Trust
When
you have Christian love you have a deep emotional commitment to Jesus Christ.
When you know the truth you know how and where to permeate that love. With
faith you know how to believe the truth no matter what befalls you. Trust is
just the icing on the cake. It tells one how to relax and go on with life. For
trust merely means we know that God is in command, here on earth and in our
eternal home in Heaven.
Human
nature gives man a suspicious will. Man believes in himself, that which he can
do and accomplish. Man can readily accept human beliefs and concepts. But it
goes against man’s will to trust and follow a God he cannot completely fathom
or understand. There is a story about a man named Jim who found a beautiful
necklace. The gold chain had precious stones engraved into it and held an old
tarnished coin. The chain was pretty and looked valuable if one would not look
at the ugly old coin. Jim took the chain to a local pawn broker he knew that
would not ask many questions. The pawn broker looked at the chain with the
inlaid stones and thought it could be worth quite a few bucks. But he could not
be sure of the chain’s value without having a friend come over to appraise it,
and that would cost fifty dollars. Jim took the old coin off the chain and put
it in his pocket. The coin was so scratched up it was probably just an old keep
sake someone had put on the pretty chain. Besides if the owner was really
looking for the chain it would be easy to identify with the coin on it. Jim
told the pawn broker he would leave the chain and be back with the fifty
dollars needed for the appraisal. Jim didn’t know how he was going to get the
money, but by hook or crook he would raise it.
Jim
went over to the local diner to grab something to eat. Ben, an old friend, was
sitting at the counter eating. Jim explained his story hoping Ben would loan
him the fifty dollars. But Ben merely asked Jim when he was going to pay him
the last twenty dollars he loaned him. Suddenly Jim had an idea, with a
hustler’s pitch Jim sold Ben the old coin that had been on the chain for fifty
dollars. Ben knew he had probably been taken, but he liked the old coin. As Jim
hurried out of the diner he heard Ben beller out that he would be over to get
the coin appraised when he was through eating. Jim went to the pawn shop and
waited while the friend came over to appraised the chain. Jim’s excitement
melted way when the appraiser said the chain was only worth one hundred
dollars. Just then Ben walked into the store and seeing Jim called out for him
to stay and see how much he had taken his old friend for. The appraiser didn’t
think the coin was worth much, but offered to look through an old coin book and
see if the coin was worth anything for ten bucks. Jim and Ben visited while
waiting for the coin to be the appraised. Jim hoped Ben wouldn’t be to mad for
he didn’t think the coin was even worth the ten dollar appraisal fee. Finally
the appraiser came out half laughing. He told them someone had really been
taken. Ben, half disgusted, asked the appraiser to tell him the bad news. The
appraiser looked at Ben and said, “This is a very rare coin. It is worth over
two million dollars.” To say Ben was happy was an understatement. But Jim could
not believe what he had done. He had been so mesmerized by the shining gold
chain he had given away the real treasure, the old ugly coin. So it is with many
today. We are so engrossed in human pleasures, possessions, and ideals that
seem to fit our lifestyles, that we do not take the time to look for what is
really valuable. We do not search in the book, the Bible, to find out how much
Christ loves us. Just as Jim didn‘t think an old ugly coin could be worth that
much, we do not trust an old book like the Bible to have the most important
message to enrich our lives. By not looking in a book Jim lost a treasure. By
not opening the Bible we can lose the greatest treasure of all, God’s great
gift of eternal life in Heaven.
There
are four distinct wills that influence one’s ability to trust in God. The first
and most important will is that of our Heavenly Father who created us. The
second will is that of our own humanity. Man’s strives with his own
intelligence and ego to find answers that only God knows. The third will we
encounter is that of our own personal fantasy world where we can control and
dictate what happens in the corners of our minds. The fourth and last will we
face is the guiles of Satan himself. For the Great Deceiver can make wrong look
right. Let us look closer at these four wills that are daily pulling on us.
God’s
will is absolute and perfect. The trouble is man is an imperfect being. Man’s
challenge is to trust God’s will even when it goes against his own reasoning.
