ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS--PART IV

SERMON TITLE: WHY SHOULD I TRUST GOD?

SERMON THEME: LEARNING TO SUBMIT

 

INTRODUCTION: WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH THE BATTLES OF LIFE,

WHO OR WHAT DO YOU PLACE YOUR TRUST?

 

PSALM 13:1-2

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

 

·         WHEN YOU ARE GOING INTO BATTLE IT IS EASIER TO TRUST IN WHAT YOU CAN SEE THAN IN A GOD YOU CANNOT SEE.

 

PSALM 13:3-4

3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

 

·         DAVID IS IN NEED OF AN ANSWER AND HE IS NOT SURE HE CAN TRUST GOD.

 

HOW DO YOU GROW TO TRUST IN A GOD YOU CANNOT SEE?

 

I) HAVE CONFIDENCE TO QUESTION GOD.

 

PSALM 20:1-4

1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. 4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

 

·         YOU ARE CLOSER TO GOD WHEN YOU ARE ASKING QUESTIONS THAN WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

 

JOHN 20:24-29

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

·         GOD WOULD RATHER HAVE YOU RUN TO HIM WITH YOUR QUESTIONS THAN RUN FROM HIM WITH YOUR DOUBTS.

 

II) HAVE CONFIDENCE TO PRAY TO GOD.

 

PSALM 20:5-6

5 May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests. 6 Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.

 

·         YOU CANNOT GO IT ALONE, YOU NEED GOD, DON'T GIVE UP!

 

LUKE 18:1-8 Persistent Widow

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

·         CHOOSE TO TRUST GOD EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

 

III) HAVE CONFIDENCE TO SURRENDER TO GOD.

 

PSALM 20:7; 8-9

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9 Lord, give victory to the king!  Answer us when we call!

 

·         HEBREW WORD FOR SURRENDER: BETACH IS A SERVANT WAITING ON THE MASTER'S COMMAND.

 

PROVERBS 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

 

·         GOD KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED MORE THAN HE CARES TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT.

 

 

 

ROMANS 8:28

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

 

·         TRUSTING GOD MEANS THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD LOVES YOU, AND HE IS WORKING ALL THINGS FOR YOUR GOOD.

 

·         WHAT YOU FEAR THE MOST, IS USUALLY WHERE YOU TRUST GOD THE LEAST.

 

CONCLUSION: WHILE IT IS HARD TO TRUST GOD WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE

HIM, IT EASIER TO TRUST GOD WHEN YOU KNOW HIS WORD.

 

PSALM 119:105; JOB 33:4; ISAIAH 43:2; ISAIAH 40:31; JEREMIAH 29:11;

PSALM 30:5

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

 

·         HOW DO YOU CHOOSE TO TRUST GOD? ONE STEP, ONE TRUTH, ONE WORD AT A TIME.