Trust - The Key to Successful Living

Welcome to this week's message from the Church of Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

Well, amen.

I want you to turn with me this morning in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

We also are real excited this morning.

It's still I am.

I'll keep talking until we get it, until we get it adjusted.

Okay.

Amen.

But hey, we're excited for several reasons.

Number one, guess what?

Our new van ministry started this morning.

Amen.

Amen.

It started.

In fact, stand up, Clay.

Clay is one of our council members here.

We have seven that help lead the church.

And he's over, he came up to me and said, I want to take on the van ministry.

So if you're interested in helping Clay drive the van, uh, please uh see him afterwards because we're excited.

Uh he had two routes this morning, and actually we plan to add some more.

And on Wednesday night, we're we're already talking about adding a Wednesday night, the same routes for the kids and teenagers.

So we need some help here.

So uh we don't want anyone to miss church because they do not have a way to come to church.

Can I get an amen?

And hopefully, this thing by the six months of fall, we may have another van, filling two vans up.

Amen.

That's our goal.

That's our goal to this community here within about an eight-mile radius.

That's what we're doing.

And we're already in two trailer parks now, and it's just a blessing already.

Proverbs chapter three.

In fact, we have a saying around the church here about this book.

We say, one, we love the book.

Amen.

We learn the book, and we live the book.

Let's say that together.

We love the book, we learn the book, we live the book.

One more time.

We love the book, we learn the book, and what?

We live the book.

And uh clear biblical truth is one of our core values and fulfilling service, intimate fellowship.

And I think, Benji, you better find your sign.

Vibrant worship is missing over there.

But those are our four core, it fell, four core values here at our church, and it's so exciting.

The next four weeks, we're gonna be looking into verse by verse in the scriptures of I think the key word for truly, for truly living a dynamic, vibrant Christian life, a successful Christian life is one word.

Trust.

Trust.

And that's what we're gonna be looking at.

And here's there's gonna be some questions we're gonna be asking this next four weeks to each of us.

One, can we trust God?

And that's what we're gonna be dealing with this morning.

Can we trust God?

And we're gonna see how we are to trust God.

And then another tough question, this one's even tougher than that one.

Can God trust us?

Can God trust us?

And then at the end, we're gonna be taking what we call the trust test.

So by the end of this month, you'll know whether or not you're trusting God and according to the scriptures, whether or not God can trust you.

Now, folks, please don't miss a message if you I don't care what it takes.

I'm just telling you, I believe these four messages could radically change your life forever.

And the reason I know that, when I heard, not these same messages, these are hard off the press, brand new stuff that I let God uh been working with me this whole month.

But I'm telling you, when I heard stewardship messages for the first time in my life, it radically changed my life 33 years ago.

I've never been the same, and I'm telling you, I'm telling you, listen to me.

God has so blessed Susan and me together as partners for the Lord that it's unspeakable.

It really is.

Unimaginable.

I never would have believed what God would have done in 33 years when I married that little 19-year-old beautiful redhead, and what God has done in all these 33 wonderful years.

But it's all because we heard these truths and we applied them faithfully to our life these last 33 years that we've been together.

So let's begin in Proverbs chapter 3, because the key verse is verse 5.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

You know it.

Quote it out loud with me.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

Lean not on thy own understanding in all thy ways.

Acknowledge him.

And what?

And he will direct your paths.

Amen.

He will direct your paths.

There's some marvelous words of wisdom for us in our relationship with God in this passage.

I consider the key to successful Christian living is no, hey, no other word could be expressed than the word trust.

When I was growing up, and I've asked Susan, uh, in fact, where'd Steve go?

Steve, you gonna.

Oh, you got it.

You ready?

Thank you.

But when I was growing up, I was growing up with my granddaddy and grandmother in their home, he would always walk around singing and and and humming this song.

Trust and obey, for there's no other way, but to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

And then you say, Danny Boy, that's the key to your whole life.

If you'll trust God, hey, if you'll put God first in your life, Danny Boy, I promise you God will use you in a way that you could never think.

And boy, was that truth.

And that was about when I was 13 through about 18 years of age, those four years, five years with them.

I I constantly kept hearing him say that.

And he kept saying, and I'll never forget it, and I can't help but think about him when I think about those hymns he used to sing.

He used to say, Reading this book, Danny Boy, keep you from sin.

But sin will keep you from this book.

Amen.

Boy, is that not great truth?

So, as we look today, there's two questions that are often asked by each of us that are Christians.

Number one, how can I know God's will for my life?

And then number two, how can I be a success for God, for others, and for myself?

Those are two very important questions that we're gonna be looking at as we delve into these truths here in Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

In fact, the verse is not up there, but I want you to write it down.

James chapter 1, verse 25 says, Who looks into the perfect law of liberty?

James 1:25

This word of God is perfect.

It's our rule book, it's our love letter.

He said, Whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues therein, he bring and brings, hey, and he does not forget, he does not forget what he hears, but he becomes a doer of the work, that man shall be blessed in his deeds.

Wow.

Do you want to be blessed in 2015 in your deeds?

Do you want to be successful?

Absolutely.

Hey, do you want to be successful for God?

Absolutely.

Do you want to be successful for your family?

Absolutely.

Do you want to be successful in your job?

Absolutely.

So God says, I have the answers.

Trust is the most important factor in two things in your outline.

Number one, knowing God and his will for your life.

Knowing God and his will for your life.

Jesus said it this way in John 4.34.

He said, My meet, my purpose is to do the will of him that sent me to finish his work.

And then in John 7, 17, Jesus is talking, it's really the Lord's Prayer.

Chapter, well not seven, was 17 is the Lord's prayer, but in John chapter 7, verse 17, Jesus says this, and what a powerful statement.

John 7:17

He says, You will do my will.

Now watch, don't miss this.

You will do my will when you know my doctrine, when you know my teachings, you will do my will.

