Go to God

"Always plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the day without His counsel. He loves to be consulted. Therefore take all thy difficulties to be resolved by Him. Be in the habit of going to Him in the first place--before self-will, self-pleasing, self-wisdom, human friends, convenience, expediency. Before all these have been consulted go to God. Consider no circumstances too clear to need His directions. In all thy ways, small as well as great; in all thy concerns, personal or relative, temporal or eternal, let Him be supreme."

having no will but His

"Neither go back in fear and misgiving to the past, nor in anxiety or forecasting to the future; but lie quiet under His hand, having no will but His."

pressing towards the mark

"Where can we find such clean cut and distinct personalities as those who have suffered for righteousness, and trod the narrow path which leads to life? Men who have striven against temptation, who, conscious of their weakness, have clung to the hand of the One who is strong; sometimes stumbling, sometimes receiving instruction through bitter suffering and sorrow, but pressing towards the mark the of their high calling? 'With strong crying and tears' they have made their supplication to God, with earnest prayer they have besought His forgiveness and help. Even in the darkest hour of trial they have remembered their early lessons, and while pleading that the cup of bitterness might pass, have said, 'Thy will be done'. However dark the way, they have not faltered; however bitter and incomprehensible the pain they have maintained their trust, and prayed that sorrow should have its right effect and bring them closer to God."

God never fails!

"We can trust in many things. None, however, offer the protection plan, the long term security, or the benefits that trusting in God offers. All of the other things in which we place our trust can fail. God never fails! In the words of King David, "...Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you..." (I Chronicles 28:20).

~If it is the Lord's will, October's posts will be focused on three essentials to our discipleship: surrendering to God's will, sacrificing, and denying self.

blessed is the man

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." {Jeremiah 17:7}

God is trustworthy

"The Psalmist says: 'They that know thy name will put their trust in thee' (Psalm 9:10). The reason for trust is in what we know of God. The warrant of faith is the Divine character. Because God is righteous He cannot do wrong. Because He is love He can only act lovingly. Unbelief will try to deny this--but have none of it. In spite of the anguish and the trial, we believe that God is trustworthy. He loves to be trusted. In the final analysis that is what He asks. Not that we explain Him, defend Him or vindicate Him--but that we trust Him."

knows and loves the One

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it knows and loves the One Who is leading."

faith is intelligent trust

"Trust is what the writer of the Hebrews meant by the evidence of things not seen. Trust has the effect of proving the invisible. It makes us put confidence in the declaration and venture trustingly upon the suggestiveness of the promise. The result is an assurance of things hoped for. Trust is a risk, a venture, an adventure. It has in it an element of inspiration. It is not blind, blundering chance. Faith, after all, is not ignorant assumption--the right name for that is superstition. Faith is intelligent trust."

trust in Him when no need is pressing

"In God, we live every commonplace moment as well as the most exalted moment of our being. To trust in Him when no need is pressing, when things seem to be going right of themselves, may be harder than when things seem to be going wrong."

trust turns conviction into faith

"It is trust which turns conviction into faith. It is one thing to declare that a rope is strong; it is another thing to rest your weight upon it. Conviction is essential but it is not the whole story. It is one thing to believe the thing to act upon it. Trust is faith in action. Faith sometimes is a theological expression, but in its development it becomes highly personal. Faith is the conviction that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. The declaration without the diligence is on the way to being only half true, perhaps even half false on the lips of the one who confesses but will not trust."

in whom I will trust

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." {Psalm 18:12}

cast aside worldly security

"If we rely on ourselves, our knowledge, our ability, we lose the strongest incentive to resist temptation when it affects our wellbeing--but if we in faith cast aside worldly security and throw ourselves entirely upon God's care, knowing that we shall only be cared for if we are pleasing to Him, it will be a strong deterrent to doing anything that may forfeit His care and guardianship.

That is, if our whole treasure and insurance and dependence is in heaven in the shape of God's favor and care, we shall be much more careful not to jeopardize it or let it lapse by rendering a faulty obedience."

a child's trust and a Father's care

"Here is where the example of childhood faces its most difficult task--to teach adult faith to rely on the invisible, immovable Rock, and not the visible, shifting sand. To relax its frantic and worrying efforts to build security out of perishing mammon, and in the serene confidence of childlike faith to feel the assuring strength of the everlasting arms."

put not trust in men

"We must earnestly desire God's personal companionship. We must not be content or happy without it. It must be a constant yearning and feeling of need. Sad and bitter experience in this life greatly strengthens this desire. That is one of the reasons it is needed and beneficial. Only God is dependable. Only God understands. In God's mercy and wisdom, there can be much comfort and support in human beings, but we cannot make our happiness dependent on them, or build upon them, or build on them as our foundation. All flesh is grass. In God alone is safety and security."

there is something we can do

"'Present your requests to God.' Yes, life is difficult, full of problems and filled with stress. And yes, worry is a natural tendency. And, praise God, yes, there is something we can do to keep from worrying! And yes, we can obey God's command to 'not be anxious about anything.' God's solution is this: When you are worried... pray! Pray from your heart and with all your heart!"

with all your heart

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." {Proverbs 3:5-6}

"He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe." {Proverbs 28:26}

God bids us trust

"Trust in the things which cannot be shaken should bring constancy in the midst of the changing scenes of life. Through the contradictions, the adversity, the apparent denials, God bids us trust. We do not always know the reason for our disturbance but we know the Disturber. We can trust Him!"

lie quiet under His hand

"Neither go back in fear and misgiving to the past, nor in anxiety and forecasting to the future, but lie quiet under His hand, having no will but His."

leave all to Him

"Stilled now be every anxious care;
See God's great goodness everywhere;
Leave all to Him in perfect rest:
He will do all things for the best."

over-concern for ourselves

"Our only hope in overcoming fears is to recognize they arise because of over-concern for ourselves and not enough trust in the power of God. It is the old matter of self-love being stronger than our love of God."