{"id":968,"date":"2024-06-25T14:49:22","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T14:49:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/?page_id=968"},"modified":"2024-06-25T14:49:22","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T14:49:22","slug":"trusting-god","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/trusting-god\/","title":{"rendered":"TRUSTING GOD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TRUSTING GOD!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proverbs 3:5-6<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>INTRODUCTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever noticed how <strong>LIFE IS FILLED WITH QUESTIONS? Think about, I just asked you one. <\/strong>We\u2019re always asking questions\u2026we ask questions of each <strong>other<\/strong> \u2014 and we ask questions of <strong>God<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Asking questions<\/strong> is a sign of intelligence. And in some ways, it\u2019s an art form.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New channels and reporters earn their money <strong>ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS<\/strong>. But it\u2019s not just something professionals do \u2014 everyone asks questions. From the beginning of our lives, we ask questions. And it\u2019s not even something we have to be taught to do. It\u2019s almost an intrinsic response.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think about it, everyone asks questions \u2014 even children. Some of you know this better than others. For some, their questions never end!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-38ce58bf09e2ba98c5ffdec062ada070 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#4c0576\">According to a recent<strong> British study<\/strong>, children ask an average of <strong>73 questions<\/strong> a day. If you have a<strong> 3 or 4 year <\/strong>old living in your home\u2026you might argue that they ask even more. But again, <strong>asking questions is actually a sign of intelligence.<\/strong> And it\u2019s a great practice \u2014 both for the <strong>youngest<\/strong> and the <strong>eldest<\/strong> among us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Years ago, I served on staff with a <strong>great<\/strong> <strong>pastor<\/strong> and <strong>friend. <\/strong>He taught me a lot about life and ministry. But he also taught me the value of asking <strong>good<\/strong> <strong>questions<\/strong>. He would say, if you know the <strong>questions to ask<\/strong> \u2014 then they\u2019ll eventually lead you to the right answers and decisions for life. And so, while some people collected <strong>stamps<\/strong> or <strong>coins <\/strong>\u2014 my friend collected questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, there are <strong>some questions that <\/strong>are more important than others. Here\u2019s a few of the <strong>NOT SO IMPORTANT \u2014 BUT CERTAINLY FUNNY QUESTIONS<\/strong> (from kids):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cWhy do we have to be <strong>born<\/strong> <strong>young<\/strong> and grow <strong>old<\/strong>, why can\u2019t we be <strong>born<\/strong> <strong>old<\/strong> and get <strong>young<\/strong>?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This one tells you the age we\u2019re living in \u2014 (as a Mom was baking cookies), her son looked through the oven window and asked, <strong>\u201cAre those cookies loading?\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Another mom says, he son asked: \u201c<strong>Why did swear words get invented if we\u2019re not allowed to say them?<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A dad writes that his young boy asked: \u201c<strong>How did people make the first tools, if they didn\u2019t have any tools to begin with?\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A mom said her son asked, \u201c<strong>When you were little, did you have to stay inside because of COVIDs 1 through 18?<\/strong>\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One mom says, \u201cMy daughter asked why we say<strong> &#8220;hang up the phone\u201d<\/strong>\u2014now I feel really old.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And my favorite, a mom says her<strong> 6yr. old<\/strong> asked, \u201c<strong>Why can\u2019t your car go as fast as daddy\u2019s?\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well, those are great questions, but I think as we get older our questions <strong>grow<\/strong> <strong>deeper<\/strong>, and become <strong>more<\/strong> <strong>personal<\/strong>. In time, most of us wonder:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201cCAN GOD BE TRUSTED?\u201d&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After all, we live in a world filled with <strong>hardship<\/strong>, <strong>struggle<\/strong>, and <strong>disappointment<\/strong>\u2026So, is there any rationale reason to trust in God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well, \u201c<strong>TRUST<\/strong>,\u201d is most often defined as: A belief in the <strong>reliability<\/strong>, <strong>truth<\/strong>, or <strong>ability <\/strong>of another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And<strong> based on this criteria,<\/strong> we discover that <strong>God<\/strong> is certainly worthy of earning our trust.