So again, that's why it's so important that we understand as we look into these scriptures this month, what God says success really is.

And that key is to trust God and allow God then what?

To trust us.

And then the second thing is growing his kingdom.

Growing his kingdom and myself, now here's the word, as a steward.

You and I, as Christians, are stewards of all that God has given us.

Can I say it?

Can I get an amen?

1 Corinthians 4 2.

Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found what?

Faithful.

Faithful.

And you've heard me say it time and time again.

Faith has to be tested before it can be trusted.

And God is going to test us in 2015.

He's already tested us since the conception of this church.

Remember, I told you last week I said, starting this series, the honeymoon's over.

We've been two years old, the honeymoon's over.

Now it's really time to get to work for God, and God's looking for men and women and teenagers that will radically sell out and trust Him with their whole lives and everything they have so that God can trust them to do miraculous things for God.

Man, that's exciting.

That's exciting.

And you got a chance to be a part of that in this embryo church.

Very few people get a chance to be in a startup like this and watch God do the miraculous the next 10 to 15, 20 years.

It's gonna be awesome.

I'm telling you.

I've had the privilege of doing this twice.

It's awesome.

It's unbelievable.

You really get to see God's mighty work and God's work of miracles in an unbelievable way.

You really do.

So we see that we are to grow his kingdom and ourselves as stewards.

Now, let's look.

Let's start.

Look at verse 1 in Proverbs chapter 3.

Proverbs 3 · chapter mention

Now get your pen, because if you got your Bible, I always write a little bit in the margins when God really speaks to me.

And I want you, I'm gonna go through these first ten verses.

That's gonna be our paragraph for study today.

But I want you to put some things, one word or a couple of words in the margin as we go through here, because it really speaks to the truth that he wants us to see.

Verse one My son, forget not my law, but let thy heart keep my commandments.

Now, the word there, underline the word keep.

Underline the word keep.

If you got the New King James or King James.

Now, if you got another word, another version, that's okay.

And then draw out, I put the word completely by the word keep.

In other words, my son, forget not my law, but let thy heart completely keep my commandments.

Key word.

Complete obedience, not half-hearted obedience.

Can I get an amen or an O me?

It's complete obedience.

Joshua 1.8.

Listen, the book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to watch all that's written therein.

Did you hear the little word?

All that's written in there.

Then shall I make thy ways prosperous, and he gives us the promise.

The only place in the Bible is it's used, and then I will promise you success.

Wow, what truth.

So we see right here the word completely.

And then he goes on, verse 2, for length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee.

And then look at verse 3.

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee, bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tables of your heart.

Now the word bind there, bind, put, draw a little line, circle that little arm, the line, and put always.

In other words, always bind them around your neck.

Always have mercy and truth.

And another couple of synonyms there you could use.

Love and loyalty.

Always have love and loyalty to God the Father.

Amen.

Always, not half-heartedly, but always radically, totally sold out.

And then look at what else he says.

And then he goes on, verse 4, so shall thou find favor.

Good understanding in the sight of God and man.

We'll be back on the other verses, every other verse in a minute.

But now look at verse 5.

Trust in the Lord with, and underline the word, all thine heart.

Lean not on thy own understanding.

Now look at verse 6.

In all thy ways, underline all thy ways, or, and then under uh draw a little line out, say all and put the word always.

In other words, in all thy in all thy ways, always acknowledge him, and he shall make your paths clear.

He shall direct thy path.

Oh, another translation says, He will lead you in the right path.

Wow.

Is that not good, church?

Hello.

Wow.

How would you like to be led in the right path in 2015?

Always.

Not sometimes, always.

Now you say, no, that's not possible.

Well, then God's a liar.

Hello.

God can't lie.

Titus 1 2, God can't lie.

Hebrews 6 18, God can't lie.

Okay?

Man, that's good.

And then notice what else he says.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall dread it.

That's verse 7.

Be not wise in thy own eyes, fear the Lord and depart from evil.

Now look at verse 8.

Now, in verse 7, excuse me.

Be not wise.

Now, underline, be not wise, but then draw a little line out in your Bible and put this.

Don't ever think you're wise enough.

Hello.

Don't ever think you're wise enough to make the best decision.

Now, most of us, or a lot of us, sometimes think we are.

Hello.

Oh me.

But don't ever, so the key word there is ever, uh, don't ever.

Don't ever think that you and I are wise enough to make the best and right decisions for our life if we are Christians.

And he says, but if we do that, then it shall be health to the nation and moral to the bones.

And then look at verse 9.

Honor the Lord with thy substance, with thy money.

I know people don't like to hear that word in church.

Hey, money.

Okay?

God blesses us with money.

That's pitiful.

Y'all don't like money.

No, I like credit cards.

Hey, can I get a can I try that again?

God blesses us with money.

Am I the only one that likes money?

I like money.

Amen.

I like money.

You know why I like money?

Because I can do a lot with money.

I can do a lot for God with money.

I can enjoy myself with money.

It's okay, God says you can enjoy the things that He's provided for you.

It's okay.

You don't have to be a legalistic, you know, like I'm supposed to be poor and dead.

No.

No.

God blesses us with money.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

And then not only does he bless us with money, notice what he says.

He says, I'm the Lord with thy substance and when the first fruits.

Now there's another word, all.

All thine increase.

Now, here in the context, he's talking about the fruit of the vine.

He's talking about crops.

So he says, first of all, your money.

Now he talks about your crops, or maybe your business, if you have your own business.

Like the Wilsons here and several of you.

I know Todd.

Your business or your job or whatever God has given you for the means of what?

Giving you money or possessions, that those possessions and those positions are to be used for his honor and his glory.

God wants you to be happy and blessed.

And in order to be happy, I'm telling you, this is the way.

This is the formula for true blessings without sorrow, is God's way.

