Tag Archives: Trust

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

The Good Shepherd: How Jesus Fulfills the Role

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Taking care of sheep was a commitment, not just a job. Sheep required around-the-clock care and protection. A good shepherd would care deeply for his sheep, and he would tend to their needs in a compassionate way. The Bible teaches Jesus is our good shepherd.

In John 10:11 and 14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” This means Jesus acts toward us as a good shepherd acted toward his sheep. Here are just a few of the characteristics that make up a good shepherd.

A good shepherd knows his sheep.

A good shepherd knows his sheep. He knows everything about them. To many, sheep all look the same, but to their shepherd, they are unique.

  • In John 10:3, Jesus says, “…the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
  • “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me,” Jesus says in John 10:14.

Jesus knows us. He knows our thoughts, hurts, passions, and everything else about us.

A good shepherd goes ahead of his sheep.

Jesus says in John 10:4, “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them and they follow him because they know his voice.” A good shepherd goes ahead of his sheep to keep them out of danger. He leads them to water and green pastures so their needs are met. As our good shepherd, Jesus guides are lives.

A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

Standing between the sheep and their predators is the shepherd, and he is willing to give up his life to save theirs.

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Standing between us and the penalty of sin is Jesus. He laid down his life to save ours. He is our good shepherd.

David writes in Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want.” And, the Lord is a good shepherd. He knows us and he tenderly and compassionately cares for us. Take a moment today to thank him for being the good shepherd.

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Hope for the Hopeless: Psalm 118 Reveals Who to Trust

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Hope is easy when we do not really need it, but when circumstances around us seem hopeless, we truly discover where our hope can be found.

Friends who say call if you need anything may or may not mean it. Politicians may promise hope, but they are not able to deliver a true hope. Hope in money can eventually run out. The Lord, however, can provide a true, constant hope in the most hopeless of situations.

Psalm 118:8-9 reminds us “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

The Lord can give hope to the hopeless. In the darkest of hours, he can be a ray of light that changes everything. Where is your hope placed today?

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Miraculous Healing: Exploring the Faith and Gratitude of the 10 Men Healed of Leprosy in Luke 17

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One morning there was no food to eat at the orphanage. The director went ahead and gathered the children and workers together to give thanks as they did every morning. There was a knock on the door a moment later. The local baker was bringing bread. He had been prompted the night before to bake bread for the orphanage. The baker was just leaving as a local farmer came up to the door. He had an abundance of milk which he would like to share with the children. The director of the orphanage had faith the Lord would provide, and he remembered to give thanks.

Luke 17 tells of a man, afflicted with leprosy, who had faith and remembered to give thanks.

Crying Out

Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, and as he enters a village, there are 10 men with leprosy standing there. “Crying out, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us,” says Luke 17:13.

What a scene. These 10 outcasts of society have formed their own little community. Perhaps their only commonality was the indiscriminate and incurable leprosy. As Jesus approaches, they attempt to grab his attention. The affects of the disease would have been obvious. Disfigured hands, lumpy foreheads, and damaged vocal cords scrambling for Jesus to look their way. They knew their need, and they had heard Jesus could help them.

We too have needs.

  • Financial needs.
  • Health Needs.
  • You can insert your specific needs here.

Like these men, our crying out to him will easily gain his attention. And, like Jesus did for these men, he will help us.

Going in Faith

Verse 14 says, “He looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.”

Jesus gave these men instructions and sent them on their way. He did not provide instant cleansing. The men had to trust Jesus and follow his instructions to get what they needed. It took faith on their part.

It takes faith on our part as well. Not every day is a good day. Some days are simply a struggle. Yet, Scripture encourages us to continue trusting the Lord. He will help us with our need.

  • Proverbs 3 encourages us to trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding.
  • Jesus asks for our trust in John 14. “Trust in God; trust also in me.”

Remember the director of the orphanage. It was his trust which prompted him to go to the Lord in prayer, and remember to give thanks.

Giving Thanks

Luke 17:15-16 records, “One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus shouting, ‘Praise God!’ He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet thanking him for what he had done.” Verse 19 goes on, “And Jesus said to the man, ‘Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

This man relied on Jesus and his needs were met. Our reliance on Jesus will also meet our needs. Relying on Jesus can help us with our heartaches and struggles. It can replace fear with confidence, and give us the assurance of eternal life. Jesus told the man it was his faith that saved him.

Like this man, we need to remember to give thanks.

Don’t Forget the Thank You

10 men received cleansing that day, but only 1 returned to offer thanks. The other 9 must have quickly forgot the source of their blessing. Needs met, these men could move on with life. They could return to their families. They could continue pursuing their dreams and desires, so they quickly forgot how the Lord helped them.