This can only be accomplished when man lets the Holy Spirit work in his heart
to enable him to accept God’s ways. We pray to God, “Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.” This sums up what we should try to do on earth.
Human
will would have one rearrange God to fit society’s everyday situations, ideals,
and standards. Surely God will accept one’s deeds if they are deemed acceptable
by society. Arrogantly we believe human intelligence to be a gift of God and
therefore to be used to modify the Lord’s outdated teachings in the Bible. This
humanization of God puts man’s will over God’s will.
There
was a counselor who was donating her time to work with troubled teenagers. She
felt good about giving back to the community where she had been raised. She was
speeding down the highway as she was late to supervise some troubled teens
after school. She watched her speedometer to make sure she was not going over
the speed limit by more than ten mph. For patrolman usually give you a 10 mph
break on the speed limit during rush hour. She felt relieved when a couple of
cars passed her by. Surely an officer would go after them first. She noticed a
motorcycle patrolman in her rear view mirror. Good, now some of those reckless
speeding drivers would get the tickets they deserved. To her astonishment the
officer motioned for her to pull to the side of the road. She felt insulted,
embarrassed, and very angry. Why should she be pulled over when there were
other idiots going faster. She explained her situation to the officer, hoping
he would let her go. But the officer merely said it would just take a few
minutes to write the ticket. Holding back her rage she took down the officer’s
badge number, as she would fight the ticket in court. At the trial the judge
heard both sides of the case. The judge knew the lady was guilty. But this was
an election year, and the lady was a minority actively involved in improving
the community. The judge let electability overrule legality and threw out the
ticket. Outside the courtroom the lady was ecstatic, feeling she had been
vindicated. She had been a victim of poor judgment. Besides for all the free
work she did in the community she should get a few perks.
Man’s
reasoning allows for justification by comparison and may be earned by doing
good deeds. The problem comes when you try and use man’s reasoning in God’s
world. For God’s will is absolute. There is only right or wrong with no
contingencies. Either you have lived a perfect life or you are a sinner. It
does not matter how big or slight your sins are. There are no mitigating
factors. It doesn’t matter that you have sinned less than most of the people in
the world. It doesn’t matter if you are rich, powerful, or intelligent. It
doesn’t matter who you are or what your name is. It doesn’t matter if you are a
minority or your family never taught you about the Lord. You can not be saved
by comparison, being better than others or having different circumstances than
others. You can not earn or buy forgiveness of your sins. Nothing one does, no
matter how great the deed, can erase your sins. No amount of money given out of
love can be exchanged for your sins. On Judgment Day you will be all by
yourself, being charged with all the sins you have committed, whether great or
small. You will be found guilty and face everlasting damnation. The only way
you can be saved is through the grace of Jesus Christ. Only His death and
resurrection can atone for your sins. Grace is a free gift to all that believe
in Christ, repent of their sins, and follow Him. Only Christ’s love can open
Heavens doors to anyone, no matter how good or bad their past.
The
third will is found in our fantasy world. This will is just like a coin for it
has two sides. There is a good side when we can picture all the blessings the
Lord has given and has promised us. Dreaming about all those God pleasing
desires one has in life. Spouse, family, children, a nice place to work, loving
and helping those less fortunate. Fulfilling some of our dreams because we are
willing to work to achieve them. Realizing many of our dreams will never come
true, but being happy and content in that which the Lord has given us. Be
careful of the other side of the coin. For one is all powerful in their fantasy
world, dreaming anything they desire. The fantasy world can cause desires that
make one inpatient, wanting all their dreams to come true, right now. Why wait
when one can get a loan and have it today, burdens one with debts. Soon all
must work long hours to keep up with the payments. This leaves little time for
the family, children, or the Lord’s work. Any emergency or unexpected problem
causes financial havoc causing many to lose all. The illicit dream wreaks havoc
in their lives, leaving burned out people stumbling around in the world of
reality. Our fantasy world also controls the most intimate thoughts that we
have. Here we can hide who we are, what we want, and our secret desires. Here
is where instant gratification tries to rule us. The gratification of power,
popularity, ego, sexual pleasure, being the greatest, or any other desires left
unchecked are hard to subdue. These fantasies are the breeding grounds of many
of our sins. Add drugs or alcohol to enhance the thrill and they become even
more tempting. The more gratification one gets the more one wants, pushing it
farther and farther until it becomes part of one’s everyday life. Some go to
the extreme point of no return where one is only physically in the real world,
their mind living in the pleasures of their fantasies. Remember Jesus knows all
of our desires, whether good or bad. Fantasies are sin whether we physically
commit them or not. There is only one way to control this will, allow Jesus to
live in our fantasy world as well as our real world.