Amen.

Amen.

Come on, church.

Now you're going to have to help me.

Because I'm telling you, this is so exciting to be because some of you are going to get liberated for the first time in your life, and it's never going to be the same after this series.

I guarantee it.

I guarantee it.

It radically changed our lives.

It's going to radically change your life.

I guarantee it.

So watch.

So we see how important that God's word says.

Now, let's look at these observations.

Observations about these ten verses.

Observation number one.

If you really want to see the blessings of God on your life, and he has no sorrow with his blessings, man, this is good.

Here's what he says.

And by the way, you know why we get discouraged?

Let me go ahead.

I wrote me a little note, tell the people why we get discouraged.

Because our faith wanes.

In other words, we really don't trust what God says.

We say we do, but our actions prove differently.

Hello.

We say we love God, but do our actions prove that we love God?

For example, John 14, 15, Jesus said, if you love me, what?

Let's say that again.

If you love me, what?

Keep my commandments.

Keep all completely.

Remember the word completely?

Completely keep his commandments.

Completely be faithful in all areas of your life to him.

If you get this, it's worth you hearing this if you left right now after this, but don't.

But hey, if you just took word, God's word face value and lived it, regardless of what you thought, regardless of what the circumstances say, you would live an abundant life, hey, unbelievable of what you ever thought you could.

Guaranteed.

Guaranteed.

Guaranteed.

Because God would be a liar if He didn't bless you to that degree.

Amen.

Amen, church.

And that's good.

Now, number one, the commands of God in this passage are all inclusive.

Hello?

They're all inclusive.

What does that mean?

There's no exceptions.

He didn't say that we can partially obey God and have those blessings.

He didn't say that we could love God most of the time with our hearts.

He didn't say that we can allow God to lead us some of the time.

No, that's not what he said, folks.

That's not the condition.

It's not half-hearted obedience, it's whole-hearted obedience.

Can I get an amen?

Oh, it's definitely lordship.

I love Miss, I had a black lady in our old church, and I don't, uh Christy may remember.

Um it reminds me a lot of you, Miss Betsy.

I meant, uh, I meant she did.

She'd sit right back there.

And every once in a while on Wednesday night, she'd get up and she'd say, Pastor Danny, 98 and a half won't do, won't do.

God wants 100% and he wants you, and he wants you, and he won't.

She'd just start pointing us out.

98 and a half won't do, won't do.

God wants 100% and he wants all of us.

Amen.

Amen.

Boy, that's so good.

So the commands are all inclusive.

If you're willing and obedient, now listen, you shall eat the good of the land.

But if you refuse and rebel, you should be devoured by the sword.

Isaiah 1:19 and 20.

Isaiah 1:19

So it's so clear in the scriptures.

Notice second thing.

Second thing, the commands precede a promise.

God tells us that if we do this, then he will do that.

Now let's look at this.

This is powerful.

Verse one, watch, which also takes me.

And I want to go ahead and give you the third one.

Not only are the commands precede a promise, but put down number three, the promises are controlled.

The promises are conditional.

Now, watch this.

If I was to tell you right now, how many of you in here want to have a long life?

I want to live a happy, long life.

Okay, for you that don't have your hands up, come on, Stephen.

Doesn't matter to you whether you live a long life or not, huh?

Jennifer's, that's a good time to punch him.

But hey, all right.

Let me ask another.

How many of you in here say, hey, I want help?

I want to be healthy.

Okay.

I mean, and then if I had the other thing and said, if you want to be wealthy, you say, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, we all know that.

Well, now watch what God's word says.

This is powerful.

First of all, he says, verse two, here's the promises after you fulfill the condition.

Now, the condition we've already looked at, verse one, if we completely keep his word, his commandments, for length of days and long life and peace shall they add to thee.

Now, the word peace there means contentment.

It means happiness.

It means an abundant life.

I mean, wow! Now that's what God's word promises us if we do our part.

If we completely, hey, keep God's word and live for him completely, I'm gonna give you long life.

Now, teenagers, if I had time, and I'll do that, I'm gonna be speaking to you one night in this new series Steve is doing.

But if you go to Ephesians chapter 6, he promises you, all you teenagers, listen, he promises you long life if you obey your parents.

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

Hello.

Can you imagine?

I know you said, man, my mom and dad don't know anything.

Yeah, yeah.

You know what Stephanie, Stephanie used to say, Mom, Dad just, you gotta get with it.

You don't understand.

Now she's on already had our uh third grandchild.

She's expecting to get him in um March.

And now she she calls and we talk to her at least 30 minutes every day.

Every day, because she's asking for advice.

It's amazing that we didn't know anything during the teen years.

Now we know everything.

Trust me, teenagers.

Hang in there with us and listen to your parents, and God will bless you greatly, and you will have not just a long life, but you'll have an enjoyable life because you won't be fighting with your parents all the time.

Can I get an Amen parrot?

See, that was worth you coming to church today.

Amen.

Ephesians chapter 6, verses 1 through 5.

Ephesians 6:1–5

The same thing.

What it talks about long life, just for the teenagers.

So that's very important that we understand that.

Now look at the other promise.

Look at verse 4.

Then thou shalt find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Wow.

Wow.

Now I can't tell you I totally understand how I find favor and understanding in God's eyes.

I don't understand that totally, but I tell you one thing I do.

I sure like it.

That means that God has favor with me.

Now, I don't know about you, but when somebody's got favor with you, woo, look out, church.

God is gonna open the windows of heaven and he's gonna pour blessing out on you because he's found favor with you.

Now notice what else he says I'm gonna do.

But not only are you gonna find favor with God, you're gonna find favor with man.

So we're gonna be used greatly to be a blessing to this community because people are gonna like us.

Amen.

People are gonna like us.

Why?

Because we stand for something.

Amen.

We stand for the truth, the word of God.

I didn't say I was politically correct.

