Introduction:

In these uncertain times I ask, Do you really trust God?

Today I am beginning a four part series of messages on trust inspired by Pastor John Maxwell. Today our primary focus will be on the question, "Do you really trust God?" "Where do you place your confidence? "IS God truly your source?" Think about that with the large and small concerns of your life. In our self-reliant society, really trusting God is not easy. Asking these questions lays a foundation for the following messages as I ask, "Can God really trust you?"

The outline I am using today centers around these trustworthy thoughts about God.
I. God's Care Is Constant
II. God's Gifts are Generous
I assume most of us are familiar with the great old hymn, "Trust and Obey." Do we recall the refrain, Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey?

I. God's Care Is Constant

"God has said, 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 Literally in Greek five negatives.
George Beverly Shea who has sung with Rev. Billy Graham had a song request to sing, "God's Grip Don't Slip." That may be lousy grammar, but it is wonderful theology.

I would like you to open your Bible or a pew Bible to Proverbs 3 and make note of several words.
v. 5 All your heart
v. 6 In all your ways
v. 9 first fruit of all
Observations from Proverbs 3:1-10
Completely, all, always - Not partial
A. God is trustworthy.
God is worthy of my complete confidence. I can depend on Him completely.
B. God has entrusted, i.e. placed in our care the possessions, opportunities, talents, and time that we now experience.
C. We are trustees of everything that God has given to us.
I assume that many of you have heard “Footprints in the Sand.” Do any of you know the background of its writing? Margaret Fishback went through great trials. The man she loved left her. She was afflicted with meningitis and was bedfast for months. At this low point in her life another man fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. She said that she was out of trust. At that point she was not sure she trusted God and she knew that she did not trust men. One night she wrote these words in her diary.

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND
One night I had a dream...
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord, and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. But when I walked through the difficult times of life there was only one set of footprints.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said that once I decided to follow You, You would be walk with me all the way. But I have this question. Why, when I needed You most, did you leave me?
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never never leave. But during your times of trials and suffering, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Do you really trust God? God's care is constant. In addition:

II. God's Gifts are Generous
God is a very generous God to His children. He has blessed us with gifts and talents.
Psalm 136:1-9
Praise the Lord for He is good. His love never fails. Praise the God of all Gods, because God's love never fails. O give thanks to the Lord of lords for God’s love never fails. To the one who does great wonders, for His love never fails.... God's love never fails.
Chorus "Jesus Never Fails" I'm glad, so glad, that Jesus never fails.
We can really trust God. His care is constant. His gifts are generous.
Developing our trust

1. Trusting God in Adversity
We are responsible to trust Him in times of adversity, but we are dependent upon the Holy Spirit to enable us to do so.
David said in Psalm 56:4 "In God I trust.” Psalm 34 “I sought the Lord and He answered me out of all my fears.”
You and I are responsible to obey and trust God. That is our part. Our problem is that sometimes when God asks us to trust and obey Him with an area of our life that is bigger than we can understand; instead of doing our part, total trust and obedience, we want to do God's part. Ask God how He is going to work this out? Are you unsure that God understands all the problems we have in our home and marriage? If we surrender our financial issues to God we are afraid he may not realize how deep the problems go. We need to trust God and give him our fears. Tell God we may not understand, but we are willing to trust Him.

2. Trusting God in Plenty
The extent to which we genuinely thank God for the blessings He provides is an indicator of our trust in Him.
For many, trusting God in plenty may be even more difficult. We may try to trust in ourselves or in our blessings. We may run to God faster when we have problems than when we think things are going okay and we can handle them ourselves.

3. Trusting God as our source
Sometimes we may demonstrate the human tendency to trust in God's instruments of provision rather than in God Himself.
We may trust the job rather than remembering that God is the one who provided the job. God is the provider of our health.
Proverbs 18:10-11
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall."
Those who trust in the Lord turn to the Lord when they have a need.
Those who have possessions may look upon their wealth as an unscalable wall. They don't think really need God.
Do you have an unscalable wall? Is it your savings account, your investments, your farm, your business, your job, your education, your health? It is easy to trust other things and not make God the source of our trust.
We may think of a guy who was talking to God and telling God, "I cannot lean on you like I want to."
God responded to him, "That is because you have never put your total weight on Me. You are still using your own strength."
My friends, do you really trust God? Have you put your whole weight on Him, or are you trusting in your own strength?

Conclusion
Have any of you heard a great black preacher, Rev. S.M. Lockridge? I want to share these words of his in closing today and will invite you to participate when you are prompted on the screen. You may just prefer to listen, but you may be blessed by participating as his congregation likely would without prompting.
You Can Trust Him
It is He who made us. It is He who made us and not we ourselves. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork. No means of measure can define His limitless love and no far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. I'm telling you today. You can trust Him.
HALLELUJAH!
No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He's endearingly strong and He's entirely sincere, He's eternally steadfast and He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful and He's impartially
mercifully. He's the great phenomena that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Savior. He's the centerpiece of civilization. I'm trying to tell you church. You can trust Him. YEAH!
He does not call for help. You can't confuse Him. He doesn't need you and He doesn't need me. He stands alone in the solitude of Himself. He's august, He's unique, He's unparalleled, He's supreme, He's preeminent, He's unprecedented. He's the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy, He's the supreme problem of higher criticism.
He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He's the cardinal necessity of the spiritual religion. He's the miracle of the age, He's the superlative of everything good that you can call Him. I'm trying to tell you, You can trust him . YEAH!
He can satisfy all your needs and He can do it simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak and He is available for the tempted and the tried. He supervises and He sees. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick and He cleanses the leper, He forgives sinners, He discharges debtors, He delivers the captives, He defends the people, He blesses the young, He regards the aged, He rewards diligent, He beautifies the meek. I'm trying to tell you church, You can trust Him.
HALLELUJAH!
He is the key to knowledge. He is the wellspring of wisdom, He is the doorway of deliverance, He is the pathway of peace. He is the roadway of righteousness. He is the highway of holiness, He is the gateway to glory. You can trust Him. He is the master of the mighty. He is the captain of the conquerer. He is the leader of legislators, He is the governor of the governors, He is the overseer of the overcomers. He is the Prince of princes. He is the King of kings. He is the Lord of Lords. You can trust Him. YEAH!
His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy. His burden is light. I wish I could describe him to you. HALLELUJAH!
He is indescribable because He is incomprehensible. He is irresistible because He is invincible. You can't get Him off you hands. You can't get Him off your mind. You can't outlive Him and You can't live without Him.
Pilate couldn't stand it when he found out he couldn't stop Him and he could not find any fault in Him and the witnesses couldn't agree. Herod couldn't kill Him and death couldn't handle Him and thank God the grave couldn't hold Him. YEAH!
There was nobody before Him. There will be nobody after Him. He has no predecessor. He will have not successor. You can't impeach Him and he is not going to resign. You can trust Him. APPLAUSE
He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is all things. He is the giver of all things. He is joy out of every sorrow. He is the light out of every darkness. He's the peace that passes all understanding. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. You can trust Him. There was no God before Him. There will be none after Him. He is the last. He is preeminent. There is no other God. AMEN!

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