What do we do about lack of trust? First lets look at who we are to trust.
Trust is akin to faith. In the Old Testament faith is used only twice, whereas trust is found 107 times in 107 verses.
There are several words in the Hebrew translated trust: confidence, be sure, flee for protection, refuge and security are some of the other meanings for the word trust. In the new testament several words are used also for trust: expect, confide, believe, assure, entrust.
We can trust God without question. He keeps his word and his promises. He is faithful and true. Lets look at verses describing the LORD God.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
2 Sam 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psa 56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Isa 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
(A faithful person God blessed and the untrustworthy God cursed under the law. Those in Christ Jesus are not under the law or its curse, we are forgiven and under grace)
Under the law
Deu 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
Deu 11:27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
Deu 11:28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
(Joseph in the Old Testament is an example of a faithful and trustworthy person. He was honored by men and by God.)
Gen 41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Gen 41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
(The children of Isreal coming out of Egypt were examples of unbelief , even God didnt trust them.)
Exo 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exo 32:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
Exo 32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
(Jesus is our mediator of a better covenant. We are under the covenant of Grace. We are forgiven, our sins removed and we are to forgive others.)
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Mat 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
What if we have been offended?
Mat 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Mat 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
If he will be reconciled we have gained a brother, if not take him to the Lord in prayer. We are in the reconciling business. First forgiveness using Gods word showing the way of God, if he refuses then intercessory prayer is given..
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
What if trust has been destroyed? First remember certain safeguards. Billy Graham has a policy to never be alone with a member of the opposite sex, other than family. Realiize that the people of the world are not of God, but that we are the means of reconciliation. Always give out the gospel message. Trust is hard to be earned back, but remember three principles:
1. We are to love
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
2. We are to forgive
Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2 Cor 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We should trust the brethren in Christ. If they fail we seek to restore them. Another thing we must pray for Gods wisdom, for satan sends his people to us also.
Phil 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Phil 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Phil 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Even God rewards us in heaven by how trustworthy we are now, trust is earned.
Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luke 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Recognize the enemies methods using fear, guilt, shame and condemnation.
2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Use Godly wisdom
2 Tim 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2 Tim 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Finally remember we are under grace, we have been forgiven much. We are to love God and the brethren we are to forgive and we are to reconcile people to the Lord. Do not put your trust in unsaved people or people who are enemies of the cross. Seek reconciliation, forgive, pray for we are the children of light. Let not your hearts be overcome by fear or guilt, but be at peace with our Lord God and have love in your heart always. We have been given Gods power for his service.
Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you ...
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
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