<strong> HE MEETS UP TO THE STANDARD OF TRUST!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But, he\u2019s actually so much more. The <strong>Bible<\/strong> teaches that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014<strong>God<\/strong> is completely <strong>reliable<\/strong>. He keeps His word and does what He says. <strong>Paul<\/strong> writes in <strong>1 Corinthians 1:9<\/strong> and says simply that,<strong><em>&nbsp;\u201c<\/em><\/strong><em>God is faithful.\u201d<\/em> Meaning you can count on Him. He is reliable. In <strong>Psalm 136<\/strong>, the psalmist says, \u201cHis love endures forever\u2026\u201d, meaning that God\u2019s love can be counted on. It is faithful\u2026and constant and continues day after day. <strong>Jesus<\/strong> said in <strong>Matthew<\/strong> <strong>19<\/strong>, that no matter what, <em>He would never leave us, never abandon us, <\/em>and never turns away. So, while people may let you down. And life may let you down. <strong>God<\/strong> never will! <strong>He is reliable!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 But He is also <strong>true<\/strong>. God <strong>never<\/strong> <strong>lies<\/strong>\u2026He <strong>never<\/strong> <strong>deceives<\/strong>. He never tries to shadow the truth or widen the grey areas of life. He is honest and direct, and He <strong>always keeps His Word<\/strong>. And the <strong>Bible<\/strong> says, there\u2019s \u201cno turning\u201d or changing within Him. So, He is <strong>constant<\/strong> and <strong>remains<\/strong> <strong>the<\/strong> <strong>same<\/strong>. <strong>Jesus<\/strong> said of himself, <em>\u201cI am the way, the <\/em><strong><em>truth<\/em><\/strong><em>, and the life.\u201d <\/em>So, again\u2026you can <strong>trust<\/strong> in Him \u2014 because He <strong>IS<\/strong> truth! (So, He\u2019s <strong>reliable<\/strong>, He\u2019s <strong>truthful<\/strong>\u2026and):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 He\u2019s also <strong>able\u2026<\/strong>More than able. No matter the details of your life or circumstances, god is able. And there\u2019s <strong>nothing that trumps his power<\/strong> or surpasses His greatness. The Bible tells us that&nbsp; nothing is impossible with <strong>God<\/strong>! <strong>Paul<\/strong> said in <strong>Ephesians 3:20<\/strong>, that <strong>God<\/strong> is <em>\u201cable to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine\u2026\u201d <\/em>And so, as we discussed last week\u2026<strong>His power knows no end!<\/strong> He is <strong>OMNIPOTENT<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, for these reasons, and so many more \u2014 <strong>GOD CAN BE TRUSTED!<\/strong> He is reliable, true, and able. <strong>Simply put: <\/strong>HE IS TRUSTWORTHY!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>MESSAGE:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even so,<strong> have you noticed how we still seem to struggle with TRUSTING Him. We seem to operate from a position of doubt. <\/strong>It seems to be within our nature to distrust everyone\u2026especially God. But, this isn\u2019t new. Its not<strong> a contemporary problem<\/strong>. It\u2019s been <strong>OUR<\/strong> <strong>WAY<\/strong> since the beginning of time. We can traced our distrust of God all the back to the early days of creation<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might recall, in <strong>Genesis 3 <\/strong>\u2014 (while <strong>Adam<\/strong> and <strong>Eve<\/strong> were still living in the <strong>Garden of Eden<\/strong>), they were confronted by <strong>Satan<\/strong>\u2026and in their <strong>temptation<\/strong>, they doubted God. They <strong>distrusted His goodness and His direction in their lives.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>God<\/strong> had warned them to stay away from the <strong>Tree<\/strong> <strong>of<\/strong> <strong>Good<\/strong> <strong>and<\/strong> <strong>Evil<\/strong>. And while they could eat from every other tree in the garden \u2014 the fruit from that tree wasn\u2019t good for them. But when the <strong>serpent<\/strong> <strong>tempted<\/strong>, they <strong>questioned<\/strong> <strong>God\u2019s<\/strong> <strong>character<\/strong>. And in their doubt, they took matters into their own hands. And we all know how that turned out. <strong>But isn\u2019t that what we do?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We doubt <strong>God\u2019s goodness<\/strong>, we question His ability to keep <strong>His<\/strong> <strong>promises<\/strong>, and we reject His <strong>counsel<\/strong>. In the end, <strong>we take matters into our own hands.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, I know we say we<strong> trust God<\/strong>. But <strong>trust<\/strong> is more than <strong>empty words<\/strong>! It\u2019s <strong>more than feelings. <\/strong><strong>Trust is an ACT!<\/strong> Its about making a <strong>decision<\/strong>, and <strong>choosing to obey.<\/strong> It\u2019s about walking in faith!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And so, this morning \u2014 I want to give your some guidance for <strong>TRUSTING GOD!