Trust God

Psalms 115:9-11 Trust God
Last week, when I saw my father in Korea who has lung cancer, I felt pity for him because he begged the doctor to heal him even though the doctor said, "I cannot heal you any more !"
I was very embarrassed at this scene. So I said to my father, "Father, just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement. (Hebrews 9:27) But you are not to be judged because you believe in Jesus. How thankful for this ! And isn't it thankful that God blessed you and kept your health until you are 72 years old. Please don't trust the doctor only. Let's trust God with our best."
Then my father deeply repented of his sin that he only trusted the doctor and money.
Brothers and sisters, Christians confess that they believe in God. But they do not trust God. They trust men, money and power.
They only trust the doctor even though the doctor says, "I cannot !" And they do not trust God even though God promises us, "I will heal you. I will bless you."
Why do they not trust God ? It's because of lack of faith. It's because they do not believe that God gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. (Romans 4:17) And they do not believe that nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)
Of course, they believe God with their mouths, they trust God with their lips. But they still trust men, money power and themselves in their life.
But the bible obviously says, "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes," (Psalms 118:8-9)
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." (Jer 17:5,7)
"Trust in him at all times, O people ; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge." (Psalms 62:8) "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal." (Isaiah 26:4)
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." (Psalms 125:1)
Brothers and sisters, let me ask you a question. Who are you believe in ? Who are you trust in ?
"Oh, I believe in my husband (wife). I trust in my friends. Don't you think it is good that we believe and trust each others ?"
Of course, it is much better for us to believe and trust each others than to disbelieve and distrust. But don't forget ! Someday you will be disappointed and troubled if you trust in men.
Remind of your life ! Who disappointed you ? And who troubled you ? Isn't it the person whom you trusted in ?
Therefore the bible says, "Do not trust a neighbor ; put no confidence in a friend. Even with her who lies in your embrace, be careful of your words." (Micah 7:5)
"Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he ?" (Isaiah 2:22)
Someone may answer like this, "Who can we trust in this rough world ? We cannot trust even friends, wife (husband), sons and daughters. The only person whom he trust is only himself, isn't it ?"
Let me ask a question to this person. Do you think you are the person whom you can believe in ? Are you sure that you are such a perfect person ? What do you trust in yourself ?
Are you such a beautiful and handsome person ? Are you such a well-educated person ? Are you such a rich person ? Are you such a good and righteous person ? If you believe and trust in yourself, is it not from ignorance ?
Bible tells about the human appearance. "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it ?" (Jer 17:9)
"For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thought, sexual immorality, theft murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. all these evils come from inside and make a man unclean." (Mark 7:21-23)
It means humans are the unclean beings like a dustcloth. And humans are not the beings whom we can trust in even though they are so clever.
Therefore the bible says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5) "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall." (Proverbs 11:28)
Let's see the apostle Paul. He was very good at the various kinds of knowledge. He had a good background. and he had even Roman citizenship.
That's why he trusted too much in himself, so that he could not know about Jesus and he hurt severely the church of God.
But later he recognized that it is foolish that he trusted in himself. And he confessed like this, "I myself have reasons for such confidence in the flesh ; circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews ; in regard to the law, a Pharisee ; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I consider loss for the sake of Christ, and I consider them rubbish." (Phil 3:4-8)
It means that he will not trust in himself but in Jesus only. why ? Because he recognized that it is only Jesus to save him from the hell and to lead him into the kingdom of heaven.
Sometimes when he preached the gospel, he suffered a severe hardship and was under great pressure, so that he despaired even of life. But he confessed like this.
"This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us." (2 Cor 1:9-10)
Brothers and sisters, let me ask you a question. Who will you rely on when you are about to die ? Who will you trust in when you confront diseases and problems ? Who on earth do you count on ?
If you rely on yourself or on the helpless humans, it is a big misfortune, isn't it ? Furthermore if you trust in yourself and humans in this foreign country, it is a obvious failure, isn't it ? Our success and failure, hope and despair, happiness and unhappiness depend on whom we depend on.
In the old testament, there was the king of Judah named Asa. When he became the king of Judah, he removed all the idols and believed only God, so that his country was at peace and prospered.
When the Cushite marched out against Judah with a vast army and three hundred chariots, Asa prayed to God.
"Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God ; do not let man prevail against you." (2 Chro 14:11)
Then God struck down the Cushites, so that Asa could get a great victory. His victory was not on the number of horses and soldiers but on only God.
But when Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet, he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians." (2 Chro 16:12)
That is, he only trusted in physicians, not in God, so that he died because he could not get help from God.
Brothers and sisters, the bible obviously says, "I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from ? my help comes from the ? Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalms 121:1)
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (Psalms 20:7)
Brothers and sisters, God says to us, "Don't go down to Egypt for help." (Isaiah 31:1) "I will help you. I will strengthen you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10) "Trust in me. I am your help and shield." (Psalms 115:9)