Trusting God: Embracing Faith Over Skepticism
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound question: Can God be trusted? This inquiry is central to our new series, "In God We Trust," which delves into the essence of faith and trust in God over worldly entities. The phrase "In God We Trust" has historical roots, symbolizing the belief that a nation's prosperity is in God's hands. However, the real question is whether we, as individuals, truly trust God in our personal lives.
We live in a society where trust is in decline. People are skeptical of each other, and this skepticism extends to our relationship with God. Many of us have experienced betrayal, leading to a reluctance to trust fully. Yet, God created us with an innate ability to trust, a capacity that is often misplaced in worldly things rather than in Him. Trusting God requires us to let go of our need for control, which is a significant challenge for many. We often hold onto our own understanding and plans, reluctant to surrender fully to God's will.
The story of Charles Blondin, the tightrope walker, serves as a metaphor for our faith journey. We may believe in God's power, but are we willing to "get in the wheelbarrow" and trust Him completely? Like the father in Mark 9 who asked Jesus to help his unbelief, we too struggle with faith. We must acknowledge our doubts and ask God to strengthen our trust.
Trusting God means letting go of our security branches and embracing the unknown. It involves acknowledging Him in all our ways, as Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs. This acknowledgment, or "yada" in Hebrew, is about knowing God intimately and experiencing His faithfulness, love, and goodness. We must trust God first, without demanding guarantees, and allow Him to prove His faithfulness in His time.
Ultimately, trusting God is about becoming a living sacrifice, letting go of our desires and control, and embracing His will. As we do so, we experience the fullness of His love, goodness, and faithfulness, leading us to a deeper relationship with Him.
Key Takeaways:
- Trust in God is foundational to our faith, yet societal skepticism often hinders it. We must recognize our innate capacity to trust and redirect it towards God, rather than worldly entities. Trusting God requires us to let go of control and surrender fully to His will. [06:59]
- Like the father in Mark 9, we all struggle with unbelief. Acknowledging our doubts and asking God for help is crucial. Trusting God involves letting go of our security branches and embracing the unknown, allowing Him to guide us. [19:35]
- The story of Charles Blondin illustrates the challenge of trusting God completely. We may believe in His power, but are we willing to "get in the wheelbarrow" and trust Him with our lives? This requires a wholehearted surrender. [17:26]
- Trusting God means acknowledging Him in all our ways, as Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs. This "yada" or intimate knowledge of God leads to experiencing His faithfulness, love, and goodness. We must trust God first, without demanding guarantees. [31:11]
- Becoming a living sacrifice involves letting go of our desires and control, embracing God's will. As we do so, we experience the fullness of His love, goodness, and faithfulness, leading to a deeper relationship with Him. [41:44]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:03] - Introduction to "In God We Trust"
[02:09] - The Decline of Trust in Society
[04:39] - Least and Most Trusted Professions
[06:59] - The Pain of Broken Trust
[08:26] - Our Natural Capacity to Trust
[12:00] - Control and Trust Issues
[13:06] - Partial Surrender to God
[14:16] - The Illusion of Control
[17:26] - The Wheelbarrow of Faith
[19:35] - Struggling with Unbelief
[23:36] - Letting Go of Security
[25:31] - Identifying Trust Issues
[29:04] - Wholehearted Trust in God
[31:11] - Knowing God Intimately
[34:43] - Trusting Without Guarantees
[41:44] - Becoming a Living Sacrifice
[42:44] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: "In God We Trust"
Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
2. Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
3. Mark 9:24 - "Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'"
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Psalm 118:8, why is it better to trust in the Lord rather than in man? How does this verse relate to the sermon’s theme of trust? [02:09]
2. In the sermon, the pastor mentioned the story of Charles Blondin and the wheelbarrow. What was the significance of this story in illustrating trust in God? [17:26]
3. How does the father’s plea in Mark 9:24 reflect our own struggles with faith and trust in God? [19:35]
4. What does the Hebrew word "yada" mean in the context of Proverbs 3:5-6, and how does it relate to knowing God intimately? [31:11]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does societal skepticism impact our ability to trust God, as discussed in the sermon? What are some ways this skepticism manifests in our daily lives? [06:59]
2. The sermon mentioned that trusting God requires letting go of control. Why is this often a difficult step for many people, and how does it relate to the concept of being a "control freak"? [12:00]
3. In what ways does the story of the father in Mark 9:24 encourage believers to acknowledge their doubts and seek God’s help in overcoming unbelief? [19:35]
4. How does the concept of becoming a "living sacrifice" relate to trusting God and experiencing His love, goodness, and faithfulness? [41:44]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to trust God fully. What was the situation, and how did you eventually find peace or resolution? [06:59]
2. The sermon discussed the idea of letting go of our "security branches." Identify a specific "branch" in your life that you are holding onto. What steps can you take to let go and trust God more fully? [24:28]
3. Consider the areas of your life where you are a "control freak." How can you practice surrendering these areas to God this week? [12:00]
4. The pastor mentioned the importance of acknowledging our doubts and asking God for help. How can you incorporate this practice into your daily prayer life? [19:35]
5. Think about the concept of "yada" and knowing God intimately. What practical steps can you take to deepen your relationship with God and experience His faithfulness more fully? [31:11]
6. Reflect on the idea of becoming a "living sacrifice." What specific desires or habits do you need to let go of to align more closely with God’s will? [41:44]
7. How can you apply the lessons from the story of Charles Blondin to your own faith journey? What does "getting in the wheelbarrow" look like for you personally? [17:26]
Devotional
Day 1: Redirecting Trust from the World to God
In a world where trust is increasingly scarce, it is crucial to recognize our innate capacity to trust and redirect it towards God rather than worldly entities. Trusting God requires us to relinquish our desire for control and fully surrender to His will. This is a significant challenge, as many of us have experienced betrayal and broken trust, leading to skepticism. However, God invites us to place our trust in Him, promising that He will guide us through life's uncertainties. By acknowledging our doubts and asking for His help, we can begin to trust Him more deeply. [06:59]
"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." (Isaiah 26:4, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are struggling to let go of control? How can you begin to trust God with this area today?
Day 2: Embracing the Unknown with Faith
Like the father in Mark 9 who asked Jesus to help his unbelief, we all struggle with doubts and uncertainties. Trusting God involves letting go of our security branches and embracing the unknown, allowing Him to guide us. This requires a willingness to step out in faith, even when we cannot see the outcome. By acknowledging our doubts and seeking God's strength, we can learn to trust Him more fully and experience His faithfulness in our lives. [19:35]
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one "security branch" you are holding onto that prevents you from fully trusting God? How can you begin to let go of it today?
Day 3: The Challenge of Complete Trust
The story of Charles Blondin, the tightrope walker, illustrates the challenge of trusting God completely. We may believe in His power, but are we willing to "get in the wheelbarrow" and trust Him with our lives? This requires a wholehearted surrender, letting go of our own plans and understanding, and allowing God to lead us. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of His love, goodness, and faithfulness. [17:26]
"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust God completely? What steps can you take to surrender this area to Him today?
Day 4: Knowing God Intimately
Trusting God means acknowledging Him in all our ways, as Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs. This "yada" or intimate knowledge of God leads to experiencing His faithfulness, love, and goodness. We must trust God first, without demanding guarantees, and allow Him to prove His faithfulness in His time. By seeking to know God more intimately, we can deepen our relationship with Him and grow in our trust. [31:11]
"And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you." (Psalm 9:10, ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a more intimate relationship with God this week? What specific actions can you take to know Him better?
Day 5: Becoming a Living Sacrifice
Becoming a living sacrifice involves letting go of our desires and control, embracing God's will. As we do so, we experience the fullness of His love, goodness, and faithfulness, leading to a deeper relationship with Him. This requires a daily commitment to surrender our lives to God, trusting that His plans for us are good and perfect. By becoming a living sacrifice, we can experience the transformative power of God's love in our lives. [41:44]
"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, ESV)
Reflection: What is one desire or area of control you need to surrender to God today? How can you begin to live as a living sacrifice in your daily life?
