Misplaced Trust

In the message “Secure In His Presence” we were encouraged to guard against anything which takes away from our complete dependence on our Heavenly Father. We saw how worldly security can sometimes cause us to close our eyes and ears to God’s leading. Becoming secure in the world means we are placing our trust in the things of the world. David made this mistake and it cost him dearly.
God described David as “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). David clearly saw God working in his life. When he went to fight Goliath with only stones and a sling, he knew to trust in the strength offered by God; “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). God continued to protect David through his trials with Saul and later led him through many military victories as the king of Israel. But toward the end of his reign, David began to trust the world’s definition of power and might.
1 Chronicles 21:1-2
“Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, ‘Go and count the Israelites. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.’”
God allowed Satan to tempt David because there was still deep rooted pride in David that needed to be revealed. There was nothing inherently wrong with counting the people. When God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt, He told Moses; “Take a census of the whole Israelite community” (Numbers 1:2). But David had become very “self” reliant and had placed his trust in his own strength and abilities. He became focused on his resources – the number of men who were able to fight – rather than keeping his eyes and ears on the true Commander of ALL battles.
David recognized and confessed his sin: “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg You, take away the guilt” (1 Chronicles 21:8). Though David’s sin was forgiven, God still enforced severe consequences; “So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead” (1 Chronicles 21:14). As the leader of God’s chosen people, David was expected to set a clear example of complete trust.
God wants and expects the total devotion of our heart. Devotion will always mean love and worship; but it also must include our sustained and unwavering trust. Our Heavenly Father establishes our path and provides all the necessary strength to achieve the victory He desires. He simply asks that we trust only in Him and continue to follow where He leads. Let’s give Him ALL the glory and honor as we keep our eyes forever focused on Christ and guard against the sin of misplaced trust.

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Secure in His Presence

Jehoiakim was king of Judah just prior to the first Babylonian invasion in 605 B.C.. He had become comfortable in the security of the palace, and an alliance with the Egyptians made him feel even more protected. But Jehoiakim led the people of Judah further away from God; “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his fathers had done” (2 Kings 23:37).
God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn Jehoiakim and the people of Judah that disaster would come if they did not repent; “If you do not listen to Me and follow My law…, then I will make this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth” (Jeremiah 26:4,6). But with his every need and desire fulfilled, and his every fear removed, Jehoiakim did not see a reason to listen.
Jeremiah 22:21
“I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed.”
We spend the majority of our lives building security in our job, finances, and relationships. But security within the world system is extremely shallow and deceptive; “Do not store up for yourselves treasures {security} on earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). We ought to be thankful for every one of our earthly blessings, but we should NEVER receive our “security” from the world. Our complete dependence must always remain on our Heavenly Father, and our eyes and ears continually open to His leading.
Our daily walk is made one slow step at a time as we “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Usually, we are allowed to see only the next step; “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). We may not know what turns lie ahead, but our true security, peace and comfort, comes from simply knowing we are on His path, not from feeling we control the direction or pace of the journey.
True security begins with faith in Jesus Christ and builds on a pure love which flows from the innermost part of our heart. Even activities such as church attendance, Bible study, or work in various ministries mean nothing without a faith based love; and these well-intended actions become a false spiritual security when they replace the need to abide in the presence of God or daily seek His direction.
Let’s not allow our lives to develop a sense of security which shuts out the need for God and the absolute hunger for His presence. Our walk of faith will always require stepping into the unknown where all we have is what He provides. And a loving trust in God is confident that His provision is always enough! Let’s lean on Him, love Him, and draw ever closer. Let’s seek true security by only being secure in His presence.

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Trusting in His Grace

In the message “What We Have Seen and Heard” we were encouraged to press in close to the presence of God and share how His truths have been made real in our life. As we continue to walk with our Heavenly Father and better understand His love, we ought to experience a sense of awe which we can’t help but share with others.
The complete story of Jesus Christ, which began before the creation of the world and continues for all eternity, is a love story whose central theme is grace; “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). The moment we believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, God lovingly welcomes us into His Family; this is His gift of Salvation! We are adopted into His Family before doing anything deserving of being called His child. This means our Salvation is never something we earn – it is a gift of grace.
Romans 11:6
“And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”
If we come before our Heavenly Father thinking we can do ANYTHING which makes us deserving of Salvation, then we do not yet understand His gift of forgiving grace. God’s grace is extended to all who believe, but we are called to believe His grace is both absolutely necessary AND completely sufficient.
If we truly believe, our life will produce fruit and we will do good works; “Faith, if not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). But our good works will never save us – Salvation is a gift. If we truly believe, we will desire to obediently follow; “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands” (1 John 2:3). But our obedience will never save us – Salvation is a gift.
If we have never settled the issue of Salvation, then today is the day to “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). We must come before God with empty hands, acknowledge our sin and need for a Savior, and receive the gift of grace offered through Jesus.
As we then continue our walk with Christ, we learn to love Him with all our heart and strive to present our very best as we obediently follow and produce good works, bringing Him glory and honor in ALL we do. But while we walk, love, and strive, we must remember that our “best” is not what earns His favor. Our “successes” will not make us more worthy, and our “failures” will not cause us to lose His love. His gift is everything! Let’s give Him everything in return as we continue to live each moment of this wondrous journey by trusting in His grace.

