SERVING SIX ONE

Matthew 8:1-3
Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

When I read these verses this morning, I was moved. Moved by the power and love that Jesus shared to those in need and willing to receive. In this case it is a leper who needed cleansing.  However, there is more to this story than Jesus cleansing a leper. Oh, don’t get me wrong, the healing of a fatal disease is incredible enough. But there’s a lot more to it than that…something deeper than a physical healing…something that goes beyond what the eyes can see or mind can comprehend.

At the beginning of the verse we see that Jesus was being followed by large crowds of people. He wasn’t alone. Vast numbers, including His disciples, followed Him. Then “suddenly a man with leprosy approached Him.” Out of the blue, a man rushes up to Jesus. He wasn’t part of the crowd. He couldn’t be. He wasn’t allowed to be around other people. He was an outcast – deemed unclean. Not wanted. Socially unacceptable.  That’s why he suddenly appeared. He was probably lying low, waiting for just the right moment to make his move. Otherwise, someone would have caught him and sent him away.

And so he appears out of nowhere. Can you imagine what happened? The scriptures don’t come right out and say it, but can’t you visualize the crowd. Shocked. Disgusted. Horrified that this man, this leper would dare to show himself and dare to come into their territory. I’m sure they were scared too. Scared that they would catch what he had. Leprosy was incurable. An outright death sentence. It was an ugly, painful, contagious disease that literally caused your flesh to rot away leaving you maimed, disfigured, and separated from those you loved.  That is until Jesus came along. And this leper  knew that and that is why he showed up “suddenly”.

When the leper gets to Jesus, he kneels. He bows down in humble respect before the man he knows can help him and then he speaks. “Lord” he says, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” He acknowledged the Lordship – the power of Jesus. He had faith – faith that he put into action and into words.

Now what happened next is the most amazing part of this whole story. Verse 3 : “Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.” Did you catch that?  No – not the healing part – the touching part? Jesus touched him. Think about the significance here. Jesus touched the leper. He could have just spoken the word. He could have just said, “Be healed,” without the touch and the leper would have been just as healed. But he first touched him. Jesus touched a man that society had deemed untouchable. He reached out to someone the world had shunned. He touched him.

This wasn’t about Jesus showing power – this was about Jesus showing compassion. He knew that this man had not felt the warmth, the love, the tenderness of a human touch for years. And Jesus knew that this leper needed to know and feel loved. He understood his needs. Jesus went beyond the physical need here. He went deeper. Straight to the heart. He touched the man, healing his wounds, his hurts, his insecurities, his inner pain. Jesus’ touch cleansed the leper from the inside out.

Do you need a touch from Jesus? Do you need to feel  warmth,  tenderness,  love,  and compassion from someone who truly understands what you are going through? Who truly cares about your feelings, and your needs? Then it’s time you meet the healer.  Go to Him. Call out to Him. Tell Him what you need.

Jesus can touch you. He is willing to reach out and make you whole; no matter how much the leprosy of sin has scarred you, mangled you, and messed up your life. He can cleanse you and heal you and give you a life brand new. He did it for the leper and he’ll do it for you. Just do what the leper did – Acknowledge Him. Trust Him. Ask Him. Trust me; you’ll never be the same!

Did you ever think about Moses’ rod? You know the one he held up when the Red Sea parted.  The one that he struck the rock with and water came forth, the one he threw down and it became  a serpent. The one that he touched the Nile with causing it to turn to blood. That rod. Did you  ever really think about it. It was just a rod. Just an ordinary stick that Moses used to poke, prod,  direct, and protect a bunch of sheep. It was just an ordinary rod, and would have remained an  ordinary rod if he had not obeyed the voice of God and let it go.

God asked Moses “What is that in your hand?” (Ex.4:2) to which Moses replied “A rod.” Now of  course God knew what it was, he just wanted to make sure Moses knew. But what happened  next is what is so profound. God told Moses to throw the rod down. To let it go. To give it to  Him. When Moses did the rod became a serpent and then of course that rod accompanied him  as he led the children of Israel out of Egypt. A simple man, with a simple rod, doing miraculous things because of a willingness to let go and let God!

