Personal Trust in God

Introduction

Vance Havner told a story about an elderly lady who was greatly disturbed by her many troubles—both real and imaginary. Finally, someone in her family tactfully told her, “Grandma, we’ve done all we can for you. You’ll just have to trust God for the rest.” A look of absolute despair spread over her face as she replied, “Oh dear, has it come to that?” Havner commented, “It always comes to that, so we might as well begin with that!”

For the next couple weeks let’s looks at the nature of faith as personal trust in God. This is part of the Foundation of faith. It must be manifest in a very personal way.

Psalm 18:1–6 AV

1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

1. Understanding Trust

Let’s take a little time to get a fuller understanding of what trust is and what it looks like. True faith, and trusting faith cannot be second-hand. Second hand stores are very popular - you might find a really great item for cheap.

However, this doesn’t work for faith and trust. You can’t live and use someone else’s faith. Young people you can’t live off your parents faith.

You must have your own personal trust in God.

A. The Meaning of Trust

Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.

That which is the ground of confidence. To place confidence in; to rely on. We cannot trust those who have deceived us.

To commit to the care of, in confidence. Trust your Maker with yourself and all your concerns.

Hebrew – to confide in, have hope, make refuge.

Greek – expect, confide in.

B. Placing Trust in God

Faith and trust must have an object.

Psalm 65:5 AV

5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

Trust must have an object. There are many things that we trust in. We can trust in our jobs, our money, our home, friends, relatives and our spouse. But the Bible clearly tells us that there is only one we should trust in.

2 Chronicles 20:1–3 AV

1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:12 AV

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

Our text in Psalm 18:1-2 tells us that we can trust and have confidence in Him because of who He is.

He is our rock, fortress, deliverer, strength, buckler, salvation, strong tower.

C. Having the Fear of God

Proverbs 14:26 AV

26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

Proverbs 19:23 AV

23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

The fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience.

When we fear God, we place ourselves under his guidance and care. This is a big problem in our world today…no fear of God and therefore no confidence.

I’m not sure how much we ever really meant it as a country, but on our money it says, “In God we Trust.” But with no fear of God, there is no trust in God.

Fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature. That's why understanding that someone is God-fearing actually makes us trust that person more. If they fear God, they are more likely to keep their word and treat others with kindness.

So we find that trust is strong confidence, in an object (God), whom we fear.

2. Showing We Trust in God

So how should we trust God and in what ways should it show up?

A. Trust Him for Salvation

Ephesians 1:12–13 AV

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

To be saved from sin, one must trust in Christ.

All religions ADD something…trust in good works, trust in our religion, trust in the priest, etc.

Matthew 12:21 AV

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

For there is none other name!

Romans 15:12 AV

12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Jesus said, “It is finished.” We can truly trust in Him.

Without trusting Christ, then you’re destined to trust yourself. You’re only hope then is to trust a man-made religious system, or other man-made ideas of God.

These will fail and lead to a very real place called hell. Trusting in yourself or religion cannot save you.

B. Trust in His Provision

Psalm 36:7–8 AV

7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

One of the biggest worries people have is their day to day supply and provision.

But we are to trust God in this area. Because of His lovingkindness!!

Psalm 31:19 AV

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Matthew 6:34 AV

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I remember when God called us to pastor Sonrise. It was a Sunday night after candidating here. We lived in the Phoenix area and had to head back after the evening meeting. The church had voted on us while we were gone. The head of the pulpit committee calls us at about 9:30 and said we had 19/20 yes’s. For me that was enough and I said we’d be there in 2 weeks (had to give a 2 week notice to our bosses). Now, we really didn’t have money to move - we hadn’t really planned on moving. So we started praying more. We told our church on Wednesday night that we had accepted the call. That night after service a man in the church handed us a check for $1000 to help us move.

God always provides.

C. Trust in Him Alone

Proverbs 3:5–6 AV

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Now sometimes we ‘say’ that we trust God, but in reality we’re a little back and forth. We ‘trust’ him on Sunday but Monday to Saturday is a different story.

We can only show true trust and confidence when we trust Him alone - how do we see this?

1. Trust Him Completely

Uncle Oscar was apprehensive about his first airplane ride. His friends, eager to hear how it went, asked if he enjoyed the flight. “Well,” commented Uncle Oscar, “it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be, but I’ll tell you this. I never did put all my weight down!”

Even we as Christians have difficulty in fully trusting Christ.

We will pray about something and ask for God’s way and then we go out and make plans ‘just in case’ He doesn’t pull through.

I believe this goes hand in hand with our love for him. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. How much we love Him will directly result in how much we trust him.

2. Don’t Trust Ourselves

‘Lean not unto your own understanding’

This is really the only other option. I either trust God or follow my own way.

Lean means to support or rest – I’ll do it my way, I’ll live my own life = failure.

It is the fool that uses his own self to prop himself up. You cannot trust yourself.

Proverbs 28:26 AV

26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

3. Trust Him by Knowing Him

How often do we go throughout our day without even acknowledging God?

Do we start with Bible reading and prayer?

Do we pray throughout the day, having continuing communion with Him?

Do we seek opportunities to witness?

Note that it says in all our ways we are to acknowledge Him. Think about what activities you may be involved in. Think about that movie you’re watching, that music you are listening to: can you acknowledge Him in that?

Illustration: The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more childlike will be our faith.

If I don’t know God very well, I cannot acknowledge Him throughout the day.

4. Trust Him by Following Him

If we trust Him fully and don’t trust ourselves and acknowledge Him throughout the day, then we will be able to follow His direction.

Proverbs 16:25 AV

25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Illustration: The late Supreme Court Justice Oliver Holmes was on a train when the conductor came through collecting tickets. Holmes couldn’t find his ticket and became rather distraught. The conductor tried to console him by saying, "Mr. Holmes, don’t worry. When you find your ticket, just mail it in. We trust you." Mr. Holmes responded in frustration, "My dear man, that’s not my problem. I need my ticket to tell me where I’m going."

Sin and self are constantly telling us that we can live without God. This was the original temptation to sin from Satan. That Adam and Eve would be as gods.

If you trust God, you will let Him direct your paths.

3. The Results of Trusting God

So why should we trust God - what is the end result - two simple things.

A. We Have True Joy

Psalm 5:11 AV

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

When trusting in something else there can be very little rejoicing.

Thinking of our economy – some were trusting their retirement – lost thousands. Some have been trusting in home investments – 33% are upside down. Foreclosures have skyrocketed. Some trusted in their relationship – divorce is sky high.

Some trust in presidents - even a super-great president is only here for 4-8 years at best. I mean some Christians have put an ungodly amount of trust in presidential candidates - it’s actually revolting.

There’s no joy in putting your trust in the men, investments, and schemes of this world.

But you will never regret putting your trust in God. No one ever has.

There is an inward joy, an outward joy and an everlasting joy!

This is for those that love thy name – to love His name, means to love who He is, not what we want God to do for us.

B. We Have True Peace

Isaiah 26:3–4 AV

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

This verse is so simple and so clear.

Peace in our life is proportion to our trust in Him.

Peace in our life is not in proportion to the storm, but to our trust.

You can trust Him…..forever.

CONCLUSION

We’re all pretty familiar with those ‘trust fall’ exercises. A person or several people stand behind someone as they purposely fall backwards hoping to be caught.

Both you and I have seen people fall blindly into this world, trusting that other people, or other groups, or other religions, or other systems will ‘catch them.’

But do you trust God - really trust God?