Trust - The Forgotten Word

Introduction

Who do you trust? Trust is on the decline. No one trusts anyone anymore. We have become a highly skeptical society. Why is trust on the decline today? The answer lies in last week's message. We don't value truth. Truth and trust go together. There is only one alphabetical letter of difference between the words truth and trust. You trust those who tell the truth and you don't trust those who do not. If you buy into the line, "There is no absolute truth," that means one thing, you can trust absolutely no one. The lack of trust in today's world causes unbelievable problems. We were created to be a person of trust. That is how God made you. He created you with the capacity to trust so you could have a relationship with Him. That is the first room in the house we are constructing. Last week we built the infrastructure. It is truth. Today, we will start adding the rooms. The first room is trust. Trust in God is a very important part of a value system that leads to success. Look at Psalms 5:11. There are three areas of trust I want us to study this morning. Lets get started.

I. The Problems associated with trusting anyone more than God

A. Trusting the Wrong Thing

If you don't trust God, you will create something or someone in whom you can trust. It may be your bank account. It may be your own abilities. It may be your career. It just could be your hobby. Anything I trust more than God, or anyone I value more than God has become an idol in my life. The 2nd commandment tells us we are not to make idols. There are only negative affects when we trust anything or anyone more than God. Trusting anything more than god only leads to disappointment. Anytime you expect other people or things to meet a need in your life that only God can meet, you will end up being disappointed. Good things can become idols.

Marriage is good, but anytime you look to any single person or any single thing in life to meet all your needs, you are going to be let down.

When people are thinking of things that will make their life complete they say things like:

"If I could just get married."

"If I could just win this award."

"If I could just have this job."

"If I could make this amount of money."

B. Whatever we Trust becomes Our God

Actually, whatever we trust more than God becomes our god and controls us. Make a list of the most important things in your life. Whatever is first on that list controls our lives. Only God is wise enough   to do that. We create idols because we want a God we can control. We reduce God down, so we can control him. We decide where and when we want Him. As one pastor put it, "We don't want a God, we want a genie." He goes on to say, "I don't want a God to worship and love; I just want a God who  loves me and will allow me to do whatever I want regardless of whether it is right or wrong."

A very important question we must answer is, "Do I exist for God, or does God exist for me?" God said, "I am going to make man in my image." Now we say, "I am going to make God in my image."

Just this week I heard on The Discovery Channel a man describe how everyone will be resurrected one day. It will be a computer accomplishment. The universe will be duplicated, and everyone who has ever lived will be brought back by computer simulation to his or her part of the universe.

C. Trusting false Gods is Nothing New

Man's attempt to create the kind of god he wants is nothing new. The Roman Empire did it. If you liked to party and get drunk you could worship a god named Bacchus, the god of drink. If you wanted to have sex with anyone you wanted, anytime you wanted, you could worship a god called Venus. If a god didn't fit, you could make up one. Today is no different.

II. The reasons we find it difficult to trust God

A. We Don't Know God

If it brings such joy to trust Him, why don't we? We don't really trust God if we don't know God. You don't trust somebody you don't know. If you don't know God and what He's really like you will never trust Him.

When God says, "Love your neighbor..." You will say, "What do you mean, I don't even know my neighbor and besides I must look out for me."

When God says, "Sex outside marriage is wrong," you'll say, "Who are you to tell me what to do with my body."

When God says, "Make me a part of your financial planning and don't forget the first of what you make belongs to me," you'll say, "Yeah, sure I will, as soon as I win the million dollar sweepstake."

When you know God, and how much you matter to Him, and what He has in store for your life and the fact He has your very best interest at heart, always, you will have no problem following what He says.

B. We have wrong Images of God

One thing that keeps us from really knowing God is the wrong images we have of Him. He is a cosmic cop just waiting for you to mess up. He is a celestial Santa Claus that says anything you do is ok. He is "the force" - star wars type god. The movie is great; the theology is bad. What really matters is not what I think God is like, but what He says He is like.

III. The reasons I can trust God

A. He always tells me the Truth

There are reasons I can trust Him. We can count on Him, because He always tells the truth. He is the truth. "You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free," said Jesus.

Jesus also said, "I am the truth..." We can count on Him, the bible says, because it is impossible for Him to lie. Is there anything God cannot do? He cannot lie. He cannot violate his nature. God will continue to tell the truth when every person is false. What God says may not always be popular. What God says may not always be easy. What God says will always be right.

B. He Loves Me

I can trust Him because God loves me. The bible is a love letter made up of 66 love notes. Jesus is the picture of God's love. You give your life to God and you'll not lose your freedom. You'll not stop having fun.

C. He Is In Control

I can trust God because He is in control. God is working His plan and purpose in history. He is moving history to a historical climax. It seems like our world is out of control. There is so much evil out there. God doesn't cause evil. He created us with free wills and we bring evil into the world. You have freedom, but it is not unlimited freedom. For every choice there is a consequence. One day Jesus will make all wrongs right.

D. He Will Give Me The Help I Need

God will give to me the help I need. Proverbs 3: 5-6 "Trust in the lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." To gain God's help we must depend on His viewpoint not ours.

Larry king and his daughter, Kea, were being interviewed. Kea was asked, "What is the best and the worst thing about your dad?" She replied, "The best thing is he still has his feet on the ground. He is the same person he was before becoming famous." What about the worst? "It's that he doesn't have a sense of peace about his life. I wish he could find that center of peace. For himself." Larry king was asked, "Is that true?" King responded that his daughter was right. "I don't have a sense of peace. In fact I am looking for that peace even more seriously as I get older. I've interviewed all the world's religious leaders many times and I know there must be something out there, but I've never taken that step of faith." For all those who are like Larry King, Jesus says,

"Trust me. Don't be afraid."

Conclusion

The platform of our church is pretty high up. I am surprised I haven't fallen off it yet. I can't tell you the times I have watched little children stand on the steps and dads or moms stand there and say, "Jump, I'll catch you." Time and again, little children have inched closer to the edge. They want to jump, but they are afraid. Finally, they do. You wrap your arms around them, hug them, and often they squeal with delight. I have never seen one parent yank their arms back before the child reached them. (If they did, I'd pound them.) What I am talking about today is for those who have never come to God. Maybe it's that you've been burned in the past with the wrong image of God. You may have grown up in a religious environment that taught you a very wrong view of God and you are afraid of Him. Maybe you have been taught you don't need God; that you can handle everything. Jesus wants you to jump today.

I am also talking to Christians. Maybe you have been one for years, but you've never given some things to God. You can put your job, marriage, singleness, finances, your sexuality, your personality, and all other matters into His hands. Today, God wants you to jump as well - He promises to catch you!