Trust

Getting into the boat with Jesus doesn’t mean you trust Him

Sailing (1 of 1)

Jesus had just finished healing the sick and casting out demons. The crowd overwhelmed Him. He needed a break, so He instructed His disciples to crossed on the other side of the lake.

The Bible said, ” Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You are men with little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him” (Matthew 8:23-27).

Apparently, the disciples, who had been with Jesus for a long time did not know Him. They had seen Him cast out demons and healed the sick, yet they did not trust Him. Do you?

When do you trust God?

Many people turn to God in times of need, but in times of plenty they do not think God is necessary. For those people God is the last resort. Quite the contrary, Jesus demands that His followers depend on God for everything, including provision and security. Not only when their backs are against a wall but also when things are going good..

Therefore, one should avoid using God as last resort.The practice is dangerous and seldom bears the desired fruit in a timely manner. If anything, it is akin to a soldier waiting until he or she gets caught in a fire-fight before putting on the armor. Further, God do not work according to man’s timing. The Bible says: “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). Therefore, your last-minute request for deliverance may not be forthcoming according to your timing.

Let’s suppose Daniel waits until the guards threw him into the fiery furnace or the den of hungry lions before he starts reaching for God’s protection. What do you surmise would have happened to him? Do you think the Book of Psalm would have been in existence, if young David had put off trusting God  until he confronted Goliath?  Not a chance. Instead, David, who was not a stranger to adversity, challenged and defeated the mighty philistine. He knew God was his helper, and God never fails.

So, despite the critics, good things do happen when people trust God, but one should not wait until the last-minute to do so. The Psalmist said: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, (Cloth yourself in His armor and leave the rest to Him) and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun” (Psalm 37:4-6).

Jesus is Alive—Kim Walker

Face your giant head-on–Don’t cower.

At times the problems we face get so big that they seem to tower over us like an aggressive giant. In the midst of trouble, fears stirred, understanding becomes darkened, and joy evaporates. Yet, rather than look to God for solutions, one leans on his or her own understanding; and as a dark shadow looms over us–we either run away or cower and fold.

In fact, if we learned to face problems like young David confronted the giant Goliath, no one would become paralyzed by fear,  and cower just as the Israelite soldiers did before Goliath and the Philistine army.

On the whole, it was David’s faith and trust in an all-powerful God that allowed him to view his opponent in a different light. Therefore, instead of seeing a giant, David saw an uncircumcised Philistine, whom he defeated.

In Psalm 121 David writes the following:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore

How close can you get to God?

The closest anyone can get to God is to have Him live within your heart. When I was a child we used to sing: “Don’t try to tell me God is dead, He woke me up this morning. Don’t try tell me He is not alive, He lives within my heart.” But before He can take up residence in yours or my heart, we must be born again. When an individual is born again, he becomes united with Christ and one with Him. The Holy Scripture says: “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17).

Therefore, if  we are one with Christ, we are close to Him. He has even promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. So, this notion that He is far off is a trick the enemy use to convince us into believing that we have to do more to get closer to Him. Christian author, Gregory Dickow, calls this the ‘Illusion of Separation.’

Consequently, there is no separation between you and God. Jesus fill the gap created from the downfall of Adam and Eve. Therefore, if you bought the lie that God is far off,  and you have to do more to get closer to Him, you are actually saying you can earn God’s favor. And when you think you can earn God’s favor–you try too hard. Then, when that doesn’t work–you get discouraged until you either give up or assume your relationship with God is distant. This mindset ultimately affects your peace, your joy, and your confidence in prayer.

Brothers and sisters, your closeness to God is not earned, it’s a gift–made possible through the blood of Jesus. So, if we recognize that God lives within us, it will change how we look at ourselves and ultimately change how we live.