Jump Start # 898

Psalms 31:14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.”

The core value of all relationships is trust. When trust is present, the relationship soars. This is true in a marriage. The marriage relationship grows richer and stronger because of trust. This is true between parents and children. This is true between friends. This is true in regards to our faith in God. The more we trust God the greater our faith and the richer the relationship becomes.

Trust isn’t a given. It is based upon promises made and promises kept. It is built upon experiences with a person. The death blow to all trust is lying. When a parent discovers that their teenager has been lying to him, he begins to question and doubt everything that is said. Trust has been shattered. When a person finds out that a friend has been dishonest with him, there will be distance in that relationship. Trust is the key here.

I have been preaching a series of lessons based upon Psalms 23—the Shepherd’s Psalm. We all know that passage very well. The underlying core value that runs through that passage is trust. The sheep trust the shepherd. The journey to green pastures, quiet waters, and dark valleys is a journey of trust. We don’t do something if we have doubts or fears. We hear a guy at work talking about a quick way to make some money. He tells us that it is a sure thing. Red flags come up. It sounds shady. We don’t have a good feeling about it. We won’t do it. Why? Lack of trust.

Our passage today is about trusting God. There are reasons to trust God.

• He is faithful in what He says. God can be counted upon because He is true to what He says.

• He has shown Himself to be trustworthy. He has been there. The pages of the Bible are much more than neat stories, ancient history, or things to talk about in a Bible class, they are records and proof of God’s character with various people. We see God in action. We see that He can be trusted.

• He longs for us to believe Him and follow Him. God has left a path of reasons and evidence to believe in Him. He wants us to trust Him because He knows trust is essential for our faith to excel.

Trust God. Trust God’s word. Trust God’s promises. Trust what God says about the future. Trust what God says about forgiveness and salvation. When someone comes along and tells you that a passage doesn’t mean what it says, be careful. When someone says that he has some new insight that changes the way it has always been taught, be careful. There has always been something new, different, exciting and challenging that chips away at the trust we have in God and His word.

Do you trust God will never give you more than you can handle? Some doubt that.

Do you trust that God can forgive you of all your sins? Every one of them. Some doubt that.

Do you trust that God can change you? Some doubt that.

Do you trust that God can use you for good? Some doubt that.

Do you trust that God will never abandon you? Some doubt that.

Do you trust that God wants you in Heaven? Some doubt that.

Is it any wonder that some don’t feel close to God? The problem isn’t God, it’s a trust factor.

This trust with God is built upon the Bible. This is where we find the proof of God. This is where we see God in action. This is where hope is founded. The more Bible we have in us, the greater our faith and the stronger our trust is in God. When the storms of life move in, it is those who trust God that will survive spiritually. God will provide. God will guide. God will be there. They know that. They trust God.

Trust God.

Roger