Who do you trust?  Why do you trust the people you say you trust?  Do you trust everyone on the same level and with the same information or are you selective in what you share with certain people?  According to the dictionary the word trust means to: place confidence in; depend on, assured reliance on the character.  I like that last one the best because to me it denotes a time involved in getting to know a person’s character.  Spending time with someone builds a relationship for trust.

It’s also true in building our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ; not because HE isn’t trustworthy – but because we sometimes have trouble trusting Him! 

The Bible has a lot to say about trust.  The Bible is clear in what we are NOT to put our trust in; what we ARE to put our trust in, and gives us some BENEFITS of trusting the Lord.

1. We are not to put our trust in: weapons, wealth, leaders, mankind, works, nor our own righteousness
2. We are to put our trust in: God’s Name, the Word, and Jesus Christ
3. There are benefits in trusting God: joy, deliverance, triumph, God’s goodness, mercy, blessings, safety, usefulness, guidance, inheritance.

Since this study became rather lengthy I decided to do a three-part series.  This week we are going to study what not to put our trust in. 

The weapons we are not to put our trust in are natural weapons.  Salvation cannot be obtained by natural warfare.  Salvation is a heart (spirit) issue.  However for those who think that all natural weapons should be banned, let it be known now that weapons are not wrong or evil; they are only as good or bad as the person who carries and uses them. Again, it’s a heart issue.  We are not to put our trust in natural weapons for Eternal Life, for Salvation only comes through believing and receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord.

Everyone needs money to take care of their family and home; so money isn’t what creates a problem, it’s the love of money.  A person can love money whether they have any or not. Having wealth is not a sin, but it does matter what a person does with their money.  The Bible tells us in First Timothy 6:10 that the love of money is the root of all evil. We are also taught in Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 that no one can serve two masters; we cannot serve money and God at the same time.  All of God’s Patriarchs in the Old Testament had riches.  We as New Testament believers have a better Covenant with God in Jesus then they did under the Law.  The Bible teaches us in Proverbs 10:22 that, “the blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.

We are not to put our trust in earthly leaders, for no earthly government, no mere man, could or can provide Salvation for the lost souls of mankind.  Redemption is only in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.  The Bible explicitly states in First Timothy 2:5 that, “there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

We cannot work our way into heaven.  God is holy, pure and righteous; and no one can stand before Him in their own filthy rags of self-righteousness (Isaiah 64:6).  We don’t work and serve in the Kingdom of God to earn Salvation; we work and serve because we have Eternal Life.  Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; and not by our works: it is the gift of God.

My prayer this week is that we will seek the face of our Heavenly Father and ask Him if we are putting trust in anything that in contrary to His Word; and if so, then be willing to make adjustments in our heart and lives.

See you next week for the study on what God’s Word says we are to trust in.

Have a great week.

Psalm 44:6 for I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me.

Psalm 49:6-8 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.

Psalm 146:3 do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation (help).

Romans 3:28 therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 

Galatians 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Jesus Christ.  

Ephesians 2:8-9 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.