Why We Trust God

Controversial

Look at this big, giant, colossal-size word, man. I think - count the letters in the alphabet - I think there’s like 17 letters. Somebody verify that for me real quick, because while you’re working on the number of letters, I’ll tell you how many syllables there are. Con-tro-ver-sial. Six syllables, and I think 17 letters. That’s a big word. That’s a big word. You can say whatever you want - it’s a big word, lots of letters and lots of syllables.

Let me give you a little bit of the definition: the state or the quality of being controversial, meaning a topic, a decision, or action is likely to cause public disagreement.

Woo. I don’t know about you, but you don’t have to look for controversialness in the age that we live in. All you got to do is turn on something that is run by electricity - whether it’s your phone, your tablet, your computer, your TV. I don’t know if you have radios still. I don’t, but in my car I have a radio. Anything that’s electric, you turn it on, and I promise you, you will hear something that has to do with this word.

But I want to talk about a subject this morning that should absolutely have nothing, not one thing to do with this word. I don’t care how big it is, and I don’t care how many syllables it has. The subject that we’re going to talk about this morning should not be controversial. There should be no controversialness about this subject. And that’s what makes this a hot potato. And I don’t mind handling hot potatoes - you just might not want to give me too many of them.

David’s hot potato was, “Are demons for real?” (laughter) I hope you got that. If you didn’t, go to YouTube. Pastor Marshall’s was, “Why God allows suffering.” Wow - go get the message. Pastor Cindy last week taught about what God thinks about the nations. And for everybody in here who was here - the next time you hear that question, “Did this nation begin with Christianity?” raise your hand and say, “Yes.” Don’t wonder. Don’t be intimidated. Just put your little hand right up in the air and say yes, because that’s the correct answer.

So those were the hot potatoes before. But the title to the message I’m going to preach today - it really shouldn’t be controversial, but it has the potential to be. I’m sorry to say.

I’ve been born again for 40 years, one month, and five days - today. I’ve been born of the Spirit of God, following God. I’ve been in full-time ministry for 32 of the 40 years that I’ve been born again. And I have had the awesome honor and privilege to have conversation with hundreds of people about how they feel about the things of God - a multitude of things: life, health, death, money, racism, people, kids.

I worked a job once for four hours. I started at six, punched out at ten, and I quit. I was a waitress. Everything that was hot got served cold, and everything that was cold was melted. (laughter) You know what I learned from that job? You don’t mess with people’s food.

Then I worked in a bank and became a teller. Oh, good God, let me tell you what I learned from that job: you do not mess with people’s money.

Then I became a children’s pastor. You want to know what I learned from that job? (laughter) That’s right - you do not mess with folks’ kids. You understand? They’ll be nice and friendly and lovey-dovey - mess with their kid, now. Oh man, there’s a bear in there. Be careful. There’s a bear in there.

But in the time that I’ve been in ministry, I’ve learned that there are subjects in the Word of God that have the potential to be controversial. And I’m sad to say that this one we’re going to discuss today is one of those things - but it should not be.

Opening Prayer

So bow your heads. Let me pray over this message first - that was just the introduction. Let’s get into it.

Father, we thank you first of all for the power of your presence with us here this morning. We honor you and we bless you for all that you are to us, in us, and through us. God, we lift up your name above every name. As we have done in worship, so we will do now. We’ll be quick to give you all the honor, the praise, and the glory. We make your presence welcome here. Lord, you are welcome in our midst. And we ask that you anoint the words that are coming out of my mouth, and anoint the ears of the hearers. Father, for those who have some question in their heart about this subject, I pray that you will resolve that with the gentleness of your love, your kindness, your goodness, and your mercy today, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Why We Trust God

So we’ve got this issue called controversialness. The title to the message is this: Why We Trust God. I know your next question is, who’s “we”? (laughter) Who is the “we” in this, Miss Shirley?

