Trust In Action

Trust in Action

April 10, 2011 Evening Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: It is easy to say that we trust God; we must prove it with our actions.

Focus Passage: I Samuel 14:1-23 esp. vs. 6

Supplemental Passage: I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 NASB)

Introduction: A young writer with a very uncertain income went into a quiet park to contemplate a serious problem. For four years he had been engaged but felt he did not have enough money to get married. He wanted to live and write in Paris, Rome, Vienna, London -- everywhere. However, without the security of money his plan seemed hopeless. As he thought about his situation he looked up and at that moment saw a squirrel jump from one high tree to another. He appeared to be aiming for a limb so far out of reach that the leap looked like suicide. He missed that limb -- but landed, safe and unconcerned, on a branch several feet lower. Then he climbed to his goal, and all was well. An old man sitting on the bench next to him said, "Funny, I’ve seen hundreds of them jump like that, especially when there are dogs around and they can’t come down to the ground. A lot of them miss the branch, but I’ve never seen any miss the tree or get hurt in trying." Then he chuckled. "I guess they’ve got to risk it if they don’t want to spend their whole lives in one tree." Suddenly the writer thought, a squirrel takes a chance -- have I less nerve than a squirrel? They were married two weeks later and scraped up enough money to go to Europe. They jumped off into space, not sure what branch they would land on. He began to write twice as fast and twice as hard as ever before and soon they were living comfortably.

I. Gumption – courage to act (get up and do something)

a. Dad (King Saul) was relaxing under a pomegranate tree

b. Jonathan was tired of sitting around waiting

c. Too many of us are simply sitting around waiting for God to work, or someone else to get a big idea.

II. Umption- Motivation to do something (trust God)

a. Jonathan thought if God is for us, we’ll win. If not, we’re gonna loose anyway.

b. Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

c. 1Co 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

III. Function – The work comes from God (God is in control)

a. Php 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

b. Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

c. Mat 19:26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."