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do so, I want us to look at one of the more well-known passages of scripture. It\u2019s found in the <strong>Old<\/strong> <strong>Testament<\/strong> book of <strong>Proverbs<\/strong>. And it\u2019s just a <strong>single line of wisdom <\/strong>given to us by the ancient <strong>king<\/strong> <strong>Solomon<\/strong>. It\u2019s found in <strong>Proverbs 3<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, in <strong>Proverbs 3:5-6<\/strong>, <strong>Solomon<\/strong> tells us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3c860a6ff9d8c33dda3fcbbc7e476037 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>5<\/em><\/strong><em>&nbsp;Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; <\/em><strong><em>6<\/em><\/strong><em>&nbsp;in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What a great verse! In it, we find three practical ways to <strong>TRUST<\/strong> <strong>GOD<\/strong> \u2014 and ends with a <strong>promise<\/strong>! And, if you haven&#8217;t <strong>memorized<\/strong> this verse yet, I urge you to do so. Because,<strong> it can really impact your life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well, at the core of this passage is the importance of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TRUSTING GOD!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>So, how are we to do this? <\/strong>Well, <strong>Solomon<\/strong> says, first of all:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-de252c000c54c36efde67bec1e100447 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. TRUST GOD <\/strong><strong>WITH<\/strong><strong> EVERYTHING!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notice, <strong>Solomon<\/strong> is asking us to <em>trust <\/em><strong><em>someONE<\/em><\/strong><em>, not simply <\/em><strong><em>someTHING<\/em><\/strong><em>. <\/em>He<em> says, \u201c<\/em><strong><em>TRUST<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>GOD<\/em><\/strong><em>!\u201d <\/em>Not just anyone \u2014 but <strong>God<\/strong>. His <strong>God<\/strong>. The <strong>creator of heaven and earth<\/strong><em>. The<\/em><strong><em> God of Abraham<\/em><\/strong><em>, <\/em><strong><em>Isaac<\/em><\/strong><em>, and <\/em><strong><em>Jacob<\/em><\/strong><em>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The God his father <strong>David<\/strong> served. The God who had been so faithful to Him. He says,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9d3fa2fae7ed4a6aaf10c77f86da210f wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<em>Trust in <\/em><strong>(HIM) <\/strong><em>the Lord <\/em>(the ONE TRUE GOD\u2026trust in HIM)<em> with all your heart<\/em>\u201d (v. 5a)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, trust <strong>God<\/strong> \u2014 and have confidence in Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The word &#8221;<strong>TRUST<\/strong>&#8221; in <strong>Hebrew<\/strong> literally means <em>&#8221;to lie down on&#8221; <\/em>or,<em> &#8216;<\/em><em>&#8216;<\/em><em>to stretch out upon.\u2019\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think about it like this \u2014 every night when you go to bed you lie down on something. Usually your bed.You stretch out on your mattress; you put your full weight down on your bed and never give a second thought to what you just did. You don&#8217;t put one foot on the floor, you don&#8217;t hold on to the frame, you just lie down. Now the same way you trust your bed is the same way you ought to trust God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, as <strong>Solomon<\/strong> pens these words \u2014 he\u2019s inviting us to engage in a<strong> relationship of faith<\/strong>\u2026where you have confidence in <strong>God\u2019s<\/strong> <strong>ability<\/strong> to care for you. But don\u2019t just trust Him with you <strong>thoughts<\/strong> or your <strong>words<\/strong> \u2014 <strong>TRUST HIM WITH ALL OF YOU! <\/strong>And that begins with your <strong>heart<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TRUST HIM WITH YOUR HEART<\/strong> \u2014 And all of it! I\u2019ve heard it said that <strong>half-hearted faith<\/strong> is a synonym for <strong>wholehearted doubt. <\/strong>You&#8217;ve got to put your whole heart into trusting God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t an invitation to a casual or long-distant relationship. It\u2019s about TRUSTING GOD up-close and personally.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, when he says<em>, trust in the Lord with our heart<\/em> \u2014 he\u2019s calling us to closeness. This is more than just <strong>informational awareness,<\/strong> its about an <strong>emotional connectedness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, <strong>TRUST GOD <\/strong><strong>WITH<\/strong><strong> EVERYTHING! <\/strong>Trust Him with your HEART, MiND, STRENGTH and SOUL!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, Solomon tells us to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-84cb2f61b9f861e45722ee6024a2e3ff wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. TRUST GOD <\/strong><strong>ABOVE<\/strong><strong> EVERYTHING!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <strong>verse<\/strong> <strong>5<\/strong>, <strong>Solomon<\/strong> continues to give instruction for trusting God when he says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-677f652f44e64a0007b53e47e48e2284 wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cTrust in the Lord with all your heart <\/em><em>and <\/em><strong><em>lean not<\/em><\/strong><em> on your own understanding<\/em><em>; <\/em><strong>(v. 5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Lean not on your own understanding.