Well, let me tell you who the “we” are. We are those men and women, boys and girls, who at some point in time in our lives discovered that we couldn’t do life by ourselves, that we didn’t know the right way and it just wasn’t working. And we dropped our spirit of pride, and we said to ourselves and to the God who made us:

“Lord, help me. I repent of my sins, and I ask you to come and be Lord of my life. Lead me, guide me, teach me, show me, help me, strengthen me - and I will follow you all the days of my life.”

And we became believers. That’s the “we” - we believers. We are the ones who can make this statement and answer it: why we trust God.

But if you’re sitting here - we are people who basically consist of three things in this life. We have experiences. Some of the experiences that we have are good, and some of the experiences that we have are terrible. I’ve been hit by five trucks - I can tell you all five of them were terrible. (laughter) I made it out alive, unscathed. Tore up some cars. But those were bad experiences. But we have some good experiences too.

We have encounters - good ones and not-so-good ones. And we are exposed to things - some things good and some things not. But we have experiences, encounters, and exposures.

Now, some of those experiences, encounters, and exposures happen because of the decisions that we make. Some of the stuff you experience, you can’t blame it on anybody. Just go look in the mirror and say, “You know what? You’re in this mess because of you.” (laughter) True. Own it. When that’s the case, just own it. And if you are one of the “we,” repent. If you’re not one of the “we,” become one of the “we” so you can repent today.

Some of those things that we experience, encounter, and are exposed to are because of the decisions that other people make. You don’t get to choose, but because of your proximity to those people, you may get to experience something wonderful, or you may get to experience something not so wonderful.

But in it all, can I tell you that regardless of what you experience, what you’re exposed to, and what you encounter, God Almighty - the only entity in the universe and earth that we live and exist in - is without a doubt worthy of trust.

I am flabbergasted, appalled, shocked, amazed, and confused - all of that and some more - when somebody sits down across from me and says, “Well, Pastor Shirley, I just don’t know if I can trust God.” You know what I want to say? Get back. ’Cause if that’s contagious, I don’t want that on me. Scoot back. Scoot way over there and say that you don’t trust God. What? You don’t trust God? God is the one you want to pick on in this?

Really? You want to pick on God? The only entity that sent his Son to the cross, died, shed blood for you, rose from the dead, went to heaven, sits at the right hand of God, and ever lives to pray and intercede for you - and in your mess, the only person that you can be mad at is God?

I hope I can change your mind today about that. If there’s anything that we need to do as believers, it’s know that we can trust God.

Learning From the Scriptures

So turn to Romans chapter 15, verse 4. Let me give you my first scripture of the message.

For whatsoever things were written before time were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

When I read the Bible, this is what I’m looking for - the things that have been written before time, for us to learn. I’m trying to learn how to live like God wants me to live, how to be like God wants me to be, how to say what God wants me to say. That’s why I’m reading the Bible. Some people want to read the Bible for facts - I’m not opposed to facts. Some people want to read the Bible for the languages. Some people want to read the Bible for the genealogy. Okay, no problem.

But this scripture says that the things that were written before time were written for us to learn from, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. I’m looking for hope. Why, Pastor Shirley? Because I need it.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for. No hope, no faith. You can’t ride a train without a rail. No rail, no train. No hope, no faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. Have faith in God. We got to have faith, so we got to have some hope. Find some hope somewhere - the Bible says we find it in the scriptures. So that’s what I’m looking for.

Why we trust God. Okay, next, let me define trust for you.

Trust is the result of deep, intimate, ongoing, consistent, regular communion with God.

Let me say it again: trust is the result of deep, intimate, ongoing, consistent, regular communion with God. That sounds like every day and every night, every week, every month, every year. There should not be times in our lives when we are not communing with God.

I’m going to tell you - when I was younger, I did not just turn my kids over to anybody, a stranger. I hope you don’t do that either. If I don’t trust you, the last thing you were going to get was my kids. The next thing I didn’t trust you with was my money. (laughter) You didn’t get my kids, and you didn’t get my money. And if I didn’t trust you, you didn’t cook for me. (laughter) I’m just saying, that might not be so hard these days. I might not need to know you as well - just tell me where you cooked it. (laughter)

We trust God because he is worthy of our trust. He’s worthy.

Point One: God Cannot Lie

I’m going to give you three points about why we can trust God. The first point and reason why we can trust God is this: the Bible says God cannot lie. It’s not that he just doesn’t feel like it - that’s us. We’re not the “cannots” when it comes to lying. We can lie. That is not us when it comes to the “cannots.” We can. We don’t, and we shouldn’t. But if you are a “cannot” liar, put your hand up in here. (laughter) Good thing you were smart enough. Now put your hand up for that, ’cause you would be lying.

You can lie. But Numbers chapter 23, verse 19, from the King James Version reads:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

God is not a man that he should lie. He can’t. Some people say “cain’t” - if you’re from the south, you say “cain’t.” I’m from the south, so sometimes I get stuck on it. But I mean cannot.

Then you go over to Titus 1:1–2, and it reads:

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.

Do you see that - “in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie”? This is the Bible telling us this, y’all. I’m not telling you that God can’t lie - I’m agreeing with what the Bible says. I’m not the author of this. God is the author of this.

And the first thing he wants us to know - listen - I cannot lie. If God was going to lie at any point in the existence of man - this is my opinion, just so you know - if he was ever going to lie, it seems like it would have been nice if he’d have lied in the Garden of Eden, right about the time Adam put that fruit in his hand and lifted it up to his mouth and was about to take a bite of it. I wish, if God was going to lie, that he would have lied then - knocked that fruit out of Adam’s hand and said, “Boy, didn’t I tell you not to eat that?”

But he didn’t. You know why? It would have made him a liar. He had said in Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness.” So man being like God means man had a chance to make a choice. The option was given by God to man to choose. And if God would have stopped Adam from eating that fruit, he would have been a liar. He would have said, “No, son, I changed my mind. I tried to give you the ability to make a choice, but you’re making a wrong choice here, so I’m going to take over and control this situation and stop you from eating that fruit.” But he didn’t - because he couldn’t. It would have made him a liar.

Stop getting mad at Adam. Talking about, “The first thing I get to heaven, I’m going up there and I’m going to talk to Adam.” No, you’re not going to say nothing - just hush. Leave Adam alone. (laughter) Maybe you ought to find a mirror up there first before you get all in Adam’s face, talking all that trash, ’cause somewhere in this life you were guilty too. Might not have been of the same thing, but you were guilty of something. So just put your little finger back in your pocket, look in the mirror, and zip those lips shut. Learn how to be silent when it’s time to be silent - and that would be a good time to be silent.

Just leave Adam alone, because what he did was what God promised him: he made a choice. It was a bad one, don’t get me wrong. It was a bad choice. But God would have had to be a liar in order for Adam not to have the right to make that bad choice.

One more scripture - Hebrews 6:17–18:

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie…

It was impossible. And you know the Bible says all things are possible with God, but then the Bible comes right back and says it is impossible. (laughter) You know, when I have a talk with God, I just say, “Excuse me, but this looks a little contradictory to me. Over here you said that nothing is impossible, but right here you said it was impossible.” So something is impossible - there’s one thing that is impossible according to this Bible. I mean, I didn’t write this. It is impossible for God to lie.

Do you want to contradict God on that? I’m asking ’cause I’m backing off. I’m going to say, “Okay, God, I believe you.” Over here it says nothing is impossible with God. But right here it says it is impossible for God to lie. And you know what? I believe that. And you should too.

You should believe that it is impossible for God to lie. If you do not believe that, it is going to make it very difficult for you to trust God - very, very, very difficult. The first thing you got to establish in your heart in order to trust God is that God is not a liar. If he said it in his Word, he meant it, and he will do it.