You know, there are things right now that you are holding that God wants to use. Little things that could be great when touched by God’s power. So, what do you have that the Almighty could use? Are you willing to let it go? Are you willing to trust Him with it?

Just as there are things you are holding that God can use if you give them to Him, there are also things you are holding onto that God wants you to let go of . Things that are keeping you from following after God. Things that are keeping you from hearing Him, trusting Him, and knowing His will for your life. Are you holding on to something that is affecting your relationship with God? Something that is keeping you from the blessings God has for your life? Is it a relationship, a hurt, a fear, a grudge? What is that you may be refusing to let go of because it is familiar to you, something that you are used to carrying around with you for so long that you have become attached to it?

God is saying “Let it Go”. Let go of the past so the past will let go of you. Then and only then will you be able to live and enjoy the fullness of what God has for your life.

So, what are you holding on to? Do you have talents, ideas, dreams, abilities, thoughts, or desires that God could be using for His glory? Or do you have bitterness, unforgiveness, secrets, broken dreams, or spiritual ties with people that you know needs to be severed? God says Let it Go! The choice is yours, and so are the repercussions.

Have you ever taken a picture and then it turned out blurry. Chances are you didn’t have a clear focus when you took the picture. In other words, the camera was focused on something other than what your intentions were. The results were a blurred picture.

Many times that is the problem we have in life as well. We have good intentions. We have the right idea. But somewhere along the lines, we lose our focus. Other things, that may be good things, grab our focus, distract us and we lose the actual focus of what we were supposed to be doing.

When this happens, the results are usually that the project or goal we were working on seems to lose it effectiveness and we even doubt if we were supposed to be doing it in the first place. We get discouraged, downhearted, and feel like quitting. Oftentimes, we do quit. We stop short and never finish the work we once thought we were called to do.

So many visions, dreams and desires given from God never materialize or come to fruition because we allow the enemy to distract us with other things. More times than not, it is good things that take our focus off of our calling. Getting too busy and caught up in other projects with church or other people’s visions is often the reason for not continuing with our own. Or, letting others put doubt in us because of their disbelief or jealousy can cause us to doubt and lose our focus as well.

When this happens, the fire and desire we once had for our vision dwindles. Sometimes it diminishes to the point we find ourselves questioning whether or not the vision was from God in the first place. Once the focus gets blurred, it is hard to see clearly what we are supposed to be doing.

Getting us to lose our focus is one of the most common yet powerful tools of the enemy. If the devil can get you to get caught up with the busy work of other things rather than the task or objective God has given you or purposed you for, then chances are that project will not be completed. If the project doesn’t get completed, many people may not be reached. So, the enemy wins.

Remember the story of Peter walking on the water? He started out his quest with excitement. He asked God to help him. He heard the voice of the Lord clearly say “Come.” He stepped out in faith to begin his journey and was making progress. He had his eyes focused on Jesus and was actually walking on the water! He was doing what others saw as impossible because he was focused!

But something happened on Peter’s journey. Perhaps, it was because he started listening to those to afraid to get out of the boat as they told him he was crazy. Maybe he listened to their jealous jeering saying that he was going to sink. Maybe then, he heard the wind, the splashing of the waves and waves of doubt washed over him. Whatever he heard or thought made him take his eyes off of Jesus. When that happened, when he lost his focus, he went down. He sank beneath his own doubts, beneath his own discouragement, beneath his own fears.

The good news is, Peter didn’t drown beneath those waves of doubt, discouragement and fear. He remembered to call on the name of the One who saves. When he did, Jesus picked him up, and walked back with him, guiding him, holding him and talking to him all along the way. You see, although Peter lost his focus, he got it back and he continued his feat. He didn’t swim back to the boat; he walked back to the boat! And in so doing, he was a witness to all those in the boat who thought it couldn’t be done!

It is important to know that although we may lose our focus, we can always call on the One who is more than willing to help us see again. He will pick us up, un-cloud our vision and help us clearly see where we are supposed to go and what we are supposed to be doing. Not only that, but He’ll go with us all the way!