Often, the busyness of life can consume our thoughts. Our phone’s calendar is filled with dots. We have to be here at a certain time, and there a short time later. Sometimes, we even need to be two places at once. We can quickly forget the source of our blessings. Giving thanks is pushed out of our minds by the thoughts of the day’s activities.

So, here is a challenge. Make yourself part of the 10% of Luke 17. Take time each day to thank the Lord for the abundance of blessings you have received. Take time to thank him for what you know he will do even before he does it.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

No Broken Promises

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It has been said promises are made only to be broken, and since we do not live in a perfect world, this holds true on many occasions. Someone with the best of intentions makes a promise to us, but the person is unable to keep it. For many, politics comes to mind as soon as they think of broken promises. An imperfect world leads to imperfect promises.

But what if I told you there was someone who always keeps promises. What if I told you there is someone who always tells the truth? There is! He is the Lord, and we see this lived out the night the shepherds heard of Jesus’ birth.

The stillness of their night had been interrupted by an angel giving them good news of great joy, so the shepherds went to investigate. Luke’s Gospel tells us, “They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph, and there was the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). They investigated the message they received from the angel and found that it was true. Everything was just like they had been told.

God doesn’t lie. He doesn’t change his mind or his character; he doesn’t go back on his word. Hebrews reminds us the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. He will always keep his promises. His word will always be true.

We can trust the promises given to us in the Bible. We can trust that the Lord will give us peace. We can trust that he will be with us. We can trust that he will provide for us and protect us. There is not one promise in Scripture which will be broken. God will always keep his word, so we can be like the shepherds, praising God for finding things just as we were told (Luke 2:20).

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Hard But Worth It

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“Trust the Lord,” Scripture says.

It may be the hardest thing we do, but it can also be the most rewarding. It may be made even more difficult by our life experience. Our heartbreaks suffered by trusting other people may have taught us we shouldn’t trust anyone, yet the Bible helps us see we can trust the Lord.

Isaiah 26:4 says, “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

Unlike others, the Lord is our eternal rock. He is unshakable, unmovable, and unchangeable. He will not lead us astray or walk out on us, so we can trust him and count on him to be there for us. We can trust him to be there, keeping his promises, and doing what he says he will do. “Trust in the Lord,” Scripture says, and…

  • You will have peace as the Lord can provided peace in Christ Jesus that goes beyond human understanding.
  • Your paths in life will be straight as the Lord guides your steps and directs your movements.
  • You will have a fullness of life that can only be found in Christ Jesus.
  • You will have an eternal place prepared by Jesus. He says, “I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I prepare a place for you, I will come back to take you with me so you also may be where I am.”

It may be hard, but it is certainly rewarding to trust in the Lord.

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Who Can We Trust?

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There is an old song which says, “I never promised you a rose garden.” And, even if life would be a rose garden, roses have thorns. It is not a well-kept secret life is filled with difficulties. There are the headline grabbing challenges such as a pandemic, and the challenges which rock only our own little world. Pink slips and financial burdens can stun us while the rest of the world breezes by. We do not have to search for the difficulties of life; they find us, but we can find hope during these challenging times.

It was certainly no rose garden for the people of Israel in Jeremiah’s day. Jeremiah spoke of famine and drought; he spoke of harsh and hard times. But he also spoke of hope and where to find it amid life’s difficulties. Jeremiah’s words provided a way for the Israelites to find hope.

Jeremiah can lead us to hope just as he did the Israelites. Notice Jeremiah’s words in 17:5-8.

5 This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.

7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit.

A gardener bought two identical plants. She planted one in the middle of the desert and the other in fertile soil. Both plants look good for a couple days, but it did not take long for the plant in the desert to wither and die. Meanwhile, the plant in the fertile soil thrived, staying healthy even though conditions became harsh. Jeremiah’s prophecy helps us apply this principle to ourselves.

The person who puts his trust in man will be disappointed and let down. Hoping only in man will place us in the Valley of Broken Promises. Man is fallible and easily makes mistakes. Leaving the Lord out and completely trusting man leaves us in the desert.

But putting our trust in the Lord will always give us hope. The Lord is faithful to always keep his promises. Notice again the words of Jeremiah 17:7-8. Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord. He or she can survive the challenging times in life.

The Psalmist puts it this way. Psalm 1:3 says:

 “They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.”

Trusting in the Lord is what pulls us through those challenging times. It is what gives us the strength to push through and the hope of a better season coming. Where is your trust being placed today?

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Where is our trust?

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Was Jesus the political leader for whom they were searching?

The streets were lined with crowds of people waiving palm branches. They were singing. The city was in an uproar of excitement. Jesus was entering, and the citizens believed he was going to be their political king. The people were overjoyed, and excitement was in the air. The next few days were going to be action packed, but not for the reasons the people were celebrating on this day.

