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SUNDAY SERVICE June 10, 2007 TRUST CONTINUALLY
SONG SERVICE LAST WEEKS MESSAGE WEDNESDAY'S STUDY
AMPLIFIED BIBLE PROVERBS 3: 5Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. GOD WANTS US TO TRUST HIM! What does trusting Him really mean? Here are some definitions: 1. Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing. 2. Custody; care. 3. Something committed into the care of another; charge. 4. Reliance on something in the future; hope. THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE DESCRIBES IT: (AMP) PROVERBS 16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. WE NEED TO TRUST GOD IN ORDER TO LIVE A PEACEFUL, WORRY FREE, AND JOYOUS LIFE, but we cannot trust what we don’t know. We need get to know God--not just know about Him. If we really understand God’s character, His power, and His intentions, we WILL trust Him. WE GET TO KNOW THIS THROUGH HIS WORD WHICH REVEALS HIS NATURE The only way to do this is to spend time with him and read his word—not just once and not just once in a while, but all the time. WE NEED OUR DAILY BREAD. Every day, we need the Word even more than we need our regular food so that, when thoughts rise up that threaten our faith, we can combat them with God’s Word. We can cast down every imagination. 2 Corinthians 10:5[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One), If we look at our experiences from GOD’S point of view---through His Word---and take our thoughts captive, we can battle all discouragement and win! Because God’s plan for our future is NOT a dismal one. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. Jeremiah 29:11(Message Bible) DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? YOU WILL BELIEVE IT IF YOU STAY IN HIS WORD. If we keep ourselves in God's Word and get to know it and Him, then God can bring these things to our remembrance when we need them--and, believe me--we are going to need them, because life will constantly barrage us with experiences that try our faith and thoughts will arise in even the most faithful believers that make us feel alone and vulnerable. I used to have a lot of problems with trusting completely, but after going through several crises, I absolutely had to learn to trust or I would go crazy (well craziER). Then, when I learned to start trusting, I was able to trust more for the big things and not the little things. I used to say that I could soar over a mountain and then trip over a piece of lint. I’d be able to handle a major financial crisis and then freak out if someone misjudged me. Ever happen to you? THIS PAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN A REAL LESSON IN TRUSTING GOD WITH EVERYTHING—FINANCES, HEALTH, LACK OF INSURANCE, FAMILY CRISIS…ETC, ETC. A while ago, I went through a financial crisis where every source of income seem to dry up at once. I learned a big lesson through this---an unusual one. You see, I trusted God, but my emotions were still affected. However, although I felt sick over it for a little while, I kept my mouth shut and didn’t utter anything negative. I decided that even though I felt awful, I was going to just pray for the right doors to open and go to sleep and see what happened. The next day, we had about six answers to prayer---a few new doors openED and a few that had shut re-opened. I thought to myself “I’m glad I didn’t waste time and energy on throwing a tantrum or a pity party. I would have made myself sick for nothing. But, I still felt guilty because I had felt emotionally sick over it briefly. Then, God spoke to me and reminded me that I always taught myself and others that you CANNOT base your actions on emotions. He said to me “You also cannot judge yourself on your emotions. You DID NOT act on them—you overcame them.” WHAT A REVELATION! THE DEVIL DOES NOT PLAY FAIR. HE WILL PUT THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND AND WAIT FOR YOU TO RESPOND. BUT, GOD IS WAITING TOO. IT IS NOT A SIN TO HAVE A THOUGHT GO THROUGH YOUR MIND. IT ONLY BECOMES SIN WHEN YOU ENTERTAIN IT AND DWELL ON IT---AND ACT ON IT. HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS THAT COME EVEN TO MATURE BELIEVERS EVERY NOW AND THEN. THEY ARE MEANT TO ATTACK AND UNDERMINE OUR TRUST. THEY ARE ALSO MEANT TO MAKE US FEEL GUILTY FOR THINKING THEM. DOES GOD REALLY SEE ME INDIVIDUALLY? DOES GOD REALLY CARE THAT I’M SICK—BROKE—HURTING…ETC? DOES HE REALLY CARE THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT ME OR MISJUDGING ME? HAS HE REALLY FORGIVEN ME FOR THE BAD THINGS I’VE DONE? YES, HE DOES—AND WE WILL BE ASSURED AND REASSURED OF THIS IF WE... 1. Stay in His Word 2. Stay in an attitude of thankfulness and praise 3. Pray instead of worry Philippians 4:6-7 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. 7And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall [d]garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. IN ANY KIND OF CRISIS, PRAYER NEEDS TO BE OUR FIRST RESPONSE—NOT OUR LAST RESORT. PRAYER THAT EXPECTS AN ANSWER AND ACTIONS THAT DON’T GET AHEAD OF GOD’S ANSWER. SOMETIMES WE DO THINGS OUT OF DESPARATION, BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID TO WAIT FOR GOD TO HANDLE THE SITUATION OR TELL US THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT. SO, WE LAUNCH HEADFIRST INTO DANGER. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BEING IN TOO MUCH OF A HURRY TO WAIT FOR GOD. But, we can’t wait till we’re in a crisis to come to God; we have to do it every day and all day long. We walk with God, we talk with God, we allow God to lead us. in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. HERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL SCRIPTURES ABOUT TRUSTING GOD! Amplified Bible PSALM 20:7Some trust in and boast of chariots and some of horses, but we will trust in and boast of the name of the Lord our God. Amplified Bible PSALM 28:7Some trust in and boast of chariots and some of horses, but we will trust in and boast of the name of the Lord our God. Amplified Bible PSALM 32:10Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness. Amplified Bible (AMP) PSALM 34:22The Lord redeems the lives of His servants, and none of those who take refuge and trust in Him shall be condemned or held guilty. Amplified Bible (AMP) PSALM 37:3Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. Amplified Bible (AMP) PSALM 37:5Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. Amplified Bible (AMP) PSALM 37:40And the Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they trust and take refuge in Him. Amplified Bible (AMP) PSALM 64:10The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust and take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory and offer praise. Amplified Bible (AMP) PSALM 84:12O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]! I pray that each of us will trust God more and more every hour of every day and that everything the enemy throws at us to cause us to stumble will just draw us closer to God and make us stronger, better and more trusting!
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