I got this from a friend today and thought I would share it with everyone. Enjoy Mark Zaszczurynski Outpost #265
Trusting God As A Way of Life When we completely trust God we cut all ties with our past, and with whatever is keeping us from complete fellowship with God and our fellow believers. We don't trust God only when we face a challenge. We trust God as a way of life, and because we have complete confidence in Him. We trust God as a way of life because we love Him. When adversity comes, we don't all of a sudden decide to trust God to see us through it. We don't focus on the adversity. We simply continue to trust God as a way of life. The Bible teaches "Trust" as a way of life. Trust is not to help us only in adversity. As we continually trust God as a way of life, we can pray and expect answers and miracles. A group of scientists and botanists were exploring remote regions of the Alps in search of new species of flowers. One day they noticed through binoculars a flower of such rarity and beauty that its value to science was incalculable. But it lay deep in a ravine with cliffs on both sides. To get the flower someone had to be lowered over the cliff on a rope. A curious young boy was watching nearby, and the scientists told him they would pay him well if he would agree to be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below. The boy took one long look down the steep, dizzy depths and said, "I'll be back in a minute." A short time later he returned, followed by a gray-haired man. Approaching the botanist, the boy said, "I'll go over that cliff and get that flower for you, if this man holds the rope. He's my dad." Let's look at this story as a parable, and see what we can learn from it to help us to make trusting God a way of life. This boy was able to ask his father to hold the rope because he believed he was the only one he could trust. He couldn't let the scientists hold the rope because he didn't know them well enough to believe in their ability to do the job. He believed his father would honor his request because he believed in his ability and love to keep him safe. You can't ask for something that is not available, or if you don't believe, your request can be granted. You can't believe someone you don't trust. When we need help we go to someone in whom we have confidence, someone we know something about. We want someone we can depend on to be there for us in our time of need. Often it may be a friend, or parent, or a doctor, or a pastor. It will be someone we have had time to get to know, someone we believe will be truthful with us. Complete trust is complete confidence and complete reliance. To develop that trust and reliance requires taking time to know all you can about God. When I learn to trust, then I am able to believe and act. To have confidence in someone we must believe that he or she is one we can trust with our concern, and that we can trust to give us the advice and direction we need. But, who can we trust? People will let us down, but God, never. We can trust God, our heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are God's children and He is committed to meeting our every need. When we are hurt, God feels our hurt. When we see miracles in our lives God rejoices with us. He wants us to come to Him with our joys and success as well as our hurts. Do we know our God and Father well enough to take Him into our confidence? Do we really believe He will keep His word? Do we really believe He can do what He said He would do? "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes" (Psalm 118:8 [which is the middle verse of the Bible.]) . Psalm 20: 7-8: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright." The eighth verse says "They are brought down and fallen." This is speaking of those trusting in the things of man. It goes on to say "but we are risen and stand upright." Those who remember the name of the Lord are risen and stand upright! When we put our trust and confidence in God we can have peaceful hearts and minds."Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind (thoughts) is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength" (Isaiah 26:3-4). We put our confidence in our loving heavenly Father and walk boldly on His promises, knowing He does not change! The more we go to Him and let Him work in us, and when we see His faithfulness to us, our confidence will build. We learn to trust God by knowing Him and what He can do, by what He has done, and by what He has made available. We learn to trust God by going to His Word regularly and faithtfully. As we go to Him in prayer He blesses us, inspires us and gives revelation. It is a constant day by day and moment by moment decision. Will I follow my senses, or will I trust God? He has an answer for every situation. Our old man wants to go by the senses. Let's look at a great record of how God responds when we trust in Him and call upon Him in our distress. "I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet" (Psalm 18:1-9). What a mind picture of our loving heavenly Father "rolling up his sleeves," and breathing smoke and fire, as He fights for us. The Lord is our rock, fortress and deliverer. We trust in Him and He responds to protect us. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
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