SERMON DATE AND TITLE: 2009-09-13 "Trust In the Lord"
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TRUST IN THE LORD
SERMON STARTER
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 shall direct your paths.”
This passage of scripture is a life verse for me. I learned it as a child and have referred to it at several of life’s crossroads. When a pastor preaches a message, he opens himself up in a transparent way. We do not always preach on a subject that we have perfected, but rather we preach out of our own need. In this sermon I am preaching to the choir, mainly myself. If you are having a struggle trusting God about some issues confronting you in life, then this sermon is for you as it is for me.
Blondin was a 19th century acrobat, famous for his tightrope act 160 feet above Niagra Falls on a two thousand foot rope. In 1860 a Royal party from Britain saw Blondin cross the tightrope on stilts, and again blindfolded. After that he stopped halfway and cooked and ate an omelette. Next he wheeled a wheelbarrow from one side to the other, and returned with a sack of potatoes in it. Then Blondin approached the Royal party. He asked the Duke of Newcastle, "do you believe I could take a man across the tightrope in this wheelbarrow?" "Yes, I do.” said the Duke. "Hop in, then,” replied Blondin. Well, the Duke declined Blondin's challenge. He might have believed Blondin could do it, but he wasn't about to trust him with his life. When it comes to God, the Duke’s belief is not much good to Him. God is looking for followers who will trust Him with their whole lives.
Pastor Phil <><<
Jean Francois Gravelot – “THE GREAT BLONDIN” (GRAVELETTE)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/30339/the_great_blondin_first_tightrope_walker.html?cat=46
September 13, 2009
Sheepfold Ministries, Pastor Phil Roland
TRUST IN THE LORD
PROVERBS 3:5,6
“People today are more prone to worrying that to trusting. Worry is an addiction that puts us temporarily in charge of the universe and fails us when we realize that only God is in charge. Put your whole heart into trusting Him.” Pastor Phil
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct (make straight) your paths."
FOUR TRAITS OF TRUSTING:
I. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
A. Faith defined: “PIS-TU-O” – Faith/Belief/Trust
1. Amplified Bible lists all three words
2. Strong’s Concordance – “To be bold, confident, secure”
B. Not just sincere belief
1. You can be sincere and be sincerely wrong
2. People involved in cults and sects are sincere
C. Not just assenting belief – James 2:19
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble!”
1. Amplified Bible
“You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as make a man's hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]!”
2. Demons fear God, but will not obey Him
3. They give intellectual assent to His existence and power
D. With all your heart – Acts 16:31
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
1. Paul and Silas to the Philippian Jailor
2. Trust that involves putting your whole heart into it
3. You will either have the peace of God or a piece of god
4. Get in Blondin’s wheelbarrow
5. Live with a complete and utter devotion to God
II. LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING
A. Do not be wise in your own eyes – Prov. 3:7
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.”
1. Subjective Truth – “In MY opinion. . .”
a. Self-Centered Justice - Judges 17:6
“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
b. America’s Biased Political System
2. Objective truth – “From God’s perspective”
TRUST IN THE LORD, cont., p2
a. Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer in John 17:23
“"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
b. God’s Word is His Truth – We must read it regularly
B. External vs. Internal Truth
1. Own Understanding = Man’s control
2. Worldly Rationalization – Greek philosophers
3. Cosmos – World System / World Order
C. Solomon was to be limited by the Laws of the Kings – Deut. 17
1. Do not multiply horses for yourself – v. 16
2. Do not multiply wives for yourself – v. 17
3. Do not multiply silver and gold for himself – v. 17b
4. Read God’s Laws every day – v.s. 18-20
C. Author, Solomon started well, but forgot to take his own advice
1. Acquired an army, equipped with Egyptian horses
2. Ended up with more than 1,000 women
a. 700 Wives
b. 300 Concubines
3. Built an opulent palace for himself, exceeded the Temple
4. Oppressed the people
III. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
A. The Sacred / Secular Divide – The Seedbed of Hypocrisy
1. Is God in your life only in church on Sunday morning?
2. Where is He on Monday morning?
3. Is God’s only concerned with your sinfulness?
4. Does He also care about your sickness or distress?
B. The Challenge is to take God into the 24/7 of your life
1. Technically impossible to compartmentalize God
2. Traditionalism attempts to box God in
3. We are to make our journey with God a daily reality
C. The Goal is to completely eliminate the Secular from our lives
1. Through Christ we are made new – 2 Cor. 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2. Sanctification – Daily process of becoming more Christ-like
D. Acknowledge God through daily Thanksgiving – 1 Thes. 5:15-18
“See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what
is good both for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you.”
1. Thank Him for Trials? – James 1:2-4
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
2. God’s Mysterious Hand works even in Adversity – Rom. 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
TRUST IN THE LORD, cont., p3
3. Worry about Nothing – Phil. 4:6,7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made
known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus.”
IV. HE WILL MAKE STRAIGHT YOUR PATHS
A. Our Way is not always God’s Way – Matt. 7:12-14
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this
is the Law and the Prophets. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many
who go in by it. "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way
which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
1. The Path of Righteousness can be Difficult
2. God’s Promise is to “Direct” / “Make Straight” our Paths
B. God’s Guidance is there when the Journey’s Tough - Isa. 30:20-21
“And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of
affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore,
But your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word
behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to
the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.”