The Word

John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

So, we’re going to look at some of the names of God, and I want to start off with some of the names and titles of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son. As I've said before, there are some names that are used of all three persons of the trinity, and then there are some that are unique to one person. God revealed Himself in a special way when the Son became a man and took on a human body. When the Lord Jesus went about as a man people were able to see Him and interact with Him and hear the words that He spoke. And people got to see what God was like through the Lord Jesus Christ. For instance, in Mark chapter 10 a man came to the Lord Jesus, and the Bible says that the Lord Jesus looked at Him and loved Him. What do you think about the heart of God the Father toward that man? We know that God loved him because we read that the Lord Jesus loved Him. And the same is true in any and every event in the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. If we want to find out what God is like we simply need to look at the Lord Jesus. He is the perfect and complete revelation of God to mankind.

I want to look at one of the names of the Lord Jesus that sheds some light on this aspect of His life, and that is the Word. John 1:1 says - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." What is this verse talking about? What is this Word? This verse tells us that the Word was in the beginning. It also tells us that the Word is God. As we continue in John chapter one we read that the Word came to His own and they did not receive Him. We also read that those who receive the Word become sons of God. And in verse 14 we're told that the Word became or took on flesh. The Word is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son. Why is "the Word" an appropriate name for Him? What are we supposed to learn from this name, the Word? Well let's consider it, what are words used for? Words are used for communication. Words convey thought. Have you ever tried to get to know someone without using words? Two people can be face to face with one another and both think really hard, but neither one is going to know what the other is thinking unless it is revealed through their words. You realize how important words are. In the game of charades you have to try to act something out and get people to guess what you are thinking, but how many wrong guesses do you have to go through before you finally get the right answer? Well, when it comes to our relationship with God, He didn't leave humanity guessing as to who He is. God didn't engage humanity in a game of charades and leave us guessing as to who He might be. He revealed Himself to us. Man left to himself will come up with all sorts of ideas about who God is and what He is like, but God has told us who He is through the Holy Scriptures, and He has spoken to mankind in His Son, the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word.

Why is this so important? Why do we need the Lord Jesus as the Word? The fact of the matter is we are in a relationship with an invisible God. In 1 Timothy 1:17 we read - "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." And in chapter 6 verse 16 we read again concerning our God - "who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen." And 1 John 4:12 says - "No one has beheld God at any time."

 So, we're trying to get to know God but immediately we run into a problem, God is invisible. How do you get to know someone who is invisible? We just read 1 John 4:12 which says that no one has beheld God at any time. There is a similar verse in John chapter 1 verse 18 which says - "No man has seen God at any time;" but the verse goes on to say, "the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." Okay, here we're given a clue. No one has seen God, but the Son of God has explained or declared Him to us. He has made Him known. God is invisible, but John 1:14 tells us that - "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." God the Son, the Word, became a man and He explained and declared God to us. God became a man and entered into the womb of the virgin Mary, so when we go through the gospels and see the Lord Jesus He demonstrates to us and speaks to us of the invisible God.

Colossians 1:15 says concerning the Lord Jesus - "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." The Lord Jesus Christ gives us an image for the invisible God. If we want to know what God is like we simply need to look at God the Son revealed through the flesh of the Lord Jesus. Yes, God is invisible. But the Word, the Lord Jesus, declared and explained Him to us. In John 14 the Lord Jesus is talking to His disciples and we read in verses 7-9 - ""If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?"" Here The Lord Jesus says that if you've seen Him you've seen the Father. He is the visible representation of God on earth. Philip says "Show us the Father." and the Lord Jesus responds "If you have seen Me you've seen the Father." God is speaking in His Son. The Lord Jesus is the communication of the invisible God. Hebrews 1:1-2 says - "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world." In times past God spoke through His prophets, but in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son. The Lord Jesus is the Word because God has spoken to us in the Lord Jesus. He didn’t merely tell us the Word, but He Himself is the Word through whom God spoke. Verse 3 goes on to tell us - "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature." The Lord Jesus is the exact representation of the invisible God. This tells us that everything we find in the gospels about the Lord Jesus in His character is true about the character of the invisible God.

This is a name that the Lord Jesus had in the beginning, "In the beginning was the Word" He possessed this name at the incarnation, "The Word became flesh" And He this is His name when He rides forth on a white horse in Revelation 19, for we read - "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." His name doesn't change. He has been and always will be the Word.

There is another name that sheds light on the Lord Jesus as the Word. In Revelation 22:13 the Lord Jesus says - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." What does the Lord Jesus mean when He calls Himself the "Alpha and Omega?" These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. We just looked at Christ as the Word, so what are words made up of? Letters. So Christ is the first letter and the last letter. He is first and last and everything in between. Basically, Christ is the A to Z on God. So if Christ as the Word is the revelation of the invisible God, then Christ as the Alpha and the Omega combined with the truth that Christ is the Word tells us that He is the complete revelation of God. Nothing is left out. So when God revealed Himself in flesh through the Lord Jesus Christ He didn’t leave anything out that we needed. The Lord Jesus, the Word, is the complete revelation of God.

