“Lord I Still Trust You!”
Romans 11:33-36 KJV,
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
When our lives are young and our health is good, we view life with so much hope. We live with so much vigor and vitality. We are just carefree and happy as the good times roll past us so very fast.
There comes that time in every one’s life, that we must face some difficult circumstances. You know those times of disappointments. Those times of sickness and even disease. Those times of so much sorrow and pain. Those times when the pieces of life’s puzzle just refuses to fit. I am talking about those times when the God of love; the God that you have served all these years is simply not making any sense in your life.
It is in the midst of times like this. When we are so tangled up in confusions. We are mixed up in the crises of our lives. That we begin to question our walk with God. We begin to ask God, “Why, God?” “Why are you allowing this to happen to me and my family?”
When you and I are so wrapped up in the different crises of our lives. It is common for humans to question. It is common for us to be frustrated, even with God. It is our feeble human inabilities to figure
Out what God is doing in all of this, that cause us our greatest problems. This in turn causes us to question God and to question ourselves.
John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. The one that had made the statement, “he was unworthy to even stoop and loosen the sandals on Jesus feet.” The one that baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and saw the Spirit of the Lord descend from heaven as a dove and light on Jesus. Also the one that heard the voice of the Lord say, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” When John was placed in prison, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus to question.
Matthew 11:3 KJV,
“And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?”
Even the greatest of Christians have questioned in their lifetime. Even the greatest saints of God have shown their humanity in the midst of life’s turmoil’s and crises.
Throughout the Book of Psalms, we have seen the psalmist’s question “Why?”
Psalms 22:1-2 KJV, A Psalm of David.
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.”
Even when Jesus Christ was on the cross of Calvary, humanity questioned “Why?”
Matthew 27:46 kjv,
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Yes, most often when we find ourselves in a crises, we humans question ”Why?” Most often, this question will go unanswered. For years and even for our entire lifetime. We may never know the answers to these questions.
As Christians we had best be braced and prepared for these times. Whether we like to admit it or not, we are all going to walk through these places that cause us to question.
Psalms 34:19 KJV,
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”
The sad thing that I see in all of this as a pastor. There are so many saints of God, church going Christians, who are shaken at these points of their life. They feel that God has abandoned them. They then throw up their hands and say, “what’s the use?”
This is Satan’s tactic on you and me. He wants us to feel that our compassionate Lord and Savior has singled us out for abuse. We must understand, as human beings we do not think, comprehend or act as God does.
Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV,
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
When it seems like God is not making any sense in your life. Do not become disillusioned or fall into the depths of despair. Do not give up! Do not quit!
Psalms 34:17-18 KJV,
“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
The psalmists lets us know that that the Lord hears the cries of all His people and will deliver them out of their troubles. The Lord is very close to you when you have a broken heart and will save all who are sorry for their sins. When you are in the valley and you think you are all alone in this place of sorrow and despair. Just stop for a moment and look around you. You will see multitudes of hurting people who are in that same valley with you. You are not the only one with problems. You are not the only one with aches, hurts and pains. You are not the only one with tragedy.
Matthew 5:45 (b) KJV,
“…for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Peter said it so well in the household of Cornelius.
Acts 10:34 KJV,
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:”
None of us are the first human being to suffer.
1 Peter 2:21 KJV,
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”
Neither are we the first or the only saint of God to suffer.
1 Peter 5:8-11 KJV,
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
If we could ever get it in our mindset that people everywhere are struggling. People from every facet of society, every race, creed, color and culture have afflictions in their life.
Job 14:1-2 KJV,
“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”
James 4:14 KJV,
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
We as human beings do not have all of the answers. Neither will we ever understand all that happens in our lifetime. But this one thing we do know, if we are truly filled with His Spirit. In our good times and our bad times, our faith, trust and hope should be in Jesus Christ and nothing less. Where ever we find ourselves in life we must be able to say with assurance, “Yes, Lord I still trust you.”
We know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that good, godly, righteous, Holy Ghost filled people will suffer many afflictions. We also know that the ungodly, evil, bad people will suffer many afflictions.
Psalms 34:19-22 KJV,
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.”
