MOUNTAIN
OF FIRE & MIRACLES MINISTRIES
DENVER
BRANCH, COLORADO
MESSAGE:
Trusting God in the midst of uncertainty
By
Evang.
Nimota Kelani
March
21st, 2007
HYMN: LEANING ON THE
EVERLASTING ARMS
Ecclesiastes 8:6-9 “Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the
misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be:
for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath
power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power
in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that
war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. All this have
I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there
is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.”
There is an appointed season, and a right and
proper manner of doing everything that is to be done. The book of Ecclesiastes
chapter 3 verses 1 says, “To every thing
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” The
scripture we read earlier is just reaffirming what was written earlier in
chapter 3 verse 1. King Solomon was
talking about the uncertainty of life, that there are things that happen that
we just don’t understand. No matter how
wise, smart or how much we can discern — “time and Judgment” there are things
we just can’t make sense of, things that even the wisest among us cannot
fathom.
However, the good news is that we can trust God
even when things that are happening to us are not making any sense. As Christians we know that trusting God is
not an overnight thing that just happened like that. We must learn as Christian to trust God by
reading the word of God, by claiming the promises of God and by living a holy
and obedient life. If we do those things
trusting God and surrendering our situations; whether good or bad to him will
not be difficult for use to do.
Let us look at some scriptures to back our trusting
in God:
Psalm
118:8-9 “It is better to trust
in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD
than to put confidence in princes.”
This scripture is telling us that it is not good to put confidence in man at all. When we put our confidence in man it is trusting to a broken staff, to a mere shadow, which can yield no support or relief. We are better off to trust in the Lord; he is able to help, as well as willing; he is faithful to his word, and unchangeable in his promises. Man, on the other hand may have a will to help, but may not have it in his power to help, and sometimes when it is in his power, and has promised it, he disappoints, being changeable or unfaithful. Therefore brethren, let us trust not in man, but in the Lord for the bible says it in Jeremiah 17:5: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. It is only God who can see us true our good and difficult times, so let us trust in him. Amen.
Let us look at Psalm 34:8: “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Knowing God and knowing its resurrection power is what is being presented to us here. This is a warm invitation to us to trust and obey him in everything that we do. There is always a blessing that comes after we trust and obey Him. As we trust him daily we experience how good and wonderful our God is.
Proverbs
3: 5 & 6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” We are to trust God with everything we
know. We are not trust in our education,
family members, friends or spouse. We are not to lean on our own understanding
because it opposed to trusting in the Lord. We should not depend upon
our own wisdom and understanding, in the conduct of daily life, but should seek
the direction and blessing of God, or otherwise we will meet with
disappointment; and, when we succeed, should ascribe it not to our own prudence
and wisdom, but to the goodness of God; for "bread" is not always
"to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding", Ecc_9:11. Our absolute trust must be to God in all
situation whether good or bad; we are to trust in him at all
times; in times of affliction, temptation, and darkness:
there is a great deal of reason for it; all power and strength are in him to
help. His love, grace, and mercy, move
him to it, and are always the same. We are to trust
in Jesus the Son of God; in his person for acceptance; in his
righteousness for justification; in his blood for pardon; in his fullness
for supply; in his power for protection and preservation; and in him alone for
salvation and eternal life. We are to also trust in the Holy Spirit, to
carry on and finish the work of grace upon the heart; of which a saint may be
confident that where it is begun it will be completed. And this trust in
Father, Son, and Spirit, should be "with all the heart", cordial and
sincere. The phrase denotes not so much the strength of faith as the sincerity
of it; it signifies a faith unfeigned; it is not saying, or professing, that a
man believes and trusts in the Lord; but it is with the heart, and with his
whole heart, that he believes unto righteousness, if he believes aright; Romans 10:10 says
“For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
1.
Set the Lord God before you and have him
always in view.
2.
Consider him as ever present with you,
observing every step that you are taking and don’t ever take one step without
his permission, and without his advice.
3.
Ask wisdom of him who gives liberally;
consult his word, and make the Scriptures your counselors, or the men of thy
counsel, as in Psa_119:24.
4.
Take Go as your guide; observe the footsteps
of his providence; follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes.
5.
Walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit; when things go cross and adverse, and not to your mind, submit to his
sovereignty.
6.
Be still and know that he is God, that does
all things right, for his own glory and his people's good, Psalm 46:10.
7.
When you are successful, give him the glory
of all; own his hand in it, and the bounty of it; acknowledge that all you
have, in providence and grace, come from him the author and the finisher of
your faith.
and he shall direct thy paths; man
cannot direct his own way; no, not a man: this is a blessing from the Lord; who
steps of his people, keeps the feet of his saints, and directs them aright in
things temporal and spiritual, for the bible says in Jeremiah 10:23
“O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that
walketh to direct his steps.”
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose.” What every situation we find
ourselves; whether good or bad, God is able to turn whatever situation around
to glorify Him and for our own good if we can just trust and surrender such
situation to him. Note that this
promises are not for everyone; but for those who will love, trust and obey
him. It is only for those who look for
their security in God. It is for those
have learnt to accept, not recent, pain and persecution because they trust in
God and know that God is with them. Amen.
Where do you find yourself this morning as a Christian? Are you a faithful and obedient servant? Are you willing to trust him in everything
and not leaning on your own understanding?
Jesus is the ultimate answer to every situation of your life and you
must trade those unfavorable circumstances to him by trusting only in him. We must come to point of realization that we
will perish if we trust him not. This is
what King Solomon said throughout the book of Ecclesiastes; vanity upon vanity
all is vanity. Without Christ at the
center of your life you are nothing.
Let us rise up for prayer: