Persevering Through Trust-Perseverance Part 3 Series

July 10, 2005

Morning Worship

Text: Proverbs 3:5-6

Subject: Perseverance Part 3

Title: Persevering Through Trust

As we patiently wait for the coming of the Lord, we have to have something to hold on to that will help us maintain our faith through hard times. We must find something to trust in. I heard recently of a Christian who said that their favorite passage in the whole bible was, “And it came to pass…” We know that if God’s word says it, it will happen. We come to that point by faith or trust. What happens when you place your trust in someone or something? It depends upon who it is! I have come to understand that you cannot place your trust in human wisdom. You will be disappointed.

A man took his five-year-old son and stood him up on a shelf and said, “Jump, son. I’ll catch you.” After a few minutes of coaxing, the boy jumped and his dad promptly stepped aside and let him fall. The boy looked up with tears in his eyes and asked, “Dad, why didn’t you catch me?” His dad’s reply? “I just wanted to teach you never to trust anyone.”

Our Scripture passage today is a familiar one. Proverbs 3:5-6 says this, Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

The call of God on your life is a serious one and at times it is a struggle. This we know, that what God has called us to He will make a way for it to be so. That is the one thing we can be assured of. It is the one thing that helps us to persevere till it is so.

Last week we spoke of joy and how the Joy of the Lord will help see us through. Today I want to share with you about persevering through trust.

I. THE OBJECT OF YOUR TRUST. The word translated “trust” in verse 5 has a deep element of faith in it. The Amplified bible says it like this, “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in…” Now we are not asked to have blind faith. We are to “trust in the Lord.” How do we get to the point where we can trust? It comes through personal experience. How do we trust the Lord? The writer of Hebrews tells us that, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Him must believe that “He is,” and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” So we come to trust the Lord by our experience with Him. Years ago, Monroe Parker was traveling through South Alabama on one of those hot, sultry Alabama days. He stopped at a watermelon stand, picked out a watermelon, and asked the proprietor how much it cost. "It’s$1.10," he replied. Parker dug into his pocket, found only a bill and said, "All I have is a dollar." "That’s ok," the proprietor said, "I’ll trust you for it."

"Well, that’s mighty nice of you," Parker responded, and picking up the

watermelon, started to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" the man behind the counter demanded.

"I’m going outside to eat my watermelon." "But you forgot to give me the

dollar!"

"You said you would trust me for it," Parker called back.

"Yeah, but I meant I would trust you for the dime!"

"Mack," Parker replied, "You weren’t going to trust me at all. You were

just going to take a ten-cent gamble on my integrity!"

Haddon Robinson.

That’s how our relationship with God needs to be. We have to trust Him for everything. Often our tendency is to take care of our problems ourselves until our solutions run aground, then we call on God. Isaiah 26:4, “Trust in the Lord forever, for in “YAH” the Lord is everlasting strength.” Don’t place your trust in money, position, or power, but trust in the Lord. He is to be the object of your trust. All else will disappoint.

II. THE SOURCE OF YOUR TRUST. “Trust in the Lord …with all your heart.” The heart plays an important part in your spiritual life. I want to take a look at all the different meanings of the word that is translated “heart”. 1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding

1a) inner part, midst

1a1) midst (of things)

1a2) heart (of man)

1a3) soul, heart (of man)

1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)

1a6) conscience

1a7) heart (of moral character)

1a8) as seat of appetites

1a9) as seat of emotions and passions

1a10) as seat of courage

So when the bible talks about “heart” it is not only referring to the muscle that pumps blood through the body. It refers to the very center of everything we are in body, soul, and spirit. So if you are to trust in the Lord with all you heart, you subject your flesh to Him (body), you trust Him with your emotions and intellect (soul) and you trust Him in your spirit. That is why we confess with our mouths the lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead…” So our trust doesn’t just come from one aspect of our humanity but from the total of who we are.