Prov 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Jer 17:7-8
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.

Ps 91:1-4
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”

BELIEF | FAITH | TRUST

I worked in industry in past years. When there was a toxic or volatile vapor release into the surrounding atmosphere, I would be required to wear a “Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus” for my air supply. There was no room for error, or death would occur. I remember the first time I used this type of safety apparatus. I like to know what I am getting into, so with reference to the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus, I read about it and believed it would work. I had faith it would do what it was supposed to do as others told me about their experience using such a device without a problem, and I should be able to do so as well. I believed and I had faith but now I had to activate these into trust by actually using the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus myself in a hazardous atmosphere.

Trust is action, requiring the activation of our Belief and Faith, which brings forth an experiential testimony. We as Christian believers can express having a powerful belief, and profound faith, but until we put these into action through active trust, our expressions are no more than words in the wind.

In Luke 23 we find ultimate eternal trust demonstrated by Jesus in His final act upon the cross of Calvary.
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your Hands I commit My Spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

Into God’s hands Jesus relinquished His spirit and died. He was going to make a journey that had not been made before. He was at God’s mercy, trusting that His sinless sacrificial blood would be sufficient and make the difference between death and life as He walked out God’s plan to defeat satan and set mankind free. Each saved Christian has done the same when we have believed Jesus, and in faith we place our trust in Him that His gift of salvation will bring us into eternal life.

In 1 Sam 17 we find another powerful testimony of trust with King David.
33 Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

HOW CAN I INCREASE MY TRUST?

David is declaring a powerful trust that God has been with him in the past and will be with him now. God called David a “man after His own heart.” David believed God, he walked in faith before God, and he lived out his life trusting God. What a powerful way to live and be living each day.

Some might ask, how can I increase my trust and live in such a confident manner, full of bold trust in God? You can do so, not with a blind faith or a scattered belief like so much sand, but with belief and faith that is empowered in our Lord Holy Spirit and is built on the solid rock of Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Our Lord God is truly faithful as these scriptures declare.

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. KJV
2 Thess 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

God is always for you and is not against you. He will enable you to enter into a life of living trust, a life that is active and lived out in a manner pleasing and honoring before Him.

Three things come to mind that can make a difference in your life as you begin your journey into an expanding trust in God that does not turn back; a living active trust that is found to be a sweet aroma of worship before our Lord God as we bow only before Him.
• Jesus our Cornerstone
• Bible Scriptures, Sayings, and Promises
• Our Lord Holy Spirit

JESUS OUR CORNERSTONE

Jesus was called the carpenter’s son in Nazareth. Jesus was a carpenter; a builder who learned the trade from His earthly father, Joseph. Jesus would have been trained and understood the importance of a “cornerstone” (a starting point) for laying a foundation as one began building a structure. In today’s modern age this concept continues in the digital instrumentation world I have worked in and is called going back to the “default” condition. In essence it means going back to the starting point of reference from which all things are measured and aligned.

So, when establishing a foundation of unshakable Christian trust in our Lord God, one needs a “cornerstone” as a point of reference. Jesus is that “cornerstone.”

Jesus declares a prophetic word taken from Psalm 118:22-23 which is referenced numerous times in both the Old Testament and the New Testament by multiple writers.
In Matt 21:42 Jesus said to them,
“Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’? NKJV

In 1 Peter 2 the Apostle Peter proclaims:
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE,
AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

Jesus is our cornerstone. There is no other cornerstone, “ever.” There is only Jesus. We can look to Him in all things, everything, at all times, regardless of what is taking place with us or around us, regardless of whatever has happened to us in the past, or what is threatening us in the future. Jesus is our cornerstone; and all things, if we truly trust in Him, are measured back to Him. We no longer need to react on our own as they did in Judges 17:6 when every man did what was right in his own eyes. For we have a savior and a Lord and King who is above all things.

We have a savior who loves us and is faithful always, a savior we can bow before in trusting worship. For as it is written in
Heb 13:5-6 …for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” 6 so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

Make Jesus your “sole” cornerstone today. Trust in Him only. There is no other cornerstone that is worthy of your trust. Measure, and re-measure your life back to Jesus in everything you do while you live in this present world. Do not assume you are ok, instead actively verify, confirm, reaffirm that what you are trusting in is firmly built and accurately aligned with our Lord Jesus Christ our savior and our cornerstone before all eternity.

BIBLE: SCRIPTURE, SAYINGS, AND PROMISES

We overcome by the Word of our Testimony as referenced in Rev 12:11. What is the word of our testimony?
Is it the living evidence that the garment of praise we wear before all eternity is continually proclaiming we “trust” God before all things? In His Scripture, His Sayings, His Promises?
OR ~ do we lean on the things of this present world, its wisdom, writings, and other resources that have little if any Holy value before God?

Scripture
What value is there in scripture knowledge? Without the unbreakable scripture, one is open to being led astray through the deceptions and temptations of the deceiver, satan; the father of lies, who comes to steal, kill and destroy in whatever manner he can without remorse. I said the scripture is unbreakable and it is. Read and consider Matt 4:1-11 where Jesus is being tempted by satan following 40 days of fasting. As you are reading, note the three verses below. These are Jesus’ powerful overcoming responses to satan.

Matt 4:4 But (Jesus) answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'”

Matt 4:7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'”

Matt 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'”

It is written! A more powerful scriptural statement we cannot find. It is a truth that stands for eternity and will not fail. Jesus used this as His defense against the devil in the wilderness. Jesus did not negotiate or compromise or try to rationalize with His own reasoning. Rather, he used the scripture as a basis for His defense. So, we also can use the scriptures with complete unwavering trust, because what was effective for Jesus will also work for us. But let’s look deeper, for there is more. Jesus used Old Testament Scripture. We also can take a stand on Old Testament scripture, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms.

