Deepening Trust in God's Character and Presence
Summary
In today's sermon, I continued our six-week series on trusting God's character, focusing on the importance of understanding and trusting in the nature and character of God. I emphasized that to trust God more, we must know His character more. I recapped Psalm 43, which speaks of God putting a new song in our mouths, a song of trust in the Lord. This trust is likened to throwing oneself down, clinging, and confiding in God.
I discussed the attributes of God, including His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Trusting in God's all-powerfulness allows us to place our faith and hope in Him. Knowing that God is all-knowing reassures us that He is aware of our situations and future. His omnipresence means that God is always with us, never leaving or forsaking us, as stated in Hebrews 13:5.
I shared the story of Joshua encountering the commander of the Lord's army, which I believe was a Christophany, an appearance of Christ before His incarnation. Joshua's response was to fall on his face and worship, demonstrating a surrender of control to God. This act of worship is a model for us to abandon control of our lives to God.
I also touched on the concept of theophanies, appearances of God that reveal something about His character. These appearances are not just historical events but can happen in our lives today, sometimes through angels, as mentioned in Hebrews 13:2.
I shared personal stories, including the founding of our church, which came from a place of worship and abandoning control. I also spoke about the significance of Mount Moriah, where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac and where, 2,000 years later, Jesus carried the cross. This place represents the ultimate sacrifice and the place where we receive vision from God.
Lastly, I invited those who have not yet surrendered their lives to Christ to do so, emphasizing the importance of a personal relationship with God.
Key Takeaways:
- Trusting in God's omnipotence means recognizing that He holds all power over creation and our lives. When we truly grasp this, our faith deepens, and we can rest in the assurance that nothing is beyond His ability to handle. This trust is not passive; it's an active reliance on God's strength over our own. [06:59]
- Understanding God's omniscience can bring peace to our hearts. He knows our past, present, and future, and nothing is hidden from His sight. This knowledge should lead us to surrender our worries and plans to Him, trusting that His wisdom far exceeds our own. [07:40]
- God's omnipresence is a profound comfort. He is with us in every moment, situation, and place. This truth should encourage us to live with a constant awareness of His presence, shaping our thoughts, actions, and attitudes accordingly. [08:16]
- Worship is more than a song or a service; it's a lifestyle of surrender. True worship involves abandoning control of our lives to God. When we do this, we enter into a deeper relationship with Him, and our lives become a reflection of His love and grace. [25:09]
- The story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah teaches us that our places of sacrifice can become places of worship and vision. When we lay down our wills and desires before God, He can transform our obedience into a vision for our lives that aligns with His purposes. [28:21]
In conclusion, today's message calls us to a deeper trust in the character of God, which is foundational to our worship and relationship with Him. As we grow in our understanding of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, we learn to live lives of surrender, worship, and vision.
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 43:3-5 - "Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God."
2. Hebrews 13:5 - "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
3. Joshua 5:13-15 - "When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, 'Are you for us, or for our adversaries?' And he said, 'No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, 'What does my lord say to his servant?' And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, 'Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Psalm 43 say about the new song that God puts in our mouths? How is this song described? [05:01]
2. According to Hebrews 13:5, what promise does God make about His presence in our lives? [08:16]
3. In Joshua 5:13-15, how does Joshua respond to the commander of the Lord's army, and what does this signify about his attitude towards God? [10:50]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does understanding God's omnipotence, as discussed in the sermon, deepen our trust in Him? [06:59]
2. What does it mean to abandon control of our lives to God, and how is this related to true worship? [05:41]
3. How can the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah teach us about the relationship between sacrifice and vision from God? [28:21]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God's omnipresence in a difficult situation. How did this awareness impact your response to the situation? [08:16]
2. In what areas of your life do you find it hardest to surrender control to God? What steps can you take to begin surrendering these areas to Him? [05:41]
3. How can you cultivate a lifestyle of worship that goes beyond singing and includes daily acts of surrender and trust in God? [25:09]
4. Think about a personal challenge you are currently facing. How can the knowledge of God's omniscience bring you peace and guide your decisions? [07:40]
5. The sermon mentioned the importance of hospitality and entertaining strangers, possibly even angels. How can you practice hospitality in your community this week? [15:22]
6. How does the story of Joshua encountering the commander of the Lord's army inspire you to respond to God's presence in your life? What practical steps can you take to show reverence and obedience to God? [10:50]
7. Reflect on the significance of Mount Moriah in both Abraham's and Jesus' stories. How can you turn your own places of sacrifice into places of worship and vision? [28:21]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God's Omnipotent Care
Understanding that God holds all power over creation invites us to trust Him deeply, knowing that our lives are in the hands of the Almighty. This trust is not about inaction; rather, it's about actively relying on God's strength instead of our own. When faced with life's challenges, the realization that nothing is beyond God's capability provides a foundation for peace and confidence. It's a call to shift our reliance from our limited abilities to His unlimited power, which can move mountains and create possibilities where none seem to exist. This active trust in God's omnipotence is a transformative experience that deepens our faith and changes how we live our daily lives. [06:59]
"Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you." - Jeremiah 32:17
Reflection: What is one situation in your life where you feel powerless and how can you actively trust God's omnipotence in it today?
