Gary & Linda Brownlow
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Translations: Where Is
Your Trust
I can’t help but think of the song with the words, “some may trust in horses, some may trust in chariots, but we will trust in the name of our God.” But do we actually do that, and the next question is, do we do that all of the time. I don’t know about you, but, I would have to answer no. I don’t always trust in God first. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 3: 5-6 (Amplified Bible) 5--Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6--In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. We need to have a little understanding in this area. We need to know, recognize and acknowledge what a thing is about. Defined as: 1. Know-to be sure of, or have the facts about 2. Recognize-to be aware of as something or heard, to know again, someone seen, 3. Acknowledge-to admit to be true, to recognize the authority of We have been conditioned from childhood to learn to be independent. 1. Don’t trust anyone, or anything. 2. If it’s ever going to get done, do it yourself. We all look for guidance, sometimes in another person, but most of the time we look in ourselves. However, as we look for answers, we find that we are deficient in that area. Instead of seeking God for answers we look in ourselves. Dr. Phil, “how is that working for you.” If it isn’t working, then I guess we need to go back to the beginning. We all make bad choices from time to time, and hopefully not often. We should learn from our mistakes, but to often we don’t. We try the same things over and over, and guess what; we keep getting the same results. Go figure! Seeking God is usually an after-thought. We try everything we know to do, screw things or situations up really bad, and then ask God to clean up our mess. We have heard it said that God gives us everything we need, and indeed He does. But He also has given us a brain, and we are supposed to use it. We need to understand that our help come from only One source, since He is much wiser than we are. Psalm tells us: Ps 33:20--He is our help and shield 46:1--very present help in trouble 121:1--whence shall my help come from 54:4--Behold, God is my helper God wants to guide us in all wisdom. His wisdom, not ours. His word tells us: Ps. 32:8--I will guide thee with My eye Amplified: I (the Lord) will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will counsel you with My eye upon you. The thought that God actually wants to guide us, and instruct us boggles the mind. Why would God take time out of His day to bother with our everyday trivial things? God is concerned with everything about us. Every decision that we make. The big things and the small things in our life, simply because He loves us so much and He doesn’t want us to fall and get hurt. For some reason we thing that we can hide our stuff from God. It doesn’t work that way, He is at work with you, in your car, even in the shower with you. He is constantly watching us, hovering over us, to keep us safe. The terrible thing is, most of the time He is saving us from ourselves. Proverbs 5: 21--For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths. Ps. 32 1-11 tells us. 1. Blessed, (Happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who has forgiveness of his transgression continually exercised up on him, whose sin is covered. 2. Blessed, (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3. When I kept silence (before I confessed), my bones wasted sway through my groaning all the day long. 4. For day and night Your hand (of displeasure) was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah (pause, and calmly think of that)! 5. I acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord (continually unfolding the past till all is told)—then You (instantly) forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah (pause, and calmly think of that)! 6. For this (forgiveness) let everyone who is goodly pray—pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely when the great waters (of trial) overflow, they shall not reach (the spirit in) him. 7. You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah (pause, and calmly think of that)! 8. (the Lord) will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. 9. Be not like the horse or the mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you. 10. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on the Lord shall be compassed about with mercy and with loving-kindness. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you (uncompromisingly) righteous (you who are upright and in right standing with Him); shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Do you want to be a horse, mule or sheep A horse is ahead of anointing--catches only part of the instructions A mule lags behind--hard headed, stiff necked Sheep follow--stay behind to hear it all, they don’t want to miss anything. They also find the shepherd to be their lifeline. Sheep are so trusting. Most of the time our trials are our own doing. We bring something to pass, by our own decisions, and then yell for God to bail us out. Ps. 33:18--Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness Ps. 33:20--Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield We question God, in what He is doing in our live, our home, and in us. Why can’t we just trust Him with everything? Isaiah 55: 8-9--For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. 9—For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. God is concerned about every part of us, body, soul, and spirit. 1 Thes 5:23-24; 23. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit (God conscious) and soul (self conscious) and body (world conscious) be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24. faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. We feel that we always have to be right: An elderly woman called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car has been broken into. She is hysterical as she explains the situation to the dispatcher: “They’ve stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!” she cried. The dispatcher said, “Stay calm. An officer is on the way.” A few minutes later, the officer radios in. “Disregard.” He says. “She got in the back-seat by mistake.” How many times have we gotten in the back seat by mistake? We really think we are in the front and driving, but we are not. We want answers, sometimes God says no; sometimes he says not yet, sometimes He says just trust me. Proverbs 3: 7-12 7. Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn (entirely) away from evil. 8. It shall be health to your nerves and sinews, and marrow and moistening to your bones. 9. Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency (from righteous labor) and with the firstfruits of all your income; 10. So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine. 11. My son, do not despise or shrink from the chastening of the Lord (His correction by punishment or by subjection to suffering or trial); neither be weary or impatient about or loath or abhor His reproof, 12. For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father correct the son in whom he delights. God’s wisdom is like a breath of fresh air, or a cool drink of water. It will refresh and refill you, making you into what he has created you to be. His child, His creation, and someday His bride.
Linda Brownlow, PhD.
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