Growing in Trusting God

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:10):
I was thinking this morning how hard it is to
trust God in the midst of things we go through
in life. Welcome to healing Begins. My name is Pastor Gale, and.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
I have This is Stephanie Butler.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
She's bad, I know. Sometimes sometimes she's on the program
with me, since sometimes she's not. Sometimes I feel I imnot.
Sometimes I don't. Anyways, I know I'm crazy. All right.
So we're going to talk about how to grow in
trusting God. I think this is a very very good

(00:42):
topic because trusting God will show you how spiritually mature
you are.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Absolutely, So.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Let's talk about some key points on trusting God and
how they can help us. So the first one is,
get to know God's character through his word. Go ahead,
Resam nine, verse.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Ten, Yes, some nine tenses. Those who know your name
trust in you, for you Lord have never forsaken those
who seek you.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
So what name is that? Stephanie?

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Ah, the name above every name. God has many names
in the Bible. Of course, as we study the scriptures,
he's known as judhebove Hey, right, Jehovah we say here
in America. But he has multiple names. There's Jehovah, Shama,
the God who abides. There's Emmanuel, the God who is
with us. There's Jehovah, Jirah, the God who provides right.

(01:40):
There's Jehovah Well Kenny, the Lord God Are.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
Sanctifier, Jehovah, Shama, the Lord who is near. Yes, come on, Jehovah,
Roh the Lord Shepherd.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Shepherd, Yes, Yes, Eloheim, Jehovah, Elohem, the God Creator, Judge,
the source of all good. Right. Yes, God is a
amazing and he has many names. My favorite is what
he says to most is at the bernie bush, I
am that I am. In other words, whatever you need
in any circumstance, whatever is happening, because I am good,

(02:13):
I am that. I'm your source. I'm there for you.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Point number two is remember what God has done. Go ahead,
read Some seventy seven, verse eleven.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Some seventy seven eleven says, I will remember the deeds
of the Lord. Yes, I will remember your miracles of
long ago.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
You know how quick in the Old Testama they were
to forget what God had done for them, I mean Israelites,
when God brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
How quick they were not to remember the things God
had done for them, And I think I think it
would be good for us today to make a list
of all the things that God has done for us,

(02:56):
don't you.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, I definitely do. And when you're in the midst
of battles, especially your difficult circumstances, it's easy to forget
because we're looking at the obstacle that's right before us.
We're looking at the difficult person or the difficult situation
that's right before us. But going back and recounting, and
I tell people all the time, it's so important to journal.
Make a list. Put it on your fridge, stick it
on your mirror, stick it somewhere. You're going to see

(03:18):
it every day because when we're able to go back
and recount, we go, Okay, God is faithful. He did this.
I had this issue. I asked him about it. I
prayed he took care of it. When we can look
at that, sometimes it emboldens our faith.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
Amen. Amen. Yeah, I need to remember all the times
God did stuff for me too, because it really helps
me to stay strong in the Lord.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
It helps me to realize if he did it once,
he'll do it again.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
Amen.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
So He'll come through. So point number three is meditate
on God's promises. I probably can't say enough about this,
So go ahead and read that first promise.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Yeah. So Proverbs three five and six says trust in
the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on
your own understanding, and all of your ways, submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
So what do you get out of that one, Stephanie.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
Well, you got to trust in him with all your
heart first, right, So there's sometimes we wall off parts
of our heart and we're like, I'm gonna stick my
foot out in this water, but I don't actually want
to take a leap of faith and then not to
look at the circumstances, not to look on the way
you think things are or the situation and what you
think you know. But in all of your ways, no
matter what's going on everywhere you go, just do what

(04:35):
you know he wants you to do. And then he'll
straighten out all those circumstances. So straighten out all those relationships,
So straighten out all those financial issues that are coming
your way. He's faithful to do that on your behalf.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
I'm thinking here too. Sometimes when God begins to do
something a certain way, it doesn't always make sense to
us absolutely, Well, God, what are you doing? Why are
you doing it this way? Then down the road we
realize why and why he did it that way, And
so part of that trusting God is when God begins
to work on our behalf, we have to trust that
he knows what he's doing. Absolutely all right, go ahead,