I will never forget the many tragedies that have come to my family, especially when my two sons, Robbie and Kevin were younger. My eldest son, Robbie, fell and broke his right hip socket in August of 1981. He was thirteen years old at the time. He has had three major hip surgeries which left his right leg 2 ¼ inches shorter than his left leg. He will live with this the rest of his life. My youngest son, Kevin, had his left eye put out in December 1981, at the annual Christmas fireworks display in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He was twelve years old at the time. He also will live with his injury the rest of his life. Both of my sons were injured a few months apart in the same year. None of this made sense to me then and I still cannot make sense of it. But through it all my wife and I never blamed God, we still trusted God through this.
In March 1982 my dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer and went through two surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy treatments. My dad was a great saint of God and a man with much faith. I watched him as he lived that next seventeen and one half months with dignity. My dad never seemed to question God. He did not use his illness as a reason to miss church, he was there every service except when he was in the hospital. The Saturday night before he passed away, he was in revival service and I went to be with him. After the service had ended he went into his office and made the church deposit , paid the few church bills that were due, and did all the book work that he would normally do. I told him to just leave the work till the next day and he could do it when he returned to church the next morning. He looked at me and said, I won’t be here in the morning. I just thought he was tired and feeling weak and did not feel that he would have the strength to be there the next day. But to my amazement my dad was up making preparations to get ready to go to Sunday morning service at church when he passed away. My dad passed away on Sunday morning, September 25, 1983.
My dad, Johnnie Matthew Bankens, Jr. left this world in victory, never blaming God. But I must confess this did not make sense to me. I could not understand it; my dad loved God, his church, his family, his pastor, all the saints of God in the church. My dad helped people from every walk of life, he worked hard to see people converted and saved from their life of sin. Even though I did not understand all that was happening, and it did not make any sense to me. I knew that God was in control, and I still trusted Him.
The great Apostle Paul suffered so much in this life. He was ostracized and ridiculed. He was beaten and jailed. Never blamed God or charged God foolishly, but simply trusted God through ever situation.
Philippians 1:20-21, Paul's Life for Christ,
New Living Translation ®,
“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”
Thanks be to our God and Savior Jesus Christ, the righteous have hope beyond this life. If we trust in Him we shall not be desolate, He will take care of our situations. “Lord, I still trust you!”
Saints of God, it is time that we wake up and realize, everyone suffers. But not all that suffer in this life will be saved.
Matthew 10:22 (b) KJV,
“…but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
I guess one of the saddest things I have noticed in my ministry. There are so many saints of God who do not understand life. They do not get it, there are times in our lives when things do not add up at all. Our life has taken a turn for the worse, thing are terrible. Circumstances are bad and God seemingly is not making any sense. We become confused and disoriented with all that is now taking place. We feel like God has abandoned us out here to simply be defeated and die. No, God has not left you, He is right there with you in the middle of your travesty of life.
We have so many Christians who have bought into the message that God has a perfect plan of prosperity, health and happiness for those who are full of His Spirit. I will agree that God does have a perfect plan for all of those that serve Him. But that plan does not guarantee us a perfect life of tranquility, happiness and paradise on this earth. God does not even guarantee any perfection and tranquility while we live on this earth. God does not even guarantee we the saints of God health, wealth or happiness while we are serving Him.
For some the wonderful plan that God has for their life leaves them on a cane, on crutches or a wheel chair the rest of their life. For some God’s perfect plan leaves those with no sight, deafness and some cannot speak the rest of their lives. For some they will die young. For some it is a life of poverty. For some every day of living is a struggle.
Philippians 1:29 New Living Translation ®,
“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.”
2 Timothy 2:12 KJV,
“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”
For the prophet Jeremiah the wonderful plan God had for his life found him in a dungeon, a dark murky pit. For the Apostles of the New Testament the wonderful plan of God for them meant much outward abuse and persecution. Most of them faced a very horrible and terrible death. For you and me as saints of God today, God’s plan is a wonderful and perfect plan. It will not be a rose garden picnic. It will not be a guarantee of ease and pleasure. But God’s wonderful plan for our lives will land us safe home in heaven, if we are willing to fulfill God’s will and purpose now.
Romans 8:28 KJV,
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
God has a purpose for each one of us to fulfill. As long as we work for that end we are in His will and we will see everything working together for good.
It is tragic when a saint of God sees little to no meaning in their life and on top of that feels that God has forgotten them in the midst of their circumstances. These individuals have this feeling, that as long as things are good in their life, God loves them and is with them. But the moment they begin to have the slightest problem, and it is not immediately resolved by God the way they felt it should have been. God no longer loves them or cares for them. They then get down trodden and weary with distress. They become filled with anger and much depression. They express their bitterness and show their agitation openly. All the while they openly blame God.
