Be Careful Who You Trust
September 25, 2016 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We should only trust God and His word to direct us.
Focus Passage: Proverbs 3:5-7
Supplemental Passage: Be still, and know that I am God! I will be praised among the nations, I will be praised in the earth. (Psalms 46:10 MKJV)
Introduction: In China, there is a 1460 ft long, 600 ft high glass bridge. In Chicago, there is a glass balcony on the 103rd floor of the old Sears Tower. In London, they are building a glass bottom swimming pool suspended between two buildings 10 floors up. At the Grand Canyon, there is a glass sky-walk suspended over an 800 ft drop. Do you trust these things to walk on them? Do you trust the glass? Do you trust the engineers? How do you know you can trust them?
Who Do You Trust?
I. The World’s Advice
a. Trust your heart: "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 NASB)
b. The Mormons tell people they are trying to convert to “read the book of Mormon and to trust their heart to see if it’s true.”
c. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15 NASB)
ILLUSTRATION: There is an old story of a father who took his young son out and stood him on the railing of the back porch. He then went down, stood on the lawn, and encouraged the little fellow to jump into his arms. "I'll catch you," the father said confidently. After a lot of coaxing, the little boy finally made the leap. When he did, the father stepped back and let the child fall to the ground. He then picked his son up, dusted him off, and dried his tears.
"Let that be a lesson," he said sternly. "Don't ever trust anyone."
Bernie May, Learning to Trust, Multnomah Press, 1985, p. 4.
d. Trust your friends: A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, (Proverbs 1:5 NASB)
e. It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man. (Psalms 118:8 NASB)
f. Do not trust in a neighbor; Do not have confidence in a friend. From her who lies in your bosom Guard your lips. (Micah 7:5 NASB)
II. The Word’s Advice
a. Trust in the Lord with all your heart
b. Do not lean on your own understanding
c. In all you do, acknowledge the Lord
d. Do not be wise in your own eyes
Application/Invitation:
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And trust in the LORD. (Psalms 4:5 NASB)
Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. (Psalms 37:3 NASB)
Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalms 37:5 NASB)
In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? (Psalms 56:4 NASB)
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. (Psalms 62:8 NASB)
I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" (Psalms 91:2 NASB)
"Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock. (Isaiah 26:4 NASB)
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:7 NASB)
And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." (Hebrews 2:13a NASB)
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. (Psalms 18:2-3 NASB)