In fact, I'm a long way from politically correct.

But I can tell you what I will be, will be biblically correct.

Can I get an amen?

And that's how you find favor with God.

Not being politically correct, but being biblically correct, you find favor with God.

Now, watch this.

Man, that's so good.

With God and man.

People will like you.

God will like you.

Your wife will like you better.

Hello.

Your husband will like you better, ladies.

Kids.

That's the promise.

Look at the next promise.

When you trust for the Lord all your heart, heart and let him direct you, in all thy ways acknowledge him.

Now watch.

And he's going to direct our paths.

You've been worried about what job you need to have, he'll tell you.

You've been worried about who you need to date, he'll tell you.

Hello?

Hello?

You with me, church?

Let me tell you, I'd rather God be making my decision than me making my decision.

Man, that's good.

You want to be.

Listen, you can get up and you spend time in the book every day.

God gives you instruction and direction.

Every day.

Every day.

That's why church is so important on Wednesday nights and Sunday.

You're going to be instructed and we're going to pray together.

We're going to learn together how we can find favor with God and man.

Woo!

And the children.

We're starting a whole new children's program on Wednesday night.

It's going to be exciting around here as we grow.

We want to find favor with God.

And then look, verse 7, there's the condition again.

Don't ever think that we can, hey, have enough wisdom to do what we need to do.

And then verse 8, here's another promise.

We're going to be healthy.

We're going to have good health.

And the marrow there means we're going to have strength.

Wow.

Health and strength.

And then verse 9 says, hey, when we not just tithe, but give of our income and our resources back to God, minimum of 10%.

Listen to this.

Minimum.

That's just a minimum.

As we give back to God, look at what he says in verse 10.

I am going to fill your barns with plenty.

Hello.

I'm going to fill your barns.

Say that with me.

I'm going to fill your barns with plenty.

Now, what does the word plenty mean?

More than you need.

More than you need.

My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches and glory through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4.19.

But guess what?

He does more than just your needs.

He gives you plenty.

Can I get an amen?

He gives you plenty.

If you do it his way.

People all the time, I can't make it.

I can't make it.

I said there's only one reason you're not making it.

You're not giving God's what's God's.

Hello.

Of your time, your talents, and we're going to be looking at we see the commands are all inclusive, the commands proceed a promise, and the promises are conditional.

Now, look at this what's stewardship.

There's three stewardship statements that are that change your life that are incorporated in our lives if God can trust us.

Here they are.

Statement number one.

We've got to understand, well, I said that wrong.

I'm sorry.

If we learn to trust God, and we must learn to trust God so that God can trust us, there's three statements that we have to understand and apply in our life so that God makes us trust in God first.

Because if we don't trust God, He can't trust us.

Here they are.

You got that?

Did I is that?

I didn't confuse you there, did I?

That's important you understand that.

Okay, here we go.

Statement number one.

Boy, this is good.

God is trustworthy.

You can say this with me.

We can trust God.

Again, we can trust God.

It's very evident.

Listen to what he says in Psalms 32, verse 10.

Psalms 32:10

This is powerful.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked.

Hello.

Let me define the wicked.

The wicked are those that are not completely following God or don't follow God at all.

They just ignore God.

All right?

But he that trusts, there's that word, remember the word, trust.

Trust is in the Lord.

Mercy and compassion and hey, and shall compass him about Psalms.

Mercy, companion, love, blessings are all going to be on those that trust him.

Look at the next verse, verse 30, Psalms 34, 22.

I love this verse.

The Lord redeems the soul of his servants.

And none of them that, there's the word again, trust in him shall be desolate.

Wow.

Did you hear?

In other words, none of you are gonna be defeated if you trust me.

None of you are gonna be discouraged if you trust me.

None of you are gonna be dismayed if you trust me.

Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

What a powerful statement.

And then I saw this one this morning.

It's not up there, but Psalms 125, verse 1 says, They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion.

Psalms 125:1

They shall never be moved.

Wow.

They shall never, never be moved.

Wow.

Now here's the second word.

God, and we got to realize this.

Number one, we got to realize God is trustworthy.

And by the way, because he's trustworthy, it's better to put your trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.

Can I get an amen?

Psalms 118, verse 8.

Psalms 118:8

And also it's better to put your trust in the Lord than to put confidence in the government.

Psalms 118, verse 9.

Psalms 118:9

Amen?

The word there is princes, but it means government.

Amen.

We want to put our total trust in him.

Now, but the second thing, we must realize that not only do we have to trust God, but that God has entrusted us with some things.

God's entrusted you and me with some things, such as gifts, such as talents, okay, such as uh abilities.

Okay?

You with me?

In fact, he says that what is it in James chapter 1, verse 17?

James 1:17

And boy, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights.

Gonna get an amen.

God has entrusted you with everything you got today.

Come on.

God has entrusted us with everything we have today.

Now, how do you know that?

Oh, I found this verse.

I don't think it's up there.

But John 3.24 says, you can receive nothing, or it may be verse 27.

I can't remember, but I remember the verse.

Hey, he says, You receive nothing, you can receive nothing except it be given to you from heaven.

Wow.

Is that not exciting, church?

Everything that Susan and I have, and God's allowed us to have, from our children to everything that we are, to our careers, to our education, to everything, it's because God has enabled us to receive it.

Amen.

Yeah, give God a hand on that.

Amen.

Yes.

Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that gives thee power to get wealth.

Deuteronomy 8.18.

Amen.

That's what the book says.

Man, that's good.

That's good.

He's entrusted us with time.

And that's why he says in Ephesians 5.16, redeeming the time.

Because the days are evil.

He's entrusted us with talents.

1 Corinthians 12.11.

As the Spirit sees fit, he divides severally the gifts to who he will.

So every gift and talents you got, it's because God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, has given you those gifts and those talents.

And listen to me.

