God’s Campaign For You Series Intro – Someone You Can Trust

God’s Campaign For You Series Intro – Someone You Can Trust

August 4, 2016 No Comments on God’s Campaign For You Series Intro – Someone You Can Trust

God's Campaign For You -Someone You Can Trust-

Hey Everybody,

I’m starting a new series this week entitled “God’s Campaign For You ”. Obviously this is inspired by the Presidential race going on right now. I’m not that big into politics, but it seems to me that most people don’t care for either candidate that much and have trouble trusting them. So it’s becoming more of a debate about who is the lesser of two evils. I thought this would be a good opportunity to remind people about somebody they can really trust in.

Intro

Regardless of what side you are on or if you are currently undecided, the responsibility of bringing forth trust in the candidates lies on the candidates themselves. They need to build your confidence in them and make you believe they have the right character for the job. Why do think the candidates spend so much time attacking the others’ character? It’s like they spend more time talking bad about the other’s than they do about what they are actually going to do and the real issues. But this is what our news stations are filled with constantly as Election Day comes closer. We spend so much time scrutinizing every little thing about the candidates but are they our savior? Are they who we are putting our trust in? Why not spend some more time getting to know somebody who actually is trustworthy?

A similar situation to the Presidential race happens when deciding where to cast your vote for the God of your life. God gives us free will. Some use the free will to choose themselves, some choose money, some choose alcohol or drugs, some choose God, some choose the devil, etc. There are many things vying to be the God of your life and God knows the onus is on Him to bring forth the trust in Him for you to have confidence casting your vote with Him in the midst of all these other voices in your life.

God runs a flawless campaign but unfortunately many are deceived by the enemy who is always trying to throw mud on God’s name. The devil will do anything so that you don’t place your trust in God. He wants to get you to doubt God’s goodness any way he can. He will plant lies and try to get you to think God is the one responsible for the very things that he is doing. The devil is a liar and has been from the beginning.

It’s not all the devils’ fault though. The way most Christians present the Gospel to people it makes it seem as though God has a gun pointed to their head and is saying “accept me or I’m going to kill you.” Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death…not the judgment of God. It’s sin that was killing man, not God. Sin simply being unbelief in God by the way, not lying, cheating, stealing, etc.

Either that or people are told that God forsook Jesus and beat Jesus in our place. I believed this lie for many years, until I was led to do my exegesis paper in Bible school on the forsaking verse from Jesus on the cross. The key to understanding this verse is in the definition of the word forsook. There isn’t a good translation from the original Hebrew word but it doesn’t mean to abandon as it does in the English language. Just know that God has never forsaken or abandoned us. If you believe that, it will be very hard for you to trust God. I didn’t realize it at the time but this is why God led me to that verse for my exegesis paper…He wanted to help me trust Him more and that definitely helped. Imagine that. God actually knew what He was doing. Greg Henry has several awesome teachings on this topic. You can find one here and another here if you are interested in learning more.

Why Trust Is So Vital

When we look back at the Garden, we see Satan attacking God’s character right from the beginning, similar to the way the candidates in the presidential race do. In Genesis 3:1, the serpent representing Satan says, “did God really say, you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Why did he ask that question? He was trying to get Eve to doubt God. If we don’t think God is a safe person for us to be around, if He is not our refuge, then we go into self-preservation mode and no longer rely on Him.

Our flesh will try to figure out how to fulfill the desires of our heart without trusting God. That’s where we get all the checklists from. The top 5 this or top 10 that. They may start off by saying to pray about things but then the other 90% of it is talking about all the things we have to do. It’s like we’re saying just tell me what I have to do but what we often times don’t realize is that when trust in God is not in our hearts, the channel through which God can influence our lives is blocked. If we don’t trust in God, He can’t be our God no matter how bad He wants to be. It’s not because He doesn’t want to, but because we can’t receive from Him anymore. So, for God to have access to your life, He needs you to trust Him.

How Trust Works

If trust is so vital in our relationship with God, then we should understand how it works. Trust is defined in Webster’s as confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person. So you don’t trust someone by them being the least non-trustworthy…someone who is trustworthy is actually a person of integrity, veracity, justice, etc.

The human heart is not able to believe in something or someone very easily. For example, if someone comes up to you and says I just saw a spaceship outside…you’re not just going to believe them. Or if a stranger comes up to you, asks you for something, says they will pay you back and “just trust me”…you’re not just going to trust them. Why? Because you don’t know them. Similarly, you can never trust God because you know you should, you have to get to know God. Trust is never just given, it is earned. God knows this and it’s why He’s always pursuing you…because He loves you and wants to earn your trust. I’ll get more into God’s motives next week and God’s track record the week after, but understand that God is not asking you to blindly trust Him. All God wants is an opportunity to earn your trust. He knows that if you hear about how good He is and what He is really like, then He will earn your trust. This lines up with what the Word says in Romans 10:17:

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” NIV

And in the Message version, it says this:

“Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.” MSG

This is why the message and teaching you listen to is so important. We were designed to be persuaded by the words we hear. Many people can open a Bible and preach, but that doesn’t mean they are preaching the Gospel to you. It has to be the rightly divided word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). When you hear the right message it produces faith. Faith and trust in God are not something we work up in our power.

God Knows & Understands You

When we know that God understands us and accepts us it lets our hearts go to rest and promotes trust. I posted this quote from Arthur Meintjes on social media last week but I think it’s great and helps build trust with God.

“A friend is somebody who understands your past, believes in your future and accepts you just the way you are.”

Jesus said in John 15:15 that he has called us friends. If we connect these two we see Jesus as someone who understands our past and accepts us just the way we are. He’s not trying to change us, He just wants to hang out with us and show us His goodness. It’s impossible for us to trust someone who we don’t think is good to us. God shows us His integrity and goodness towards us in the way He treats Jesus. If something is not true about the way God thought of Jesus, then it’s not true about the way God thinks of you. Jesus was man’s representative. God showed us what He thinks of us when He raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 6:4 says that Jesus was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father. That word glory there means view and opinion. It was the good view and opinion God had of Jesus that raised Him from the dead. If you meditate on that, it’s hard not to trust God.

Also remember, we’re made in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26), so if He rejected us it would be as if He was rejecting Himself. Here’s some more scriptures that show us how well God knows us:

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Luke 12:7. NIV

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? Psalm 8:4. KJV.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! Psalm 139:17-18

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb…You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:13, 15-16.

Trust In God Made Easy

It’s easy to trust God when you see Him for who He is really is. When you start seeing Him through the correct lens, trust in Him will come naturally, which is the major reason why I write this blog. I thought I would include some more scriptures below along with the different names of God in the Old Testament so you can get to know Him better or be reminded of His character. You may also want to check out a previous series I did entitled “The God I Wish You Knew” which starts here. You can view the page I referenced for the names below with more detailed information at Blue Letter Bible here. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know if you have any questions.

His Word is trustworthy:

Psalm 111:7 – The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

His nature is faithful and true:

Deuteronomy 7:9 – Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Psalm 25:10 – All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Psalm 145:13 – Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

Psalm 146:6 – He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever.

His plans for us are perfect and purposeful:

Jeremiah 29:11 – 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.

The Names Of God

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