Today is Palm Sunday. This is the start of Passion Week, the week leading up to the events of Easter. Where is our trust? It is a good question to answer today.

The Gospel writers record Jesus entering Jerusalem to much cheer and applause. The people thought Jesus was entering to overthrow Rome. They believed Jesus was going to be their political leader. He was the one who was going to establish a reign and replace Rome as the ruler. Jesus, however, had a more significant purpose.

The people misunderstood, and they placed their trust in the wrong place. They were looking for a political leader and missed the true mission of Jesus.

Psalm 118:8-9 proclaims, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

Where is our trust today?

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration

A Hopeful Promise

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Feeling trapped in a hopeless situation? Please know there is always hope in this promise the Lord makes us.

The Promise

John 14:2-3 says, “My Father’s house has many rooms. If that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you. And, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

“I’m coming back for you,” Jesus promises. In a world filled with broken hearts and unkept promises, these words of Jesus give us a promise in which we can fully trust. The promise is coming from a trustworthy source.

Jesus and his disciples are having an intense conversation. Jesus is preparing the disciples for events which will soon take place. The news is unsettling. It is perplexing and frightening to the disciples, so Jesus requests their trust and assures them of his return. Jesus’ words were a familiar comfort to the disciples.

A Familiar Promise

Jesus made his promise of returning in an everyday way to his disciples. An engagement would have immediately come to mind.

Weddings were done differently in the first century as the marriage was arranged. When it was decided a bride and groom would be married, the groom would make a promise to his bride.

He would say something like, “In my father’s house are many rooms, and I’m going to prepare a place for you. When I have finished preparing the place, I will come back to get you. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Newly married couples would live in the groom’s father’s house. If there were several generations living there, it could be a large structure. Upon their engagement, the groom would return to his father’s house to prepare the necessary addition to the home. The only hitch was he did not know when the addition would be completed. His promise did not include date and time. He just promised he would return to get the bride.

While she was anticipating her groom’s return, the bride learned how to have a successful household from her mother, and at night, she would place a lamp in her window so the groom could find her if he returned. The couple would have a beautiful wedding ceremony when the groom returned.

A Hopeful Promise

Think again of Jesus’ words. “My Father’s house has many rooms….” Jesus is giving us the promise of a groom. He has gone to prepare a place for us.

Like a first century bride, our job is to prepare for his return, and just like the bride, we don’t know a date or time.

Jesus is off preparing a place for us, and he has promised us he will return. He has promised you and I he will return, and if we trust him, we can find much hope in this promise.

If you are feeling hopeless, cling to this promise. For there is always hope in Christ.

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How do you find hope in this promise? Share in the comments below.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration

Jumping in Trust

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Zack and his dad were hiking in the mountains of Tennessee on a sunny afternoon. Zack’s dad hears from above, “Hey dad! Catch me!”

Horrified to see Zack falling from an above cliff, the dad quickly put himself into position and successfully caught Zack. A moment passed while the dad calmed his nerves. Then he asked, “What happened?”

“I jumped,” the boy replied.

Why on earth did you jump,” the dad inquired.

Zack answered, “Because I know you are my dad and I knew you would catch me.”

Zack had complete trust in his dad because he was Zack’s father.

Trust is Foundational

Trust is the foundation for any relationship. Friends must trust each other. Parents and children must trust each other. Husbands and wives must trust each other. Our relationship with Jesus requires we trust him.

Jesus Requests Our Trust

Jesus requests in John 14:1 we trust him.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.”

Jesus is having a conversation with his disciples, and he is giving them much to consider. He’s telling the disciples what is going to happen soon, but from their vantage point, there is still a great deal unknown. Jesus knows it is perplexing, maybe even frightening, for the disciples, so he makes a request that they trust him. The same request Jesus makes of us.

What’s going to happen in the future? If you could know the answer, would you want it? I wouldn’t, but the unknown is nerve-racking too. We dislike the unknown. We find it perplexing and frightening just like the disciples, so Jesus says, “Trust me.”

Jesus asks that we trust him. Trust him with our jobs and careers, our families and relationships, our money and financial health, and our lives. Jesus asks that we trust him with everything.

Why can we trust the Lord?

Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. How will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

The Lord has proven himself trustworthy by giving us his son. So, the question you and I need to answer is do we trust him? Do we trust him with our jobs and careers, our families and relationships, and money and financial health, and our lives? Do we trust him with everything?

Do we have the complete trust Zack did?

Acting

Make a list of the areas of your life where you may need to trust the Lord more. Ask him to help you build that trust. Share your experience in the comments below.

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