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Solomon<\/strong> is reminding us that our \u201c<em>understanding<\/em>\u201d is simply not strong enough to support the weight of this life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These days, it seems fairly common for people to boast in self-reliance and self-sufficiency. In fact no one likes to be<strong> told what to do<\/strong> and everyone seems to want to do it all on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the <strong>Bible<\/strong> warns us of being self-absorbed. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Solomon<\/strong> reminds us of the futility of trusting in ourselves, when he writes in<strong> Proverbs 28:26<\/strong>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b5c1f6b11f69c815b9d5de5c35e1e8d2 wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cThose who trust in themselves are fools,<\/em><em>but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s a self-help book on the market called, <em>When Life Throws You a Curve Ball, Hit It<\/em>. Simple advice, but it\u2019s easier said than done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem is, <strong>I don&#8217;t hit curve balls very well<\/strong>. Honestly, I don\u2019t hit fast balls, or sliders, sinkers, or knuckle balls well either. I\u2019ve never been much of a baseball player.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to my ability on the diamond, I&#8217;m <strong>less than impressive<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1c6252e1350ee39b9021e5b3a43f44a5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#41057d\">Years ago, I was asked to join <strong>our church\u2019s slow-pitch softball league<\/strong>. And all was going well, until my <strong>pastor<\/strong> asked me to pitch. While practicing one day\u2014 I lobbed him a ball (and it barely made it over the plate). But, being the athlete he was, he reached out and made good contact with it. He hit it so hard and so fast, that it shot back at me like it had been fired from a cannon. And that line drive arrived before I could get my glove up to catch it. And the ball made solid contact with the end of my finger\u2026fracturing it in multiple places.\u00a0Listen, I\u2019ve learned the hard way \u2014 that when it comes to playing ball, I\u2019m not so good. Not in softball \u2014 and probably not in life either.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that\u2019s probably the case for most of us. <strong>When life throws curve balls<\/strong>, left on our own\u2026we usually miss!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is that <strong>Solomon<\/strong> says when life takes an unexpected turn, you don&#8217;t have to understand everything that&#8217;s happening. In fact, the worst thing you can do is try to handle things on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When things happen that you don&#8217;t understand, that is when you need to put your <strong>trust<\/strong> <strong>in<\/strong> <strong>God<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Things may be happening in your life that you don&#8217;t understand right now. You don&#8217;t have to understand, you only have to trust <strong>God<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trusting<\/strong> <strong>God<\/strong> does not always mean we will understand what he is doing or why he is doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Solomon uses the word \u2014 <strong>UNDERSTANDING<\/strong>, he\u2019s talking about the mind. His counsel to you and me is to be careful not to allow our minds and our ideas to supersede God\u2019s ideas and the mind of Christ.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s the thing \u2014 God wants your mind \u2014 not just your heart. He wants all of you. But certainly, He wants to redeem your thinking.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>God<\/strong> does not want you or your limited thinking and understanding to lead you away from trusting in Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We must avoid the temptation to trust ourselves. Self-sufficiency and self-dependence are characteristics of our fallen nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a story that seems to embody the struggle and arrogance of our society.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b354fed22fb97c74041c0e579dfb7048 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#580e90\">It\u2019s a story about a predicament that occurred one day on the sea, as a Naval captain looked through his binoculars across the sea one foggy night.\u00a0Upon careful scan of the horizon, <strong>the captain found a light that seemed to be pointed directly to him.<\/strong> Assuming this was an oncoming ship, he immediately told his signalman to send a message, \u201c<strong>Alter your course ten degrees south.<\/strong>\u201d He promptly received a reply, \u201c<strong>Alter your course ten degrees north.\u201d<\/strong> The furious captain sent another message, \u201c<strong>Alter your course ten degrees south. I am a captain!<\/strong>\u201d Soon another reply was received, \u201c<strong>Alter your course ten degrees north. I am seaman third class Jones.