(05:11):
read Isaiah forty one to ten.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
So do not fear, for I am with you. Do
not be dismayed, For I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with
my righteous right hand.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
That's a great scripture. It lets us know that no
matter what he tells us, first of all, do not fear,
and he tells us he'll always be with us.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
Right, Yes, absolutely, I love that word dismayed too, write like,
don't be completely overcome or overwhelmed by what's happening. He's saying,
because I am your God. Remember who I am, and
I it's sort of like you know, I was used
to joke with my friend and say, my daddy's bigger
than the daddy of this world, right, Father God, So
I don't have to worry, I don't have to be
overwhelmed because when I call in his name, he shows up,

(05:59):
and he makes way out.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
Reminds me of the kids song I learned in church.
My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty.
There's nothing my God can do. Ooh, got put ooh.
The mountains are his, the valleys are his. The skies
are his handywork too. Ooh, my God, it's so big,

(06:22):
so strong, and so mighty. Nothing my God cannot do
for you. I headed that, I had that, I headed that.
Sorry about all the singing. I know we're probably not
the best singers.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
It's so fun.

Speaker 1 (06:35):
But anyways, it's one am in the morning anyway, so
if you're up during this time, it's okay. Go ahead.
Read Jeremiah twenty nine to eleven.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
Deeremid twenty nine eleven says for I know the plans
I have for you, declares the Lord plans to prosper you,
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and
the future.

Speaker 1 (06:55):
So what's nice on this third point, I'm meditating on
God's promise. We're giving you some promises to meditate on. Now.
I have met people that have been going through a
hard time where if you tell them God's got a
hope in the future for them and not to harm them.
They have a hard time believing it. But it's no

(07:16):
matter what. If you're alive, you're listening to me, you're
under the sound of our voice. God has hope for you,
and he has a future for you.

Speaker 2 (07:24):
Amen. Amen. And it helps too to know that his
plans are to prosper you and not harm you. Right,
because sometimes not everybody has great circumstances or healthy people
or relationships around them. So God is not like those men.
He is not a man that he should lie right.
He is good, he is loving, he is faithful, he

(07:44):
is true. So any plan that He has for you
will always be good. It will always be a plan
to prosper you.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
I remember telling one guy there's light at the end
of the tunnel, and he goes, yeah, it's a train, right.
I go, no, it's not a train. It's not a train.
Go ahead to twenty three verses one and three.

Speaker 2 (08:02):
Psalm twenty three one through three says the Lord is
my shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down
in green pastures, and he leads me beside quiet waters.
He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right
paths for his name's sake.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
So this is a great scripture. It says that I
will lack nothing. The Lord is my shepherd. There's that
name of God, Eloheim. But roh, job roh, there's the
name of God again. And so sometimes we have to
lay down by the quiet waters and the green pastures
when things are going on. We have to get quiet

(08:44):
to hear what God is saying to us during times
when we're having a hard time trusting God. So so
let's go with the point number four.

Speaker 2 (08:53):
Point number four is pray honestly and often I.

Speaker 1 (08:57):
Love this point, but but you know, we need to
have more of the scripture down here. It says one
Peter five seventh through nine. Cast all your anxiety on him,
because he cares for you for your eversary. The devil
prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone whom he
may devour. Resist them, stand firm in the faith. And

(09:20):
I think sometimes people are afraid to let God know
how they really feel. No, I tell you what's hilarious
about that is He already knows. Yeah. The Bible says
before a word is on your tongue, he knows it
full well. So you might as well pray to him
honestly and often, what does that look like to pray?

