Learning to Depend Upon God

How to Trust God Like We Should

Matthew 27:42,43

February 9, 2014 AM

Pastor Craig Ledbetter

Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland

www.biblebc.com

I. Introduction (Psalm 91:2) Moses wrote, “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.”

A. What a strong word, TRUST.

1. Faith is often so abstract, so hard to define.

2. But TRUST, well, that is a lot more to the point!

B. It means to depend upon God. To rely upon Him, to allow Him to hold you, when there is nothing else that will!

C. We depend on many things in life.

1. We depend upon just about everything around us

a. We depend on food, water, air, and a properly functioning body to stay alive. We depend upon these physical things. We depend on these things because they are essential for the continuation of our lives.

b. We depend upon many more things too

1) On people, on gravity, on the sun to be there in the sky every day

2) On our parents, our spouses, our cars, our government, our courts

2. But, if you haven’t noticed, everything we usually depend upon, fails; things break, stop working, everyone lets us down at some point

3. Well, self-help gurus try to get people to learn to “rely upon themselves” – what a joke!

D. I am here to get you to learn to rely upon Someone perfectly dependable! The Lord God Almighty! The God who made heaven and earth!

1. It would be a whole lot easier to get you to rely more on yourself – it is so popular, and sounds so good!

2. But, that changes nothing! YOU will fail yourself the most of all

3. People need a solid rock to stand upon, a refuge, a fortress to rely upon and depend upon!

4. That Rock is not some church, or religious group – it is Jesus the Messiah!

5. And Moses declares in both Psalms 90 and 91 that Jesus is someone we can completely trust and rest safely in!

E. What does it mean to Trust in the Lord?

1. As I already said, To depend upon Him for everything – to rely on Him

2. To close your eyes, and know that He is watching over you, and caring for you, and working everything out for your good!

3. No matter what circumstances you are currently experiencing

F. Trusting God does NOT mean (looking at the life of Jesus Christ, Matthew 27:42,43):

1. That there will be no problems in your life

2. That there will be no disappointments, or heartaches

3. That you will never experience lack, or hunger, or loss

4. That there will be no failures in your life

5. NO! Trust actually INVITES all of these things, and MORE!

a. Matthew 8:19,20 Trusting God did not guarantee Jesus a home, hostel, B&B, or even tent to come to at the end of a day.

b. 2Cor 4:8-10 Trusting God did not protect the apostle Paul from a whole load of hardships and troubles

c. 2Cor 11:23-29

6. AND, trusting God does NOT mean you have nothing to do!

a. Oh no! When you starting trusting God like you were meant to, you will find yourself working harder than most everyone else around you (1Cor 15:10)

b. You see, God is no substitute for our responsibilities – He will not do what we refuse to do

c. Some people pray instead of get a job to pay their bills

d. Some people read their Bibles when they should be fixing dinner

e. Some people want all the blessings of God without a consistent walk with God

7. A praying man, who is trusting God will still have to work, plan, pray, strive, wrestle, do without, hunger, lack, experience disappointments and even failure – even the loss of everything (as Job did)

G. Trusting God However, DOES mean:

1. Relying on God, as Jesus did, as Job did, as Joseph in prison in Egypt did, as Shadrach Meshach and Abednego did, as Ruth did, as Hezekiah did, as David did

a. Relying on His will – as perfect

1) For a wife, a husband, children, or no children

2) As a chemist, chiropractor, or pastor

b. Relying on His answer when you pray – often it is NO! Trusting God means rejoicing with the No’s from God as much as the Yes’s!!!

c. Relying on His sufficiency – that HE is all you need, even when you are desperately searching and seeking out something else stronger, or better!

1) Example with cigarettes

2) Example when lonely

3) Example when weak

4) Example when poor

d. Relying on His character – that He will only do… Right, and Marvellous things

e. Relying on His timing – we can’t predict what’s about to happen, but we can trust knows and is in control

f. Relying on His ways of doing things (Ps 95:10)

g. Relying on His wisdom (goes with His will) – constantly ask Him what you should do (James 1:5)

h. When you depend upon God, you are trusting that al of those things will work out!

1) His will for you is right – is the best choice

2) His answers to your requests are perfect

3) His sufficiency is enough

2. Staying the Course (John 18:10,11)

a. Trust God enough to stay the course all the way

b. Be a continuing Christian! Not a Jalopy

1) Someone that starts off good

2) But quickly falls apart and quits because inside there is nothing working

3. Enduring the Struggle to do things God’s way (1Tim 4:10)

a. It is hard to trust God – doesn’t come easy

b. It is not natural to trust what you cannot see – it is natural to panic

c. It is hard doing everything, God’s way, trusting that his way is best

1) Loving your mate, your enemies even

2) Forgiving

3) Working – trusting God will help you pay your bills

4) Joying, instead of complaining

d. It’s tough being a Christian widow (1Tim 5:5)

e. It’s tough being a Christian wife (1Peter 3:5)

f. It is tough for every believer (Prov 3:5)

4. Drawing Nigh to God – getting very close to Him (Psalm 73:28) – such a secret!

a. Praying, a constant walk with God

b. Worship

c. Staying close to God – cleaving (clinging) to Him

d. More and more and more, not less and less and less!

5. Accepting Suffering (Job 2:7-10)

a. Suffering DOESN’T surprise a believer

b. We expect it!

6. Not worrying About Death (Philippians 1:21)

7. Always being full of Hope – seeing things from God’s viewpoint (Psalm 71:5)

H. The challenge is to Trust God with ALL our heart (Proverbs 3:5)

I. Why? Trusting God Has Priceless Benefits

1. Perfect peace and rest through whatever you are going through – no more fear (Psalm 112:7; Isaiah 26:3)

2. The mercy of God (Psalm 32:10)

3. Spiritual blessings that far outweigh all physical blessings

a. Like absolute and perfect forgiveness that no human could ever give you

b. Like the filling of the Holy Spirit of God AS you trust God

c. Like the confidence that God will work all things together for good

II. Conclusion

A. What a strong word, TRUST!