If you got talents, whether it's singing, playing, working, driving a van, get whatever it is, you need to start using them so that God can bless you like he's never blessed you before.

God didn't give them to you for you to sit, he gave them to you to worship him and to serve him.

Amen.

I wished I could play that pen.

Bless God, I'd be over there.

I'd be just, oh man, I wished I could play.

But I can't move my fingers that way.

But bless God, I can shout.

I can be a cheerleader for Jesus.

Amen.

I can be a cheerleader for Jesus, and that's what I've been for 33 years.

I'm a cheerleader.

Amen.

That's who I am.

So we see how important God is trustworthy.

God has entrusted us with time, talents, treasures, Deuteronomy 8, and our testimony.

He's entrusted to us.

If you claim to be a Christian, you need to be an upright, godly person because you are an ambassador for Jesus Christ.

Amen.

If you're going to live like the devil, please do me a favor.

Please, please.

Don't tell somebody you're a Christian.

Amen.

You may not be anyway, but please don't tell them.

Amen.

Because it's his testimony.

Whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, you do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 6.

Amen.

Man, that's great.

That's good stuff.

Now, so the third thing.

We gotta realize God's trustworthy.

Can I get an amen?

Two, he's entrusted us with all that we have.

Amen.

Now here's the third thing.

We've got to realize that we are trustees.

Hello.

We are trustees of everything God has given to us.

I want you to see this.

1 Peter 14.

Woo! I saw this verse the other day.

I'd never memorized it, so I memorized it.

And I said, that's it.

Every man has received a gift.

At least one.

More than one, most.

And we every every one of us have received talents.

Amen?

Now watch.

Even so, ministers are saying one to another.

In other words, we are given these gifts and all that we have, all that He's entrusted us with, for us to, here it is, folks, to minister to one another, to serve one another as what?

Good stewards of the manifest grace of God.

Wow.

Is that not good, church?

That's why we do it.

It's not for us, it's for him.

It's for him.

And that's why I know it's easy to say I trust God.

But do I trust God?

Is he my total source?

Do I trust him in everything?

Or do I just trust him in some things?

Oh, God, I need your help here.

I don't understand what I need to do, but I got the other.

In other words, I need you in the big things, I don't need you in the little things.

Or maybe I need you in little things, but I don't need you in the big things.

I can handle the big things.

Or maybe I need you when I'm in trouble, but I don't need you when I'm being blessed.

Sound familiar?

We are living in a self-reliant society.

In other words, there's no accountability, there's no responsibility.

Yes, we're there.

We're there.

We're there.

So if we're gonna be self-reliant, then we're gonna miss all those promises and provisions that God has told us in chapter 10.

I mean chapter 3, verses 1 through 10.

We're gonna miss all those promises.

We're gonna miss all those provisions.

Well, here's the question.

And by the way, there's several when we get through with this series that we would have answered.

We'll be looking at one, can I trust God?

Two, do I trust God?

Three, can God trust me?

Four, does he trust me?

Have I proven to be a trustworthy person?

Can he give me what he wants to give me, knowing that I'm trustworthy?

Woo! Woo! You realize when I saw that, I said, Oh my soul.

The first thing I went in my quiet time then, I said, Lord, please don't let me hinder what you want to do through me.

What a statement.

What an accountability.

Do you realize I am convinced, church?

Listen to me.

A lot of us are not doing, hey, to the fullness of what God's called us to do because we don't totally trust God.

We trust ourselves more.

We're missing out.

I don't want our church to miss out on anything.

Can I get an amen?

Nothing.

I want everything God's got for us.

Listen, listen, young person.

The wrong decision.

Hey, not completely trusting him means you may end up with the wrong person.

Hello.

You don't want that to happen.

You may end up with the wrong job.

You don't want that to happen.

Trust him.

Trust him.

That is so important.

Can God trust me?

Does he trust me?

Well, look at some trustworthy thoughts about God.

Now, here we're getting down to how we can trust God.

How can we trust God and why can we trust God?

Here it is.

Number one, God's care is constant.

Woo! I love it.

Look at Hebrews 13, 5 and 6.

Let your conversation, your behavior, your life be without covetousness.

In other words, don't want everything.

Just be thankful for what you got.

And be content with such things as ye have, for he has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

And then look at verse 6.

We may boldly, we can bold say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me.

Wow.

God's care is constant.

God's love, hey, never fails.

Amen.

Never, never fails.

That is a great promise.

Literally, in the original language in the Greek, it says this I will not, no, not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.

In other words, five times, God wants us to be assured that he is never going to leave us.

Can I get an amen?

John 14, 18, he says he will never leave us comfortless.

The Holy Spirit will comfort us.

Most of us know Billy Graham.

But do you remember his singer that sang all those years with him?

George Beverly.

What a singer.

Trained opera voice.

And he said, you know, he would have many requests at every crusade to sing different songs.

He said, one time he received this note from a person that said, I don't know if you know this song, but uh Brother Shea, I wish you could sing it.

It's the greatest song.

It changed my life, and it's kept me for so many years.

And then he wrote the title of the song.

God's grip don't slip.

Now that's poor grammar, but that's fantastic theology.

Can I get an amen?

God's grip don't slip.

Say that with me.

God's grip don't slip.

Wow, that's great.

Because it doesn't.

Once he grabs you, you are there forever.

That's why he says in Psalms 55 22, watch this.

Cast thy burdens on the Lord and He shall sustain you.

He will keep you.

He shall never suffer the righteous to what?

To be moved, to perish.

Or another version says to slip or to fall.

Wow.

God's grip don't slip.

Most of us have read the beautiful poem of footprints.

How many of you have read the poem of footprints?

Most of us.

But some haven't.

Well, I want to read it to you.

In fact, what's interesting is that the lady who wrote footprints, Margaret Fishbank, went through amazing trials before she wrote this beautiful saying.

