WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
AUGUST 15, 2024
TOPIC: TRUST IN THE LORD
BY T. O. BANSO
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes” (Psalm 118:8-9 New King James Version).
One of the wisest things to do in life, which is also one of the most difficult things for some people, is to trust in the Lord. They can sing about trusting in the Lord and even encourage others. Nevertheless, when it comes to trusting in the Lord, it is easier said than done.
Charles Spurgeon said, “The true way to handle a matter wisely is to trust in the Lord. This is the sure clue to the most intricate labyrinths of life, follow it and find eternal bliss. He who trusts in the Lord has a diploma for wisdom granted by inspiration: Happy is he now, and happier shall he be above.”
Trust in the Lord. In other words, believe in Him, rely on Him, and put your hope in Him. Don’t replace trust in the Lord with trust in men, yourself, or something else. When someone replaces the Lord in his life with a human being or something else, it doesn’t show he is wise. We have such people in the Bible. Examples also abound in the world today. King Asa of Judah in the Bible is an example.
Earlier King Asa had put his trust in the LORD, and he defeated the Ethiopians who had a superior army. “And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’ So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army. And they carried away very much spoil” (2 Chronicles 14:11-13 New King James Version).
But he acted foolishly when Baasha, the king of Israel, came up against Judah. Rather than trusting in the LORD to give him victory, he went to buy the support of Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, with silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house to help him frustrate Baasha’s plans (2 Chronicles 16:2).
On the surface, his action was a smart diplomatic move; to the natural man, he should be commended and not rebuked because he tried to outsmart his enemy. But God wasn’t pleased with him for doing this. He sent Hanani the seer to condemn his action and announce God’s judgment upon him.
Hanani the seer said to Asa: “And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand” (2 Chronicles 16:7-8 New King James Version). Consequently, Hanani said, “In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars” (verse 9b New King James Version).
Unfortunately, instead of repenting and asking for God’s forgiveness, Asa was angry with the seer as if the seer had delivered his message and not a message from the LORD. He put the seer in prison and oppressed some of the people of Judah.
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa had a foot disease. But even when the disease became life-threatening, he did not seek the LORD’s help but sought help only from his physicians (2 Chronicles 16:12-13). He didn’t trust in the LORD for his healing but trusted in his physicians who, unfortunately, couldn’t help him. He died two years later. Trust in the Lord, not in men, self, or something else.
Saul is another example of not trusting in the Lord. In 1 Samuel 13, If Saul had trusted in the LORD, he would have waited more when Samuel did not come within the seven days he had told him to wait for him at Gilgal, and not go ahead to offer an unlawful sacrifice.
If Saul had trusted in the LORD, and not in his army, he wouldn’t have been under pressure to take an unlawful action just because the people were scattered from him (1 Samuel 13:8). Of course, Saul defended his action when Samuel came as soon as he had finished offering the sacrifice which was outside his duty.
Saul told Samuel he “felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering” (verse 12 New King James Version). Compelled to do what was wrong? If he had trusted in the LORD, he would not have done this. Don’t yield to any pressure to stop trusting in the Lord or not to trust in the Lord.
If Saul had trusted in the LORD, he would not have acted out of fear of the Philistines. David said, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3 New International Version). If Saul had trusted in the LORD, he would have believed that it was not too late yet for Samuel to come and the LORD to defeat the Philistines. The latter part of Isaiah 28:16 says he that believes shall not act hastily. Trust in the Lord even if it seems everything and everyone is going against you. Trust in Him even if it appears your world is falling apart.
If Saul had trusted in the Lord, he would have believed that the LORD would still give them victory even though the men of Israel were distressed and hiding in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and pits and crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead (1 Samuel 13:6-7). He would have looked beyond the fact that the people following him were trembling and the fighting men present with him were reducing, eventually reducing to 600 men from the initial 2,000 (verses 15 & 2). Saul should have looked for help from above. The Lord said to the Apostle Paul, “I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people” (2 Corinthians 12:9a The Living Bible).
Don’t trust in chariots or horses (Psalm 20:7). Depend on the Lord. When you think you are strong, independent of Him, you are weak. But when you acknowledge your weakness, His strength will be made perfect in your weakness. This is called grace.
Saul leaned on his understanding instead of leaning on the LORD. The Bible says, “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 New King James Version).
Do you trust in the Lord, or do you lean on your understanding? Do you trust in yourself or human resources? By strength, no man shall prevail (1 Samuel 2:9b). God does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man (Psalm 147:10). Psalm 118:8-9 says, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes” (New King James Version). The phrase “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes” means “It is better to depend on the LORD than to trust influential people” (GOD’S WORD Translation). The Good News Translation says, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to depend on human leaders” while the New American Standard Bible says, “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in noblemen.” The best of human beings is still human. Only the Lord has no faults or limitations. Trust in the Lord, not man.
The Bible compares the man who trusts in a fellow man and the man who trusts in the LORD – the former is cursed, and the latter is blessed. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited” (Jeremiah 17:5-6 New King James Version).
Conversely, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” (verses 7-8 New King James Version). Put your trust in the Lord, and you’ll be blessed. “Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust” (Psalm 40:4a New King James Version).
If your trust is in the Lord, you will enjoy the peace He only can give. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (New King James Version). If you trust in the LORD, you will be unmovable. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever” (Psalm 125:1 New King James Version). The Lord is the help and the shield of those who trust in Him (Psalm 115:10-11). Those who trust in the Lord and do good will live safely and prosper (Psalm 37:3).
Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Trust in the Lord for your salvation, healing, deliverance, and provision. Trust in the Lord for the fulfilment of your destiny. Those who have rebellious children should trust in the Lord for their repentance; they should trust in the Lord for their prodigal sons to return home. Trust in the Lord for your miracles.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, forgive me for not trusting in You as I should. I commit myself to trust in You always and not in myself, or somebody or something else. Holy Spirit, help me to trust in the Lord with all my heart and not lean on my understanding. Help me to acknowledge the Lord in all my ways so that He shall direct my paths.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