John 1:1,14,18 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him."

Names and Titles

We've been considering the significance of names given in the Word of God. We've seen that a person’s names and titles in the Bible can reveal to us something about the person and also help us to get to know them. We considered several biblical names and observed some of the names changes in the Bible, but something else that's worth noting is that there are certain people in the Bible who have multiple names and titles. We’re just going to look at one example and that is David.

The name David means “beloved.” What does this tells us about David? Quite simply, it tells us that he was beloved. David was the youngest of seven brothers, and it doesn't seem that David was especially loved by his father as Joseph was, but David had a special loving relationship with the Lord. He was beloved of God. And if that wasn't enough, in 1 Samuel 13 Samuel is telling Saul that the Lord has rejected him from being king, and he says in verse 14 - "But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you." Samuel says that God sought out for Himself a man after Gods own heart, and thus David has earned the title and is still referred to as "The man after Gods own heart."

The significance of having multiple names and titles is that it shows us the depth of someones character. To say that David is "beloved of God" is not the same thing as saying that he is "The man after Gods own heart."

In Proverbs 1:1 we read - "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel." Here we're given a third title for David. He is called the "king of Israel." This simply communicates to us that David ruled on the throne of Israel. In 2 Samuel 19:21 and 2 Samuel 23:1 David is also called "The Lords anointed.” At first glance these two may seem to be the same but they're really not. There were several men who held the title "king of Israel" but David had a special anointing from the Lord to rule His earthly people. He was the one through whom God chose to bring His Messiah into the world.

With the four names and Titles we've looked at so far, each one of them introduces new information. And the characteristics that they describe were so pronounced in Davids life that he was given a special title pertaining to those certain aspects and characteristics of his life.

In 1 Samuel 18 as David was returning from fighting with the Philistines the women came out playing tambourines and singing "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." Thus earning him the title "The slayer of ten thousands." Again, we have new information being relayed to us through this title. In other words, to say that David is "the slayer of ten thousands" is not the same as saying that he is "the king of Israel" or "the man after Gods own heart." He's given another title that reveals even more to us about who David is.

We know David as "the giant slayer" due to one of the most famous stories in the Bible. It's in 1 Samuel 17 that we're given the record of David killing Goliath.

In 2 Samuel 23:1 David is called "the sweet psalmist of Israel" due to the vast amount of songs as well as the quality of the songs that he wrote. You couldn't just write one or two psalms and be called "the sweet psalmist of Israel." His writings had to be so many and so consistently good in order for him to merit such a title. And we know of course from the book of Psalms that this is certainly the case, and David definitely deserves this title, "the sweet psalmist of Israel."

We know David as "the shepherd boy." due to the fact that he was faithful in shepherding his fathers sheep before the Lord called him to shepherd His people Israel.

In 2 Samuel 23:1, and other portions of Scripture David is called “the son of Jesse.” This is basically a last name, showing what family he is from and his position in society.

Without going into very much detail we can learn a lot about David through his various names and titles. These names and titles are not just repeating or emphasizing the same thing. They each show us different aspects of his life and character. David is the king of Israel. That's not the same as saying that he is the Lords anointed. Neither of these are the same as saying that he is the sweet psalmist of Israel. And even more is revealed about him with the knowledge that he is called the slayer of ten thousands. We're getting such a rich and full picture of David through these names.

Now, let's suppose that you come across someone who has very little knowledge of the Bible, and you mention to them something about David. It quickly becomes apparent that they have no idea who David is. Now you're charged with the task of helping this person know David. If you turn in your Bible and begin reading to them any one story of Davids life, something is going to be left out. With any single story of David your going to miss some aspect of his character. For instance you can read them the story of David and Goliath, or read about Davids conquest of the Philistines, but after this their opinion of David is that he is a bloodthirsty killer. Or you could read from the psalms and talk about how many psalms David wrote, and they can get a picture of David prancing through the hills of Israel playing a harp. With any single event your going to miss something about David. But if you say to them, "let me tell you some of the names and titles that David was given. He was "the man after Gods own heart." He was "the king of Israel." He is "the Lord's anointed." He is called "the shepherd boy, the slayer of ten thousands, the sweet psalmist of Israel, the giant slayer." In a relatively short amount of time this person can get a very full and complete picture of David based solely on the names and titles he was given. If we were to spend time to focus on any one event in David’s life we would miss some aspect of His character, but in just reviewing his names and titles we’re getting a very full picture of the complex man that David is. Isn’t it amazing how much information is conveyed in a person’s names and titles?

