“Trust”, a seemingly simple, yet profound in meaning, word. In the financial industry we have the “Trust funds.”
Trust funds can be set up many different ways with or without stipulations, but the “Trust” with our Lord is what is really important. Simply submitting our hearts and lives unto Him is the ultimate “Trust fund” with eternal rewards.
I want to build a short message on this word, “Trust.”
Below are the first three definitions listed in Websters 1828 Dictionary.
TRUST, noun
1. Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25
2. He or that which is the ground of confidence.
“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.” Psalms 71:1.
3. Charge received in confidence.
The reason for this is simply because every since I totally surrendered my heart, life and will into the hands of my Heavenly Father, “Trust” has become the key word so real in my life.
This “Trust” is much more and much greater than what I have considered my faith to be. It goes beyond all I have ever known.
This trust has become the foundation in the way, everything I believe concerning my LORD, my Heavenly Father. It is a childlike trust looking far beyond myself to the one whom I have surrendered all to. I no longer look to myself in any accomplishment or trusting myself in doing anything concerning any service for my LORD.
What makes this so interesting and precious is the free gift of this “Trust.” It came with the surrender of my “will” to my LORD. It’s as if it does not really matter what He will ask of me, I see Him as being able to do it.
Truly living in a realm of faith I have never been before. The verse I began to claim in the days following my surrender to Him, is the verse from Mark chapter 9.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23
As mentioned above, this moves me far beyond “my” faith so to speak into the realm of “His” free gift of “Trust” imparted and infused into my heart and soul. It’s as natural now for me to trust Him as it is for a little child to “Trust” mom and dad, and be fed and clothed and taken care of. It’s the same child like faith but looking instead to my Heavenly Father to meet all my needs.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
This is exactly the way I feel concerning my Heavenly Father now. All the “things” I count dearly are in His hands and not for me to worry about.
Certainly a sweet place to be and to live. Perhaps this is the reason our Lord spoke the words He did in Matthew 18.
“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:2-4
In the context concerning these verses in Matthew 18, the question was:
“At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 18:1
In these verses, certainly a perfect picture of a helpless sinner coming to Jesus in salvation, but also here the question is concerning “placement” in the literal Kingdom of Heaven when setup at the beginning of the one thousand year reign of Christ following the Great Tribulation. This is the context of this scripture.
So here the disciples were looking at where they would be placed in the kingdom of heaven when this time would come.
This “Trust” and the child like faith. The context of these few verses in Matthew certainly reveal the great truth I found in full surrender to my LORD and not my will but “Thine” be done will certainly bring us to the place of humbling ourselves.
It is of our Heavenly Father to save us in obedience and child like faith but also His choice in our placement in His service. It’s not left for us to choose where He wants to use us. This is where the “Trust” comes in. Our Lord knows what He is doing. We trust Him and not ourselves.
It is He that hath begun the work in us:
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
It is not we ourselves that “hath begun” this work.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
The Apostle James wrote of this. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10
The thing so sweet about trusting Him is simply this. “I LOVE it this way. Oh, my precious LORD, He makes serving Him so very easy.
The thrust of every message I will ever preach will be centered with this central theme in the meat of the message. Until we get to the place of full surrender into the hands of our Lord, in reality we are only wading in the edges of the river’s brink and know very little of those that:
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.” Psalm 107:21-24
“do business in great waters.”
They that do business in “great waters,” are only going to be able to do this “great business” when their life is fully surrendered to their LORD. It is none other than their Lord doing the “great business.”
Peter learned this hard lesson in Luke chapter 5 in his disobedience to his Lord’s command in letting down only “one” net in unbelief when he was commanded to let down all the “nets.”
He ended up at the knees of Jesus in confession of unbelief when a full surrender would have given him the “Trust” in obeying and letting down all the “nets.”
“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:…” Luke 5:8-9
I’m sure I have much more to learn along the lines of where my LORD is leading me, but one thing for sure, I am LOVING this way of surrender and following Jesus and the joy, peace and liberty I have in serving Him this way. I am so glad I do not have to endure the hardship of serving Him in my own strength.
Had I only had listened, it could have been this way for years. But at least, it’s never too late, by simple child like faith, to surrender our hearts, lives and will to Him and claim His promise,
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30
The “yoke” of full surrender and obedience to His will and not our will.
The “Trust” we absolutely have to have in order to really serve Him will come no other way, for He alone is the one who can bestow His free gift of “Trust.”
The real “Trust,” He will withhold from all until they willingly come to the place of full surrender to His will.
His “Trust” is a free gift but only given in obedience and surrender.
There is no other way. “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:…” Luke 5:8-9
“Jesus’ knees”
The word “knees” caught my attention.
It does not say Jesus’ feet,” but His “knees.”
Back in verse 3 of Luke chapter 5. Jesus had entered the ship and sat down and taught the people. “And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.”
After this comes the command to Simon to launch out into the deep:
“Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the “deep”, and let down your nets for a draught.” verse 4
Afterwards we have the disobedient fisherman in confession of unbelief, in letting down only one “net” and coming to Jesus and to His knees, apparently to where He was still sitting.
Compassion beyond comprehension is our Lord’s forgiveness to His dear children. He did not condemn Peter but rather revealed unto him his change in occupation. “And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” Luke 5:10
Our Lord is still to this day “sitting” at the right hand of His Father.
“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Hebrews 8:1-2
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:34
You will say, well, I have messed up! So have we all! Jesus is still sitting at the right hand of His Father, waiting for you and me to confess and forsake our sins and our wicked way. If you are still breathing, it is not too late.
Children, we have so much to gain even in this life to just simply give our all to Christ and “Trust” Him to live His life through us.
Left to ourselves to run our lives will not only cost us at the Bema Seat but also cause much harm to the cause of Christ while we are on this earth.
We cannot improve on the will of God for our lives. “Trust and obey for there is no other way.”