But surely, what happens when it don’t look like it? Doesn’t matter. What happens when it don’t feel like it? Doesn’t matter. What happens when it doesn’t line up? Doesn’t matter. God will never be guilty of lying because of your circumstances or situations. And the reason for that is because he gave us the same right that he has as God: to choose.

That’s the first thing. Get that settled in your heart - God is not a liar, because he cannot lie. Not just because he doesn’t - he cannot.

Point Two: Nothing Is Impossible With God

Let’s go over here now. This “nothing” is impossible with God. Man, if I was going on a trip and I didn’t know where I was going, and I didn’t know all the things I would need, and I was given the option to choose someone I thought was capable, intelligent, witty, brave, courageous, strong, interesting to go with me on this trip - I’d choose God. But not just because of all that stuff. I would choose God because of this:

Luke 1:37 - For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Don’t you want to be in the car with someone who has the ability for nothing to be impossible? Nothing is impossible with God. So that’s another truth you’ve got to get settled in your heart: no matter what you face, no matter what’s happening, no matter how bad it looks - and stuff can look bad in this earth - with God, all things are possible.

Genesis 18:14 - Is any thing too hard for the Lord?

There’s a lot of stuff too hard for me. I don’t even want to give you the list of things I think are just too difficult - I’d rather not mess with that. One of the difficulties I have is raising the hood of my car. If I need the hood raised, I take it to somebody who raises car hoods. (laughter) I drive up and say, “Look, can you check under the hood of my car? I hear something.” And they say, “Yes, ma’am, pull the car into here into the bay.” I give them the key, go sit down, and wait for them to come tell me what’s wrong. Why? Because that’s too difficult for me. But with God, nothing is impossible.

Job 42:2 (ESV) - I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Jeremiah 32:17 - Our Lord God, behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.

This is what kind of complexes me: how an individual who says he’s part of the “we” - I just defined who “we” are - how the person who says, “I believe in God, I believe that Jesus rose from the dead, I believe that Jesus sits at the right hand of God, I believe,” who says that, and then says, “I don’t know if I can trust God” - I don’t get that.

And in a way, I’m kind of glad, because I guess if I got it, I’d have to be like that. So I’m kind of glad some stuff I don’t get. I’m not mad that I don’t get some stuff, ’cause in order to get some stuff, you have to think like that, be like that, function like that, navigate and maneuver in life like that. Some stuff I’m just fine not getting - I leave it right there on the shelf.

I don’t get how human beings who have zero access to making all things impossible - who did not create the earth, who did not put the stars in the sky, the sun in the sky, and make the whole thing go around and around for eons of time - sit down in front of another incapacitated human being (laughter) and impress them with this statement: “I just don’t know if I can trust God.”

I hope I’m not being too harsh on you. What I’m hoping is that when you leave here, you say to God, “Set a watch over my mouth, and deal with my heart, so that no matter what I go through, no matter what I experience, no matter what I encounter, no matter what I’m exposed to, my God, I will trust you. Not because of what I’m going through or not going through - I trust you because you are the only entity that is worthy of trust.” Without doubt.

You get in the habit of saying, “I don’t trust God, I don’t trust God, I don’t trust God” - you’re feeding that into your spirit. Then you get in trouble, and you think you’re going to crawl out of that saying the same thing? Knock that off. Stop it. Don’t do that. Quit. Repent. Turn from that, and say:

“God, I don’t understand, but I trust you. I don’t feel it, but I trust you. I don’t see it, but I trust you. God, I make this decision - I make this decision to trust you.”

I’d rather make a decision to trust God and not understand the outcome than to not trust him. I’m going to give an account for that. I believe one day I’m going to sit across from God Almighty, and he’s going to have some questions for me concerning how I did or did not trust him. I just don’t think it should be easy.