With just seven or eight names and titles of David we see what a complex person David was. But now let's consider the vast number of names and titles given to God in the Scriptures. It's a little difficult to count, but in the Bible God has somewhere in the neighborhood of two or three hundred names and titles. These are names and titles that don't overlap. In other words, each one reveals something new about our God. This is a study that's begging for attention. If David had just a few and his character was so complex, how unsearchable must Gods character be that He has revealed Himself in so many names and titles?

Names in the Bible

In the culture and time in which the Bible was written a person’s name was given for a very specific purpose. Today and in our culture parents usually name their child a certain name because they like the sound of it. For the most part we are unaware of what a certain name actually means, but whether we know it or not, every name has a specific meaning. Nevertheless, in the time and culture in which the Bible was written people were actually aware of the meaning of names. And certain names in the Bible would be given based on one of several things: Character, appearance, status, an event surrounding their birth, origin, some names were given as a prophecy, or as a message from God. I'll explain what I mean by each one of these things and we'll look at some examples of each one. This is not an extensive list, and there are doubtless other reasons for certain biblical names, but I just want to focus on these seven to help establish in our minds that when it comes to biblical names, and ultimately to the names of God, there's more going on here than simply a way to identify and address someone. Names in the Bible carry with them a great deal of information.

1) First off, names were given based on character. We see an example of this in Genesis chapter 25 at the birth of Jacob. When Jacob, the twin brother of Esau, was born we're told that he came out "with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob." The name Jacob literally means 'one who catches the heel,' or 'supplanter.' Jacob was born grabbing on to his older brothers heel, and that is the kind of character that Jacob demonstrated for a good part of his life. Jacob was a schemer. He was constantly trying to work things in his favor, catching others by the heel, tripping them up in order to get ahead. So his name sheds some light on his character.

Another example of this is found in 1 Samuel 25. There we read of a man by the name of Nabal who dishonored and disrespected king David to such an extent that David had actually set out with his army in order to kill this guy. However, while he was on his way David was met by Nabals wife Abigail who said to David in verse 25 - "Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him." The name Nabal means 'fool.' He was aptly named. He was named fool' and he was a foolish man. 

We also find an example of someone being named based on character in the New Testament. In Mark 3:17 we're told that Jesus gave James and John the name "Boanerges" which means "sons of thunder." This was the powerful kind of personality that these guys had. You'll remember in Luke chapter 9 as the Lord Jesus was traveling, the people in a certain city didn't receive Him. And it was James and John who said "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" This, of course, was not the proper response, but it gives us an idea of the kind of powerful personalities that these brothers had.

2) Secondly, a name could be given based on a persons appearance, perhaps a pronounced feature. We see this again in Genesis 25 this time not looking at Jacob, but at his brother Esau. We read in Genesis 25:25 - "Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau." The name Esau means 'Hairy.' There was one overwhelming feature when this baby was born, he was hairy. So he was named based on his appearance. This is not a very nice sounding name, and I suppose it's a good thing that babies aren't often named based on their appearance at birth, but nevertheless, this is how some names were chosen.

3) Third, someone could be named based on their family statues or position in society. In Genesis chapter  35 when Jacobs youngest son was born we're told that Rachel died giving birth to him. and we read in Genesis 35:38 - "It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin." The name that Rachel gave the boy means 'Son of my sorrow.' His father, on the other hand, named him Benjamin, a name meaning 'Son of my right hand.' With this name Jacob was showing that this son had a special place. He was the favorite son. He would hold a special position in the family, and his name signified that position that he had. 

4) Fourthly, a name might be given due to an event that was directly related to or surrounded a persons birth. We see this in the naming of Isaac in Genesis 17:19 where the Lord said to Abraham - "Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac." Why is this significant? When the Lord promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son they both laughed. So God basically said to them 'You will have a son, and you shall give him the name laughter.' Which is what Isaac actually means.

Another example of this is found in Exodus chapter 2 when Pharaohs daughter found Moses among the bulrushes. We read in verse 10 - "And she named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”" The name Moses means 'to draw out.' So he was named based on something that happened to him around the time of his birth.

5) Fifth, a person might be given a name that points to their place of origin, the place that they were from. We get an example of this in Genesis chapters 33. As Abraham journeyed he came near a city called Shechem and bought a piece of land from a man named Hamor who is identified as "The father of Shechem." And we learn a good deal about this fellow in Genesis chapter 34. But apparently he was named after the city where he lived. 

6) Sixth, some names in the Bible were given prophetically, that is, certain names were given to point forward to an event that would happen during the lifetime of the child that was so named. We see an example of this in the genealogy given in Genesis chapter 10. In verse 25 we read - "Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided." The name Peleg means 'Division.' And his name foretold something that was going to happen during his lifetime. He was named 'division' and during his life the earth was divided.

Another example of this is found in Hosea chapter 1. Hosea's wife gave birth to a son and the Lord told Hosea to name him "Jezreel." A name that means 'Scattered' or 'Sown of the Lord.' The reason for this name, the Lord says, is because He was about to punish Israel. He was going to scatter them. Literally, He said, He was going to "Jezreel Israel." And so the Lord gives this name as a prophecy of something that was going to take place during this boys lifetime.