Speaker 2 (09:39):
Often Sephany, Yeah, I would just say too, He's already
paid the price for any thing you're feeling or thinking
that's contrary to what you might view as being righteous
or what the Bible tells us is righteous. Right, So
it's better to just kind of take that mask off,
bring all the reality of where your emotions are at
to him, and then ask him what he wants you

(10:00):
to know about that, what's the lie and what's the truth? Right?
Because typically if we're in a place of worry or
we're in a place of anxiety, there's something we're missing
or not understanding or not remembering about who God is,
the fact that he's our source, and what he wants
to do on our behalf. So those honest conversations are
really important.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
I like to often too. And let me make it
real simple. I got up this morning, I think I
was standing in front of the mirror getting ready for work.
I just said, Holy Spirit, I need your help, Holy Spirit,
I need you today. Talk to the Holy Spirit. He
lives in you. G A Greek word for Holy Spirit
is paraclet, one who comes alongside, one who's my helper.

(10:39):
So he's a person who I don't want to shun him.
I want to recognize that he's there to help me.
He lives in me, he walks beside me. So my
often prayers are not long prayers. Let me say that again.
I'm not trying to rhyme, but my often prayers are
not long prayers. They're often Lord, I need your help
today with this. Lord, I need your strength today for

(11:01):
this Holy Spirit, Please strengthen me. And what I'm doing
is like just like a relationship with anybody in your life.
You don't have to have a long conversation with him.
It might be a short one, many short conversations throughout
the day. So I find that praying often is a
point that really helps me a lot.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely. And it builds intimacy, Yes, you know,
it builds the intimacy, and it helps you to hear
more clearly, helps you to see more clearly, helps you
to know what it is that he's asking you to
do because you're practicing conversation with him on a regular basis.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
All right, point number five steven, You.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
Go ahead, practice obedience even when it's hard.

Speaker 1 (11:49):
Jeremiah seventeen seven. Blessed is the one who trusts in
the Lord, who's confident is in him. So I say
many times when we're talking about the mission field, I'm
talking about kids, working with kids that are coming out
of the drug cartels and everything we're involved with. Someone
said to me once, are you afraid? I said, no,

(12:12):
it's just obedient. I'm obedient. God asked me to do it,
so I'm doing it and God's been protecting. He goes, well,
what if he didn't, Well, if he didn't protect then
you know, I went out the way I wanted because
I was just trying to be obedient to God. But
you know the obedience part. Jesus said, if you love me,
you'll obey me. So being obedient is easy when it's easy.

(12:34):
But when times are tough and God is wanting you
to do something, maybe that kind of runs against the
grain of what you like to do. Obedience can be hard,
and that's where I think also the crucifying of the
flesh comes in. I'm crucified with Christ. It is no
longer either lived in the life I now live. I
live by faith in the son of God who gave

(12:56):
himself for me. So obedience, even when it's when no
one's looking. When no one sees you, oh, by the way,
someone always sees you. I hate to tell you this.
I hate to tell you never alone because God Jesus said,
I'll always do with you. I told the kid he's
having a hard time with a certain sin. I said, yep,
when you do that sin, you're doing it right with Jesus.

(13:18):
And he goes, oh, I wish you'd have never told
me that. I said, well, he's right there. You can
see what you're doing. Think about the next time you're
going to indulge in that sin. He didn't like that thought,
but it's true. And if you're a believer, he lives
in you. That's right, and that you know, so practice
obedient when no one is looking and when it's hard.

(13:41):
You have anything to add on that, yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:43):
I would just say too. Anything God asks you to do,
he always gives you the grace to do it. So
if you're struggling with it, have one of those quick
conversations Holy Spirit, help. I really want tobey in this area,
but I don't know why I'm having a hard time
doing it. Would you give me what I need? Because
anything he wants a directive from the Lord leaves his mouth.
The very power to do that thing also comes with it.

(14:05):
Sometimes you just need to ask for the help.

Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yep amen. And also when you're obedient in hard times.
The interesting thing about that point is often when you
see God do miracles for you. Yeah, absolutely, if you're
not obedient, because sometimes being obedient in hard times it's
like taking a risk. Yeah, But when you're obedient, that's

(14:29):
when you can see miracles take place, miracles happen. God
work on your behalf to show you things you may
have never seen before. All right, read number six.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
Okay, number six. Surround yourself with believers who encourage trust
in God. So Hebrews three thirteen says, but encourage one
another daily as long as it's called today. In other words,
every day you're gonna need it so that none of
you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness. So I love

(15:01):
that too, because we do need that daily encouragement. Connection
and community is really really important because we have a
real adversary. You know, the enemy runs around like a
rory Lyon, seeking whom he made devower. Won't he'll go
away for a little bit, but it says he comes
back for at a more opportune time. He's waiting and
watching and browling and hoping to take you out. So

(15:22):
we don't have to be afraid of that, per se,
because we were actually created to overcome. We've been given
the spirit of God, so we can overcome. But we
do need one another because sometimes, you know, we get
in the humdrum of the other day and we don't
necessarily see that we're getting worn down in a certain area,
and a friend or a colleague, or a pastor or
another believer might say, hey, sis, or hey brother, you

(15:42):
know I notice this. Let me encourage you. Let me
tell you my testimony what God did for me. Let
me pray for you. Let me show you this revelation
God gave me about the word here. It'll strengthen you
like it'll. They can comfort you with the comfort they
themselves have received, so you can continue on and be
obed and be full of joy and enjoy your journey

(16:02):
instead of feeling beat up by the end.

Speaker 1 (16:04):
I always like to surround myself with believers that had
been through hard times and they made it through to
the other side. You know, I have one guy. Hey, Jerry,
if you're listening, I'm talking about you. He prays with
me all the time, he said, Pastor Gail, I pray
the guy to put blinders on you. You know, when

(16:25):
a horse runs a race, they'll put blinders on the
horse so he can't see too far to the right
or too far to the left. It's good to have
spiritual blinders on so you can see what you really
need to be focused on. It's good to have other
believers that are mature in the Lord to speak into
your life, especially when you're having a hard time trusting

(16:46):
and they say something like, well, I went through something
really similar and this is how I got through it.
You're doing a good job, and I encourage you to
do this and that to help you out. So a
lot of times people say, well, you know, I don't
need the church to be a Christian. Well, it's like
saying it's like a fish saying I don't need water
to survive, because you do need water to survive. And

(17:07):
we need to surround ourselves with good godly believers. And
the Bible says its iron sharpens an iron, so another
man sharpens another man. And I really encourage everyone to
surround yourself with believers that are a little more mature
than you. So that way you'll be you'll be spurred
on the good works. That word spur. You know what

(17:28):
it is to have spurs on and you're right on
a horse? Okay, you put that spur in the side
of that horse. He doesn't really like it. Sometimes when
people spur us on to good word, it might hurt.
It might you might go ouch, but it's a good ouch. Right.
I'm hoping I use that word spur the right way.

Speaker 2 (17:48):
You're gonna laugh because of seeing an image in my mind.
But I don't know football really good. What's the name
of the guys that stand in the front lines and
protect the quarterback while he's running.

Speaker 1 (17:57):
I'm really bad at this. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (18:01):
Okay, well whatever, those guys are the defense. Okay, so
you know, like in a football game, those big guys
that kind of run in front of the quarterback or
whoever's going to throw the ball and they protect him
or whatever. That's how more mature believers are. They got
your back, right, They've cleared a path, they make a
way so you can get through and kind of figure
out and do your part or whatever it is God's
asking you to do. They function like that, So I

(18:23):
don't know if that's helpful to you. But sometimes it's
a lot easier when you're working with mature believer because
they've been through so much stuff. When they pray, things move,
When they speak the word, the glory shows up. When
they step into a room, the atmosphere changes. So partnering
with more mature believers does make the journey a lot
easier and a lot less tumultuous.

Speaker 1 (18:42):
The Bible says, blessed out of the wounds of a friend.
So sometimes more mature believers come around and speak truth
that we need to hear, and it hurts, but later
we're thankful for what they said. Let's read number seven Stefani.

