TRUSTING HIM COMPLETELY

When pressures or problems or pain envelop our lives, we tend to trust God … plus our doctor or our lawyer or our counselor or our banker or our____________(fill in the blank with the name of the person you tend to turn to). Yet God seems to demonstrate His power and glory to those who trust Him completely, who just let go without reservation. Which is why He often allows us to reach the end of our human resources or run the limit of conventional wisdom before He steps in and does the impossible—the miraculous.

Read Luke 23:46.

Using the following verses, put Jesus’ prayer in context. Write out a description of His circumstances, and the way He may have felt spiritually, emotionally and physically: Luke 22:47-48, 53-54, 60-62, 63-65, 70-71; Matthew 26:65-67; Luke 24:5, 24:10-11, 15-16; Matthew 27:26-31; Luke 23:20; 33; 35-37; Matthew 27:39-44, 45-46.

Which aspect of His circumstances—emotionally, physically, or spiritually—can you relate to?

How do you think it was possible for Him to put His life into His Father’s hands at such a moment?

Trust His Character… Father

What is implied by the way Jesus addressed God? See Luke 11:1-2; John 14:19-21, 23 and 17:25-26.

What aspects of God’s character can we trust today? Write out descriptive phrases from the following verses: 2 Samuel 7:28; Psalm 56:3-4; Psalm 20:7, 31:14; Psalm 52:8; Isaiah 26:4; Deuteronomy 4:7; Psalm 62:8; Isaiah 59:1.

Trust His Control … into Your hands

What does it cost us to put our lives, our plans, our loved ones, our desires, our future, our finances, our careers … into His hands?

What do we have to give up in order to give in to His control?

What encouragement to place everything in His hands do you receive from the following verses: 2 Samuel 24:14, 2 Chronicles 6:4, Psalm 111:7, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 25:9, Proverbs 29:25, Psalm 91:2.

Describe the risk involved in trusting God’s control.

Trust His Care … I commit My Spirit

Do you believe God is good? If not, why? How does this one issue affect your willingness to trust His care?

How do the following verses help overcome doubt of God’s goodness? Psalm 55:22; Nahum 1:7; Matthew 6:25-33, 12:20-21; John 10:11, 14,15; Ephesians 5:29-30; 1 Peter 5:7.

When are we to trust God’s care, according to the Book of Isaiah 50:10? Psalm 37:1-6? Proverbs 3:5-6? Daniel 3:28?

In the end, did Jesus lose or gain by trusting God’s care? See Philippians 2:6-11.

What is keeping you from trusting God completely?

What blessings are reserved for those who trust God completely? Read 1 Chronicles 5:20, Psalm 28:7, Isaiah 25:8-9 and Romans 15:13.

Is trusting God completely an option? See Matthew 16:24 and John 12:24-25.

Read the following passages: Hebrews 11:11-12, 11:17-19; Exodus 14:10-22; 1 Samuel 17:1-11, 32-50; and Daniel 6:1-23. How do the examples in these verses encourage you to trust God completely?

Who is encouraged to trust God completely by the example you set?

Has life thrown you an unexpected curve? Has something happened to you or your loved one that is not according to the picture you had envisioned? Have you ever felt as though you had fallen into a swirling black hole where you lost your perspective and spiritual equilibrium?

Whatever it is, it can’t compare with the cross. Follow Jesus’ example. Commit whatever it is to the strong, loving hands of your Heavenly Father. Trust God … completely! Then wait for the power and the resurrection and the glory and the crown that will come!

By: David Jones with excerpts from AGL