The person that she loved left her.

She caught meningitis and was literally bedridden for many months.

She came to the lowest part of her life.

And during that time, another man fell in love with her and wanted to marry her.

But she would not marry him.

She basically told him this I'm out of trust.

I'm not sure I trust God.

I know I don't trust men.

I'm out of trust.

And then one night in her diary, as she lay in bed, she began to write this beautiful piece.

At that night she saw the answer.

And here it is.

I'll just take a moment and read it to you.

If you never heard it, one night a man had a dream, and he dreamed that he was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Across the sky flashed scenes of his life, and for each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand.

One belonging to him, and the other belonging to the Lord.

After the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of life there were only one set of footprints.

And he also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and at the very saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him, and he questioned the Lord about it.

He said, Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way.

But I've noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there's only one set of footprints.

I don't understand, Lord, why?

When I needed you the most, you would leave me.

And the Lord replied, My precious, precious child, I love you.

I would never leave you.

During your tri times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then when I carried you.

Wow.

Wow.

God's grill don't slip.

Amen.

You're gonna hear me say that a lot.

God's grill don't slip.

And it's so, so true.

So, again, God's care is constant.

We must understand that.

Here's the second thing God's gifts are generous.

Amen.

God's gifts are generous.

I meant, hey, He loves to bless us with gifts and talents, all kinds of blessings.

If you turn to Psalms 136, it's uh 26 verses in this chapter.

26 times.

Did I put that in there, Jeremy?

Psalms 136?

Maybe I didn't.

But it, okay.

But watch this.

And I'm gonna just read a few of them.

Go to verse 1.

Here it is.

Give thanks, O Lord, for he is good.

Say that with me.

Give thanks, O Lord, for he is good.

For his mercy endureth forever.

In fact, read it with me.

Let's just read it off the teleprompter.

All right, verse two.

Give thanks unto the God of gods for his mercy endureth forever.

Verse 3.

Give thanks to the Lord of Lords for His mercy.

Verse 4.

To Him alone doth great wonders for His mercy.

Verse 5.

To Him, hey, that by wisdom made the heavens.

I'll read the first part, you do the last.

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters.

To him that made great lights.

Verse 8, the sun to rule by day.

Verse 9, the moon and stars to rule by night.

I will not leave you.

Comfortless, I will come to you.

His mercy endures forever.

Woo! Forever.

Forever.

And you could easily supplement for mercy.

His love endureth forever.

John 13, 1, Jesus says, I will love you to the end.

I will love you to the end.

So his gifts are generous.

They're gracious.

We used to sing a song at Liberty when I was at Liberty University all those years.

In fact, the trio, Christy and Susan and Robin used to sing this.

Jesus never fails.

Remember that?

Jesus never fails.

Say that with me.

Jesus never fails.

Whoa, what an oldie but goldy but goody.

Jesus never fails.

Amen?

So, how do we develop that trust?

Here it is.

Man, that's good.

By the way, God has been mindful of us to bless us.

Can I get an amen?

Psalms 115, verse 12.

Psalms 115:12

He's been mindful of us to bless us.

He wants to bless us.

So how do we do it?

How do we trust in God?

How do we do that?

Here it is.

Here's what we've been leading up to.

Number one.

First of all, we've got to learn to trust him in adversity.

Amen?

We've got to learn to trust him in adversity.

Listen to what David said in Psalms 56, verse 4.

Psalms 56:4

He said, In God I will praise his word.

In God I have put my trust.

There's that word popping up in every verse we've seen.

I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

Listen to what he says in Psalms 34, verse 4.

Psalms 34:4

I sought the Lord and he heard me.

Now watch, and delivered me from all my fears.

And then I love verse 7.

The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him to deliver them.

It doesn't matter when you're afraid and when you're scared.

Yes, hey, there'll be times like that.

There'll be times when you don't know what to do.

There'll be times and tragic situations and discouraging times.

But what you do, as the psalmist said, my eyes are fixed on thee, O God, and the Lord is my trust.

I will not fear what man can do unto me.

Hallelujah.

That's it, girl.

Amen.

That's it.

If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8 31.

We see, David was saying, hey, I, and here's a good one.

I found this verse.

God's been giving me all new verses.

And 2 Chronicles 32.8.

With us is the Lord our God.

With us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.

That's good, Steve.

2 Chronicles 32.8.

With us is the Lord our God to help us.

And then the other part says to fight our battles.

That's pretty good, isn't it?

You don't have to worry about what man's going to do unto you.

You just trust him.

You trust him in the good times, but you really need to trust him in the bad times.

In the tough times.

And when the going gets, hey, tough, rough, the tough get going.

Well, no, those who trust get going.

Amen.

That's what it really means.

And that's what we see right here.

That's our part.

You see, here's where where the conflict comes, right here.

God asked us to obey him in some big things that we don't think we're capable of doing.

God tells you, hey, you're gonna go start a church in Chelsea.

Westover, I didn't even know where it was.

Looked on the mountain, couldn't find it.

Extraordinary things.

But I meant my wife that died in my arms and now's with Jesus.

When the Lord told me and Becky, her name was Becky, and my son at that time, Eric, was eight.

I meant, no, excuse me, three.

I think it was three.

Three or four.

To pack up, just leave everything.

Leave everything.

In fact, I was junior in college.

I'd just been, and listen to the way Satan works, okay?

God told me to go to Liberty.

Saw Jerry Falwell on the TV screen.

He said, pack up, go, go now.

Leave everything.

And about that time, the church I was attending just offered me a youth pastor's job, and my football high school coach knew I only had a year left, and he knew I wanted to be a football coach.

He he called me and said, Danny, I've got permission from Board of Education.

Go ahead and hire you.

I can't pay you full salary right now, but I'm gonna pay you, you know, half salary for you to be our weightlifting coach for the football team.