So it’s time to get up, get out of the boat and get on with our journey of faith. If we lose our sight and start to sink we need to cry out to the One who told us to “Come”. He will help us get our focus straight and with Him we shall overcome!

Your life is like a garden; whatever you plant in it is exactly what it will produce. This is so true. Whatever you sow, you will reap. It is the Law of Reciprocity in action. God’s law, set in motion from the very beginning. Look at where it got Adam and Eve– booted out of paradise. Bad choices have consequences to go along with them. And the sooner we realize that and start making good choices, the better off we will be.

I am reminded of this law of reaping and sowing every time I go out and have to pull weeds out of my flower beds. I really hate weeding. I don’t like having to get down on my hands and knees and pluck, pull and sometimes wrestle with those little aggravating, persistent things that grow where everything else won’t. But it has to be done. In order to enjoy the beauty of my flowers, I have to take the time and tend my garden.

So, while I am out there doing the dreaded chore, I think and pray. I think of all the weeds I have sown in my own life and in the lives of those I love. I think about all the times I said something I shouldn’t have said. I think about all the things I did that I shouldn’t have done. I think about the ugly weeds that have poked their unsightly heads up in my life, or my loved one’s lives, that I had a hand in planting.

As you can see, weeding is an especially daunting task for me. But it is also a necessary one. It makes me realize how foolish and how serious our actions can be. One little negative, harsh, condemning, or condescending word we say can cause major problems later on. With that unique  little gardening tool called the tongue, we can plant so very many seeds, many of which can be devastating to the garden that they are sown in.

With just our words we are able to sow discouragement, doubt, insecurity, fear, hate, jealousy, anger, distrust,lies…and the list goes on. And all of those seeds grow in the garden in which they are planted, sometimes being very destructive and at times even devastating.

I recently read about an 11 year boy who killed himself because of the teasing and cruel words of some of his peers. He simply couldn’t take the pain, the hurt, the discouragement, and the insecurity that had sprung up inside of him due to what was carelessly sown by others. Seeds sown. Weeds grown. Life gone. Just like that.

The seeds we sow have more of an affect that what we realize. And, we will be held accountable for every word said, every deed done, every seed sown. We will reap the harvest for every seed we sow. It may not happen right  away, but believe me, every seed counts. Just like  the old cliche’ says, “What goes around, comes around”, what you do and say will come back to you.

You see, God holds us responsible for our words and actions. He expects us to say and do what is right. To treat others as we wish to be treated. To love one another. Be kind to one another. The law of reaping and sowing is a law He established and it cannot be avoided. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:7-10:

“Don’t be misled— you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.”

We need to be mindful of what we sow, because we will get back a harvest. Weeds, or flowers. Good fruit or bad fruit. The choice is ours. We control the garden of our life. We have to live on the crop of what we have sown. We have to pay the price for the sins we commit.

So, be careful where you sow, what you plant, and how well you tend your garden. Your life depends on the harvest it will bring forth!

In 1 Kings 18-19 you can read the story of Elijah when he challenged and defeated 450 prophets of Baal. The story is absolutely incredible. Here is a quick summary of what happened. Israel was under the leadership of a wicked king named Ahab who was married to a very evil woman named Jezebel. Ahab and Jezebel had caused Israel to turn from God and begin worshipping the idol of Baal. Because of their wickedness, God gave word through the prophet Elijah that there would be a severe drought on the land and that there would be neither rain nor dew until God gave His word for it.

It was during the third year of the drought, that God told Elijah to go and present himself to King Ahab. Elijah told Ahab to summon all of Israel along with the 450 prophets of Baal and to join him on Mt. Carmel.Ahab did just as Elijah requested. Elijah stood before all of Israel and the prophets of Baal and made this proclamation — “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow Him!”

Elijah then turned his attention to the prophets of Baal and challenged them to a contest.They were to erect an altar to thier god. Two bulls were brought and the prophets of Baal chose which on they wanted and cut it into pieces and laid on the altar as a sacrifice to Baal. They were instructed to cry out to their god and ask him to send down fire to burn up the sacrifice. Elijah would do the same. Whichever God answered by fire would indeed be the true God.