Speaker 2 (18:58):
Number seven says let go of control, out Hallelujah, and
lean on God's sovereignty. So some forty six ten says,
be still and know that I am God. I will
be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted
in the earth.

Speaker 1 (19:18):
This is a big one, whether you understand it or not.
To let go of control, not to try to figure
it out. It's kind of like Abraham and Sarah. The
Angel says, hey, God, give you a promise. You're going
to have a son. You're getting your errors are going
to be like this, stars of the heaven. But Abraham

(19:41):
and Sarah getting older and there's no no heir. So
Sarah takes things into her own hands and they work
out trying to fulfill the promise themselves, and instead of
makes a mess, they make a mess and they make
it Ismael. And you don't want one of those. Okay

(20:03):
that Ishmail's been causing proverbs generations. But when you let
go of control and your leana on god sovereignty, what
you're really saying to God is I know of your help,
I can make it. So you know what I'm gonna trust.
I'm gonna let go. I'm going to trust that I'm
gonna be okay, that I'm gonna make it too.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah. Amen. Amen.

Speaker 1 (20:29):
So Stephanie, we have a couple of minutes left. You
want to lift up a prayer for those that are
trying to trust God in the midst of hard situations.

Speaker 2 (20:36):
Yeah. Father, he just says that you would comfort them
right now, that you would fill the room or their car,
wherever they're at, with your presence, with your love, that
they would have an encounter with you that has felt
and tangible, that something that they heard today would just
resonate with their hearts and I just actually see someone
with tears flowing down your face. The Lord wants you
to know he loves you so much, and he knew

(20:58):
you were going to be listening to the show today.
He knew that you needed to hear exactly what you heard,
and that he does have good plans to prosper you
and not arm you. And when you seek him with
all of your heart, you will be found by him
and he'll continue to speak to you like this over
and over and over again. So Father, we thank you

(21:18):
for protecting those individuals that are here, for bringing the
mature believers alongside of them, for blessing them beyond measure
and fulfilling them with hope as they go about their
day today. Help them with any areas where they're struggling
with trusting you, heal the hurts of their Pastorantham grace
to forgive those who wounded them, and just give them

(21:40):
the courage to trust you, because you are trustworthy in
Jesus' name.

Speaker 1 (21:45):
Amen, Lord. And sometimes when we're trying to get through
to the other side of something, we often get hit
with unexpected storms. Let us never forget that you're in
the boat with us, and that we're not alone, and
that the storm is not going to overwhelm us, but
we're going to make it to the other side. And
I pray for those right now that why not trust God,

(22:08):
but they're in that storm, they're in that battle, that
you would give them peace, you would give them strength,
and you would give them the ability to stand strong
in the midst of everything and help them to grow
in trusting God in Jesus' name. Amen. Now, I'd love
to hear from you. My email is share a Healing

(22:29):
Begins Radio dot com. That's share at Healing Begins Radio
dot com. Any final thoughts from you, Stephanie.

Speaker 2 (22:38):
God loves you.

Speaker 1 (22:41):
That's a good final thought. I thought he's going the
same one he loves you or not trying to be
a comedian show today. But in the last moment here
he does love you, and he desires to keep you,
and he desires you know Isaiah forty one to ten,
he says, I'll take you by the right hand and
I'll walk with you. So as we close out today,

(23:01):
I just wanted to say, may the Lord bless you,
May he keep you, May cause his face to shine
upon you, be merciful of you, be gracious to you,
give your peace, and may you always know that, whether
you feel it or not, He is walking with you
so you can grow in trusting God and become more

(23:22):
like Him each and every day. Well from Gayel and Stephanie.

Speaker 2 (23:27):
God bless you and have a beautiful morning.

Speaker 1 (23:30):
We are so glad that you have chose to join
us for Healing Begins. Have a good morning.

Speaker 3 (24:00):
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Speaker 1 (24:12):
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(24:36):
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Speaker 3 (24:56):
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