You know, my mother used to say, when we were kids, “Who spilled this milk?” And all of us would say, “I didn’t.” Well, she knew somebody did. And so she’d start calling names - “Deb, did you do this?” “No, ma’am.” “Ann, did you do this?” “No, ma’am.” “Stacy, did you do this?” - about the fourth child, she’d say, “Wait a minute - which one of y’all is calling me a liar?” (laughter) Because to her, for all of us to say no one in the house did it, she’s the liar. And I did not want to be guilty of calling my mother a liar to her face. She would get the answer before it was over - all the innocent ones going, “I didn’t do it, and if you did it, you better tell right now, ’cause you’re going to get her whooping and our whooping too.” So the guilty one would come up and say, “Okay, I only want one whooping.” (laughter) We were like, thank God we got down to the truth.

Jeremiah 32:27 - Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

We have no reason, people, no reason not to trust God.

And if for some reason you’ve been through something - listen, I wish I could say that I don’t understand hard times. (laughter) I wish I could say that. But you know what I’d have to do? Lie. I understand difficult times. I’ve had them. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to be broken, to be hurting, to be confused, to be wavering, to be wandering, to be wobbly, to be wishy-washy, to be without hope, to be lost, to be in the dark, to not feel it, to not get it, to not understand it. But let me tell you what I have not been - and that is tempted, in the midst of that, to say to God, “I don’t trust you.” I just wasn’t spiritually raised that way. Thank you to my pastors. I just wasn’t raised that way spiritually, to say, “God, I don’t trust you.”

The Word Made Flesh

All right, we’re going to read for a minute. Let’s go to the book of John - not the little Johns, the Gospel of John. John chapter 1, beginning at verse 1, down through verse 14.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

I’m going to read that again. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So if in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, then God was the Word, and the Word was God. Am I right? Good, I’m glad we got some agreement on that.

The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And look at verse 14:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.

I wish verse 14 was verse two! In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. Who was the Word that was made flesh? Yes. Amen.

So then from those two scriptures we can conclude: in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So God is the Word, and the Word is God. Jesus is the Word, and God and Jesus are all the Word. And - I don’t have this scripture written down, but it comes from John 4:24 - it says God is spirit. So if God is the Word, God is the spirit, God is Jesus. (laughter) It’s in the book. I’m not making this up.

In the beginning was the Word, the Word with God, and the Word was God, and God was the Word, and the Word was God, and Jesus was the Word, and Jesus - God was the Word - and the spirit is the Word, and the Word is the spirit. My God, it looked to me that God, Jesus, the Spirit, and the Word are all one. And I guess so, because in Genesis 1:26 he said, “Let us.” He didn’t say, “Let me.” He said, “Let us make man.” I guess he needed Jesus’s help, the Spirit’s help, his own help, and the Word’s help. Well, if he needed all that, don’t we? And we have the nerve not to trust it. Uh-uh. I’m backing up from that.

Jesus Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Okay, we got that found. Now let’s go see what Jesus says about this. Turn to John chapter 14, verse 6. This is Jesus himself. In the King James Version, anytime you see the writing in that color - what color is it? Red. Who’s speaking? Jesus. So this is red. It’s not Pastor Shirley talking here, ’cause this is red.

Jesus said unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”

He didn’t say he was going to tell the truth. That’s not what he said. He didn’t say, “I am the way, and I tell the truth.” He could have said that, but that’s not what he said. He said, “I am the way. I am the truth.”

And in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. So the Word was the truth, and the truth was the Word, and the Word is the truth, and the truth is the Word, and Jesus is the Word, and God is the Word, and the Spirit is the Word, and the Word is the truth. You cannot separate them any more than you can separate your spirit, your soul, and your body from those three components. You cannot.

Anytime you read the Word, you’re listening to God. You’re listening to Jesus, listening to the Spirit of God. And they are all worthy, highly worthy, to be trusted at all times.