7) Seventh, a name might be given as a message that God wanted to communicate to His people. We also see examples of this in Hosea chapter 1. Hosea's wife had two more children after Jezreel, and the Lord told him to name one "Lo-Ruhama" which means 'Not having received compassion.'  and the other he was told to name "Lo-Ammi" a name meaning 'Not Mine,' or 'Not My people,' And the Lord gives both of these as messages to His people. He says in Hosea 1 - "For I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel... For you are not My people and I am not your God." So the Lord communicated a specific message through the naming of Hosea's children.

There are also instances in the Bible when a person’s name was changed because as they went through their life it became apparent that either their name wasn’t appropriate to describe them or simply that another name suited them much better. For instance, in Genesis chapter 17 the Lord changed Abrams name to Abraham. This name change was a reiteration of Gods promise to him. Abram means ‘exalted father’ while Abraham means ‘father of a multitude.’ But even before Isaac was born the Lord changed Abrams name as a reinforcement of His promise.

In Genesis 25 Esau's name was changed to Edom. Esau means ‘hairy’ while Edom means ‘red.’ That he was hairy was quite obvious but this name change actually tells us something about his character rather than His appearance. He was named Red as a reminder that he traded the future blessing of God for a single meal. He wanted some of the red stew that Jacob had and he was willing to give anything for it. He could only see the red stuff right in front of Him so he was named Red. He was no longer known for his appearance, but for his shortsightedness.

In Genesis chapter 32 God changed Jacobs name to Israel. Like we saw before, Jacob means ‘supplanter’ but Israel means ‘prince with God.’ After an intense wrestling match with God, Jacob was broken before God. He was broken and contrite before him and begged for His blessing with tears. It was at this point that the Lord changed his name.

In Acts chapter 4 there was a man in the early church by the name of Joseph. This man was such an encouragement to those around him that he became known as Barnabas, a name which means 'Son of encouragement.'

So a persons name in the Bible carries with it a great deal of significance. There is a lot more information there then first meets the eye. And the same thing is true when we begin to consider the names of our Lord.
1) Some of His names shed light on some aspect of His character. In Isaiah 9:6 we read - "And His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace." All these names describe Gods character. He is wonderful. He is mighty. He is everlasting. He is a God of peace. When we considered the names of mere men some were named based on the one aspect of their character that was most pronounced. But when it comes to God He has so many names that describe His character because He is so vast. And He has no aspect of His character that is more pronounced than another. He is completely Just, completely Holy, completely Loving, completely Jealous, all at the same time. So the Lord has names that reveal to us His vast, unsearchable character.

2) Some of Gods names tell us something about His appearance. In Colossians 1:15 He is called "The Image of the invisible God." We're told that God is invisible, and yet in the same verse we're told that God has an image. The Lord Jesus is the visible representation of the invisible God. The Lord Jesus is also called the "Brightness of His glory" in Hebrews chapter 1. These are names that describe His appearance.

3) God also has names that tell us of His position. In 1 Timothy 6:15 He is called "the King of kings, Lord of lords." The Lord Jesus is called the Prophet, He's our Great High Priest, He is the Beloved Son of the Father. These are names that speak to us of His position.

4) The Lord even has names that speak of His origin. On this subject the Bible tells us that He has no origin. God always was, He didn't come from anywhere. In Romans 16:26 He is called "The Eternal God." Eternal means no beginning and no end. And so this name points to His origin. But the interesting thing is, at the same time God is called in Genesis 3 "The Seed of the woman." Another name speaking of His origin and an event surrounding His birth. The eternal God took on flesh, and so He even has names that speak of His entering creation as a man.

5) God also has names that tell us about where He is from. Time and again, particularly throughout the book of Daniel, God is referred to as "The Most High God." And in the Gospels He is called the Heavenly Father.

6) The Lord Jesus has some names that prophetically tell of events that would happen in His lifetime. One of these is given in John 1:29 when John calls Him the "Lamb of God." Speaking of that one sacrifice that was needed to finally deal with the problem of sin. It was this name that identified Him as the sacrificial Lamb of God, and pointed forward to His death for the whole world.

7) And finally, the Lord has some names that are a direct message that God wanted to communicate to His people. In Matthew 1:21 the angel tells Joseph - "you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." The name Jesus means 'The Lord Saves.' And this is His message for us and for all mankind. Our God saves

Choosing to Trust - Seven Statements of Faith

Psalm 13

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

How long, O LORD? Wilt Thou forget me forever?

How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul,

Having sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O LORD, my God;

Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

Lest my enemy say, "I have overcome him,"

Lest my adversaries rejoice when I am shaken.