The
last will pulling on us is the most dangerous of them all, for it is Satan and
his world trying to deceive us. We walk through Satan’s domain more than we
think. There are obvious places we should avoid. This includes Satanic cults,
witchcraft, black magic, voodoo, fortune telling, and reading the stars. If we
believe Satan does not have all the powers attributed to these practices, then
the practices are lies with no power. If we follow and believe lies we fall
into Satan’s snare. For Satan’s greatest weapons are the craftiness of His
lies, and the persuasion of His deceit. Satan is the greatest liar of them all.
The Lord has taught us to pray, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. Evil that defines Satan’s world. But we do not respond to the
danger. We flirt with danger watching all the trash on television and in the
movies, listening to all the garbage on radio, engaging in the night life,
reading all the dirt in books, magazines, and newspapers, in our talk,
gossiping and telling jokes, and so many more things in our life. They all make
a mockery out of God and His purpose for man. Satan just sits back and smiles
with the entertainment elite tucked firmly in His back pocket. The world has
become so used to anti-Christian rhetoric that it has been accepted by society
as the truth. The great battle of Armageddon will not be won or lost on any
battlefield. The battle will be fought in the hearts, minds and souls of man.
For the battle will not be over who controls the riches of the world, but who
controls the will of each individual person on earth. Whose will do you put
your trust in?
The
best way to explain trust is to consider the different choices we must make in
our lives. Man is on a mental journey through life traveling down many roads
and highways. Some roads lead towards God, others lead away from Him. God has
given man a free will that allows him to chose where he travels. Man does not
like to ask for help, believing he can find the way himself. People start from
many different locations in life, and there are many different roads to choose
from. But it doesn’t matter where you started from or what roads you have
traveled in life, it only matters that you accept the Holy Spirit’s directions
to find your way before it is too late. For no matter what your situation the
right directions to the Lord are only a prayer away.
There
are many well traveled roads in the world today. The Moslem, Hindu, and
Buddhist highways are all overcrowded. These highways join in with the Atheist
express way of no god, the arterial roads of all the other man made gods, and
other antichristian beliefs to form a massive super highway headed in the wrong
direction. The vast majority of the earth’s population is heading away from
Christ, on the fast track towards the burning sands of Hell. There is also a
group traveling on the street and narrow road guided by the Holy Spirit’s
directions. But some can never quite submit to God’s will. How can a loving God
allow all the pain and suffering in the world? They forget to look inward and
remember how man brought on strife by his own actions. When troubles come they
turn around and start back not sure they are on the right road. Others notice
the pleasures of the world passing them by in the opposite direction.
Temptation soon wins and they take an access road that doubles back to the
wider road of instant gratification. A faithful few follow the Holy Spirit’s
road map until they reach a chasm which they must cross to reach God’s Kingdom
on earth.
This
chasm is the last battle of wills going on within one as they strive to find
peace with God. For the chasm divides God’s and Satan’s kingdoms. The chasm is
deep and wide, but where it narrows there is a small path that allows ones to
cross over. This crossing is unique as the bright shining light of Christ’s
grace makes it physically impossible to see the path as one walks towards the
Lord. Only when the Holy Spirit opens one heart can one hear the tender voice
of Jesus leading them home, guiding them across the chasm into the His Kingdom.