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What We Have Seen and Heard

How will we respond to those who doubt? What should we say to those with uncertainties, or to those who ask, “Is Jesus really the answer?”
We could begin with how the Bible is the true Word of God: “A collection of 66 books written by many different authors, during a 1500 year time period, and all with the same message.” Or, we could discuss the Old Testament prophesies which were fulfilled with Jesus. We could show where Micah said the Savior would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and where Isaiah stated He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).
We could point to Zechariah who prophesied that our King would enter Jerusalem “gentle and riding on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9), how David said He would be crucified; “they have pierced My hands and My feet” (Psalm 22:16), and how Isaiah said He would die for our sin; “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
These are all good truths to share at the appropriate time; but when someone is doubting or searching, it’s usually best to follow the example of Jesus. John the Baptist had sent messengers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Luke 7:19).
Luke 7:21-22
“At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So He replied to the messengers, ‘Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard.’”
While it’s good to be able to defend our faith, we will never convince anyone to believe by presenting Biblical “facts.” The most convincing argument as to the truth of God’s Word is to share how we have seen His Word come alive in our own life; how we have seen Jesus calm the seas and rebuke the storms, heal broken lives and answer prayers. We ought to share how we have heard Him call us to test the waters of faith and seen the waters become solid as we stepped; how we have experienced “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). When God’s truths become real in our daily life, they cannot be argued against!
If His truths have not yet become absolute and unquestionably real, then I urge you to press VERY close into His presence and allow His light to shine in and through you each and every day. There can be no better preparation for sharing the truth than to live the truth and watch God work in a multitude of ways. Let’s prepare to share the gospel; and when the opportunity arises, let’s simply report what we have seen and heard.

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Law vs. Grace, 7 of 12

~ Imprisoned vs. Free ~

 

 

introduction:  The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Galatians to the believers of this local church at a time when they were beginning to reject the gospel of grace and were instead moving backward toward obedience of the Mosaic Law as the means of winning favor with God. Paul’s purpose in writing was to point out the dramatic differences between Law and Grace. 

Imprisoned vs. Free

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).   

summary:  The bottom line of understanding Law vs. Grace is a theology of “DO or DONE!” Are you still trying to DO things to earn your salvation, or do you understand that it was DONE for you on the Cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ—you only need to accept/trust His provision on your behalf?

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). “Not by works of righteousness which we do, but according to His mercy He saves us” (Titus 3:5a).

 

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A Message of Truth

In the message “Protection of Truth” we saw that loving the truth of God is our protection against the deceptive attacks of the enemy. By knowing the truth, we can recognize the lies of “worldly wisdom,” and continue along God’s path without painful detours into the weeds. But we must be willing to faithfully apply the truth in all areas of our life and share the truth with others at every opportunity.
Prior to the final invasion of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, God spoke through Jeremiah to warn the people of their coming destruction and their need to repent. Needless to say, this was not a popular message and Jeremiah was not a welcomed prophet. But there were other self-proclaimed prophets who provided a much more comfortable message. These prophets made people feel good by telling them what they wanted to hear – telling them they could continue down their same path without fear. But God warned about falling into their seductive trap of false security.
Jeremiah 23:16-17
“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’”
The ministry of encouragement is a vital part of our Christian walk. We all face valleys and need encouragers to provide a lift. And since we know there are many others who are walking through valleys today, we should encourage in every way possible; “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today!” (Hebrews 3:13).
However, in our zeal to encourage and build up, we must never compromise by presenting a message which falls short of the absolute truth. We must never present an “all is well” message if all is not well. When God’s children wander from His path and plant themselves amongst the weeds, there must be someone willing to “gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance” (2 Timothy 2:25).
Our task as an encourager is not always to make others comfortable or to deliver a pleasing message; we are not called to tell people “what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). Rather, our task is to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We never help when we make someone comfortable with sin.
The absolute best encouragement we can give is to help someone have a right relationship with their Heavenly Father through a surrendered faith in Jesus Christ. God’s truth can and will set us free (John 8:32)! Let’s encourage in every way possible; but let’s make certain we always encourage with a message of truth!

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Protection of Truth

In the message “Wisdom of The World” we saw that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight” (1 Corinthians 3:19). But we also saw that the enemy uses the world’s wisdom as a very effective weapon. This false wisdom has permeated our society to the point where it is difficult, if not impossible, to avoid being attacked. Yet the attacks can be so subtle we often do not even realize we are hit until we have wandered far from God’s path.
Since this is such a powerful and deceptive weapon, we need the ability to recognize the attack and protect against harm. Fortunately, God has provided a sure way for both.
Psalm 40:11
“Do not withhold Your mercy from me, O Lord; may Your love and Your truth always protect me.”
In the financial world, there is always concern about counterfeit. Ever since the first currency, there have been those who make and distribute unauthorized money. The absolute best way to recognize these counterfeits is to know the fine details of the real thing. When the truth is fully known, the counterfeit is easily revealed.
God has given an unchanging standard against which all others must be judged. His standard is His Word – and His Word is TRUTH! Jesus taught a message of truth for His entire earthly ministry. Nearly one hundred times in the gospels Jesus began His message with, “I tell you the truth.”
Jesus even referred to Himself as the complete manifestation of truth; “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). And if properly applied, the truth will never be a burden: “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
Paul said in the last days people will be deceived and perish, “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Notice that our protection is not simply learning about the truth; rather, it requires a love – a passionate desire to know and apply the truth of His Word. We must allow His truth to become entwined in ALL we do, say, and think.
Let’s pray that God would reveal His truth more and more every day. Let’s commit to learning His truths and applying them as the absolute standard in our life. The enemy will continue to attack with his weapons of deception, but as we remain in Christ and firmly hold to His Word we can be assured we have the protection of truth.

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