WHAT DOES TRUST MEAN TO YOU?

by Danna Shirley
In 1996 I gave a teaching on this scripture at a youth retreat at Mt. Eboshi in Japan. We went through the following posters and had a group discussion on each:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." (Prov 3:5-6)

POSTER #1--TRUST

1.  What does TRUST mean to you?

2.  Who should you TRUST?

     a.  Ourselves? (we lie)

     b.  Our feelings? (they deceive us) 

     c.  Our friends? (they fail us) Psalm 118:8 

     d.  Our possessions or position? Proverbs 11:28 (they can change in a moment)

3.  Why should we trust in the Lord?

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this."

Psalm 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."

Psalm 121 "I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 
The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

Isaiah 26:3-4 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.

“Trust in the LORD forever, for in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock."

POSTER #2--HEART

The HEART is the seat of the will.

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father Who is in heaven."

John 5:30 "By Myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me."

John 6:40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise Him up on the last day.”

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing, and perfect will."

Colossians 1:9 "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding."

4.  What happens when we're out of the Father's will?

POSTER #3--LEAN

5.  What do you think it means to "lean not on your own understanding?"

POSTER #4--WAYS

In whatever "way" we find ourselves:
...in the valley

...on the mountaintop

...in sickness

...in health

...in joy

...in sorrow

ACKNOWLEDGE

...see Him working

...to know by observation, investigation, reflection, firsthand experience

...intimacy with God in prayer

POSTER #5--DIRECT
6.  How do you meet the condition of God in directing your path?

Even if your path has become crooked, rocky, or thorny, God will straighten out the path of His devoted, trusting servants . . . if they acknowledge Him in ALL their ways.

"I will go before you and make the crooked places straight." (Isaiah 45:2)

POSTER #6--PATHS
“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” (Deut 30:19-20)

7.  What is the key word in Proverbs 3:5-6 to you?  and why?