• Godly Living Posts / Quotes

    Trust God: Two Simple 24/7 Methods

    Nowadays, trusting manufacturers is a norm, but we need to trust God – our creator more. Everyone, whether knowingly or unknowingly, expects the TV manufacturers to sell their televisions with a manual describing how they should be used. Similarly, we all know, that the manual has clear directions on how to properly set up channels on the television.

    In fact, there have been legal cases if the manufacturer sold a product without a manual. It has become customary for all manufacturers to produce explicit manuals, not solely as a way to protect themselves from being liable against legal claims that might come up, but as a guide to reduce the stress of the consumers and to get positive recommendations.

    However, it is not uncommon these days, because people want instant gratification and immediate results. Sadly, only a handful of people spend a good amount of time reading the manuals of the products they buy before using them. We can all admit we sometimes read the manual only if we were unsuccessful in trying to use our own brains.

    Also, subconsciously or consciously, those who read the manual before using the product, completely trust the manufacturer’s directions, and they always expect that the TV will function just as the guidelines stipulate.

    What does it mean to trust God?

    It simply means we will not know and understand everything, but we believe he has a perfect plan.

    a puzzle with pieces
    Trusting God is like playing a puzzle. We will figure only one piece at a time.

    In exceptional cases, these people have had to contact the manufacturer when they needed clarification on a specific term in the manual. It is also the reason that manufacturers will always include their contact information in the manual. They want to ensure their customers have obtained maximum satisfaction.

    Is it fair to say only the manufacturer of the product knows exactly how the product was made, and he is the only one who can explain clearly how it should be used? We will definitely agree with this.

    Could this article be a promotion for manufacturers?- absolutely not. It is a clear description of how we honor God and His word (Bible). This explains our attitude towards God and how we neglect his designed plan for our lives.

    If trusting human manufacturers for our earthly products, how much more should we trust God, our divine manufacturer?

    God is our manufacturer

    God is the creator of all human beings as seen in Genesis 1:1 and Him alone knows who and what is on earth. His kingdom is in heaven, but he created the earth for the man – us (Psalms 115:16).

    Two men shaking hands as a sign of trust to each other

    Do you know just as God told Jeremiah in chapter 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”, He is saying the same to you?

    This automatically implies we cannot do life on our own. We will certainly fail if we don’t obey the scriptures and have absolute trust in God. He is our creator, so we must stick with him.

    He clearly said through Solomon in Prov 3:5-6, “Trust 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 path”. This is the only way to do life purposefully.

    We need God every day, all the time, every time, and any time.

    If we can feed ourselves with the word of God daily before making major decisions, there is no way we can go wrong in God’s purpose and plan for our lives. Here are the ways you can trust God.

    1. Make a daily habit of studying the Bible

    Just as we depend on the manual to explain how to set up that new refrigerator, we have to reverentially fear and absolutely trust God’s word in the Bible to show us how to accomplish our purpose in life.

    God and His word are one. (John 1:1). It is impossible to know His will for your life without studying His word.

    We can invest time with full attention and devotion to study it. We do this after asking the help of the Holy Spirit to interpret the mind of God to us. God speaks and guides our lives via the Bible.

    This could sometimes imply reading a single verse/chapter for a week. It doesn’t always have to be a Bible plan or devotional, but both are great options too. To add, it is not about setting a calendar to finish the Bible in a year. Equally, it becomes literature or a history book if read without the Holy Spirit.

    Everything you need in life is there. If we search and meditate consistently before making that decision, we will assuredly have a solution. Sometimes it will mean looking through the life of Jesus or analyzing the lives of the Prophets/Apostles.

    Hands holding each other, symbolizing trust and support

    2. To Believe and trust God is an absolute duty

    Similar to our expectation that the phone will work just as the producer wrote in the manual, believing is the conviction that what God has said will come to pass.

    There is no scripture in the Bible where God requested us to trust other people or ourselves and or the universe as some people say these days. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” Psalm 20:7.

    Trusting God absolutely means we have nothing else or human that we depend on.