There is no greater stress on us as human beings, than to build one’s life on ideas and philosophies that do not line up with the Word of God. Then to see all of this collapse around us. This just brings more stress and pain and adds to the troubles that are already accumulating. A Christian who is not anchored on the Word of God. Who does not understand life and its struggles will become shaken.
There will be times in our walk with God that God will be silent. It will seem as though God is not even hearing our prayers. The heavens are closed and seem to be brazened like brass. As a child of God we will then feel all alone.
Job 1:1 KJV,
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”
Here we find a man that loved God with all his heart. This man was holy righteous the scripture calls him perfect. He stayed away from evil, in fact he despised anything evil. This does not seem like a man that would be a candidate for disaster. According to modern day preachers and prophets this man should have been on easy street for the rest of his life. Yet we find this perfect, righteous man suffered staggering losses, within just a few hours. He lost his wealth, possessions, herds, children, servants, health, friends and his own reputation. But with all these loses and these tragedies, Job tore his clothing off, shaved his head then fell on the ground and worshipped God.
Job 1:21-22 KJV,
“And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”
We can only imagine how it was. Here was Job a saint of God, losing everything. Worshipping God through all of this loss, sorrow and pain. God never even acted as though He heard job’s cry and God acted as though He really did not care. The reason I have come to that conclusion is God gave Satan permission to go after Job again. This time Job had boils on his head, feet, seat, arms, hands and body. Job has boils between his toes, up his nose he was a bloody mess of corruption. No comfort could he find. So on an ash heap, with a broken piece of pottery Job scrapes these boils on his body.
As though this perfect and upright man did not have enough problems. His wife comes over and tells him to stop being so foolish, why don’t you just give up go ahead and curse God so he will take you out of this miserable state and let you die. At this point most of us want to get really upset at “Sister Job.” But let’s think about her situation also. She was going through as much distress as was Job. She had lost her children, her home and possessions also. She was no longer married to the wealthiest man, but her husband the man she loved, was now in poverty, with boils all over his body and sitting at the city dump scrapping his wounds. All she could see was the doom, gloom, despair and agony.
I see Christian people in this day and hour give up and quit. Who have much less pain and struggle than she was encountering. We need to beware saints of God.
Job was still the head of his house, even in this condition. He told his wife she was speaking like a foolish woman, or a woman that had no faith.
Job 2:10 KJV,
“But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”
What an incredible man of faith. Nothing was going to separate him from the love of his God. He had his mind made up he had made a dedicated commitment to himself and to God. Yes, Job was still trusting God through all of this.
I am totally convinced that God has given us plenty biblical examples that trusted Him in spite of their situation or conditions. But we can also look around the church and find so many daily examples of faith and trust in the Lord.
I have a friend who pastors a Baptist Church in Georgia. I have kept in touch with him since I left Georgia seven years ago. He has gone through cancer surgery and many bouts of chemotherapy and has trusted God through it. I had him come preach for us since I have been here at NCUPC. He is just so upbeat with faith and trust in God.
I pastored a wonderful couple while I was in Georgia, Jimmie and Eva Walker. Sister Eva was diagnosed with cancer, as we were leaving Georgia and coming to Mississippi. Because of the circumstances, I told the new pastor at the church that I had just left that my wife and I were going to keep in touch with Sister Eva until she won the battle with cancer. Such a positive upbeat little lady, sister Eva is still trusting God on the other side of these hard and horrible treatments.
In the church that I now pastor, I have had so many that have been ill, that have trusted God in spite of their sicknesses and diseases. Sister Mary Deen is one that has recently fought a battle with cancer and is winning that battle. Her faith in the midst of this battle has been so very strong. I have never heard a negative word from her. Her testimony has been if this is the course that the Lord has chosen for her life, she has enough faith in Him that she will trust Him all the way through this life to the end.
Brother Sam Bates has been a testimony to us all also. One of the greatest men I have ever had the privilege of pastoring. Was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Had the surgery in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Then chose to have his treatments at M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas. This man went to the door of death and has now come full circle to work full time on his job as an engineer. Brother Bates will tell you today, he still trust God.
