The Wheelbarrow of Trust

Isaiah 12:2…"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid;…For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."…… Most of us struggle to "be anxious for nothing," but we can learn to rely on God if we know the difference between faith and trust.

Let's imagine you're near the beautiful but dangerous Niagara Falls. A circus performer has strung a rope across the falls with the intention of pushing a wheelbarrow from one side to the other. Just before stepping on the rope, he asks you, "Do you think I can accomplish this feat?"

His reputation has preceded him, so you reply that you believe he can walk the tightrope. In other words, you have faith that he will succeed. Then he says, "If you really believe I can do it, how about getting in the wheelbarrow and crossing with me?" Accepting his invitation would be an example of remarkable trust.

It isn't difficult for some people to believe that God is capable of performing mighty deeds. After all, He created the entire universe. Trust, however, requires that we depend on Him to keep His promises to us even when there is no proof that He will. It's not so easy to get into that wheelbarrow and put our lives in His care. Yet it's a step we must take if we are to "be anxious for nothing" in all of life's circumstances.

Just between us

Dear Lord, You alone are worthy of our complete trust. But responding to You in trust is often difficult. Teach us to trust You-to lean on Your strength, to count on Your goodness, and to expect Your faithfulness always. Amen.

The Definition of Faith

Hebrews 11:1“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.“

In the marvelous and amazing “faith chapter,“. Hebrews 11faith is defined not as some intangible wishfulness, but as “substance” and “evidence.”

Let us look closely.

Faith must have a legitimate object, nothing less than the mighty Creator by whom “the worlds were framed” out of nothing but His omnipotent Word.

Hebrews 11:3By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Faith is defined, not by what it is, but by what it does!

The man of faith comes to God with“a more excellent sacrifice,” like that of Abel typifying the sacrifice of Christ.

Hebrews 11:4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel's offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

The man of faith lives to please God like Enoch,

Hebrews 11:5It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying-"he disappeared, because God took him."[a] For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.

The man of faith do whatever necessary out of obedience to God, like Noah prepare an Ark “to the saving of his house”

Hebrews 11: 7It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

The man of True faith will, go out as God leads,like Abraham“ without knowing where he was going “ even “dwelling in tabernacles” (literally “tents”)

Hebrews 11: 8-9It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith-for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

Looking for that city with sure “foundations, whose builder and maker is God”

Hebrews 11: 10Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

Such faith will even offer up to God the greatest love and joy of his life, like Abraham knowing that God will keep His Word

Hebrews 11: 17-19 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted."(Gen 21:12). Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

The man of genuine faith will chooseto suffer affliction Like Moses,

Hebrews 11: 25He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Faith is even willing to die, for the promises of God

Hebrews 11: 37Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.

Hebrews 11:39All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.

We are saved by grace through faith, not of works

Ephesians 2:8-9God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

We are created in Christ Jesus to do good things

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Our faith should motivate us to action.

James 2:24So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.