Trust You Can

Pic from Flickr by tina negus.

Do you trust Jesus? No. Really. Do you really, honestly and truthfully trust Jesus? With your whole life?

We like to quote verses that sound good but we refuse to apply those Scriptures because we are disconnected from the truth.

Let me explain.

We like to quote Psalm 23. We like to quote Galatians 2:20. We like to quote Proverbs 3:5-6.

Those are all powerful and awesome verses. Knowing this, why do so many of us fail to apply these Scriptures to our lives?

We say, “The LORD is my Shepherd.” Then we run when He convicts or disciplines us.

We say, “I have been crucified with Christ.” However, we are still a selfish people.

If you do not believe the Scriptures that you memorize, you will not live out those Scriptures.

This might be for some, a serious issue with trust.

Proverbs 3:5 says that we are to trust in the LORD with all our heart. This does not mean that you trust God with the organ that pumps blood into your body. We are to trust Him with our whole being. Everything within us is to trust God. We should trust God so much that we overflow with faith.

Let’s explore the benefits for a disciple that walks closely with the Savior.

First off, Scripture beckons us to respond. If you intend on doing nothing, that is a response. When Scripture says to trust in the LORD, your response is either to trust Him or to not trust Him. Either way, you have responded.

When you walk closely with the Savior, you are a sheep that closely follows the Shepherd and listens to Him. Embrace this.

• Jesus is the chief Shepherd Psalm 23
• A sheep who follows the Shepherd is spiritually provided for. Psalm 23:1, 5
• A sheep that can lie down and know it is spiritually protected, trusts the Shepherd. Psalm 23:2, 4
• A sheep that follows the Shepherd has spiritual restoration. Psalm 23:3
• A sheep that follows the Shepherd has spiritual direction. Psalm 23
• A sheep that follows the Shepherd is loved by the Shepherd and wants to be in His presence. Psalm 23:6
• A sheep that follows the Shepherd has spiritual contentment. Psalm 23:6

If you are discouraged, doubtful, scared, fearful, pray. Ask Jesus to remove that from you.

If you have failed to trust Jesus in the past, repent and ask for forgiveness. Start trusting Jesus today.

There is never a wrong time to start trusting Jesus.

 

Taking Stock of Your Family

The Bible makes no apologies for the amount of weight that it puts on the husband to be the spiritual leader of his family. Ephesians tells us that the husband is to love his wife like Christ loves the church.

The husband is the pastor of the home.

Your wife and children will be your greatest disciples. The wife will submit to the husband to the degree that he is submitted to Jesus. The husband should care more about the spiritual growth and sanctification of his wife and children more than he does his friends or extended family.

The husband needs to be honest with his wife. She should be his best friend. She should know more about his likes and dislikes, his struggles, his dreams and ambitions more than the guys he watches football with on Saturday afternoons. The husband should know his wife. What does she like and dislike? What are her struggles? What are her dreams and ambitions? What are you praying for with her?

Whether you know this or not, she needs you to lead your family and push them to Jesus. She needs to know that you care about her relationship with Jesus and your children’s relationship with Jesus.

This is more important then:

• how much money you make
• how big your house is
• how packed your 401K is
• where you are going on vacation
• how many cars you have
• the amount of stuff you own

Your wife and children need to know that the only person you love more than them is Jesus. The greatest danger to your family is believing the lie that life is about the pursuit of the American dream.

It’s really not.

Life is about Jesus. It always has and always will be about Jesus.

The reason you are alive

The reason you live where you live

The reason you work where you work

The reason you are married

The reason you have children

It’s all about Jesus.

Do your children know that you love Jesus? Children can figure stuff out before the age of two. They can tell if you are lying to them. Push your children to Jesus. It does not matter if they get angry. It does not matter if they cuss you out or say they hate you. Push them to Jesus.

Let’s look at some practical ways to put this into practice.

Read a book with your wife. Here are a few that I would recommend:

Real Marriage by Mark and Grace Driscoll

Desiring God by John Piper

The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler

Doctrine by Mark Driscoll

Think by John Piper

Encourage your wife to journal and commit to pray with and for her.

Let’s not leave out your children.

Read Bible stories with your children. It is important that your children see you read the Bible. Start now instilling values that you want your children to carry with them.

Pray with your children…not just at the table.

Spend time with your children talking about Jesus.

Don’t forget. Enjoy your family.

Love them.

Cherish them.

Play with them.

Laugh with them.

Spend time with them.

You (husband) are the pastor of your home. Shepherd your family well.