Sister Rachael Burrell has had a bought with a disease that attacked her skin shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit the state of Mississippi in August of 2005. She has been to doctors of all types and specialties to see if they could diagnose her illness. The problem that she first fought on her skin is now inside her body attacking different organs. She is on Oxygen, almost full time now. She has had to miss church many times. But I go pray for her, and her faith is still strong and she tells me she is still trusting the Lord to bring her all the way through this ordeal.
Brother Matt Miller is a young man with a young family that was working a good job as a welder before I moved to Mississippi. He dropped a piece of heavy plate metal on his foot and broke it. During the healing of his foot he began to have excruciating pain in his foot and leg. This pain was so tremendous that he could not stand it. He has been diagnosed with the incurable disease called RSD. Brother Matt has to wear a brace on his leg at all times. Has a stimulator which goes directly to the nerves that go to his legs and feet, to send a shock wave when his pain gets so tremendous. He walks with a cane. He cannot climb stairs, because he falls really easy. He cannot hunt, fish or camp with his family. He cannot throw the ball with his son. He cannot run and play games with his two young children. But through all that he is going through, he is faithful to church, Bible Study, prayer meetings, church fellowships and so much more. His faith has never wavered. He does not understand his situation and does not like this situation he is in. But as he walks through all of this his faith is still strong and he is still trusting God.
When we as saints of God are permitted to go through emotional valleys; or spiritual valleys; or test of our faith. We can read the examples of men and women who walked by faith and trusted God in the Bible. We can also look around the church and see so many great examples of people who are still trusting God, proving we can make it.
Faith ranks at the top of God’s requirements of man.
Hebrews 11:6 KJV,
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
The only way to God is through faith. First we must believe that there is a God. Then we must trust God with all of our heart. Then believe that He is the one that rewards all of us who sincerely seek after Him and His will.
God is a just God. He is the one that gives each of the faith that we need to live day by day in this sinful society. He is the one that give each of the faith that it takes to be saved, healed, and delivered and to overcome. He gives faith to everyone the amount of faith they need.
Romans 12:3 KJV,
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Now that God has given us the amount of faith that we need, it is our requirement to keep our faith activated. It is up to us to increase our faith, to keep it high and to use our faith.
Romans 10:17 KJV,
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
We can keep our faith high and activated by reading the Bible daily. By the study of the Word of God often. By attending church and hearing the Word preached under the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
People are always asking, “What is faith?”
Hebrews 11:1 KJV,
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith is ~ The confident assurance that we have. It is the certainty we have, that what we are trusting God for and hoping for is going to soon be attained. We believe this so strongly, even though we see no sign of anything changing in our life or in our circumstances at this moment and time.
Faith is ~ Our determination to still trust God, to still believe in God when we cannot feel Him. When we are in a dark valley. When we are sick, diseased or afflicted. When we are at the very doors of death we can still trust the Lord.
Faith is ~ When the heat is on. Our confusions are mounting higher and higher. We are in the most horrendous crises of our life. Doubt and fear begin to set into our mindset and thinking. We become totally disillusioned, despair has us surrounded. We still trust our Lord.
Faith is ~ In the midst of our frustrations, fears and despairing of life. We know that our God is the One that created this entire universe, simply by speaking it into existence. We still know beyond a shadow of doubt that He controls all power. He can rescue us. He can heal us. He can deliver us. But for some unknown reason to us, He doesn’t. We do not know His reasons of why? But in spite of it all we still trust Him.
Faith is ~ When you are in the heat of your trial and you feel all alone. God seems to have forgotten you. Satan and all the evil spirits are laughing and mocking you. You look back at them and say, “I know my redeemer liveth, and though He allows this to come my way. I want you to understand though He slay me I still trust Him.”
Yes, saints of God, Christian friends. When it seems like God is not there. When it seems like He has forgotten us. When it seems like He does not see or hear us at all. You know those times in our life when God is simply not making any sense. We must keep on trusting Him. Keep on praising His name. We must keep on loving Him. We must keep on keeping on. We can make it, we can overcome, as long as we keep on trusting Him.
(The McFalls from Meridian, Mississippi sang a song several years ago. The title was, “I Still Trust You Lord.” When I heard them sing that in concert one night, I went to my travel trailer and wrote the notes to the message of which this chapter was taken , that was in 1994. I have preached it all over the USA, even into Alaska and Canada.)
