Trusting God!
My text tonight is somewhat unusual when you think about trusting God. However, I find in this Psalm a resounding utterance of a God you can count on. A God you can trust. Close your eyes for a moment and just listen while I read to you the 19th Psalm. As I read, I want you to hang on to the words that grip your heart with the assurance that God is our sovereign King.
Psalms 19
19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
NIV
Okay, you can open your eyes again.
It amazes me sometimes how much we struggle to trust God. Over and over and over again God makes us some pretty wonderful promises in scripture. ("Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt 11:28).
("Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matt 7:7).
(…in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6)
(Philippian 4:13)
On and on it goes – promise after promise, yet we struggle to trust God in even the simplest matters of our life.
God created you. He created you for His purpose. If even the heavens and nature declare His glory and demonstrate His handiwork, then you and I should be able to find assurance enough to trust Him.
I want to challenge you to trust God in 7 areas of your life.
I. Trust Him with your finances
a. Tithing
b. Managing your money (parable of talents)( Prov 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.)
c. Lots of wealth makes a good person better and a bad person worse. (rich young man unwilling to sell all), (…the love of money…)
II. Trust Him in your business dealings
a. Proverbs 11 is one of many places that talks about dealing fairly with others in business. Some of the advice in chapter 11:
i. Don’t cheat your customers v. 1
ii. Let integrity be your guide v. 3
iii. Business thrives easier for the righteous v. 5
iv. Evil desires will trap you v. 6
v. Power is useless for a wicked business man v. 7
vi. When the righteous prosper people rejoice. When the wicked businessman dies the people shout for joy. (Martha) v. 10
vii. Wicked men earn deceptive wages, while the righteous earn a sure reward v. 18
viii. Stinginess leads to poverty v. 24 - 26
III. Trust Him in your occupation
a. Example of Nehemiah – King’s cupbearer becomes the architect that rebuilds Jerusalem and the hopes of a defeated people.
b. God has a purpose for you in your job. It’s not just to make a living for you and your family. It is to give Him glory. How can you glorify God in the job you have right now?
IV. Trust Him with your social relationships (friends)
a. Ps 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (the living bible says – hang around with sinners)
b. Does that mean that we ignore and even shun those around us that are sinners? Absolutely not! This passage is really saying that we shouldn’t hang out with sinners and act sinful while we’re with them.
V. Trust Him in your family relationships (spouse and children)
a. It’s not easy to keep a family together today. Everybody has busy agendas. What do you do when you feel like your family is coming apart at the seams? You trust God to keep it together.
b. The 78th Psalm tells us to teach our children the Word of God and His statutes. By doing so they will teach their children and they will teach their children. And so on and so on that they will learn to “trust God”.
VI. Trust Him with your worries and fears
a. John 14:1 - "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
b. Rom 8:15 - For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship
VII. Trust Him in your Christian service.
a. Prov. 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.
b. the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say. When Moses was too fearful to lead the people of Israel, God told him that he would teach him what to say. Jesus instructed the disciples that when they were arrested, not to worry about what to say, because the Holy Spirit would tell them what to say.
Think about God’s attributes and character for a second.
God has a limitless supply of love – You can trust Him! There is no barrier that can hinder Him from pouring out blessing on you. He doesn’t have to call for help, and you can’t confuse Him. I’m telling you, you can trust Him!
He can satisfy all your needs. He supplies strength for the weak. He is there to rescue the tempted and tried. He sympathizes with the broken hearted. He heals the sick. He forgives sinners. He defends the feeble. He rewards the diligent. Oh, yeah. You can trust Him.
