Trust - 5

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

When a Pharisee hosted Jesus to dinner he got more than he expected (Luke 11:37-38). We don't know if the man actually voiced his thoughts, it just says that 'he marvelled' that Jesus sat down to dinner without doing the ceremonial hand washing that was so important to the Pharisees.  Jesus heard him anyway and launched into a stream of 'woes' against the Pharisees hypocritical, religious ways.  At first glance it may seem to us that this was rather rude of Jesus to do this in his host's home and certainly he placed himself at risk of being out out on the street before dinner!

However, there was something more important than food to Jesus.  It was that this man know the truth that would set him free (John 8:32).  The truth that Jesus needed to convey to him and his religious friends was... 'trusting in your religious rituals will do you no good and win you no prizes with God'.  They were trusting in their own outward piety and good works, but God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  They were concerned about cleaning up their outside, but their hearts looked putrid to God.  If they didn't change their ways they would incur God's judgment.  Jesus didn't want them to miss out on the blessing of God's favour.

God's approval will never be given on the basis of our good works no matter how good they are.  We can never be good enough for God which is why he sent His son Jesus Christ to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus had God's approval as the 'spotless lamb of God' and he died so that we might obtain the forgiveness that would qualify us for God's favour and eternal life.

It is such a temptation to try and perform our way into heaven but it will never do. We can never be good enough. It will just discourage us as we continually disappoint ourselves by our failures.  Trusting in Jesus as the one who died for our sins and has clothed us with his righteousness will release us from works and free us to walk in the joy of our salvation.

Even if we have been Christians for a long time, it is still good to have an honest look at ourselves to make sure that we are not going through religious ritual thinking that it will impress God.  He is only impressed by Jesus!

Prayer:  Loving God, thank you for providing a way for me to be acceptable in your sight which does not depend upon my good works.  Help me to remember always that trusting in Jesus' death on the cross for me is the only 'ticket' into heaven.  Amen

Trust - 4

But Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh....?"  God answered, "I will be with you." 
 Exodus 3:11-12

Can you recall a time when you were asked to take on a task and your immediate response was, "Oh no, I could never do that!"?   Perhaps it was something in the workforce and you didn't have a choice so you did it afraid.  Perhaps it was a position in Christian ministry in your church or on a committee or Board; perhaps it was something you felt God wanted you to do but you really didn't want to do it at all.

There is a man whose story I was reading again recently who was in just such a position, except that this man had very real cause for concern when God spoke to him.  It was a pretty scary time in the history of the early church and Christians were dispersing from Jerusalem for fear of threats to their lives or at least imprisonment which may end in the arena with hungry lions.  One Saul of Tarsus was a scholar and zealous for his Jewish faith.  He knew the scriptures and knew them well.  He knew that the Christians were wrong and he was out to get rid of them.  He would put an end to this "Jesus nonsense" once and for all.  So, armed with letters permitting him to arrest any 'people of the Way' he could find and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial, he set out on his mission.

Nearing Damascus he was blinded by a great light, fell to the ground, heard a voice and asked a question, "Who are you Lord?"  Yes, Saul had an encounter with Jesus Christ and his life was changed forever.    It is the man who was sent to him that caught my attention.  His name was Ananais and the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him that he should go the house of  Judas and there he would find Saul of Tarsus who was blind.  Ananais' mission was to pray that Saul's sight would be restored.  Now that was a scary mission. " Really Lord?  Don't you know that he's come to kill us all?"  But the Lord told Ananais that he had chosen Saul to carry His name to the Gentiles and in doing so he would suffer much for his message.  This was a huge trust challenge for Ananais.

I thought about Ananais and what he was called to do was; what if he had refused to do it?  Well, no doubt God would have found someone who was willing.  But what if this was to be Ananais' main mission in his whole life and he had missed it through fear and disobedience?  We don't hear of Ananais again but his trust-filled obedience set in motion a whole new part of God's plan to reach mankind.  His one act of obedience opened Saul's eyes to a whole new way of thinking and living.  Now that was radical, but he could have missed his place in history if he had not been obedient.

Is there something God has asked you to do and so far you have resisted?  Perhaps you ought to think again, because if God asked you to do it, then he has also provided the ability and resources for you to accomplish it.  Perhaps your act of obedience will open to you a whole new way of living and ministering or maybe your praying for someone will open the way for their greatness in God's kingdom.  Perhaps this opportunity is what you were created for.  Don't brush it off.  If you are scared, then "do it afraid", as Joyce Meyer says, but do it anyway.

Prayer:  Father, please give me courage to obey you when I feel inadequate so that I allow you to accomplish through me, what you have created me to do.  Amen

Trust - 3

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

This week I have been looking into the difference between the words 'believe', 'trust' and 'faith'.  In checking them out in Strong's Bible Concordance I find them to be quite similar which is not very surprising, but I thought it worth the exercise.  Believe is to support, confirm, be faithful and uphold.  Trust is to have confidence in, trust in, be bold, be secure. Faith means firmness, fidelity, steadfastness and steadiness.

I thought this picture illustrates quite well the belief, trust and faith of the people who live in these 'island homes' and use this walkway which connects them to the mainland.  To me the bridge/path looks uneven and not particularly safe yet I am sure these people use the path confidently on a regular basis.  They probably don't even think about whether or not it will hold them because they are familiar with it and have gone this way so many times.  If I were to go for a visit, (perish the thought), I know that I would want a walking stick for extra balance and I know that I would have to watch my feet every step of the way, because my confidence in the safety of the path would not be strong.

When Joshua was given the incredible responsibility of leading the Israelites into the promised land God spoke these words to him, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God [is] with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9.
Even though Joshua had spent much time alone with God in the tabernacle and much time in the presence of Moses where miracle after miracle had kept the people alive in the wilderness, God still had to encourage Joshua with these words to build his faith.

There come times in our lives when God requires us to step out on new and unfamiliar paths that will stretch our confidence and even our willingness to trust Him.  Those are the times we need to go back to His promises and support our faith with the faithfulness and truth of His Word.  The Word is the foundation for our belief, faith and trust in Him who is always faithful.  It is our 'walking stick' if you like which aids us greatly in our times of walking in unfamiliar territory.

I have written this before but it is a good illustration from my own experience.  In 1976 when we were preparing to go to Papua New Guinea I asked God to confirm our plans through a specific word to me.  Three times, over a number of weeks, I came across this scripture in different ways (one time it was even on a picture in a house I had not visited before); "If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold me." Psalm 139:10.  And He did!

Prayer:  Faithful God, help me to realize that there will be times when I feel you are asking me to go out on shaky ground.  But help me to draw near to you and trust you to bring me safely through.  Amen