\u201d<\/strong> The captain sent a final message, \u201c<strong>Alter your course ten degrees south. I am a battleship.\u201d<\/strong> The reply was, \u201c<strong>Alter your course ten degrees north. I am a lighthouse.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Let\u2019s stop trying to direct our own lives. Let\u2019s learn to TRUST GOD <\/strong><strong>ABOVE<\/strong><strong> EVERYTHING!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, <strong>Solomon<\/strong> tells us to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-headings-color has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-1782b7b281b9ee4c526a9258818a1ce1 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. TRUST GOD <\/strong><strong>IN<\/strong><strong> EVERYTHING!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Again,<strong> verse 6<\/strong> states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6ca94e85b4015f80f863fb54e7661c9f wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cIn all your ways submit to him\u201d<\/em>(v. 6a)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The word \u201csubmit or acknowledge\u201d isn\u2019t merely a polite tip of the hat to the <strong>Man Upstairs,<\/strong> or a few words of grace over your meal, or even perfunctory attendance at church to let Him know we\u2019re still cool with what He\u2019s doing. It\u2019s way more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trusting God <strong>IN everything<\/strong> happens as you allow Him access, control, command, and involvement in all your ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means to recognize that He is God and <strong>acknowledge<\/strong> His authority upon all things.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And not just in religious matters \u2014 but in all matters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In every area of your life. It means to acknowledge <strong>God<\/strong> in your <strong>decision<\/strong> <strong>making<\/strong>, and in your personal life. It means to acknowledge <strong>God<\/strong> in your relationships, and in your marriage. It means that <strong>God<\/strong> is consulted in the decisions and considerations of everything you do within your family, and in your career, in your finances, and in every area of your life. It means <strong>EVERYTHING<\/strong>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Acknowledge <strong>God<\/strong> in your future and ask Him to direct your paths. Keep him at the center point of all that you do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means to keep <strong>God<\/strong> at the forefront of your mind and in every event of your life. <strong>Godly<\/strong> <strong>living<\/strong> is not just for Sunday mornings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In every area of your life, <strong>God<\/strong> needs to be first! You need to trust Him to lead and guide you throughout every moment and every decision you make. And that&#8217;s because leaving <strong>God<\/strong> out of one area of life can lead to destruction in other areas of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you acknowledge <strong>God<\/strong> and<strong> TRUST HIM IN EVERYTHING<\/strong>\u2026then there is a promise of blessing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which leads us to the last thought here in <strong>Proverbs 3:5-6<\/strong>. And it\u2019s this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trust God <strong>with<\/strong> everything\u2026<strong>above<\/strong> everything, <strong>in<\/strong> everything. And\u2026when you do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This&nbsp; Divine Promise is for You:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GOD WILL LEAD YOU <\/strong><strong>THROUGH<\/strong><strong> EVERYTHING!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that promise is found at the end of <strong>verse 6<\/strong>. As the scripture states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e460973af8e4c83f45af81d4d7b9ae46 wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201c\u2026and he will make straight your paths.\u201d<\/em> &#8212; <strong>Proverbs 3:6b (NIV)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you <strong>acknowledge<\/strong> <strong>God<\/strong> and <strong>TRUST HIM IN EVERYTHING<\/strong>\u2026then God\u2019s promise for you is that He will lead you through everything!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And what that means is that \u2014 <strong>HE WILL BE YOUR GUIDE!<\/strong> He won\u2019t abandon you. He won\u2019t take from you and run away. He will stick with you and lead you through each moment of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And isn\u2019t that great news? But more than that \u2014 His promise is to<strong> make your path straight<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 Meaning, God will lead you <strong>straight towards His best<\/strong><strong> for You! <\/strong><strong>He will lead you towards the <\/strong>divine priorities and goals He has for you in this life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might think of this as <strong>God\u2019s<\/strong> <strong>way<\/strong> of ensuring that your life has meaning. And that your life fulfills His <strong>eternal<\/strong> <strong>purposes<\/strong> for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2014 But it also means that <strong>He