This week is a continuation on the subject of trust. In review, we learned that trust means to place confidence in, depend on, and assured reliance on the character.   Last week we studied what not to put our trust in: weapons, wealth, leaders, mankind, works, and our own righteousness.

We are not to put our trust in natural weapons for Salvation only comes through believing and receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Though there is nothing wrong in having money, we are not to love money, because it is impossible to love money and God at the same time.  We are not to look to our government or mere men to save us, not even our own self-righteousness, because Salvation (Eternal Life) comes only through Jesus Christ the Son of God.  He is the only Way.

This week we are studying what we are to put our trust in: God’s Name, the Word, and Jesus Christ.

A name is what identifies a person.  God called himself I AM when He talked with Moses before sending him to Egypt to deliver Israel. His name is forever, to all generations (Exodus 3:14-15).  He is not the God of I was or I will be but He is the I AM God; an ever present, ever living God-I AM.  How a person is called describes their character and so it is with God. His is called: Creator, Holy, Just, Love, Righteous, Almighty, Savior, Healer, Provider, Deliverer, Father, and, the list goes on.  We can trust God’s Name to be true for He cannot lie (Titus 1:2).   In the Hebrew thinking a man’s name continued even after his physical life ended as long as his family existed, especially his sons.  God’s Name still lives today through His Son Jesus, and through believers in Jesus who have become the sons (and daughters) of God. According to Psalm 135:13 God’s name will endure forever; through all generations.  Psalm 9:10 says they that know your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsake them that seek You.

The Bible is God’s Word to us.  The Bible teaches in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-2 that the Word of God was present in the very beginning.  We can trust God’s Word because His Word is truth (Psalm 119:151, John 17:17).   His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in him (Second Samuel 22:31 and Psalm 18:30).  The Word never changes because God never changes, He remains the same forever (Hebrews 13:8).  The Word of God is powerful because faith comes to us by hearing and hearing it (Romans 10:17). When faith comes it enables us to believe in God and believe Him for the blessings He promises in His Word.  God’s Word is forever, settled, everlasting, and eternal.

The Name of Jesus is all powerful.  The reason we can trust in Jesus is because He is the Word that became flesh (John 1:14).  God acknowledges Jesus as His Son, His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased in Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5 and Second Peter 1:17.  There is Salvation in the Name of Jesus.  There is healing, deliverance and provision in the Name of Jesus; and much more.  We learn from Acts 10:38 that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.  With this power Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  From this one Scripture, there are many more, we know that God wants us to be healed and healthy, and free from the oppression of sickness.  Mark 3:25 teaches us that a house divided against itself cannot stand; for God to give us sickness and then heal us would make his house divided, so we know He does not give us sickness.  We also know that since God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then He still wants us healed and healthy today (Hebrew 13:8).  God gave Jesus a Name that’s above every other name (Philippians 2:11).  Sickness and disease fall under His Name.

You might be asking yourself right now how you might go about building your trust in this wonderful and glorious God, His Word, and His Son, Jesus.  I am happy to relate to you that it is not hard; it’s easy to get to know God.  We just have to spend time with Him; read His Word-hear His Word and our faith will grow to trust Him.  The more time we spend with anyone the more we learn to trust them and the easier it becomes to believe what they say.  So this week I challenge you (any myself) to spend more time with God through His Word, and allow Him to reveal the truth of His Word to us, and develop more of His character in us.

Next week we will study why we should trust God, and the benefits of trusting God.