The prophets of Baal went first. They cried out, and called on their god from morning until noon. Yet, there was no response. So, they cried louder and harder, even cutting themselves with knives and swords, trying desperately to get the attention of their so-called god.

Finally, Elijah had endured enough of their pointless ramblings and told Israel to pay attention. Elijah took twelve stones, erected himself an altar, laid the sacrifice on it, and then had them bring four huge containers of water and pour it all over the wood, the sacrifice and the altar. There was so much water that it even filled up the trench dug around the altar.

Then, as all Israel watched, and in the presence of all his enemies, Elijah prayed, asking God to show Himself as Lord. Immediately, fire fell from heaven burning up not only the sacrifice, but the wood, the altar itsef and even licked up all the water in the trough.

God had showed up, just as Elijah had asked. At this point, Israel was pumped up and on the instructions of Elijah, killed all the prophets of Baal. Elijah had listened to the voice of the Lord. Elijah had obeyed that voice. Elijah had declared God’s word unashamedly and without reservations. He trusted God to do what God had said He would do.And God honored His word. He showed up with majesty and power.

When we choose to take the time to listen to God, He will speak. Oftentimes, we are to wrapped up in ourselves to hear Him. But in those times that we do take the time to listen, we need to obey what He says to do. There are so many times we know what we are supposed to do. We know that God has spoken to us and given us specific instructions, yet we do not heed them. We choose to go our own way, do our own thing and then end up in a bad place, miserable and discontent. Down and defeated.

Well, it is time that we make some decisions. How long are we going to live defeated? How long are we not going to obey and serve the God of Elijah. If the Lord is God, then Follow Him! As long as we are not listening, and not obeying, we will not be victorious. It is time, as  children of God, to seek Him, to hear Him and to heed Him.

We must stand up and declare Him Lord in whatever situations we are facing. Stand up in the presence of our families, our friends and even our enemies and procalim God as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When we give our problems, our doubts, our sins, our shortcomings, our insecurities, our worries, and our fears to God — He will send down His fire from heaven and burn them away. He will lift us up even in the presence of our enemies and strengthen us and bless us.

It is time we know that God is bigger than anything we might be facing. He is Lord of all. There is nothing He cannot do and won’t do if we will only surrender to His will. So, let’s do it. Let’s call out to the God of Elijah. Lift up His Holy name, declare Him God, and let His fire reign down in our lives. The Lord is God, so Follow Him!!!

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you ever get tired of trying to please everybody, only to find that in so doing you’re not being yourself and that in the whole trying to please everybody process, you end up being miserable? Been there, done that. I have tried to be, say and act, many times opposite of how I felt just to appease my friends and family. I’ve put on the mask, played the charade, only to find myself miserable which ended up making everyone close to me miserable as well.

Not being who you really are, or who you were created to be can and will eventually bring you to a breaking point. Look, you were created in the image of God. You are unique. You are special. There is no one else like you on the face of the earth. You are who you are and you need to make the most  of it.

God created you in His image. That alone makes you special. He fashioned you, and then filled you with the unique gifts, qualities and features that you have. Many of you may feel that you do not have any special talents, abilities or qualities. That is simply because you are comparing yourself to others and failing to see and recognize what you have. You need to quit looking at yourself through your own eyes and start looking at yourself through God’s eyes.

Through the eyes of God, you are a special, unique and wonderfully created vessel that He would love to pour His Spirit into and use mightily. He created you for a unique purpose, that no one else can fill. There are things God has for your life and for you to do that, unless you do them, they will not be done!

So stop complaining, being down, and thinking you have nothing to give. Start seeking God’s will for your life and be about serving Him with everything you’ve got! Quantity doesn’t matter. Remember the story of the little boy with the two fish and the seven little rolls? Jesus took what that little boy had and blessed it! Then he fed thousands. Now the boy could not have fed the multitude with his  little lunch on his own. He could not have even fed two or three people. It wasn’t what he had, nor how much he had. It was, however, his willingness to surrender and give what he had for God’s purpose. In the hands of the little boy, that lunch could not do much, but in the hands of God, thousands were not only fed, but filled!