The path is only wide enough for one person to cross it at a time. You alone
must trust our Savior’s commands to guide you across, nothing else can help
you. This is a hard concept for man to comprehend. There is nothing one can do,
nor can anything else help one cross the chasm. The only way to cross over is
to trust in Jesus Christ.
It
is very hard to take the first step over the chasm, trying to concentrate on
Jesus voice, not looking down at how far one can fall, all the way to hell, if
one goes off the edge. Turning back and looking at all you have left behind.
All those not in Christ, families, loved ones, friends. All earthly
possessions, wealth, pleasures, and accomplishments. Some are able to go right
across the chasm at our Lord’s bidding. Others must go one step at the time,
often wondering what they are doing here, that they really can’t go any
farther, that it is crazy trusting Jesus for everything. Sometimes they even
take a step or two back towards worldly ideas. But when with each step one
feels the firm underpinning of the path, the magnitude of Christ’s love for us,
the trust starts to build. This trust keeps increasing more and more as one
makes their way across, until there is no fear that can keep us from crossing
the chasm. We are satisfied and happy to become individually autonomous as part
of Christ’s family, our only claim to fame being how much the Lord loves us.
There
are many who come to the chasm and look to find a better way to cross it. Let
us build a big, beautiful church and school to worship the Lord with. Let us
find the best pastors and teachers to fill our church and school to the hilt.
Surely this will get the Lord’s attention and He will provide a wider pathway
for us to cross. Others bring the most intelligent, learned people together for
surely they can devise a superior crossing over the chasm. Some provide money
for the poor, the needy by tithing their earnings and giving them to the
church. Surely the Lord will notice such good works and help us across the
chasm. Many fight for the rights of all people for surely slavery to mankind is
what the Lord detests most. It is much worse than slavery to sin, and by loving
others the Lord will make a better path for us. These groups stand looking out
at the crossing, waiting for the Lord to make it easier for them to come into
His Kingdom. After all they are doing all that is humanly possible to carry out
Christ’s work on earth. These groups are always looking in, wanting to part of
the Lord’s Kingdom. But they are never able to completely trust their Savior,
they are never willing to completely let go of their own will in order to cross
the chasm.
Some
look at the narrow crossing and think the only way across is to have a guide
show one the way. They turn to pastors and leaders to show them the way. But
man is an imperfect being. It is too easy for the leaders and pastors to focus
on how important they are to those crossing. They forget they are only relaying
the Lord’s commands. They try and use their own reasoning, not concentrating on
what Jesus is saying. They are mere mortals who can lose their way on the path,
often taking all those that were following. Man can not save man. No
intermediary can guide you across the chasm. No intermediary can tell you how
to get across the chasm. They can only tell you where to start. This trip to
cross the chasm, this battle to save your soul is between you and your God
alone.
There
are many people who have never even considered crossing over on the narrow
path. They live on the human side of the chasm believing God will someday
provide a safe crossing for them. A better crossing that will not be as risky
or require one to give up so much. The rich and powerful live by the narrowest
part of the chasm. They can afford the more expensive property and await the
Lord in lavish luxury. Someday this will make a shorter trip across the chasm
for them, and they tend to have the most baggage to bring. All the ego, pride,
and pleasures that will suffice to make God’s kingdom bearable. A little
farther down all the women are gathered waving their flags of women’s rights
for the Lord to see. Surely He will make an easy path way for them so God’s
kingdom can be fair and more efficient with women having equal leadership with
the men. Then come all the leaders and pastors of the churches. They all have
out their degrees, their letters of praise, and figures showing how their work
expanded the congregations. They can help show the Lord how to make His kingdom
grow. Next in line are all the people who would believe devoutly in their
church denomination no matter what it may be. Their attitude is I was born a
_____ I was baptized a _____ and I will die a _____. They all wait for God to
vindicate their choice as the correct church by making a crossing specifically
for their denomination. For surely no one can get into the Lord’s kingdom if
they are not of the right denomination. Farther down a group disputes the need
to be married before sex. This is a little old fashioned and to bring a little
sex along might help spice up the Lord’s kingdom. What about those poor people
who have homosexual desires. Surely a little homosexual baggage is only fair
for those deprived of their heterosexual desires. Others pack in their
suitcases the correct worship service, whether it be classical, liturgical,
contemporary, on a certain day, or whatever the conditions. One needs to help
the Lord worship correctly. Others baggage includes man made rules needed for
one to be a part of the Lord’s kingdom. Surely there should be closed communion
and statues of saints for all to pray to, while alcohol consumption should be
off limits for all. Others have other baggage and it keeps piling up higher and
higher as all believe they have the correct way to make a path across the chasm
and perfect the Lord’s kingdom on earth. Words alone can not describe the whole
picture. All the baggage piled up waiting to be moved across the chasm. The
confusion as all the people believe they have the correct answer to crossing
the divide. Some discuss their beliefs philosophically and civilly. Others
argue back and forth. The extreme protest and demonstrate loudly, for surely
God will hear them. The saddest part is these people believe they are with the
Lord, they are just waiting for Him to justify their human beliefs and make
them a path to His kingdom. They are oblivious to the fact one must relinquish
their human will to find the Lord. No person can serve two masters. Which
master will we trust, God or our own human understanding?
