Faith, Trust, and the Difference Between Them by Brother Duke Hansen

         This morning's scripture is going to come from the book of Proverbs chapter 3, where we will read a few verses. The subject of this morning's sermon is about trust and faith. These are two things you need to have a close walk with God. They are two things many think they have in their walk, and they are two things which can be very hard to find. We will start reading in verse 1 of chapter 3.

        1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.

        There are many different stories in the Old Testament when the people would get close to God was when a prophet came to town with the rod of correction in his hand. The people in turn would kill the prophet for bringing the truth and correction. Now, if you do not know Good's commandments, you will not be able to follow them. You are going to have to read and study the commandments to hold them. 

        2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

        Let's examine what Solomon is saying; keeping the commandments will bring long life and peace. The thing about Proverbs is the statements are usually easy to understand but very difficult to put into practice. 

        3 Let not mercy and trust forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

        The biggest problem with mercy is that we want it, but, we don't want to show it. Now there are some who will always make the devil their scapegoat for their actions and their thoughts. This isn't the devil at work, it is the flesh! 

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

        Do you know one of the most effective ways of showing your trust in God? It's when you do it the way he wrote in the Bible and not your way. Trusting God is following his commandments, not the ones you think don't apply, or the ones least painful to your flesh. All of his commandments. 

        5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

        There was a conversation earlier in the week where a question was posed as to whether or not the devil could read your thoughts? Now there were some scriptures in reply, but, they referred to you heart. My question was, "Why do you care if the devil can read your mind when God can see the intent of your heart?" 

        Life has a way of causing us to build up barriers and walls to protect ourself. Life makes us jaded to situations around us, where we ignore warnings and consume ourself with things of the world. This is not protection we need. It is letting the flesh run over the spirit and the truth. Many of us may not be college educated, but, we may be knowledgeable in a trade or skill. We know how some of the world works with highs and lows, gains and losses. All that worldly knowledge will still limit our understanding of God. The sermon last week touched upon being sheep. In the verse of where we are sheep being led unto the slaughter, what benefit is it for the sheep who run their mouth to the man holding an ax? For many reasons, Christians love to run their mouth about things, both known and unknown, and try to present themselves the authority of a subject. The sheep go where the shepherd goes.

        6 In all thine ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

        7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

        Don't go through life thinking you are the smartest guy in the room. Now, there's this long held belief that the book of Job is about the working of patience. If you slow down and actually read Job's lament, his friends speeches, God coming in at the end to correct Job, you see the book is not about patience. It was about how Job built his character up in front of his friends. "I didn't do anything wrong!" The sin is Job made it about himself. Job learned you cannot sacrifice bulls and goats to get your family into heaven. The story of Job was about disobedience nor holding his family accountable. God will give you the days and time to study and show yourself approved. Are we growing in the spirit as well as our walk through our trust and faith?

        When Jesus commissioned his disciples by twos in the gospels, he gave them explicit instructions. Look for peaceable homes. Today we have believers seeking homes of contention and strife in order to convert them to peace. God can not use you if you are in turmoil all the time.

        Here are two questions for you to meditate on this morning. Do you fear the Lord? Do you know what that fear is? Do you trust know what trusting the Lord truly is and what it looks like? Everyone of us has a breaking point of faith. It's the moment when you stop seeking God's aid and seek man's advice to remedy or resolve your situation. You may know better not to do so, but, you go and do likewise. Do you have a little crazy in your life? Some of us have this small yet persuadable voice that will promote just dark ways of thinking and push for actions in our flesh that are pleasurable with no remorse or second thought. All instinct. If you think about trusting God, it sin't the voice you always hear in your head. This puts us to a question I asked earlier; Are you more worried about the devil reading your mind or God reading your heart.

        The definition of crazy is being mentally deranged, as manifested in a wild or aggressive way. Now everyone of us know some things regarding people's character be they a spouse, or loved one, a friend, or family member. Do you really know your character? There should never be a point in your life where you are so wrapped up in yourself that you forsake the word of God. 

        In defining the word trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. In applying the definition to our walk I can say I believe God is reliable, he has the ability and strength to help me overcome obstacles. This being said, you and I are not the police in our walk. We don't write up tickets for behavior or make an arrest over a difference of thinking. We are not to be instigators of arguments with others. Our flesh loves it, but if we trust in God, we turn the other cheek, we are peaceable with all man. We are the opposite of what our flesh wants or what culture at large finds acceptable. If you declare you trust God and find yourself in a situation unfamiliar would you do things God's way? 

        Now in the definition of faith, it reads, complete trust or confidence in someone or something. The world ties faith with trust in the very definition. The two are separate things. In biblical terms, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In order for faith to work you need to have some substance. By itself, faith is nothing. Think on what your decisions over time have led you to in your life. If you have temptations in the flesh, or a history of family generations with real struggles of some vices, you need to actively avoid them. What do you put your faith and trust in today?

        It is the goal of our church to bring up and strengthen a better intercessory prayer warrior. It's not enough to just pray for yourself, but step into the breach, pray for the lost. Fight for them like it was your own life. Some of you here today are here because there was someone who prayed without ceasing for you. Healings have come to those because there were people who interceded in prayer for them. In order for you to get to this point, God wants you to know first who you are in him and have confidence in your prayer. If you want your mustard seed of faith to grow, you want your trust to grow.

        Let's face facts people. Our evangelical culture has moved to justify dead churches. There are denominations out there creating an alternate or parallel walk of faith that's more sympathetic to your flesh. Churches out here sowing more of their trust and faith into false teachings like dominionism than the actual words of God. This week, think and study about trust and faith. Is your walk like the walk God wants all of his people to walk? Don't let the world our culture persuade your faith and trust in God. God wants to trust you. Get your mind and heart right and set.