    We cannot do life peacefully by trusting our parents, spouses, friends, and colleagues just to name a few. Total trust in God is that individual decision to obey God no matter what you feel or what others think.

    Prov 28:26 says “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.” We are not permitted to trust even ourselves.

    What should we not trust?

    We are not equally supposed to be trusting our possessions, social status, or achievements. This is evident in Prov 11:28 “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf”.

    We can always run to God every time we are unsuccessful, but we can also trust Him completely, so we don’t become unsuccessful. Like David highlighted in Psalms 56:3, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you”. Trusting God has to be a deliberate lifestyle.

    Finally, Paul added in Romans 15: 13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”.

    Obviously, this strong assurance comes after you have invested time in the word. I encourage you to have true joy and peace by visiting the Bible. This is the key to fulfilling your purpose. Frequently study the word of God and belief in God’s power through the Holy Spirit.

    If you want more scriptural articles, here are a few of my favorite

    Bible verses about unbelief

    Bible verses about hearing from God

  • Godly Living Posts / Quotes

    What is Unbelief?

    Believing in Jesus is the only condition for peaceful heaven in eternity. As vague as that might sound, there is no compromise to entering heaven. Unbelief will be one of the critical things that will prevent unbelievers from entering God’s glorious heavenly kingdom.

    Do you believe in God? Now is the best time to start trusting Him completely.

    The dictionary says belief means an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof. It adds that belief is trust, faith, or confidence in (someone or something).

    That is common and acceptable by many. 

    On the other hand, the same dictionary says unbelief is a lack of religious belief or an absence of faith. 

    It is fascinating that we can’t define unbelief without using the belief. But we can pray for God to help our unbelief. “If You can?” echoed Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!” Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24

     

    He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18 )

    The name of Jesus is the medium for our belief. How do we believe in it? We do it by being persuaded in his authority as Christ and God. Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

    Unbelief can affect our rest.

    Hebrews 3: 18-19 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

    The Israelites in the old are a prototype of the church and God. They were God’s chosen people, but they didn’t believe in his promise to protect and take them to the promised land. So many of them died in the desert, and several under the leadership of Joshua finally saw and entered it. (Joshua 1-24)

    Heaven is the rest of God. Prophet Isaiah prophetically described this in Isaiah 57:2 “He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.” Only people who trust God will enter heaven.

    Belief is a product of faith.

     

    Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

    God wants to have a relationship with us. He wants us to please him with the way we live our lives. But we can only do that by having faith, which implies believing in whom he says he is. He reveals himself differently to everyone based on our revelation of him. 

     Hebrew 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” is the simplest definition of faith. If you continue reading till the end of the chapter, you will see the faith actions of several men and women of God. 

    God will not tolerate unbelief.

    Romans 11:20-23 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud but fearful. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he would not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.

    Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God can graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature and, contrary to nature, were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

    Using the tree’s symbolism, God revealed to Apostle Paul the gravity of unbelief. He expanded to compare Christians with unbelievers. There will be no negotiations or consideration in heaven. Only our sincere belief will take us to the throne of grace.

    Unbelief can restrain Jesus.

    Matthew 13:58 “And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” 

    It is widely accepted that nothing can stop the power of God. Yes, God’s power can flow anywhere and with anyone. But it can be restrained if the person(s) doesn’t understand and fully believe in God’s ability. It is a 50/50 agreement.

    We have a role to play, while God has a role too. If we could do everything, then we would not need him. If he could do everything, too, he would not need us. We have a relationship. In this union, we all have our responsibilities. 

    How serious is unbelief?

    Revelation 21:8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

    It is sad and inevitable that some people will not experience the glory of God. This is because God has given us all the ability to serve him.

    1 Jn. 3:21-24, People who believe in the name of Jesus keep God’s commandments. Therefore, they are born of God

    (1 Jn. 5:1-5; cf. Jn. 1:12-13) and have eternal life (1 Jn. 5:13; cf. Jn. 17:20-21; 20:31).

    Do you believe in Christ? You can seek him now. It is not too late.

    Go here for more godly posts.