What Not to Trust

INTRODUCTION

Last time in learning about the Foundations of Faith we began learning about our Personal Trust in God. We saw that we should trust in Him. We saw that we should have Faith in God and Fear of God. We need to trust Him for salvation, for supply and solely. Then we saw the results of rejoicing and peace. Today we will look at what the Bible has to say about what we are not to trust in.

Psalm 91:1–2 AV

1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

1. The Strength of This World

A. Military Might

Psalm 20:7 AV

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

This would be the war-power of the day. The military-industrial complex.

The military might of the day would be seen in chariots armed with scythes that would mow throw troops quite easily.

It is very easy to be impressed with the weaponry of the military.

The weapons that our country has are incredible!

Black Knight – unmanned armored tank

Laser Weapon Systems.

Active Denial System - blasts electromagnetic radiation to burn the skin.

Mobile laser cannon that can shoot down drones.

Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser – plane can shoot missiles out of the air.

But look at the Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt – had to dock because of a microscopic bug.

But we should take the warning of Isaiah.

Isaiah 31:1 AV

1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

There is a difference between admiring and loving our military men and women and putting our trust in them.

We don’t need our military to protect us, we need God to protect us.

Psalm 33:16–17 AV

16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

As Christians we understand that having great might is not the answer, it is not our hope and it is not our confidence.

Psalm 20:7 says that we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

B. The Freedom of Money

Mark 10:24 AV

24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

1. Money Does Not Last

We know (especially in the economy we have today) that money does not last.

Proverbs 23:5 AV

5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

1 Timothy 6:17 AV

17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Note that we see that riches are uncertain.

Luke 12:16–21 AV

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

What is more important is the soul!

2. Money Cannot Save You

No financial model can save you – communism, socialism, or even capitalism. I think that capitalism has become the religion of right-wing Christians today. If capitalism is so great then why does socialism keep having to bail it out?

Many think that if they just had more money they would be fine.

Psalm 49:6–7 AV

6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

Zephaniah 1:18 AV

18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Our redemption only comes through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:18–19 AV

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

If you look at the two greatest powers of America you’d think our military power and our wealth - but the Bible is very clear that these two cannot be trusted.

2. The Strength of Mankind

A. This Only Brings a Curse

Jeremiah 17:5 AV

5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

God says whoever trusts in man is cursed!

Psalm 146:3–4 AV

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

The Psalms passage reminds me of all those people who put their trust in Obama, Bush, Trump, Biden, etc, etc.

These last couple elections have proved how much Christians are putting their trust and hope in a man.

It is amazing how quickly we run to the world for help.

This is a long passage but lets take our time to read it:

Isaiah 30:1–7 AV

1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: 2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! 3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. 4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. 5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach. 6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. 7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

It is vain to trust in Egypt. It is vain to trust in America.

Matthew Henry says, “The sin is here condemned; it is trusting in man, putting that confidence in the wisdom and power, the kindness and faithfulness, of men, which should be placed in those attributes of God only, making our applications to men and raising our expectations from them as principal agents, whereas they are but instruments in the hand of Providence.”

Why would we lean on the arm of flesh, when we can lean on God!?

So not only does the Strength of Mankind bring a curse, but also:

B. It is Deceptive

Jeremiah 7:4 AV

4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

Jeremiah 7:8 AV

8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

This has direct application to false prophets.

We, of course being in the last days, are inundated with many false prophets.

We find it so easy to trust a man who could lie, rather than the Word of God.

God is not a man that he should lie!

Psalm 31:6 AV

6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

Men are liars! Politicians – Bush I and no new taxes. Governors and other politicians having affairs. Bosses lie. Financial advisors lie. The news lies. Look at the Congressmen who just recently sold stocks and then some invested in a ventilator production company just before all the big announcements regarding COVID

So the strength of Mankind brings a curse, is deceptive and,

C. It is a Trap

Proverbs 29:25 AV

25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Remember, trusting God and fearing God were one and the same.

Proverbs 14:26 AV

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

Rather than fearing God we fear men!

This brings a snare or a trap.

Sometimes we are afraid of losing favor with man. Or maybe we are afraid to lose a friendship. You cannot trust in man because it’s a trap!

Psalm 118:8 AV

8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

So we can’t trust the Strength of this World (Money and Power), We can’t trust the strength of mankind (it’s curse, deceptive, and a trap) and finally we can’t trust

3. Ourselves

A. Don’t Follow Your Heart

Proverbs 28:26 AV

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

How often do we hear from the world that we are to follow our heart?

Jeremiah 17:9 AV

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Mark 7:21–23 AV

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Not only will men lie and deceive us…our own hearts will!

The fool trusts in his own opinions and in his own righteousness.

B. Don’t Trust Your Circumstances

2 Corinthians 1:9–10 AV

9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Here Paul is saying he was ready for death and with no physical hope, he certainly wasn’t going to trust himself.

He looked upon himself as a man condemned to die.

We know that he was under terrible persecution and in addition, he had a terrible sickness.

When all earthly how was lost, he was still going to trust in God.

There’s no point complaining but the issues of this life…God will raise us from the dead to live in our new home with Him.

Like Paul, the tendency of most of us is to try to solve our problems with our own strength. Therefore, as He did with Paul, the Lord brings us to the end of ourselves from time to time.

Philippians 3:4–9 AV

4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

If any man had a reason to trust himself it was Paul.

Yet he considered all that as loss.

Let’s conclude with

Hebrews 2:13 AV

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

What is most important to you? What do you want to pass on to the next generation?

Today, it’s a college education, or its financial stability, or it’s an inheritance of money or property (we say we want our children to have what we didn’t have). We want to pass on their ability to ‘make it’ in the world. How to get along with politics and career. We teach them to have high self esteem and trust themselves.

That is an unwise approach…teach them to trust God! Teach them by showing them how to trust God.

CONCLUSION

We love America, but are we trusting in our country, the constitution or our military this morning? Are you relying on your money, capitalism, financial freedom?

Are you putting your trust in other men? Are you trusting yourself? Are you willing to leave a heritage to our children of trusting in God?