It’s vital that we catch the powerful truth that God is a loving Father. If we don’t receive that in our hearts, we will always struggle with guilt, shame, condemnation and fear. The enemy of our souls uses fear, doubt and condemnation to make us feel like God is angry at us and wants to punish us. Yet, it is the enemy that want to destroy us. God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross to save us and to adopt us into His family. Luke 12:32 says: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. Did you just read that? It is His pleasure! He rejoices to see us as part of His family. He loves to converse with us and walk with us. He loves when we relate to Him as our Father. He is the one who taught us to call Him Father. His Kingdom is awesome! In His Kingdom, there is healing (Matthew 4:23). The poor in spirit are blessed in His Kingdom (Matthew 5:3). The persecuted are blessed in His Kingdom (Matthew 5:10). His Kingdom belongs to those who obey His commandments (Matthew 5:19). His will is done in His Kingdom (Matthew 6:10). All of our needs are met in His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Spirits of evil are cast out when His Kingdom is present.(Matthew 12:28). In Christ, we are now kingdom citizens, and all things are new. We do not have to struggle any more. We are part of His Kingdom and its His good pleasure to give us the Kingdom.
Trust is a powerful factor in relationships. Trust engenders honor. Trust ascribes value. Trust says you are important. Trust says I’ve checked you out and you have character and integrity. Psalm 118:8 (AMPC) says: “It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” This is not saying that we cannot trust people. There are trustworthy people around us. It is saying that we need to primarily trust God and His word. He has to be first. If we trust what people say over what God says, it will lead us astray. When God is the bedrock of our lives, nothing people say or do will lead us astray. Jeremiah 17:5 (AMP) says: “Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in and relies on mankind, making [weak, faulty human] flesh his strength, and whose mind and heart turn away from the Lord”. Note how the prophet emphasizes that we must stay away from trusting in weak, faulty flesh. We are not to allow “flesh” to turn our hearts away from the Lord. So today, we need to make a personal assessment and see where our trust is. If it is in the wrong place, today is the perfect day to make the needed adjustment. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths”. Proverbs 3:5,6.
