Trusting God

TITLE: TRUSTING GOD

SCRIPTURE: EPHESIANS 3:14-21

There are several things I want to address in this morning’s message that don’t necessarily all flow together very smoothly. But I think that’s okay. If you find anything these days that’s flowing together smoothly, please let me know. In this time of a pandemic, seems like it has been hard to connect the dots in many areas of our lives.

The media has inundated the world with information about the virus. Every day, multiple times a day, people are receiving information about the virus’ spread - new government-imposed restrictions - advice on how to distance oneself from others properly - opening up business in phases - and much more.

• Of course, the preacher is not an expert in such areas and therefore, should not feel the burden of replicating the media’s task

• However, this begs the question - WHAT IS THE PREACHER’S RESPONSIBILITY DURING THESE TIMES?

• Do we just Preach as usual?

• Do we continue with a series we began months ago?

• Do we have a responsibility to address the Pandemic in our preaching?

Right now, Christians have the opportunity, just as they did during the plagues and epidemics of history, to distinguish themselves from the world. It is the Preacher’s responsibility to lead the flock during this pandemic for that very purpose.

• We look to the News and Government for our Health

• We look to the Preacher for our Hope

• Competent preachers teach their congregations biblical doctrine and resultant application weekly

• It is the preacher's responsibility to prayerfully imagine how a biblical text, and the truth about God and man therein, results in a gospel-motivated response of loving God and loving neighbor

• In times like these, we need very little imagination because the issue of life is right up in our face

• We can’t be so AFRAID OF DYING THAT WE FORGET TO LIVE

Preaching leadership and hope at this time can take various forms.

• Some may decide to take a break from their current sermon series to address the issue in front of us

• In contrast, others might choose to remain in their existing series and apply their sermons directly to answer the question - WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR DURING THIS PANDEMIC?

I believe the key we should be sharing and encouraging our membership and the Kingdom should be above everything else, we must be found – TRUSTING GOD. As believers we cannot be living in fear like so many of those around us that have no real relationship with the Lord. II TIMOTHY 1:7 “FOR GOD HATH NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.”

• Let’s remember to let faith rule our hearts and not fear

• I absolutely believe we should take this pandemic seriously, use precaution and exercise wisdom

• At the same time, we can do so while keeping our faith in a LIVING – LOVING – CARING GOD

If God took care of us before this pandemic, please know that He has not changed. Although everything is changing at rapid speed around us, God is not.

• He is the same faithful God before this outbreak that He will be once it passes

• Our faith can be steady because our God is faithfully unchanging

If we are not careful, fear can rob us of three essential gifts from God that we desperately need at this time. Recall the text I just quoted.

• POWER -- enables us to live a life of faith when it’s not Easy

• LOVE -- enables us to share and sacrifice when it’s not Convenient

• A SOUND MIND -- --allows us to experience Peace, even when everything seems to be going wrong all around us

• There is too much at stake to give in to fear during this season

• Now more than ever, we need Power - Love - and a Sound Mind

• Fear is too costly of a price to pay

• Choose faith and Trust God

The Apostle Paul in our text is found praying that the Father will strengthen us with power through the work of His Spirit such that we will –

• Think and Speak and Live by Faith

• Be more fully transformed into His likeness

• More aligned with Him in our inner being

• To walk in a manner worthy of our calling

• Not our calling as Preachers, but our calling as Christians

We must remember our Trust and our Strength comes from our inner being, that is the place where we are strengthened by his spirit. The Internal Strength helps our Outward Walk. As Paul wrote in II CORINTHIANS 4:16 “FOR WHICH CAUSE WE FAINT NOT; BUT THOUGH OUR OUTWARD MAN PERISH, YET THE INWARD MAN IS RENEWED DAY BY DAY.” This is the place where we are strengthened with the Holy Spirit’s Power to trust Jesus, and then to live in that trust - keep on TRUSTING GOD.