Examples of Trust: Gideon, Daniel, and the Fiery Furnace

Okay, I got a few minutes, so let me go over to the book of Esther. I had to pick one, because Gideon was a man who, to me, really trusted God. God told him to shrink his army down - the other army had something like 300,000 soldiers, and he had like 30,000. Even 30,000 against 300,000 wasn’t going to be enough anyway. And then God said, “No, send some of them home. Tell everyone to go down to the river and drink water, and whoever does this and doesn’t do that, tell them to go home.” Well, when they finished, send them all out.

But if I was one of those soldiers in an army looking at 300,000 soldiers, I’m like, hold up, I think I’m going home too, ’cause there is no way we can win this battle. But Gideon - tell me he didn’t trust God. He would have been the first one to drop his rocks and leave - why? Because that, my friend, is impossible. But what is impossible with man is possible with God, which makes God worthy to be - trusted.

Let’s look at Esther - this is the one I chose because I think that’s all the time I have. And don’t forget about Daniel - he prayed three times a day. They said, “Stop praying, boy, or we’ll throw you in the lion’s den.” Daniel prayed harder. And they threw him in the lion’s den. (laughter) Tell me you didn’t trust God if you’re going to get thrown in a lion’s den and keep praying anyway.

How about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? “Bow to this statue right now, or you’re going to burn, boys.” “We ain’t bowing, bro. We ain’t bowing, no sir. Throw us in the fire - go ahead.” They did too. They threw them in. They weren’t bound - they were walking around. And there’s a fourth man in the fire. You want to know why that fourth man showed up? Because those boys trusted God. God will show up when you trust him. He’ll show up for you too. Just trust him. I know it looks hard. I know it looks impossible. But just trust him. Determine in your heart that you’re going to trust him.

Esther’s Trust

All right, Esther chapter 4, we’re going to start reading at verse 9.

And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

Mordecai was Esther’s uncle. Esther was an orphan - her parents had died, but her uncle Mordecai raised her and taught her in the things of God. So Esther grew up with someone who mentored her in trusting God. So here comes this situation:

Then Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai: All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live. But I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

If the king does not send for you, you don’t get to go bouncing up into the king’s throne room. I guess for us that would be our office - if you didn’t get called to the office, you don’t come in the office unless you get called. Esther knew better, and she told the guy, “Go tell my uncle, I don’t know what he’s tripping about, but what he’s telling me to do is against the law.”

And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, “Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer: “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”

Now, this is what Romans 15:4 is about right here - the things that were written for a time, written for our learning. This was written for us to learn about this - this young girl, not some big giant man who could go in there and threaten the king. We’re talking about a young girl who had been chosen for her beauty. She wasn’t even chosen for the strength she exhibited in her spirit by trusting God. She was chosen for her looks. But I want you to know, when the rubber hit the road, it wasn’t what was on the outside that mattered - it was what was on the inside of Esther that mattered, and it was her trust.

God, if this generation could get that. My God, it’s what’s on the inside. We got to learn that trusting God is not controversial - not to a believer. It shouldn’t be.

Closing Challenge

If you find yourself in a place where you think it’s difficult to trust God, come talk to me - I’ll help you. I’ll help shake you out of that before I let you sit too close to me. (laughter) Not trusting God is contagious. You know the Bible says be careful about the company that you keep - bad company corrupts good manners. Not trusting God is bad company.

This is my goal: that you leave here today searching your heart. Don’t leave here trying to figure out what I was saying - leave here saying to God, “Where in my life do I not trust you?” And then say, “God, help me. I repent. Please forgive me. Strengthen me to the place where I can live, exhibiting - not just mouthing, but exhibiting - my trust in you.”

Closing Prayer

Bow your heads.

Father, we thank you for this word today. We thank you for this time together. Lord, we just ask that you solidify this word in our hearts. Strengthen us, Father, with what we need to be convicted by our lack of trust for you. Cause us, by the Spirit that lives and dwells on the inside of us, to rise up against a heart that is untrusting to you. Forgive us for that. Wash us. Cleanse us, God. And help us - help us to be men and women who not only say we trust you, but help us to be men and women who exhibit that we trust you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.