But I have trusted in Thy lovingkindness;

My heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

One of the basic fundamental truths in our relationship with God is a simple childlike trust in the Lord, believing Him. Time and again throughout the Word of God we're given instructions and commands to trust in God. Whether we go to the writings of Moses, the poetic books, the prophets, the gospels or epistles, a simple childlike faith and trust in God is one of the oft repeated themes of Scripture. And yet this is something that many people struggle with throughout their Christian experience. We aren't always willing to recognize a lack of faith for what it is, but after the Lord showed Himself strong on behalf of His people we know that many did not enter the land of promise due to unbelief. And that's basically what trust in the Lord is all about. It's a simple childlike trust. Believing what God has said based on who He is. Words like, faith, trust and belief, are all used throughout the Word of God and they're used almost interchangeably.

So I just want to begin by scanning through Scripture and reminding us of several verses that deal with this subject of faith, or believing and trusting in God.
Throughout the Word of God we're given numerous instructions and commands concerning trusting in the Lord, faith in God, believing Him. And we often hear messages on these wonderful passages of Scripture, so we're very familiar with them. Trusting God is such a glorious theme. He is the only one who is worthy of our trust and He demands it. We're told in Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6 that "without faith it's impossible to please Him for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." Faith is the foundation of pleasing God, and there's no way around it. Back in Genesis chapter 15 we're told that Abraham "believed God and it was reckoned to Him as righteousness." In Second Corinthians chapter 5 the apostle stated as his goal or ambition to be "Well pleasing to God." But without faith it's impossible to meet this goal.
In Psalm 62:8 David exhorts us to - "Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah." In Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 5, one of the most well known and quoted passages of Scripture, we are told to - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." When you seek to trust the Lord in certain areas of your life there is no shortage of people who will come along and tell you that, it's all well and good to trust the Lord, but you have to use common sense too. In our culture, and maybe just mankind in general, we don't like to be dependent on someone or something else. Self-sufficiency and independence are sought after and idealized. And this sort of thinking too often bleeds over into our relationship with God. We would never say this, but it's almost as if we are willing to trust Him with the salvation of our eternal souls, but when it comes to the everyday issues of our lives we need to take matters into our own hands and handle it ourselves. It is such a foreign idea for us to trust completely in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding at all. How many times throughout the Word of God did the Lords instruction grate against natural thinking and common sense? "Your entire army shall march around the city six days. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times with the priests playing their trumpets. After the seventh time the priests will blow a loud blast, all the people shall shout and the walls of the city will fall down." You've got to be kidding me. What kind of a plan is that? it makes no sense whatsoever. And yet what happened? When the people obeyed God it worked out exactly as He said.
The tax collectors came to Peter one day and asked him "Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?" So Peter comes to the Lord Jesus and says "Are we required to pay the temple tax? And the Lord Jesus basically says, "we'll pay it in order to not give offense." But the Lord doesn't just pull a coin out of His pocket to pay with. Instead He gives him some rather strange instructions. "Go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me." The Lords instructions don't always make logical sense. Why don't I just go out on my boat and catch a lot of fish and then sell them in the market and use that money to pay the tax. That makes so much more sense. But God tells us not to lean on our own understanding at all but rather to trust Him with all our hearts.
Most of the time we try to find a happy balance somewhere in the middle, we are willing to trust Him with our lives in general but when it comes to certain areas and certain decisions we have the attitude of, "Well, I'm just gonna go ahead and handle that one myself." But that kind of thinking is directly opposed to the clear teaching of God’s Word. You can't trust in the Lord with all your heart if your trusting in yourself with any of it. In Matthew chapter 6 the Lord Jesus was talking about our trust, not trusting in wealth and not becoming anxious about our lives because He will provide. And in the middle of that discourse on trust He says - "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is single, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness." The Lord doesn't want our focus and our trust divided between Him and anything else. He expects it all. And if we're are trusting in ourselves or anyone or anything else then we're not trusting in Him with all our hearts. 

Isaiah 26:4 says - "Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock." In Jeremiah chapter 17 we're given a contrast between the man who trusts in mankind and the man who trusts in the Lord. The man who trusts in mankind is compared to a bush in the desert whereas those who trust in the Lord are pictured as a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit."

And in Mark chapter 11 when the Lord Jesus is talking to His disciples about faith He makes the simple and fundamental statement - "Have faith in God."

These are just a few of the many passages we could turn to, which begs the question, why are there so many passages in Gods Word that deal with the subject of trusting and believing Him? It's because we need them. We're prone to forget, we're prone to lose sight of what truly matters. We are in a relationship with an invisible God and so sometimes visible things can come into our view and we become so focused on what's right in front of us that we lose sight of God. And so we turn in the pages of our Bibles, to the Psalms or other passages that we can relate to, to find out what happened to God. To figure out why He seems to be absent or hiding or uninterested in what is going on in our lives. And when we turn in the pages of His Word we come across these portion reminding us to trust in God. He's not distant or indifferent, He is intimately involved in the things that are going on in our world as well as the things that are taking place in your life and mine individually, and He simply asks us to trust Him. Trust in Him at all times. Trust in Him forever. Trust in Him with all your heart.  