And then next year, when you graduate, you'll be all you'll be one of my coaches, and you'll teach uh physical education and driver's head.

Ah, tough life.

Driver's head special.

Driver's head, especially.

They didn't know my driving record.

But what I'm saying is, and then, but and then here I am to trust God, leave everything, go, didn't have a place to stay, didn't have a job.

Nothing.

Just a U-Haul trailer and a little Volkswagen pulled behind that.

Headed to Lynchburg, Virginia.

I didn't even know where Lynchburg, Virginia was.

In fact, I didn't like the name Lynchburg.

But here we go.

And within two days, with two days, are you ready for this?

They accepted every one of my credits.

I found a job.

We found a government.

Man, I'm about to have a spell.

Listen to me.

I went to this housing department, and first of all, I threw my transcripts down, and the guy says, What's this?

I said, It's my transcripts.

He says, Well, what am I supposed to do?

I said, You're supposed to accept every one of them, and I'm not losing the credit because I I got a graduating year and I got to go to seminary.

God's called me to do something, don't know what He's called me to do.

I don't have a job, don't have a place to stay.

So you got to get through with this, so I ain't gonna find a place to stay, a job, and let's get it on.

He looked at me and went, like, what planet did this guy step off of?

And he said, Well, I don't know.

I said, Don't you say I don't know.

I said, I'll go tell the man on television told me to come.

Long story short, he signed all the papers.

I think he was, there was a line of people, and I was the first one there anyway.

Line of people.

Went and while I was signing up and getting all the work done, Becky went down with one of the friends we'd met.

She had gone to the bank because the bank, she had been a bank tailor for eight years.

Guess what?

They hired her on the spot, and then we went down, we went over to these government subsidized apartments.

Now, hey, brand new, just built.

And there was already, there's already uh uh couples from the school over there and renting, and I went in there and the lady, I said, Man, ma'am, God told me to come here.

My friend said you got me an apartment.

She says, I've got one left.

I said, I'll take it.

She said, Wouldn't you like to see it?

And I said, No, I'll take it, but I'll see it too.

So we went over there and went in, two bedroom, one bath, brand new, up second part.

And the two people living next to us were students like me and Becky.

I said, Yeah, okay.

She said, let's go fill out the paperwork.

And I said, let's go fill out the paperwork.

We started, she said, Do you have a job?

I said, No, ma'am.

She said, You got any income?

I said, No, ma'am.

But we're gonna get it.

She said, Long story.

And about that time she she she figured up, you know, everything.

She said, Okay, Mr.

Lovett, I got you set.

I said, Yes, ma'am, what have I got to pay?

She says, You're not gonna pay anything.

In fact, I'm gonna pay you$45 a month for you to live here.

I said, What?

Yeah?

I said, You gotta be kidding.

She said, No.

About that time Becky and then pull in, Anne and Becky pull in, she jumps out, she says, and the reason they were gonna pay me, they said, you don't because you don't have a job right now.

And we evaluate it every year and then it they adjust it for everything.

I said, by that time Becky says, Hey, honey, I got a job, I got a job.

She says, It's okay, Mr.

Lovich.

You already signed the papers.

I said, Yeah.

Two days.

Two days, folks.

God opened the door, everything done.

Why?

Because we were willing to trust him in all situations, knowing not what we couldn't understand it.

Just go.

Just go.

Just go.

Just go.

Peter was the only one that got out of the boat.

Yeah, but he started to sink.

Yeah, but he walked on water too.

Amen.

You gotta trust him.

You gotta go.

You gotta trust him.

And that's been our lie.

And I could just go on with story after story at open door.

And look what he's done here in two years.

We've got over a million, a half a million dollar piece of property, and it's almost paid for.

Everything's paid for.

No debt.

Woo! Glory.

Hardly.

Amen.

To God be the glory.

God's grip doesn't slip.

Trust him.

Trust him.

Trust him.

Number two.

Trust him in plenty.

Oh.

Oh, a lot of us got more.

You know, a lot of us think we're we're we're not doing too good.

Let me take you, go with Deedra to a third world country.

You'll come back and you'll thank God you're where you are.

Amen.

They have nothing.

You think you have nothing?

We have nothing.

They have literally nothing.

They walk in the rain two and three hours just to go to church.

And when they get at church, they don't want a 58 and a half minute sermon.

They won't church all day.

That's all they have.

Amen.

And then we come to church, not here, and 58 and a half minutes you look at your boys, it's time to go.

What are you gonna do when you get in heaven?

We're gonna worship him 24-7.

Yeah, I'm telling him about Amen.

Woo! Glory! Glory! Glory! I'm just we just get warmed up here.

I learned this.

You know what when I said, God, let us start this church.

I said, God, I want to, I want people to come.

We want to worship no time limit.

And when I get through, we're through.

We're gonna eat together.

You don't have to worry about meeting the Methodists in the line.

We're gonna eat together.

I'm gonna feed you the best meal in town.

Then you're gonna go home by 12:31 o'clock, and you're gonna take a nap.

Be with your family.

At least I'm going to take a nap.

Amen?

That's worshiping him in spirit and truth.

But trust him in plenty.

If riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

As God blesses you, use your blessings to bless others.

Can I get an amen?

That's it.

That's what you do with the plenty.

You use it to bless others.

Not yourself.

You don't hoard it up.

If I had time, I'd take you to Luke 12.

Remember the rich guy?

He was, oh, what am I gonna do?

I got so much.

I'm just gonna build more barns and fill them up.

And what happened?

He died that night.

No.

I'm gonna do my giving while I'm living so I know where it's going.

Amen.

I've already told my kids they're not getting any money, Granny.

They're not getting any money.

All my money's going for the Lord.

I can tell you that right now.

They can get my house, they can have my house, but they're not getting my money.

God's got my money.

Amen.

He's got my possessions.