Some might say “the Old Testament? Why bother; this is the New Testament time.” Let me demonstrate: this phrase “it is written” is used many times by Jesus in all four gospels, by Luke in Acts, by Paul in Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians & Hebrews, and a number of times by Peter in 1 Peter. These are New Testament writers who are quoting Old Testament scriptures. These Old Testament scriptures are God breathed and have withstood every onslaught of evil. They are timeless, because they are eternal words, God’s words, Holy Scripture, which cannot be broken, “ever!” We can take our stand upon them, trusting them to help us through every situation, because they will. I personally, in partner with Nancy, took my stand on part of Isaiah 53:5 “By His stripes we are healed,” when I went through cancer treatment 11 years ago.

Sayings
Read Jesus’ words as He proclaims timeless eternal truth for all who would have ears to hear.
John 12:44-50 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 “He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47 “If anyone hears My sayings (my emphasis) and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 “I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore, the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

The words of Jesus, “His sayings” are words of eternity.
Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

Fresh words, fresh manna from Jesus, the Bread of Life. The Living Manna come down from heaven (John 6:51). They are not Old Testament scripture. These are sayings from our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, who is providing those with eyes to see a view of the reality of eternity.
They are words of living hope one can share with others.
They are words of life and salvation and mercy and grace
They are words of protection, a shelter in the storm of life.
They are holy words that give comfort to our soul for they are sayings and descriptions of truth activated from the very heart of God through Jesus as He walked this earth.

Jesus was truth, alive in the flesh, and He spoke only truth. He is living truth for all who would see and hear. The sayings He gave spoke out to us and are a lifeline of living hope in this world in which we are just passing through. We can believe in them. We can use them in prayer. We can base our life on them. We can have “an activated unwavering profound trust” in them and take our stand on them with an absolute uncompromising living faith.

Promises
We have had promises from God to man from the very beginning.
To Noah He would never flood the earth again (the rainbow).
To the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, their seed would fill the earth like the sand on the seashore.
To Joshua God would not fail him nor forsake him.
King David & King Solomon received promises from God concerning their kingdom, that it would never end.
The eternal promise of a Messiah throughout the Old Testament (Isaiah & Zechariah for example).
The promise of a time to come when evil [satan] is finally conquered (as found in Daniel).

Direct Promises:
We have “direct” promises of comfort and hope from God given to His people, for example Isa 41:10-13
10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
11 “Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
12 “You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
13 “For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’

Inherent promises:
We also have “inherent” promises throughout scripture in which those things that God has done for others He will do for us. The woman with the hemorrhage, who reached to touch His garment, is a powerful example. Follow with me so you can begin to see the “inherent” promises we can stand on with profound trust. We find Jesus ministering:
Luke 6:17-19 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. 19 And all the people were trying to “touch Him”, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.

Later we find Jesus again ministering and a woman approached him who had apparently heard testimonies about the miracle healings that had occurred by just touching Jesus. At the end of herself, with her only hope left in Jesus, she pushed through the crowd with determined belief, focused faith, and an unrelenting “activated” unwavering trust that what others had received by touching Jesus she would too.
Luke 8:43-48 And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, 44 came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” 47 When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Living in an unrelenting “activated” trust in the promises, whether they are Old Testament or New Testament promises, whether they are direct promises or inherent promises, we can appropriate them for our lives. We can trust God’s promises always, base our thoughts on them, base our prayers on them, base our lives from this moment in time continually through to the moment the Lord God calls us home to heaven. They are God’s promises, and they stand for eternity and “cannot be broken.”

LORD HOLY SPIRIT

Those who have accepted salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ are no longer alone! Jesus promised:
John 14:16-18 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter), that He may abide with you forever 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. NKJV

If you are saved in Jesus, you are no longer alone, ever. The common feelings of this present world, such as feeling cast away, ignored, or abandoned, have been dealt with through the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise. At salvation our Lord Holy Spirit is now dwelling within you. It matters not where you are physically, in some distance foreign land away from every familiar thing, or you are emotionally enduring some heart crushing unreconcilable event, or spiritually you have been betrayed or publicly ridiculed or falsely accused. For through it all, you are not alone, for our Lord Holy Spirit is there with you. Just as David wrote in Ps 139:7 “Where can I go from Your Spirit?” In so many words David had realized our Lord Holy Spirit is always right there with each one of us

Wherever we are our Lord Holy Spirit, our Comforter, our Helper, Spirit of Truth is with us. He does not leave us, but is helping us, providing comfort and help in every regard along the way as he faithfully delivers us into all righteousness as we make our journey through this life to the place Jesus has prepared for us in heaven.

At every moment through the remainder of our lives we can have an absolute unrelenting, unwavering, activated trust. We take our stand in believing faith, because our Lord Holy Spirit is with us, day and night, at every moment, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, week in and week out. Holy Spirit never grows weary, never ignores us, never tires of ministering to us in every manner again and again. If we will listen and hear Him, and press in, and trust Him, He brings consolation, and cheer to lift up our countenance.

And if He is for me, who can really be against me? The indwelling presence of our Lord Holy Spirit is removing unbelief, careless doubt, uncertain faith, changing our un-surrendered heart and mind and soul, so that we can “Trust our Lord God without reservation.” We are no longer tossed to and fro by every contrary circumstance of this present world.

God of all eternity has made a way where there seemed to be no way,
Providing promises through His written word,
Pouring out His love in Jesus, and
Filling us (pressed down and overflowing) with our Lord Holy Spirit.

In the remaining days of your life
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.

Blessings, Henry

(Scripture references taken from the New American Standard Bible – NASB unless otherwise noted.)