Quotes
"Customers don't trust businesses anymore. Employees don't trust managers. Seems like nobody trusts to police anymore. And they did a survey regarding trust for Americans, and they discovered that the least trusted professions in America are now, again, if you're in this profession, I'm sorry, I'm just reading a survey. But if you're a used car salesman, you're one of the least trusted people." [00:04:19] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"They missed out on the benefit because they did not fully trust God. In fact, I would say a lot of us are partially surrendered to partially surrendered life. We believe God for something, but other things we do not. We don't wholeheartedly trust God because we like to be in control. I'll have you raise your hand again. How many of you like to be in control or you like to be in command of the remote control for your TV? You're like, hey, you're in my house. I control the remote." [00:13:19] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"How many of you felt like you wanted to lift that person's hand? You're a control freak. See, there's a lot of people that I believe God, but I don't want to surrender everything to him because I want to be in control of some, things in life." [00:12:35] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"I believe you listen to other people's prayer, but I don't think you're really listening to my prayer. God, I believe you're gracious to everyone else, but your mercy doesn't apply to me. God, I want to trust you with everything, but I really just can't do it. And so we don't trust God completely. And we've got to get to a place where we can trust God in God. We trust there is a man by the name of Charles Blondin is his name. And he lived back in 1859. And there are actually some pictures of him. I'll show you in just a moment. And he is what we call the greatest tightrope walker in the world." [00:17:54] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"this niagara falls but he also got on stilts those wooden stilts and he walked across it on stilts i mean this is insane they said that he actually at one time he walked back and forth he took a chair and he had a little stove and he cooked an omelet and he ate it he at one time sat down uh midway again and uh he also uh took a guy and he carried him on piggyback why don't you go ahead and show that carried that guy on piggyback there that guy's insane i would have never gotten on that piggyback with that guy but it just kind of shows you how much confidence he had and that he was willing to do all these different things and walking across this tightrope and one dot one time one day he he carried or he had this wheelbarrow and he walked it across with potatoes on it and he got to the other side and he asked the people how many believe that i can push somebody in it in the wheelbarrow across and everybody was roaring and there was a man that was especially excited he said do you believe i could push somebody across this thing and the man said yes and then he said get in the wheelbarrow get in the wheelbarrow of course the man after that said well i don't believe that much he didn't get in the wheelbarrow so here's what it comes down to a lot of us today we say we believe god yes we believe god can do it get in the wheelbarrow see we won't get in the wheelbarrow we say we believe god we say that god can do everything but are you willing to get in the wheelbarrow with god and allow god to carry you across number two write this down you're not alone in your faith struggle how many thank god for that all of us today we struggle with our faith struggle we struggle with our faith struggle all of us today we wrestle with our faith in fact there was a man that came to jesus and he was filled with anxiety and pain" [00:19:35] (129 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"because his son was demon possessed to such a point that that bible says the disciples tried to cast out this demon but they were unsuccessful and so they finally bring him to jesus and this man tells jesus what's going on he says in mark chapter 9 verse 22 he said it has often it has often talking about the demon thrown him into a fire or water to kill him so this demon is trying to kill this boy but then this man says this to jesus but if you can do anything take pity on us and help us if you can do anything and i love jesus's answer because it's very classic verse 23 he said if you can are you saying if i can there's no if with jesus jesus said you mean you're you're another translation is that what do do you mean if I can? In other words, are you questioning whether I can do it or not? I'm the one that created the galaxy. I'm the one that breathed the nostrils and made you a living soul. What do you mean if I can?" [00:21:43] (70 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"Then he said, everything is possible for one who believes. And immediately the boy's father exclaimed, I do believe. Listen to this. I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief. I think that's where a lot of us are at. We believe, but we have some unbelief. We believe God is powerful. We believe God is mighty. But when it comes to our situation, help my unbelief." [00:23:10] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"what is it write it down in your phone don't look at your neighbor this is a private moment okay maybe with your money that could be the hardest thing you know money mentioned so many times in scripture that Jesus talks about you can't serve God and mammon he talks about could it be a relationship could it be an addiction that you're holding on to and you say I need to give God this addiction I need I need to have the courage to let it go because when you keep it and hold on to it it destroys you look at what the scripture says here Proverbs 28 13 whoever conceals their sin what does not prosper you're not going to do well but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy so some of us are living in our own created prison of concealed sin we're holding back things from God and here's the thing about it God already knows what you're hiding you might as well confess it if you want to be healed if you want to to receive God's mercy you might as well confess it confess it to God and say God this is what's happening and I know what it is to struggle I know what it is uh to have to deal with faith and believe God there's been times in my life where I've been in places and things that have happened where I had to believe God I had to trust God and it was difficult you I remember years ago I was working at a company and it was going bankrupt what chapter 11 they're filing check they're shelling off their inventory they're selling off everything people are coming and buying inventory this this place is going under and they're giving everybody pink clips little by little and you're just waiting at some point I'm going to get the pink slip and I'm going to be let go and I have nowhere to go I didn't have another job I didn't have another job I didn't have another job I didn't have another job" [00:26:31] (113 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
"God, I need a guarantee, then I'll trust you. God, I need to know where it's all going to be, how everything's going to turn out first, then I'll trust you. God, help me to land this promotion, then I'll trust you. God, you need to answer this prayer first, then I'll trust you. God, I'll think about tithing, if you guarantee that tomorrow I'll win the lottery, then I'll start tithing today. And so all of these things come into play, where we're saying, God, you have to prove yourself first, before I trust you. When it's not that way, you have to trust God first, and God proves it later. Can you say amen?" [00:32:32] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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