Day 2: The Peace of God's Omniscience
God's omniscience, His all-knowing nature, encompasses our past, present, and future. Nothing escapes His attention. This profound understanding should lead us to surrender our worries and plans to Him, trusting that His wisdom surpasses our understanding. When we acknowledge that God knows everything about us, it can bring peace to our hearts, as we realize that our concerns are known to Him and that He is already at work in our lives. This knowledge invites us to live in a state of surrender, where we can let go of our need to control outcomes and trust in His perfect plan. [07:40]
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9
Reflection: How can the knowledge of God's omniscience change the way you approach your worries and plans today?
Day 3: Living in God's Omnipresence
The omnipresence of God assures us that He is with us at all times and in all places. This truth should embolden us to live with a constant awareness of His presence, influencing our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. When we truly grasp that God is always by our side, we can face life's uncertainties with courage and find comfort in the most challenging circumstances. His presence is a source of strength and guidance, reminding us that we are never alone, no matter the situation we find ourselves in. [08:16]
"Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!" - Psalm 139:7-8
Reflection: What changes might you make in your daily routine to cultivate a greater awareness of God's constant presence?
Day 4: Worship as a Lifestyle of Surrender
Worship extends beyond songs and services; it is a lifestyle of yielding control to God. True worship involves a heart posture of surrender, where we offer our lives as a reflection of His love and grace. This surrender is not a one-time event but a continuous process of aligning our will with God's. As we abandon control, we enter into a deeper relationship with Him, allowing our lives to be transformed and used for His glory. [25:09]
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." - Romans 12:1
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 5: Vision Through Sacrifice
The story of Abraham and Isaac teaches us that our places of sacrifice can become places of worship and vision. When we lay down our wills and desires before God, He can transform our obedience into a vision for our lives that aligns with His purposes. It is in the act of surrendering our deepest treasures that we often find God's greatest gifts and the direction for our lives. This principle holds true for individuals and communities alike, as seen in the founding of churches and ministries. [28:21]
"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.'" - Hebrews 11:17-18
Reflection: Reflect on a personal sacrifice you've made for God. How has this act of obedience provided you with a clearer vision for your life?
Quotes
"True worship is actually abandoning control of our life to God. That's really what true worship is... to really trust God more we have to know his character more because the more we know his character the more we can trust him." [06:18]
"When we can trust that God has all power, we can trust and put our Faith and Hope in him in a greater capacity... we can yield control of our lives and we can trust him when we know that he knows about what he has going on in our life and the future for us." [06:59]
"God is omnipresent... He's omnipresent. You might remember scripture that says 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So many times in life... we feel God where are you... The scripture says he himself has said I will never leave you forsake you." [08:16]
"The place of your sacrifice will become the place of worship. The place where we give up control to God where we abandon ourselves becomes the place of our worship to God, the place of vision... the place of Abandonment and worship in your life becomes the place of vision." [25:59]
"God wants a relationship with you... that relationship with you and the Lord is greatly determined by your willingness to give up control in your life... God didn't just come by and drop 66 books the Bible and say read these and leave. God is looking for a relationship with you and I." [35:11]
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