I am sure the boy probably thought that his lunch was not enough. But his thoughts did not stop him from offering what he had. I am sure he had no idea that Jesus would be able to feed the whole entire crowd with just his little lunch. But he did not let his thoughts get in the way of his heart. In his heart, he was willing do do what he could with what little he had. It was from his willingness to give what he had to God, that God took it, blessed it and used it to feed thousands.

Right now, within you, there are things God would love to use to touch the lives of others. It doesn’t matter if you can see it or not. God’s ways are not our ways. He can take whatever you have and bless it and use it mightily. But it takes surrendering to Him. Once you completely surrender to His will, great things will happen. You see, it’s not about us, it’s about Him. What we have is nothing until we give it to God! When we get the perspective right, then the outcome will incredible.

So rather than sitting around feeling insignificant, give what you have to the One who can use it to make a difference. Focus on the fact that He thinks you are great and whether you can fully see it or understand it, just let Him take control of your life. Once it’s in His hands, He can bless it just like those little barley loaves. Try it, you will be just as amazed as that little boy was.

So, go ahead. Give what you have to God and let God make the most of you!

So many times I have read about the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness moaning and complaining to Moses and Aaron. Every time I have read about that I was both amazed, confused and sometimes downright annoyed that God did not just zap them right then and there and be done with them. I mean think about it. Here you have this group of people that cried out to God for deliverance. God sent Moses. He plagued the Egyptians that enslaved them. He gave them favor, delivered them from bondage and set them free. Then He opens the Red Sea, and swallows up and totally destroys their enemies.

From then on, He gives them water, feeds them honey cakes, then gives them meat that they did not even have to go and hunt and they still complain. He constantly saves them from the hands of their enemies and still they complain. One day, I asked God why He put up with them. I, in my arrogant, self-righteous state of mind, sat judging these ungrateful bunch of whiners until God quickly humbled me. He spoke and said that I was no different. He supplies my food, my drink, my clothing, my shelter from the storm. He gives me good health which I seem to always take for granted. He makes the sun shine on me in the morning and the moon by night. He provides exceedingly, abundantly more than many in this world have and yet I complain.

I complain when it’s too hot, or too cold. Yet there are so many in this world that live in the heat or have no shelter from the cold. I complain when my hair won’t fix just right. However, there are some that do not have hair left because it fell out due to chemotherapy. I complain when the red light is taking too long, when maybe I am being kept from a wreck down the road. I complain when my husband leaves stuff lying on the floor, when there are those who no longer have their spouses to pick up after. I complain when the house is dirty, when some have no home to get dirty. I complain when I can’t find something to wear, when in reality my closet is full and there are those that don’t have even a shirt of their own. Get the picture? Yeah, well I am not the only whining brat. I bet you do your share as well.

We complain so much, but how often are we thankful? Seriously, how many times do we just fill a day up with nothing but thanks for what we do have. Eyes to see, hands, feet, kids, husbands, wives, parents, houses, cars, computers, food, clothes, money, jobs, freedom. Hello? The list is unending. How about the air we breathe? Or the fact that we woke up this morning? that our family is alive? We take everything for granted and yet God is kind, loving, merciful and oh so very patient!!!! Wow, we serve an amazing, incredible God.

So, before you utter your next complaint. Before you get aggravated because something didn’t suit your fancy or go your way, STOP! Stop and thank the God who thought enough of you to form you to begin with. Thank Him that you were able to get up this morning, that your family is alive, that you have eyes to be able to read this blog post. Thank Him for everything and anything you can possible think of, especially for His patience in dealing with us. What an awesome Father we have!!

The other day I was reading the story of David and Goliath.  Now if you are like me, then you have heard that story countless times. But in my reading the other day, the Lord revealed some truths, and gave me some insight that I had never gotten from the story before.

The Israelite army had been fighting against their enemies, the Philistines, and were camped opposite them with a valley in between. All of a sudden, out of the clear blue, this giant dude shows up. He was over nine feet tall, majorly buff and had an attitude that matched. He at once began to bully Israel, challenging them and defying their God.

Goliath challenged one of Israel’s soldiers to come and fight him. If they won, then the Philistines would be Israel’s slaves, but if they lost, and  if this giant troublemaker won, then Israel would be enslaved to the enemy.

