DAILY DISCIPLINE #34
by Colleen Donahue

"Unless ye become as little children...." Matthew 18:3

Eric was a little boy of five years who lived with his parents and two sisters in a suburb of Chicago. He seemed a normal boy except each morning upon waking he was filled with anxiety. He was never sure whether his mother would feed him. The fact that she had never missed preparing him three meals a day plus snacks didn't matter! He still worried if he would eat that day.

At the end of the day, a terrible dread would sweep over him. He always wondered if he would have a place to sleep in his parents' house. The fact that his father had lovingly fixed up Eric's own room and decorated it with everything a boy could want didn't seem to matter. He was still never sure.

As Eric grew older his anxieties spread to all areas. Would his parents buy him the school clothes he needed? Would they let him play football? Could he have friends over to play? Of course, his mom and dad were deeply saddened. Eric had a whole closet full of clothes. They had bought him a football and all the gear for his birthday and invited all his friends to come for the special day. But still, Eric didn't trust them.

By now you are thinking this story surely is made up. Children are the most trusting of all human beings. There is seldom a care within--especially if mom and dad are near. Their world is simple and bright as they live moment by moment.

But how many of us are just like Eric? We go to bed at night wondering how our paycheck will cover all our bills. The fact that we have never lacked anything we've needed and that God has promised to meet all our needs doesn't seem to matter. We toss and we turn wondering what we should do in our present situation. The fact that God has often guided us through difficult problems is now forgotten. How often have we walked through our day in dread and anxiety wondering if everything would turn out alright? The fact that the Father has miraculously turned many a situation around for our good is only vague history.

To trust in God is not a noble way of life meant for a few very religious people. It is far more serious than that. "Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." Unless you and I become like a trusting child looking to our Father for guidance, provision, and solutions to our problems we cannot enter Heaven. In our story, it isn't good enough for Eric to believe he has parents. He needs to act on that belief and quit worrying whether his mom will feed him. So too, we need to act like we have a Father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalms 50:10) and walk daily in full trust and assurance.

We want to study this month about....

TRUSTING IN GOD

Day 1- Men trust in well-built cars and stable banks but who must be the true object of all our trust?
Psalms 31:14

Day 2 -Why?
Isaiah 26:4

Day 3- What leads to our trust in God?
2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Day 4- God promises to keep our minds in perfect peace. What is necessary for this to happen?
Isaiah 26:3-4 / Philippians 4:6-7

Day 5- During our distressing and difficult times we are most likely to flee to God for our refuge and strength. What is His promise at these times?
Nahum 1:7 / I Peter 5:7

Day 6- What is the great danger that keeps many of us from total trust in God?
I Timothy 6:17

Day 7- What is God's past record for those men and women who sought Him and put all their trust in Him?
Psalms 9:10.

Day 8- What story clearly illustrates that often the battle we fight cannot and should not be fought in our own strength and cleverness?
I Samuel 17:32-47

Day 9- What is important to remember when we are facing opposition in our life for God?
2 Corinthians10:3-4

Day 10- Our trust in God must be a personal trust and lived out as such. It cannot be a group effort.
Psalms 31:14

Day 11- If we can trust God what else can be trusted?
Psalms13:5 / Psalms 52:8 / Psalm 119:42b

Day 12- What analogy does Job use to describe the destiny of a man who puts his trust in things other than God?
Job 8:13-15 / Job 15:31-32

Day 13- To put our trust in tangible things such as our money is an indication of sin against God Himself.
Job 31:24-28

Day 14- What results from absolute trust in God?
Psalms33:21 / Psalms37:3-5 / Psalms 44:6-7 / Psalms 62:8 / Psalms 115:9-11 / Psalms125:1

Day 15- When is a very important time to trust in God?
Psalms 56:3

Day 16- WHO are we not to trust?
Psalms 146:3 / Proverbs 25:19

Day 17- WHAT shouldn't we trust?
Proverbs 3:5 / Isaiah 31:1

Day 18- When we take God as our salvation, what can we boldly proclaim?
Isaiah 12:2

Day 19- What is the effect of a righteous man's life?
Psalm 34:15/ Psalm 92:12 / Isaiah 3:10

Day 20- What judgment does God proclaim on those who despise or ignore Him and trust in the things of this world?
Isaiah 30:12-14 / 42:17 / Jeremiah 2:37 /5:17 / 46:25

Day 21- What makes it so difficult to trust God when history makes it more than clear that God is faithful and will not let His children down?
Proverbs 28:26 / Isaiah 47:8 / Jeremiah 17:5 / Luke 12:19-20

Day 22 -What symptoms in our life are expressive of not trusting God?
Job 3:26 / Matthew 6:25,34

Day 23- If we trust God absolutely, how will our life manifest this?
Philippians 4:7 / Psalm 37:3-6 / Isaiah 26:3 / Hebrews 4:9-10

Day 24- For most of us, we grow up in a habit of trust in everything but God. HOW do we turn our thinking and our act of trusting in the right direction?
I Peter 5:7 / Philippians 4:6 / Hebrews 6:12 / 12:2a

Day 25- Once we are convinced that God is faithful and someone to be counted on, to NOT trust Him about some issue or circumstance in your life is UNBELIEF. Unbelief is sin and must be dealt with before we can lay hold of God's resources.
I John 1:9

Day 26 Imagine how the Lord felt when He had performed miracle after miracle for His children, the Israelites, and yet at each new problem they grumbled and wondered if God could solve yet another dilemma.
Psalms 78:17-22

Day 27- The Israelites expressed their DISTRUST in God's ability to meet their need over and over. Yet how did God respond?
Psalms 78:23-29

Day 28- There is a limit to how much we can call God "Father" and yet act as though He can't possibly solve our latest problem.
Psalms 78:30-33

Day 29- It is easy to talk the language of trust in God and yet not really trust Him.
Psalms 78:34-37

Day 30- What accompanies our trust in God in practical day by day living?
Psalms 37:3

Day 31- How does the Bible compare the man who trusts in God with the one who doesn't?
Jeremiah 17:5-8

 

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