Those
who reside in God’s kingdom on earth are not the perfect people one would
expect. They only know how to fall down on their knees and ask Jesus to forgive
them. The more they learn about Jesus, the more they realize how sinful they
are. Their only worth lies in the fact God gave His most precious possession to
save them, His only son Jesus Christ. Many come in as little children, others
find Christ on their deathbed. Some have their whole families with God and
always have been close to him. Others have been very desperate people and have
lived in Satan’s playground. They have done every imaginable sinful thing. The
rough roads and terrain they have been over are littered with lost souls. But
somehow they hear the Holy Spirit and follow Him to the chasm. After all the
trouble they have been through they know this may be their last chance. They
have no fear of falling down into the chasm, they only fear they cannot be
forgiven. They pray to Jesus to rid them of all the evil they have trapped
inside their bodies. They cannot believe the answer is so simple, that the free
gift of Grace through Christ makes their bodies whole once again. They do not
understand why so many others, the prominent to the insignificant, are still on
the outside looking in.
All
true believers compose God’s Kingdom. Not all who enter this Kingdom stay.
For the light on the pathway is at your
back making it easy to cross back into the world. Some who leave return, but it
is not always easy to find the way back to the Lord. God’s Church on earth is
not any particular building or religious denomination. Christ’s Church is the
hearts and minds of all who believe in Him, wherever they congregate to worship
their Lord. They worship together to gain strength to stay in God’s will,
spread His word throughout the world, and help their fellow man. Loving all as
Christ loved them. Daily all the faithful go out in the world working for their
Master and their own earthly needs. When the work day is done, they come home
to the Lord in their prayers. Laying all their happiness, cares, thankfulness,
and troubles at His feet. Trusting Him to always take care of them.
Let’s
close this chapter with a story about a man who was given a painting for his
birthday. An employee had purchased the picture at a garage sale and given it
as a present to his boss. The boss took the picture home and was going to hang
it in his study. But his wife took one look at the picture and thought it was
so hideous that she told her husband to put it in the basement. During a rain
storm the basement leaked and water gently ran down the picture. The man
noticed paint coming off and suddenly realized there was another painting
underneath. He took the picture to a local art dealer. The dealer expertly took
off the rest of the water painting and to everyone’s astonishment underneath
was an original Van Gogh painting. The owner stared at the painting amazed at
its beauty. The dealer brought the owner back to reality by saying the owner
could live it up as the painting would be worth millions. But the owner merely
shrugged his shoulders and quietly said, “This picture is too beautiful to
sell. There are many millionaires in this world. With money I would just be
another fish in the sea. But how many people can own and enjoy an original Van
Gogh painting. This painting is priceless.” God has given us a priceless gift
in having His Son die for our sins. Whether one keeps this gift or sells it to
satisfy their own will and desires is each individual’s choice. For many are
called but few are chosen.