For forty days, morning and night, the giant came out and challenged God’s people. And for forty days, no progress was made. Gloom and despair loomed overhead. Depression and fear engulfed the camp. No one dared to take the giant up on his challenge. That is, until one day a young shepherd boy showed up.

David had just arrived at the camp when the Israelites lined up as usual to face the Philistines. And, as usual, out came Goliath. Once again, he mocked and jeered, bullied and sneered, and once again, the Israelite soldiers cowered and feared and ran away. David, was appalled. He could not understand why or how Israel could allow one man to stand in the way of their victory over the enemy.

David’s brothers quickly informed the young, innocent, and what they considered to be ignorant boy to mind his business. Didn’t he note the size of the guy? Didn’t he see his huge sword? Didn’t he see the massive armor and hear the daunting message from the booming voice of this massive enemy? Just what part of the whole situation was David not getting?

But, in reality, David did get it. He looked beyond the giant and saw God. He knew Who he believed in and no matter how big, how scary, how mean, how massive, the enemy was, God was bigger. David focused on what we oftentimes,  fail to see. He focused on the solution to the problem, rather than on the problem itself. He trusted God. Pure and simple. He didn’t doubt. He didn’t second guess. He just flat out trusted and believed God’s word over the word of the enemy.

So, David without any hesitation announced loud and long that he would face the enemy and would defeat him. Upon hearing David’s proclamation, King Saul, tried to dissuade the eager and what he thought to be overzealous young man. But once he realized that David was determined, Saul then tried to help him out. He urged David to take his armor, his weaponry. He tried to get David to do things his way.

But, David wasn’t comfortable with King Saul’s methods. He listened to the advice and then rather than trusting the words and ways of man, surrendered to the higher ways of God. He knew God’s way for His life. He knew God wouldn’t leave Him. He trusted the One Who had never let him down against obstacles and giants in the past and that is exactly what he chose to do in facing this giant.

So, David went out. He faced Goliath head own. No reservations. No turning back. No doubts. No worries. He had God. He declared to the enemy that he was not afraid. He lifted up the name of God above the giant blocking his victory. And though the giant roared. Though he showed his ugliness. Though he puffed himself up bigger and bigger. David didn’t waver. He took what God had given him, his talents, and his abilities, and stepped out in faith. Then with the twirling of a leather strap, and the hurling of a little stone, the giant went tumbling down. And when that bully went down, the rest of the enemies scattered.

You see, it was God’s will that Israel defeated the Philistines. David knew that, and Goliath was standing in the way of God’s will. Goliath represents anything that is standing in the way of God’s will for your life. What kind of Goliaths are you facing right now? Are you fearful? Are you depressed? Is there a giant problem standing right smack in the way and keeping you from what you know God wants for your life?

Then you need to know a few things. First of all, God is bigger than anything you face. Quit worrying and listening to the voice of the enemy. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He  who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (John 4:4 NKJV). So realize that! Take hold of it and let the Spirit of the living God come alive inside of you. Let God arise in you and your enemies will scatter.(Psalm 68:1)

Secondly, you need to realize something else. You need to realize that God has given you everything you need to face any challenge, any obstacle, any giant that comes against you. He has equipped you with certain talents and abilities that He fully intends and expects you to use. Perhaps you are struggling right now with some areas in your life, because you are using methods and ways other than the ones God has purposed for you to use. You need to use what God gave you, no matter what others may tell you. David could not use the things that were unfamiliar to him. He had to trust God with what God had given him. The same applies to you.

The last thing I want to point out is that you need to put your trust in the God of David. He is the giant slayer. He is the One who will go before you and bring down every opposing force that stands between you and His purpose for your life, that is, IF you declare Him Lord over your life. When David saw the enemy. When he heard his bullying remarks, when he heard Goliath mock his God and challenge his faith, he reacted. He stood his ground. He let the Spirit of the God that he had loved and trusted, the One who had carried him through his darkest nights, the One who had never once failed Him, rise up inside him. Then he proclaimed to those around him and to the enemy facing him that God was bigger. David declared the victory before he ever stepped foot on the battlefield. He had made up his mind that God was bigger and that the giant was going down. He didn’t doubt. He wasn’t ashamed. He didn’t care if his friends and family thought he was insane. He put his faith above all else and because of that, Goliath fell.

