Who Do You Trust? Series

INTRODUCTION

• VIDEO CLIP

• SLIDE #1

• Today I will begin a three-part series simply entitled LIFE. This series will tackle three issues, who do you trust, building your life without blueprints, and we will conclude with a message that will offer a blueprint for purity.

• Life is not always easy is it, life can be filled with stress and difficulties, even when life is going well, what keeps you anchored?

• We can tell a lot about ourselves by how we react, and where we turn to when life gets difficult.

• Who or what do you rely on when life gets difficult? When it is time to go to battle, who do you take with you, who do you trust to help get you through the battlers of life?

• Today we are asking the question, WHO DO YOU TRUST!

• I think that many of us in this room would say, well, we trust Jesus, and that is good, that is where we should place our trust, but in truth do we?

• When we find ourselves is difficult or stressful situations, I believe that many people rely on worry and fear more than they trust God.

• I have had periodic struggles with relying on worry instead of trusting God.

• When we place our trust in things such as worry, or we allow ourselves to be stressed out over everything that happens in life, it will cause other problems, like health problems.

• Plus, when you do not place our trust in the right place, the problem will defeat you because worry and stress are no defense for the battles life can present to you.

• Today we are going to examine Psalm 20, this Psalm was written by King David. Some say that it was written somewhere in the time frame of 2 Samuel 8-10 particularly in 2 Samuel 10 when David was about to do battle with the Ammonites.

• The people knew David needed something special in order to be victorious in battle, so Psalm 20 shows us a path to victory as God’s chosen people elected to put their trust in God for the protection of their nation. This Psalm was a song and a victory chant offered by the people.

• This Psalm is so applicable today as we need to put our trust in God rather than politicians in order to right the problems within our own country.

• Let’s open the Word to Psalm 20. We will begin with verses 1-5.

• SLIDE #2

• Psalm 20:1–5 (HCSB) — 1 May Yahweh answer you in a day of trouble; may the name of Jacob’s God protect you. 2 May He send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion. 3 May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt offering. 4 May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. How to prepare for life. 1-4

• This observation could have been entitled HOW TO PREPARE FOR BATTLE, but I opted for the word LIFE because life is a battle and we need to know how to be prepared for it.

• In our video clip, Colonel Moore knew that his success in battle would be tied to connection with God.

• 1st, He prepared for battle with prayer!

• Life is not a cakewalk; it can be difficult even when things seem to be going well.

• Psalm 20 offers some insight as to how to be prepared to take on the day.

• Psalm 20 shows us that to be prayerful is to be prepared.

• The nation was about to face a difficult challenge, and the people understood that prayer was their best weapon.

• They are pleading with God to answer the Kings prayer in his time of trouble. The people knew that King David was a man of God, that he was a man of prayer. The people wanted God to know they stood with their king in prayer also.

• May God hear your prayers for victory in the distress of battle." Throughout this prayer, you refers to the anointed King David. Likewise, may the name of the God of Jacob protect you was a request that the king's physical safety be preserved by divine providence and power. Holman Old Testament Commentary - Holman Old Testament Commentary – Psalms 1-75.

• The people knew the king did not have absolute power, but rather, his power was bestowed upon him by God. The people were asking the God who empowered The King, to protect the King!

• When you find yourself under duress, where to you turn for help, where to do turn for the assurance of victory in your situation?