These passages are so numerous because we need them. If we didn't need them then they wouldn't be here for us to read. But the very fact that they are there shows us that the Lord knows our human nature, He knows our weaknesses and our shortsightedness, and so He whispers to us again and again "Trust Me. Trust Me."

And we're not the only ones who have ever struggled with this problem of a lack of trust and belief God. This is something that men have been dealing with all throughout time.

In Deuteronomy chapter 1 when Moses is recounting the Lords dealings with the children of Israel, the works that He performed in bringing them out of slavery in Egypt and sustaining them through their wilderness wanderings, and all the works that God did on their behalf, Moses says in verse 32- "But for all this you did not trust in the Lord." In the book of Exodus the Lord gave Moses certain signs to perform in order that the people might believe and trust in Him, and at various points we read that the people "believed in the Lord." But it was a belief based on circumstances. Because when Moses first came to them and told them that God was concerned about them and had sent Moses to deliver them, we're told that the people "believed and worshiped God." But when Pharaoh increased their workload the people began to grumble. When the Lord led the people through the Red Sea on dry land and drowned the Egyptian army behind them we read that the people "feared the Lord and believed in Him," but in the very next chapter they're grumbling again because of their circumstances. And this is the pattern we see all throughout their wilderness wandering. Their trust in the Lord was based on their circumstances. And a circumstantial trust and belief in God is not really faith at all, and so the writer to the Hebrews tells us that they didn't enter the land "because of unbelief."
In 2 Kings chapter 17 we're given the account of the people of Israel being carried away captive by the nation of Assyria, and in that same chapter the Lord gives us a list of reasons why He allowed them to be taken. Among the reasons given, we're told in verse 14 that they - "did not believe in the Lord their God."

In Psalm chapter 78 we're given a brief history of the nation of Israel from their captivity in Egypt until the reign of David. And in this historical record the psalmist tells of a time when the Lords anger was kindled. The reason for this anger in verse 22 is - "They did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation." A lack of belief and a lack of trust.

In Lamentations chapter 4 when the prophet Jeremiah is lamenting the overthrow of Jerusalem, the holy city, he says in verse 12 - "The kings of the earth did not believe."
In Zephaniah 3:2 the prophet pronounces a fourfold indictment against the people of Judah. He lists four things that God had against them. Every one of them is a sin of omission, in other words, they weren't doing something that they should have been doing. Number 3 on the list of things that the Lord had against them is - "She did not trust in the Lord."

In John 4:48 the Lord Jesus said to those who were around Him - "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe."

And in Acts 28 when the apostle Paul was sharing the gospel with many, we read concerning those that heard him in verse 24 - "Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe."

So as we scan through history we see that mankind has the propensity to not trust in God. And it's no different today. And so the writer to the Hebrews warns - "Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God."

Faith chooses to trust God in spite of feelings or circumstances. We need to bring what we know to be true to bear upon what we feel. We need to remember what we know to be true in spite of our present feelings and circumstances. Because when trying circumstances come into my life immediately there's an inward battle between natural reaction and trusting God. I want to respond in one way, with doubt, fear or complaining, but I know that God expects me to trust Him. So before these situations arise we simply need to choose to trust God in spite of our feelings or in spite of our circumstances, and bring the Word of God to bear upon what we feel. We need to make the decision that no matter what comes into my life, I will trust God. Trust is a choice not a feeling.

One of the things I love about the Word of God is that it presents us with the account of men and women who are just like us, men and women "of like passions." The Word of God doesn't hold out to us some unattainable standard or unreachable ideal, but it gives us the account of men and women who are just like us and yet they chose by faith to trust God in spite of their feelings or circumstances. So what I want to do now is turn our attention and look at several statements of faith. In each one of these situations the person who makes the statement is struggling with something, some external problem, changing circumstances, internal fear or anxiety, doubt, the feeling of abandonment or a sense of despair, and yet in spite of these things the person makes a statement of faith, choosing to trust God.

Seven Statements of faith:

1) The first statement I want to look at deals with the issue of doubt -Mark 9:24 - "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"
When the Lord Jesus came down from the mount of transfiguration, there was a large crowd that had gathered around His disciples and they were waiting for Jesus. When Jesus asked what they were discussing, we read in verses 17-24 - "And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. And I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.” And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” And they brought the boy to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling about and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and began saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” Even in his cry for help he recognizes his own doubt and lack of trust. He know that his faith is not as it should be and he's not trying to hide it. "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." We need to recognize that even in the area of faith, I can't trust Him as I should unless He enables me to do it. He has to help my unbelief. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6 says that "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ." Christ is not only the Author of our faith, but He is also the Finisher of our faith. He is the one who first caused me to trust in Him and He can bring that faith to perfection. So the statement of faith recognizes my dependance on God to cause me to trust as I should. And the statement of faith says that even when I'm struggling with doubt, I choose to trust Him. The statement of faith says,"When I doubt, I will trust Him." "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief."

