Trusting the LORD like He deserves to be trusted

Introduction:

Opening Illustration:

In Pamplona, Spain a festival is celebrated in part with what has become known as the running of the bulls. Videos have been unleashed in recent years showing the panic and sometimes the violence of the event.

In spite of a mere 15 deaths since 1910, and in spite of the panic that is evident on the faces of some of the runners, people still go out to this event and participate.

It goes to show that just because we are made aware of the consequences, we don’t always choose wisely.

What is happening in the passage?

8:1 - The LORD gives a command

a note about inspiration & preservation

(1) God spoke (relating to man in a way he could understand)

(2) Man wrote

(3) Witnesses confirmed what was said/written

(4) Fulfillment confirmed

8:2 - The LORD receives Isaiah’s commitment (faith-obedience)

8:3 - The LORD gives conception to Isaiah/Prophetess

8:4 - The LORD gives connotation (meaning) in the name

What is/are the principle(s)?

The LORD leaves no excuse for not trusting Him. God is fully credible and is to be trusted over all others.

Illustration:

Illustration:

Sometimes we give people a reason NOT to trust us. The first car accident that I had, I was a teenager, speeding, and made a foolish decision to pass someone on a two-lane road. Choices like this, consequences like this, lead to reason for questioning....but this is not the case with God.

(1) God is not afraid to put himself out there

(2) God can stand the test of credibility

(3) God can powerfully cause that which men cannot cause

(4) God consistently chooses conception as a fulfillment of His promise

[Abraham/Sarah; Elkanah/Hannah; John the Baptist; Jesus Christ]

(5) God is precise in his timing

(6) God will bring righteous judgment upon those who refuse Him

(7) God communicates in a way that man cannot misunderstand

Ahaz sacrificed to other gods because he supposed that those other gods helped them…yet what we see here is God continually proving how worthy of faith he is…so what is the problem?

The LORD leaves no excuse for not trusting Him. God is fully credible and is to be trusted over all others.

Why should this principle matter to us today?

Because

we tend to live like the powers of this world are more credible than God.

Thought: Our tendency is to live like the powers of this world are more credible than God’s power.

(as reflected by our lack of obedience to the Lord in favor of obedience to the dominant cultural narratives and idols)

The world's narrative is the "knowledge is power"

The world's narrative is that "money is power"

The world's narrative is that "science & technology" is power

When our lives devote more time and effort to these than love-constrained obedience to the Lord, you are living like they are more credible than God.

When our lives are marked by saying "yes" to these gods and saying no to service of "God"....

we tend to live like the words and philosophies of this world are more credible than God's word.

Thought: Our tendency is to live like the words and philosophies of this world are more credible than God's word.

(can be seen by our daily refusal to ingest the inspired, preserved word of God)

We take in more news and books than the word of God.

We take in more daily TV than the word of God.

We take in more social media than the word of God.

We take in more water cooler conversations than the word of God.

we tend to forget God's tokens that prove His credibility and power

Thought: Our tendency is to believe the temporary tokens of our world’s success over God’s token.

(as seen by our lack of daily preaching the gospel to ourselves and resting in our standing in Christ. (daily acknowledgement of what has been finished).

We live with guilt of never doing enough because we are resting in an alternate identity.

We live with guilt because we look for new tokens of God's credibility in our lives rather than acknowledge the ultimate evidence: Christ.

we tend to forget that there are consequences for what or who we choose to trust

These foolish trusts lead to decisions and practical living that lives that lack contentment and peace ().

It is a struggle to trust God because:

(1) our human nature is conveniently engaged by a faith in self

(2) our human nature is engaged by the prosperity of others [Ahaz thought this]

What makes this principle difficult for people today?

We tend to forget that there are consequences for what or who we choose to trust

Illustration: What happens if you are extremely hungry at night time and all you can find is an outdated piece of cheese and some crackers?

OR: What happens if you are extremely hungry at night and you already have sugar problems, but the last piece of peanut butter pie is calling your name?

These foolish trusts lead to decisions and practical living that lives that lack contentment and peace ().

Isaiah 8:6 KJV 1900

Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, And rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son;

It is a struggle to trust God because:

(1) our human nature is conveniently engaged by a faith in self

(2) our human nature is engaged by the prosperity of others [Ahaz thought this]

Your Worth

Topics: Depravity; Discouragement; Emptiness; Faithfulness; God; Grace; Guilt; Human Condition; Needs; Security; Self-image; Self-worth; Shame; Victorious Living

References: ; ; ; ;

Illustration:

If someone offered you a twenty-dollar bill, would you take it? What if that person wadded up the bill and threw it on the ground—would you still want it? What if he stepped on it, kicked it, and even spit on it? Could you still go to the store and spend it?

The answer is yes. That bill has value because of what it is, not because of how it looks, where it’s been, or what it has been used for. A crisp, clean twenty-dollar bill is worth the same amount as an ugly, old, abused one.

You may feel like you’ve been stepped on, beat up, or kicked around. You may feel dirty, unworthy, or useless. But be encouraged by the twenty-dollar bill—no matter what you’ve been through, you still have value to God!

—Mike Silva, Would You Like Fries with That? (Word, 2005)

Larson, C. B., & Ten Elshof, P. (2008). 1001 illustrations that connect (p. 192). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

How is it possible to obey this principle?

What hope is there? (for people of weak faith)

(1) Hope for the hopeless unbeliever

Unbeliever - you have no hope in this battle....unless you turn to the God as your Lord and Savior

(2) Hope for the believer in the LORD’s provision of Christ

A correct consideration/belief of what Christ has accomplished

(3) Hope for the believer in the LORD’s provision of the scriptures

A sober belief of the importance of the precious scriptures because of your identity in Christ

(4) Hope for the believer in the LORD’s provision for obedience [position, power]

A willing, loving obedience to the scriptures because of your identity in Christ

(5) Hope for the believer in the LORD’s promise of justice

Conclusion:

The Lord has truly left us no reason NOT to trust Him.

Will you believe him today?

Do your daily decisions reveal how you are living in light of what God has done in Christ?

Do your works prove your faith?

Closing Illustration:

Wishing for Faith

Wishing for Faith

Topics: Christian Life; Comfort; Crisis; Faith; Mourning

References: ; ; ;

Katie Couric lost her husband, forty-two, to colon cancer in 1998. Her sister died about four years later.

“I’m very interested in exploring a more spiritual side of me, and I’m in the process of doing that, both formally and informally,” said the anchor of the CBS Evening News in a recent interview. “I really envy those who have a steadfast, unwavering faith, because I think it’s probably so comforting and helpful during difficult times.”

—Cable Neuhaus, “Whatever Katie Wants,” AARP (November–December 2005)

Larson, C. B., & Ten Elshof, P. (2008). 1001 illustrations that connect (p. 197). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

The Lord has truly left us no reason NOT to trust Him.

Trusting the LORD like He deserves to be trusted