Trusting God

Plowing Forward

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” [Luke 9:62 ESV]

When Jesus calls you to follow, he is not looking for excuses.
When Jesus calls you to follow, he doesn’t mean finish your to-do-list first.
When Jesus calls you to follow, you are not to long for that which you left.
When Jesus calls you to follow, you are to follow with eyes wide open and focused on him.

For when Jesus calls you to follow, he is to be the priority above everything and everyone else. Yours eyes are to be firmly fixed on him; moving forward without hesitation. But why is this such a struggle for people? Why do people cling to what they have or look back at what they left? It is simple, really. They don’t truly trust that Jesus knows what he is talking about. When times got tough for the people of God that Moses was leading in the wilderness, what did they do? They started to long for their captivity in Egypt. This didn’t sit well with God (to put it mildly). God demanded trust and so does Jesus when he calls you to follow.

When you begin to follow Jesus but keeping looking back at what you left, you quickly veer off course. Jesus words about the hand on the plow and looking back are poignant. If you are plowing a field, your eyes need to be focused on a fixed object on the horizon, otherwise your row will be crocked – every single time. You WILL go off course.

Jesus is the fixed object on the horizon – AND – is the one who walks by your side. When He calls you to follow, trust the fixed destination and the one who walks with you. When your eyes are firmly fixed on Jesus you will never, ever go of course. The course may get bumpy and scary and troublesome. But come on, people, it’s Jesus. He’s got this.

When you put your hand on the plow and move forward with Jesus, keep going and do not look back. I promise you, you will not regret it and will never miss what you left.

I Got This

/ The Pastor

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! [Psalms 46:10 ESV]

I got this.
Take it easy.
Calm down.
Be still.
Remember, I am God.
I am sovereign.
I am LORD.
I Am.
Why do you worry?
Why do you get discouraged?
Why do you let others get you down?
Don’t you trust me?
Be still and remember.
Be still and know.
Be still for I Am.
I am Creator
I am Father
and I will reign forever.
All my enemies and yours, WILL be defeated.
All my opponents and yours, WILL be put to shame.
For I have won the victory.
I Am 
So why, oh why, won’t you be still?
Take it easy.
Stop worrying.
I got this.

Away with Bad News

/ The Pastor

“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.”
[Psalm 112:7]

Oh Christian, why be afraid of bad news. Why fret when things don’t go YOUR way? Why become downcast when YOUR agenda doesn’t work out? Yet, that is what happens when many face bad news. We see many who are of the world thrown into such a tizzy when something happens that they don’t like. The worldly become angry and despondent and fall into despair and hopelessness. The worldly claim injustice and fight back when they don’t get their way. The worldly don’t trust the Lord but rather their own feelings and agendas.

May that never be with the Christian.

When we respond as though God doesn’t know what he is doing, we are drawn into a great many sins. When we fail to trust the sovereignty of God, we place ourselves upon a throne of paper. Trust in the Lord, oh Christian, even when things don’t go YOUR way. Worship the Lord even when YOUR agendas come to nothing. Praise the Lord even when YOUR ways fail. The Lord sits on the throne and rules rightly. Jesus died and rose for the forgiveness of your sins so that the bad news would not be your end but rather ended.

Oh Christian, bad news is of this world, but the Good News is from the Lord, and you are the Lord’s. Don’t let the bad news of this world define you but rather take great joy in the Good News. When things don’t go YOUR way, turn to the Lord and trust in Him. He knows what He is doing.

The Pastor -|—

Your Will, We Pray

/ The Pastor

Father God,
full of love and mercy,
You have promised to hear us as we pray
and to give us each day our daily bread,
and for that we praise You.
Teach us to trust You better
and to seek Your will,
so we may see each prayer as answered according to Your holy will.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray,
Amen.

The Pastor -|—

Laughing

/ The Pastor

We turn our eyes away from God,
and Satan laughs.
We fight among ourselves,
and Satan laughs.
We seek our own agendas,
and Satan laughs.
We put our needs before other’s,
and Satan laughs.
We build earthly kingdoms,
and Satan laughs.
We worry,
and Satan laughs.

We do anything and everything but seek the glory of God,
and Satan laughs.

But…

Let’s look to God,
let’s seek reconciliation,
let’s seek God’s will,
let’s humble ourselves,
let’s seek to advance God’s kingdom,
let’s trust God.

Let’s do anything and everything we can to bring glory to God’s holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let’s laugh at Satan and tell him to go to hell. Our Lord, Jesus, reigns.

Praise be to God!

The Pastor -|—

Chariots and horses

/ The Pastor

Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

I read this verse this morning and almost chuckled at the fact that some people actually trusted in chariots and horses (otherwise the psalmist would not have mentioned it).  Obviously he is referring to those who trust in the military might and strength; making them their god.   But upon further reflection, I began to wonder how the psalmist might write this verse if he were living in the United States today.

Hmmm…

Some trust in __________ (how would you fill in the blank?)
Education
Money
Smartphones (I almost hesitate to write this since this describes me)
Friends
Doctrine
Family
Etc, etc, etc…

Of course I could go on.  And now I am no longer chuckling.

In seminary I had a professor that said “Anything you fear more than God has become your god.”  And I think we can put trust in that quote and get the same meaning. “Anything/Anyone you trust more than God has become your god.”  When I write it that way I get a little nervous and a little shifty in my chair…because it is true.

How many gods do you have in your life?  I know I have a few (which I am not proud of).  Now all of a sudden I am less judgmental towards those who trusted in chariots and horses.

In scripture we read about people who trusted in the name of the Lord our God.  They were fulfilled and happy.  They felt safe and secure.  And why not?  When God, the creator of the universe, is your god then you have a God who is above all things…and all gods.  The things and people we trust in this life more than God can not do for us what God can.  The things and people in this life can not give us life beyond this one; they can not give us hope; they can not give us strength.  Holding onto my smartphone may give me comfort; for I have instant access to the world, but nothing can compare to holding onto God who IS the world.

Let us place our trust in the Lord our God and not in gods. Amen!

-edh-