In God We Trust

"In God We Trust"

Proverbs 3:5-6

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Introduction:

I. The Attitude (...trust in the Lord...)

When the good Lord led me to this text I was thinking that there has never been a time when people in general and Christians in particular have been more fearful. The world is becoming more and more like what the Bible says the last days would be like. Listen to what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Think of what we have seen in just the last few months with foreign and domestic terrorism on the increase, the killing of police officers in our major cities, the political situation with all of its uncertainty, a stagnant economy, most of the Middle East in flames, and so many other issues that fill people's hearts and mind with uncertainty and with uncertainty comes fear. Fortunately for us the Word of God gives us the antidote to fear and that is faith, faith in God and His promises. With faith comes an attitude of dependence our Creator instead of His creation or any other creature! This attitude of dependence is critical to faith and it's important that we get it right.

Illustration - A student pilot was taking his first solo flight. He thought he had done pretty well during the flying lessons, but now he was up there on his own. All had been going just fine until he came to the place to land the plane. He found the designated runway. His teacher was on the radio on the ground instructing him. He nosed the plane down rather sharply toward the runway. The he heard the instructor saying over the radio: "Correct your attitude."

The student pilot thinks: "My attitude? What's wrong with my attitude? My attitude is just fine." The voice comes more urgently, "correct your attitude." "What's wrong with my instructor, there's nothing wrong whatsoever with my" .....CRASH!

Two weeks later he woke up on the hospital, his instructor was there. He had the flight manual opened and a definition underlined: "Attitude: The plane's inclination toward the earth."

What is your attitude? Is Your attitude to go up to God by faith and trust Him?

Illustration - "Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength." D. L. Moody

Second, notice the depth of that dependence. It is to be absolute.

II. The Absolute (...with all thine heart...)

Not in a creature, the best, the holiest, and the highest; not in any creature enjoyment, as riches, strength, and wisdom; nor in any outward privilege, arising from natural descent and education; not in a man's self, in his own heart, which is deceitful; nor in any works of righteousness done by him; not in a profession of religion, or the duties of it, ever so well performed; not in frames, nor in graces, and the exercise of them; no, not in faith or trust itself: but in the Lord, the object of all grace, and in him only; trust in Jehovah the Father, as the God of nature and providence, for all temporal blessings; and as the God of all grace, for all spiritual blessings, and all the needful supplies of grace; and for eternal happiness, which he has provided, promised, and freely gives. Trust in him at all times; in times of affliction, temptation, and darkness: there is a great deal of reason for it; all power and strength are in him to help; his love, grace, and mercy, move him to it, and are always the same: the consideration of what he has done for others that have trusted in him, and for ourselves in times past, should induce and encourage to it; as also the happiness of those that trust in him, who enjoy peace and safety; and his displeasure at those that show any diffidence of him, or distrust him. Trust in Jehovah the Son; in his person for acceptance; in his righteousness for justification; in his blood for pardon; in his fullness for supply; in his power for protection and preservation; and in him alone for salvation and eternal life. Trust in Jehovah the Spirit, to carry on and finish the work of grace upon the heart; of which a saint may be confident that where it is begun it will be completed. And this trust in Father, Son, and Spirit, should be "with all the heart", cordial and sincere. The phrase denotes not so much the strength of faith as the sincerity of it; it signifies a faith unfeigned; it is not saying, or professing, that a man believes and trusts in the Lord; but it is with the heart, and with his whole heart, that he believes unto righteousness, if he believes aright