2)The second statement of faith deals with national and material decline -Habakkuk 3:16-18 - "I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us. Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation."
Habakkuk prophesied in the time just before Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire. God revealed to Habakkuk that the Babylonians were going to come up against them and that He would give Israel into their hands. And this troubled Habakkuk, he was confused as to how God could allow them to be taken captive by such a wicked nation with such a wicked king. So He asked God about it, and this is what the Lord said to him in Habakkuk 2:4 - "The just shall live by faith." He basically told him, "just trust Me." And so Habakkuk chose to trust God. God said "trust Me." and Habakkuk said "I will." So he says in Habakkuk 3:16-18 - "I heard and my inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress, for the people to arise who will invade us. Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation." Habakkuks circumstances didn't change but his attitude did. He still wasn't happy about the coming invasion, and the change of power that was about to take place in his nation. He was concerned about the fact that they were about to lose their material prosperity, but in the midst of that he was able to rejoice in the Lord. He talks about trembling at the thought of the coming invasion and captivity and it's not a pleasant thought. But he knew by faith that God in His sovereignty was divinely orchestrating the events of human history. He knew that God had raised up that army to invade them and take them into captivity, and it caused him to tremble. The circumstances disappointed Him. But he chose to live by faith, not in the circumstances, but in God. He wasn't happy about the change of power, it caused him to tremble, but at the same time he was able to say "yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation." Only faith can cause you to live like that. Are we impacted by national and material decline? When economic and governmental change begin to take place in a nation it often brings with it anxiety, even in the heart of the believer. But the statement of faith says, when our nation is turning away from God, or I don't see how I can get by with my current salary, I will chose to trust the Lord. Government isn't looking too good. The dollar is losing its value. But I will trust in the Lord. So the statement of faith says, "When I'm facing national or material decline, I will trust Him."

3) The third statement of faith deals with the feeling of being forsaken -Isaiah 8:17 - "And I will wait on the Lord, Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him."
Sometimes in our Christian experience it seems like God is hiding His face from us. We're pouring out our heart to Him, seeking direction, instruction, guidance, but it just seems like our prayers are hitting the ceiling. For some reason He's just not hearing and it seems as though He has hidden His face from us. But faith says, "When it seems like God is hiding His face, nevertheless I will hope in Him. I will wait eagerly, wait hopefully for Him." It's not easy or natural, but it's a choice that we have to make by faith. Waiting on the Lord is essential in the christian life. All throughout the Bible we're given exhortation after exhortation to wait on the Lord, and often it's accompanied by a promise. Often when we're at crucial or big decisions in our lives we get uncomfortable under the pressure and we feel like we need to do something right now before it's too late. But Gods plan for our lives is to wait on Him. When we're at a loss for what to do and we're seeking Gods guidance it sometimes feels like God has hidden His face from us, like Isaiah says in this verse. Of course we always need to be seeking Gods will for our lives, and He has a specific, perfect plan just for you, but if we act hastily or out of fear we may miss what God has for us. We need to be seeking His face and waiting on Him for His perfect timing in all things. Waiting on God is an essential factor in the christian life, and the vast majority of our mistakes are due to the neglect of it. But the statement of faith says, "When it seems like God has hidden His face from me, I will trust Him." When God seems distant and I don't know what to do, I will trust Him and wait expectantly on Him.

4) The fourth statement of faith deals with the issue of fear -Psalm 56:3 - "When I am afraid I will put my trust in Thee."
The introduction to this psalm tells us that it was written by David when the Philistines seized him at Gath. That account can be found in 1 Samuel chapter 21. When David was fleeing for his life from the presence of Saul he went to Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, but the Philistines recognized him for who he was, they knew that he was the one of whom the Israelites sang "Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands." So we're told there in 1 Samuel 21 that "David greatly feared Achish the king of Gath" and so he began to act like a madman before him. So first David fears for his life and is running from Saul, then he comes to another king who also has reason to kill him and he fears again. But when reflecting back on this situation, in Psalm chapter 56 David says - "When I am afraid I will put my trust in Thee. In God whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?" David recognized that he struggled with the fear of man. Proverbs 29 says that "the fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted." So when David is dealing with the fear of man he makes a conscience decision, "When I'm afraid I will trust." And then in the very next verse he says "In God I have put my trust, I will not be afraid." David made the conscience choice, when fear comes into my life I'm going to choose to trust rather than fear. The Lord Jesus said in Mark 5:36 - "Do not be afraid, only believe." So the statement of faith says, "When I'm afraid, I will trust Him."

