185. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.  

2 Kings 18:26  Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” But the Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine?”

Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each one of you will eat of his own vine, and each one of his own fig tree, and each one of you will drink the water of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live, and not die. And do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”

But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.” Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

Psalms 11:1   In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain,

Psalms 125:1-2    Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.

Matthew 27:43    He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Luke 23:35   And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”

When we face trials and troubles, chaos and confusion, and anxiousness and worries where do we turn for peace within the storm.  We see the flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder within our problem and want to run into the saving arms of Jesus.  As we take steps toward Him and as we are putting more and more of our faith, trust and reliance on Him, there are those who mock this thinking.  They may or may not come right out and say that this problem is bigger than what faith needs and then give you all of the worldly ways to find help apart from Jesus.  They have no basis in their heart, mind, and soul for faith.  It makes no sense to them.  They see leaning on and in the arms of Jesus as a weakness.

But to those who trust in Jesus, they will never be forsaken, never be left alone, never be powerless, and will never be afraid.  “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  They will close their eyes, ears, and mind to what the world is offering a solution.  They will seek the Lord their God and trust in Him alone, “for He is able to do more than they ask and much more than they can imagine.”

How does faith like this come about?  It is in and through the word of God.  The more we desire it, seek it, listen to it, and want it speaking into our lives each and every day, we will grow in our understanding and knowledge of the Grace, Mercy, and Love of our Heavenly Father.  It is intentionally daily choosing to desire, seek, and want to be led by Jesus Christ and live in such a way that we serve, honor, glorify, listen to, follow, obey, rely on, and trust in Him alone.

You do not want to wait until the storm clouds are upon you to decide to find wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God through His word.  The time to build and grow your faith is now.  Choose to be in His word each day and be led by Him.  Choose to listen to His guiding.  Choose to follow and obey His leading.  Choose to rely on and trust in Him.  Choose the narrow path that leads to Jesus Christ, relies on Jesus Christ, waits on Jesus Christ, trusts in Jesus Christ, and lives to honor Jesus Christ.

Trusting

“You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.”

“You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.”

Psalms 16:1
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.  I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,  guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.”

2 Corinthians 1:9
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

2 Timothy 1:12
But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.

Psalms 31:23
Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.

Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do

What does it mean to trust in God?  For salvation it means that you have and understanding of your sin and the separation it has between you and God.  You understand that there is nothing you can do to wash away this sin on your own.  Your heart and mind have been revealed the saving grace work of Christ on the cross and God’s knocking on your heart to “Trust” in the work of His son on the cross.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only son so that all who believe in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life.”  This “Trust/Belief” is the beginning – being reborn – being made a new creation where your old ways of life are passed and all things are new.  The point of salvation is the beginning but there is so much more to how we apply trust into our lives.  Trusting in God’s sovereignty and control over all things.  Trusting that God’s plan and purpose for your life is perfect.  Trusting that nothing can happen to you apart from it being in God’s plan for your life.  “All things work together for good to them who are called by His name”  Trusting in His strength – not giving up – but fully trusting/resting in God’s hands.  Trusting in being able to hear that quiet small voice directing you.  Trusting He will guide you.  Trusting He will protect you.  Trusting He will put people in your life for the purpose of them to encourage you and you them.  Trusting is something we can all continue to grow in, and this growth comes from spending time in His word with a desire to know and serve Him more and more each day.

My refuge, my deliverer

“Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.”

 

Psalms 7:10
My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

Psalms 18:2
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalms 89:18
For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 2:21
For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,

Proverbs 11:20
Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the LORD, but those of blameless ways are his delight.

Proverbs 28:18
Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.

Psalms 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.

Reading these verses gives us hope in no matter what comes our way God is our strength, refuge, deliverer, fortress, rock and shield.  How do we find this when things around us seem to be falling apart?  I am not sure in the heat of it we can do more than claim it and gain peace by laying it as His feet.  Trust in, rely on, and cling to Him alone.  It is a good time for those of us who’s world is not falling apart to be an encouragement to those who need it.  Stay close to God, listen for His guidance, and obey His leading.