your paths straight

Is 30:21 “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

But we have to “Acknowledge Him” But, so many times we dont. or if we do, we’re not doing it with all our heart. we’re double minded.

James 1:8 “he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

1 Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”

“A fool thinks himself wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” - Shakespeare

But that's not what the world will tell you, the world say’s “you have the answers.. We have to remember God has to be faithful to His word.

Ps 138:8 “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

1.God’s purposes always work out His glory

We we’re created for His glory, you were created for this moment

Is 43:7 “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””

2. God’s purposes always work out for our good

Rom 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

3. God’s purposes always work out infinitely better

Eph 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”

3x the Apostle Paul asked God to remove his thorn in the side, God didn’t remove it, but what He did do is give him sufficient grace to make it through, to which Paul expressed

2 Cor 12 :9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

When things don’t turn out the way we think they should going it may be because:

a. It’s not the right time

b. He has something better in mind

c. He is working something else in us

We have to be like Paul

Phil 4:11 “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

We have to dare to trust to see God’s amazing work first hand.

In the book of Daniel we’re told of 3 hebrew teens that refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar idols and the King made a snarky, pompous statement:

Dan 3:15 “Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?””

Dan 3:17 “ Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”

The king was shocked when he leaned into window of furnace and seen 4 men walking around unbound, unhurt in the flame and one of them looks like the Son of God!

Look at what The Word says

1 John 4:4 “ Greater is he who is in you, than he who is in the world.”

I can tell you who will deliver, El-Shaddai God almighty!

Life is full of fiery furnaces, lions dens, Red seas and giants. But the enemy is not control of your life, GOD IS!

In the book of Numbers, we are given the story of 2 conflicting accounts.

1 account is based in fear, the other account is based off trust in WHO we serve. Caleb and Joshua remembered God’s promise to them that they would inhabit the land God almighty had said He would give them

Num 14:8-9 “If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.””

CALL UP WORSHIP TEAM!!!

In Closing:

God wants us to trust Him. Not with 80 percent not with 1 foot planted in our own reasoning, not like a double minded man, but with ALL our heart. And were told to lot let our smarts and mindful reasoning to get in the balance. If we will do those 2 things: Trust Him 100% and reject our reasoning, we are given a promise, that He will guide our paths to victory and success!

PRAY!!