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Definitions of Trust from Dictionary.com:

1. Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.
2. Reliance on something in the future; hope.
3. To have or place reliance; depend: Trust in the Lord.
4. To have or place confidence in; depend on, to believe.
5. To expect with assurance; assume: I trust that you will be on time.

“Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us.” - Jerry Bridges

Should I trust myself? John 15:5 – I can’t do anything without Jesus.

Why should I trust our Father? Because He is:

1. Psalm 36:6-7 – Our unfailing lover, providing shelter
2. Psalm 95:3-5 – Above all gods, The Creator
3. Psalm 98:2-3 – Righteous, merciful, & Faithful
4. Isaiah 26:4 – Our Eternal Rock
5. Micah 7:17-18 – Forgiving, with unfailing love
6. Nahum 1:7 – Our strong refuge in trouble
7. Romans 8:38-39 – Our sticky lover
8. Romans 11:33 – Full of wisdom and knowledge
9. Ephesians 2:4-5 – Our abundantly merciful lover
10. 1 John 3:1 – Our loving Father who adopts us as His sons & daughters

So just do it -- trust our Father Jehovah, and reap the results

1. Psalm 37:4-5 – Take delight, commit, trust… in our Father
2. Psalm 125:1 – Be as immovable as Mount Zion
3. Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust – Seek – Find
4. Proverbs 20:24 -- Jehovah directs our steps, so why try to understand everything?
5. Isaiah 26:3 -- Keep our minds stayed on Jehovah to receive peace
6. Isaiah 40:31 – Find new strength – Sore like an eagle – Increase your energy…
7. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Be joyful. Keep praying. Be thankful – always!
8. 2 Timothy 2:10 – Be willing to endure anything…

As a result of extreme trust, what does Jesus give us that the world cannot give? John 14:27 – Peace!

“The Father’s presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world. Here was His source of comfort, and [so] it is for us. He who is imbued (permeated or saturated) with the Spirit of Christ, abides (dwells, rests, continues, stands firm) in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him falls upon the Savior, who surrounds him with His presence (hugged by Jesus). Whatever comes to him comes from Christ. He has no need to resist evil, for Christ is his defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord’s permission, and ‘all things’ that are permitted ‘work together for good to them that love God. ’Romans 8:28.” (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing p71)

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Psalms 36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O [Jehovah], thou preservest man and beast. 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O [elohym]! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Psalms 95:3 For [Jehovah] is a great God, and a great King above all [elohym]s. 4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

Psalms 98:2 [Jehovah] hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. 3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our [elohym].

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in [Yəhôvâh] for ever: for in [Yâhh] JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Micah 7:17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of [Jehovah] our [elohym], and shall fear because of thee. 18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Nahum 1:7 [Jehovah] is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of [Jehovah], which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of [Jehovah]! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Ephesians 2:4 But [Jehovah], who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of [Jehovah]: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Psalms 37:4 Delight thyself also in [Jehovah]: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto [Jehovah]; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psalms 125:1 They that trust in [Jehovah] shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in [Jehovah] with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 20:24 Man's goings are of [Jehovah]; how can a man then understand his own way?

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee(Jehovah): because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon [Jehovah] shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of [Jehovah] in Christ Jesus concerning you.

2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

26-year-old Nancy’s life was fast falling apart when she approached Pastor Frank(Phillips). For 3 days in a row, Nancy kept coming back and pouring out all her troubles. Despite the previous attempts of several marriage counselors, her marriage was failing. She had her baby girl with her as she pleaded for help. This baby was Nancy and her husband’s final attempt to restore their marriage, but it wasn’t working.  Eventually, Pastor Frank said, “Nancy, here is something that could help. He handed her this quote in your handout from the little book “Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, page 71.

Check it out…

The pastor asked Nancy to take this quote with her, consider it, and come back the following day.

I must ask myself some similar questions:

1. Do I trust God enough allow myself, and even ask, to be saturated with the Spirit of Christ? What does the Bible says about Christ dwelling in us? See the worksheet on the back of this handout.
2. When painful things happen to me, do I trust God enough to believe that he has my backside – that He really won’t allow anything that is not for ultimate good? Jesus in Nazareth –Luke 4:14-30

Well, the following day, Nancy returned to see the pastor, along with her non-Christian husband. Pastor Frank told them that if just one of them would follow these principal’s their marriage could be saved and if both of them would do it they could have a relationship beyond what they thought was possible. Then he had prayer with them.

Nancy left with a firm commitment to accept everything that touched her life as coming from Christ. Her husband did not. In fact, he did everything he could to make her life a living hell. But Nancy remained committed to accept everything he dished out in a Christ-like manner, testing her character. It took 3 months for his heart to soften then they began to enjoy a relationship that they previously thought was impossible. It was as if heaven had opened up in their lives.

One day, Nancy and her husband decided to go sightseeing in the mountains and left the baby with her in-laws. Grandma laid the baby on the couch then sat down to read a book. Well, before long, they both fell asleep. When Grandma woke up, her granddaughter was eating the last of the pills that she had accidently left beside the couch. Grandma was paralyzed with fear – unable to do anything to help. When Nancy and her husband returned from their trip and entered the home, they quickly realized what had happened, picked up the pill bottle and the baby, who was now comatose, and rushed her to the emergency room. Within an hour the baby was dead.

Well, the news spread quickly. Members of Nancy’s church started coming to her home, offering their sympathies – which Nancy accepted. As a result, Nancy began to experience the same type of bitterness and resentment in her heart that she had experienced prior to meeting with Pastor Frank. It occurred to her that she had accepted everything that touched her life as coming from Christ – but not this. She went into her bedroom, fell to her knees, and confessed to God her lack of trust in Him. She was totally honest with God about her pain. She said, “I don’t like or understand why this happened, but I do trust You, Father. You know what you are doing. Please help my lack of trust.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang – more church members coming to offer their sympathies. Nancy raised her hand and said I don’t want to be rude or insensitive but I do not want your sympathies. I want you to understand that a year ago I gave my life and the life of my daughter to God. Please pray with me and praise God for working in our lives. Well, this same scenario played out a few more times, until word finally got out that Nancy did not want sympathy. This is EXTREME TRUST.

When Nancy’s in-laws came for a visit, they told Nancy that they had been watching her over the last year and had witnessed an incredible change in her life. They had seen no resentment in her over the death of her baby – which they did not understand. They said, “If God can work a transformation in your life like this, we believe He can do it in us too, can we come to church with you?” A short time later they took their stand in baptism.

Not long after that, when Nancy’s husband got home from work one day, he told Nancy that she was not the same girl that he had married. The change he had seen in her and his parents brought him conviction. He wanted the same experience. He too was later baptized as he began a born-again relationship with God.

Nancy said that the Holy Spirit convicted her that she would spend eternity with her husband, in-laws, and baby.

Just as the sun of the daytime melts butter and hardens clay, so does the Spirit of the Son of God use the trials of this world to strengthen our character, as we let Him. The question is, “Do we have the kind of trust in God that moves us to surrender all to Him?”

I wonder what difference it would have made if Nancy had made different choices……….?

I wonder what difference it would make if I were to always show extreme trust in God?

I wonder what difference it would make if we all were to show extreme trust in God? I suspect we would soon need a larger church – or an additional church…

Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power, both now and forever. Amen.

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