It’s time you do the same. It’s time to step out in faith. Trust in the God who loves you, who knows what is best for you, and declare His victory over the giants you are facing. And know this, once you declare Him Lord over that situation, that problem, that circumstance, then God will bring your giants down!

Not long ago I heard about a lady that had lost a ton of money because she had met someone who convinced her to invest her money in their company. The company, as it turned out, was nonexistent. The lady had fallen prey to a scam. She had trusted in someone who was not who they said they were and in something that was not real.

The Bible warns in Psalm 118:8 that “It is better to trust the Lord than to trust people.”(NCV) When you put your trust in people, they oftentimes will fail you. However, when you put your trust in the One who created you, who knows you and who cares about, you can totally depend on Him. He will NEVER let you down.

The Bible also tells us in Proverbs 18:24 that there is a friend that sticks closer to you than a brother. That friend is Jesus. He is the very lover of your soul. He loved you so much that He willing came down from His glorious throne in heaven to live and then die so that we might live again with Him. He now is in heaven interceding before God the Father on your and my behalf. Now, that’s someone that you can really trust.

If you have a need, Jesus says that all you must do is “Ask, and it will be given to you.”(Matthew 7:7) But, there is a stipulation on the matter. When you ask, you must trust God to do what you ask. This is noted in Matthew 21:22. “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”(NKJV)

Sometimes it is not easy to trust God. When things seem to be going wrong, when people let you down, when you’re hurting, when your finances are not good, when you or someone you love is sick, or when various trials and problems come your way, it can be difficult to trust God to take care of things. But in order to get through this life here on earth, we must trust God. We must have faith in the One who knows all and who wants to take care of our every need.

So, what can we do increase our faith so that we can trust Him? Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. If you are having problems trusting God, you need to read His Word. Everyday, you need to read God’s Word, the Bible, and learn more about Him, about His character. Then you will start to trust Him more.

When you first meet someone, you don’t know them. You have to spend time with them. Get to know them by talking to them, listening to them. Then you will know whether or not they are genuine, if you can trust them. The same method applies with God. In order to trust Him, you have to spend time with Him. Talk to Him. Read His Word. Listen to what He has to say. Then your faith will grow. Then you can believe. Then you can ask. Then you can receive.

Proverbs 3:5 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.” This is probably one of the most difficult instructions to follow. Just why is it so hard for us to totally trust God and stop trying to figure out things for ourselves? We always try to handle things on our own and leave God totally out of the mix. If we would just trust in the God who made us, loves us and has the absolute best for us, we would be so much better off.

As human beings, we are always depending on our limited knowledge. But the Bible tells us clearly not to depend or lean own that finite understanding. We need to trust in God’s infinite knowledge and understanding. Don’t try to figure things out and go your own way. Instead, put your trust in the One who knows best. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He loves you unconditionally. He is a 24/7, on time, all the time, God, Who cares about everything you do and everything you are going through.

Sometimes it is so hard to trust God. That is because we limit Him to the way we think. But Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us that God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts nor are His ways like our ways. He does not operate nor think with limitations. All things are possible with Him (Matthew 19:26). Things that may seem, and quite literally may be impossible for us, but there is nothing that God cannot do.

That is why Solomon with all of his wisdom, told us to “Trust in the Lord with all of our heart.” He knew that we would not be able to see our way through difficulties, problems, troubles, trials without the direction of our heavenly Father. He also knew that when we do rely on our own vices, we make things worse and we miss out on so many blessings.

For after Solomon told us to trust the Lord and not lean own what we know, he then told us to be sure and acknowledge God. Proverbs 3:6 says “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” We need to make a conscious effort to tell God that we need Him. Acknowledge that He is the One who can make things right. Then the Bible says that He will direct our paths.

If we will trust God, and not ourselves, and acknowledge Him, then He will give us the guidance we need to help us. He will help us to see clearly and speak directly to us and lead us in the way we need to go. So trust Him. He will never let you down.