Trust!

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. (Jeremiah 17:7)

What is trust? Trust [is to have confidence] in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust is to have confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person, namely God. (AV1611 KJV) The word "trust" is used more in the Old Testament than the New Testament, maybe because Christ was the physical proof of the fulfillment of all of God's promises.  We who have lived after Christ's death and resurrection should know for sure, as is taught throughout scripture, the benefits of trusting God, and the consequences of trusting in anything or anyone else:

First, we must make sure that we put our "trust" in the right person and the right things, in God and the Word of God: As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (Psalm 18:30); Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. (Proverbs 30:5); “Behold, [if] you trust in lying words that cannot profit. (Jeremiah 7:8); Oh, taste [eat the Word of God] and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8); For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed [physical death], this I know, That in my flesh [resurrection] I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. (Job 19:25-27); But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. (Psalm 5:11); And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. (Psalm 9:10)

The leaders of Isreal  who "trusted" in God were blessed and the people were blessed because of them.  The same is true today.  It is best to have people in leadership positions who truly trust God and will lead based on the Word of God: [Hezekiah] trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.  For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.  The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went.  (II Kings 18:5-7); Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.  Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria [the enemy]. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. (II Chronicles 32:20-21); Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. (Psalm 22:4) God blesses leaders who trust in Him, and allows His people to overcome their enemies.  We can definitely relate to this during election seasons and the various wars on terror around the world.  Only through the power of God can we overcome, if we put our trust in Him: And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him. (I Chronicles 5:20)

Just as we are to "trust" God and His Word, we are to be careful not to put our "trust" in the wrong people and the wrong things.  Eventhough we may trust leaders and people in authority, we have to have trust in God ourselves. We may find out that someone really isn't what we thought they were, then what?  In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:4); And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28); Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. (Jeremiah 17:5,7); It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8)

We must also make sure not to put our "trust" in the things of this world, because they will not last.  God has blessed us with many things for our enjoyment, but they are not to take the place of God in our lives: He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. (Proverbs 11:28); Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”  And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:23-27) God does not have a problem with us having wealth, if He so blesses us with it.  The problem is not to make wealth your "god": “You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7); Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. (I Timothy 6:7)

We can not "trust" that we can buy ourselves or anyone else out of the consequences of bad choices: Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:5) Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him—For the redemption of their souls is costly [I Peter 3:18], And it shall cease forever— (Psalm 49:6-8); Then [Jesus]spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’  So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

We can not "trust" in other people, things, or even in our own selves.  God clearly describes this by describing how Isreal had been like a harlot, looking good on the outside, but not right on the inside: “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck.  And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.  Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty.  Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord God. But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. (Ezekial 16:9-15; Ezekial 16) This is a hard thing to hear, to have ones self compared to a prostitute, but God doesn't play about us being holy and righteous.  We can fool man, but we can't fool God, so therefore Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward. (Job 15:31)

Please, TODAY, let this be your testimony, and put your whole trust in God: In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)