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.
The Lord Jesus said that we need to be born again. In John 3:3, it says: “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The Apostle Peter taught that we were born again by the incorruptible word of God: 1 Peter 1:23 “Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” So, according to the Scriptures, we now have a new nature. We no longer live according to the dictates of the flesh. Our new nature and DNA comes from God’s Holy Spirit. Galations 5:25 says: “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives”. Paul gave us a snapshot of the difference between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Galations 5: 19-26 (NLT) says: “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.” It’s very clear and simple. The above verses clearly outline whether or not you are following the Spirit’s leading, or still allowing the old nature to control you. The more time you spend with God’s word and His Holy Spirit, the more the fruits of the Spirit will shine through you! We have a Spanish saying that translated to English is: “Tell me who you spend the majority of your time with, and I’ll tell you who you are”!