5) The fifth statement of faith deals with the Issue of despair -Psalm 27:13 - "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
I would have despaired, fainted, lost heart, basically given up all hope. That's what despair is, right? I don't see any way out of this, I don't see how this situation could turn out good. As far as I can see, this is hopeless, there's no hope. However, faith is not based on feeling or sight. It's not based on what we feel it's based on what we know to be true in spite of what we see. So David says "I would have despaired unless I had believed." I felt like giving up, but I chose rather to believe. Again, it's a choice. I feel like giving up, but instead I'm going to trust. We need to develop the habit of trusting in the Lord. Choose to be a truster. This is what we see David doing throughout the Psalms. He's up against some seemingly hopeless situation and yet he says "But I have trusted in you." Time and again throughout the psalms we see David pointing back to his past and saying "I have trusted in You."(13:5) "You made me trust."(22:9) "I have trusted in You without wavering."(26:1) "In God I have put my trust."(56:4) Time and again he looks back. "This is my past, I have trusted so I guess I'll just trust again." There's nothing wrong with habitually trusting in God. We make the choice, I'm going to trust Him in the small things, in the big things, I'm going to trust Him in my career, in my marriage, in my singleness, and one day I'm going to trust Him with my death. How in the world will we trust Him with our death if we have not learned to trust Him in the here and now? I have trusted so I trust again today. In Psalm 43:5 the Psalmist asks himself - "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God." So the statement of faith says, "When I feel like despairing, I will trust Him."

6) The sixth statement of faith deals with the issue of death -Job 13:15 - "Though He slay me,yet will I trust Him."
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. We know from the story of Job that God didn't not take everything from Job, the devil did. But God allowed it. Even so, Job considered it as though God had taken it. You'll remember back in chapter 1 after Job lost everything he worshiped saying - "The Lord gave the Lord took away, blessed be the name of the Lord." He didn't say "The Lord gave, the devil took away..." But he rightly concluded that all he was and all he had came as a gift from a sovereign God. So when we come to chapter 13 Job makes the remarkable statement of faith that he is in Gods hands, and whatever God may choose to do with my life I'm going to trust Him. Even if He slays me I'm still going to trust Him. Not just, if He allows me to be slain, but even if God Himself stretches out His hand and takes my life from me I'm still going to trust Him. This is a remarkable statement of faith. Jobs faith wasn't destroyed by his circumstances. Job also makes it clear that his faith and trust are not based on a religion or a system of right and wrong, but his faith is based in a person. "Though He slay me yet will I trust Him." Based on who God is I'm going to trust Him in spite of what He does or what I'm experiencing. Even to the point of death I choose to trust Him. So the statement of faith says, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."

7) The Seventh and final statement of faith that I want to look at doesn't really answer a problem that we deal with, but it shows where the answer can be found to anything that comes into our lives and seeks to rob us of our trust in God. -Acts 27:25 - "I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told."
When the apostle Paul was sailing through a storm he had been told by God that everything was going to work out and that no life would be lost. And so the apostle says "I believe God." And that's really what the issue of trust boils down to. Do you believe God? God has revealed Himself to us through His Word. He has given us certain promises and now we have to choose whether or not we believe Him. Whether you're struggling with doubt or fear or national decline or material loss or feelings of being forsaken or despair, we can choose to say, "In spite of these things, I believe God." Based on who God is and How He had revealed Himself in His Word, I believe God, that everything will work out as we've been told. It's not going to be easy. Every one of these things that we've looked at is a very real issue that we struggle with. But by faith we can say along with the apostle Paul, "I believe God."

In Every case that we looked at the person had to deny their feelings, look past their circumstances and make the choice to trust God. Because we're natural beings we very easily relate to the natural world. It's easy to get caught up in and overwhelmed by our feelings or circumstances. But the statement of faith says, "In spite of what's going on around me or the turmoil that's going on inside me, I'm going to trust God." Based on who He has revealed Himself to be, I trust Him to do what's right. Even though I don't understand I trust Him. Even though this grates against everything that I feel, I trust Him.

I'm beginning to discover in my own life that when I don't trust God as I should it simply means that my focus isn't where it should be. Hebrews 12:2 says - "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith..." Sight is a theme that runs through Hebrews 11, but it's not natural eye sight that's being talked about. The men and women commended throughout Hebrews chapter 11 are set up as examples of those who had their eyes trained to see the invisible. "Faith is... the evidence of things not seen." "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen... prepared an ark." "By faith Abraham when he was called went out... for he was looking for a city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." He was looking for an invisible city. "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen."
And on and on the examples go. And now it's our turn. "Since we have so great a crowd of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. "Fixing our eyes on Jesus." We need to have our eyes trained to see the invisible. Our focus needs to such that we can see the unseen more clearly than we can see the natural. The eyes of our faith need to be enlightened in order that we might look past this present world, our current struggles and circumstances, and see Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. And as we see Him, make the conscious decision, "No matter what, I choose to trust Him."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."