will direct you in your decision<\/strong><strong> making<\/strong>. So, as you <strong>TRUST<\/strong> <strong>HIM<\/strong>, He will show you the way to go. He\u2019ll point you in the way you should go. His Spirit will guide you like a divine-GPS through life. And as you walk \u2014 he will give you the reassurance that he is with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listen, there\u2019s rarely a season I go through that I don\u2019t find myself needing to make <strong>BIG<\/strong> <strong>DECISIONS<\/strong>. And as I do, I\u2019m grateful I can look to the Lord for guidance. I can pray, I can read His Word, I can seek counsel through His people, and through it all \u2014 He promises to guide me along the way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It really takes the pressure off of me having to be the <strong>ALL-KNOWING ONE<\/strong>. Because I know I serve the <strong>ALL-KNOWING ONE<\/strong>. And He has promised to guide my steps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7c7a1035898e59e6b7ecbee4cb6e9b15 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Psalm 37:23-24<\/strong>: <em>\u201cThe Lord directs the steps of the godly.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-717caa02f4175da7916a19468820ee6e wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Psalm 119:105:<\/strong> <em>\u201cYour word is a lamp to guide My feet and a light for my path.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-2-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-739a9333db306ae29070377a901d3eba wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Proverbs 16:9:<\/strong> <em>\u201cWe can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in addition, He promises to<em> \u201cmake your path\u201d <\/em>right with Him. Think \u201c<strong>righteous<\/strong>\u201d. He will lead you to live a life of righteousness and honor. <strong>One that is avoids compromise<\/strong> and is <strong>defined by godliness<\/strong>. One where your <strong>attitudes<\/strong>, <strong>actions<\/strong>, and <strong>behaviors<\/strong> reflect <strong>Jesus<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s the kind of life that<strong> God promises<\/strong>\u2026and that\u2019s the kind of life I want to live! And it begins with <strong>TRUST! So, TRUST HIM.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Trust God<\/strong> <strong>WITH<\/strong> everything\u2026<strong>ABOVE<\/strong> everything, <strong>IN<\/strong> everything! And enjoy the promise of His closeness in life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CONCLUSION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first step toward trusting the Lord begins with trust in Him for your salvation.. Surrendering your life to Him. And this happens as putting your faith trust in <strong>Jesus<\/strong> (the one who paid the price for your sins So, let\u2019s start there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But then, <strong>TRUSTING<\/strong> <strong>HIM<\/strong> leads us to serve Him and follow Him with the rest of your life. And that comes through obedience to His direction. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, let\u2019s <strong>TRUST IN JESUS <\/strong>\u2014 and let\u2019s determine today to OBEY HIM in every way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong> <\/strong><strong>PRAYER:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-accent-1-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8acbff30c87dea718361f6305169b4d7 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Heavenly <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Father<\/em><\/strong><em>, I admit that I am a sinner and I\u2019ve chosen my way over your&#8217;s way too often, but <\/em><em>all that changes today<\/em><em>. Because, I believe in Your Son, Jesus. I believe that He came from Heaven to earth to pay for my sin. I believe He died on the cross, shed His blood, was put in a grave \u2014 and rose again. So, today \u2014 I put my faith in Him. <\/em><strong><em>Forgive me of my sin<\/em><\/strong><em>. Save me and give me new life in you forever. I pray this in <\/em><strong><em>Jesus name<\/em><\/strong><em>, Amen.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you prayed today and made a decision to follow <strong>Jesus \u2014 would you let us know?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DISMISSAL:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of you will be familiar with the Old Hymn: <em>T<\/em><strong><em>rust and Obey<\/em>.<\/strong> The chorus says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trust and obey, For there&#8217;s no other way, To be happy in Jesus \u2014 but to trust and obey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trust and obedience go hand in hand. As the late <strong>Dietrich Bonhoeffer<\/strong> once wrote,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TRUSTING GOD! Proverbs 3:5-6 INTRODUCTION: Have you ever noticed how LIFE IS FILLED WITH QUESTIONS? Think about, I just asked you one. We\u2019re always asking &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-968","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=968"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":970,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/968\/revisions\/970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}