Amen.

Well, last thing.

Woo! Man, this is good.

Some of you say, whoa, this is tough.

No, no, it's good.

Trusting God as our source.

So how do we really learn to trust God?

We trust him in the bad times, adversity.

We trust him in the good times.

You know I had a guy tell me he didn't have a problem tithing when he was making$20,000 a year.

He had his own construction company.

He started making two, three million dollars a year.

He quit tithing.

He said, I just can't give God that much money.

He had major problems, almost lost his building, almost lost his family.

He went into his pastor.

His pastor, his pastor was W.

C.

Chriswell.

First Patrick's Church of Dallas.

They'd gone to be with Lord, one of my mentor preachers.

And he told Dr.

Chriswell, he said, I need help.

And he shared everything.

Dr.

Chriswell said, I know your problem.

You've quit putting God first.

You quit trusting God.

You trust in yourself.

He said, We can fix that.

He said, We can.

Yeah.

He said, Okay, let's get on our knees.

Got on his knees.

He said, Now, Lord, Bobby here has quit trusting you.

He's got a lot of money.

And Lord, he's about to lose everything for his family wise and all.

So, God, I tell you what, just break him financially too.

He can't give back to you what's yours anyway.

Just take him back.

He said, Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Dr.

Criswell, Dr.

Chriswell, I get the message.

I understand now.

I understand.

I understand now.

What's God's God's.

Amen.

And you don't ever rob God, you don't ever steal from God.

You trust God.

When you have little, you trust him when you have much.

And you give him what's rightfully his, and he keeps giving and giving.

Let me tell what I've learned.

Okay?

I'm not a wealthy person.

We're not wealthy, but we have more than we need.

But I've learned the more I give, the more God keeps giving.

Just that simple.

Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure.

Press down, shaken together, and running over.

Shall me and give back unto you.

Luke 6, 38.

I want to close with this and I'm through.

Woo! Trusting God as our source.

See, when you realize that he owns everything, you don't mind giving it away.

Hello?

Come on, come on.

Amen.

When you realize it's not yours, you don't mind it when he takes it.

See, what happens, you get upset, is because it's yours.

But it's not yours.

It's his.

If you're a Christian, you're just a trustee.

You're just a steward.

S.L.

Lockridge.

I had to end on this.

S.L.

Lockridge was one of the greatest black preachers ever lived, him and Evie Hill.

And I had the privilege of sitting under there preaching at liberty all the time.

Well, S.

L.

Lockridge preached in 1976.

Can you trust God?

This message.

Well, that message.

And in this message at the end, he asked the question where the statement was made.

You can trust him.

Now, church, just get ready.

I'm going to read it to you.

And you'll know when to come in.

Amen.

He stood up and he said, Church, you can trust him.

You can trust him.

He's the one who made us.

It is he who made us and not we ourselves.

The heavens declared the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork.

No means of measure can define his limitless love.

And no far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of his shoreless supply.

I'm telling you, church, you can trust him.

There's no barrier can hinder him from pouring out his blessings.

He's endurably strong.

He's entirely sincere.

He's eternally steadfast.

And he's immortally graceful and empirically powerful and partially merciful.

He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizontal of this world.

He's God's son.

He's a sinner savior.

He's the center priest of civilization.

I'm trying to tell you, church, you can trust him.

He does not have to call for help.

You can't confuse him.

He doesn't need you.

He doesn't need me.

He stands alone in the solitude of himself.

He's unique.

He's unparalleled.

He's unprecedented.

He's supreme.

He's preeminent.

He's the loftiest idea of literature.

He's the highest personality in philosophy.

He's the supreme problem of higher criticism.

He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology.

He's the cardinal necessity of the spiritual religion.

He's the miracle of the age.

He's the superlative of everything good.

And you can call him.

You can trust him, church.

Oh, he can satisfy all your needs.

He can do it simultaneously.

He supplies strength for the weak.

He's available for the tempted and tried.

He sympathizes and seeds.

He guards and he guides.

He heals the sick.

He cleanses the leopard.

He forgives the sinners.

He discharges the debtors.

He delivers the captives.

He defends the people.

He blesses the young.

He regards the ages.

He rewards the diligent.

He beautifies the meek.

I'm trying to tell you, church, you can trust them.

He's the key to knowledge.

He's the wellspring of wisdom.

He's the doorway to deliverance.

He's the pathway to peace.

He's the roadway to righteousness.

He's a highway to holiness.

He's a gateway to glory.

You can trust him, church.

He's the master of the mighty He's the capture of the conquerors.

He's the head of the heroes.

He's the leader of the legislators.

He's the overseer of the overcomers.

He's the governor of all the governors.

He's the prince of princes.

He's the king of kings, the Lord of lords.

You can trust him.

His office is manifold.

His promise is sure.

His life is matchless.

His goodness is limitless.

His mercy is everlasting.

His love never changes.

His word is enough.

His grace is sufficient.

His reign is righteous.

His yoke is easy.

His burden is light.

I wished I could describe him to you.

Oh, church, you can trust him.

He's indescribable.

He's incomprehensible.

He's irresistible.

And because he's invincible, you cannot get him off your hands.

You can't get him out of your mind.

You can't outlive him and you can't live without him.

Pilate could not stand it.

He could not find any fault in him.

Hey, he couldn't kill him.

Death couldn't handle him.

The grave couldn't hold him.

Woo! There's nobody after him.

There's no predecessor.

You have no successor.

You can't impeach him.

And he ain't gonna resign.

Let's give God a hand.

Woo! Ha ha! What a way to start, CCW.

What a way to start.

Jesus is awesome.

Jesus is awesome.

You can trust him.

Let's pray.

Thanks again for tuning into this week's message.

We pray that your life has been changed.

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Send us an email at office at the church at cw.com.

We hope you have a wonderful day and again God bless you.