This world places too much trust in people and physical things. Many times people don’t end up getting what they ask for and what they want. The reason becomes obvious when we consider how they ask, what they ask for and whom they ask. Many forget or don’t even know about the bigger picture and who it is that supplies all desires and who is the source of trust.

Where do so many people put their trust?  They trust in riches, in their jobs, in their boss and co-workers, in physical things, or in certain individuals like a doctor or a lawyer; they trust in their religion, friends and family and their mate; or they trust in their political leadership or the opposition.

So where do WE put our trust?  Do we put our trust in the same things that the world does?  Do we put our trust in what we hear on TV or what we read in the paper, as distinguished from our weekly updates?  Do we trust in man like a political leader; for instance, the president?  Do we trust in our country?  Do we trust in a false god and false religion or a false teaching?

Micah 7:5-7 tells us that we should not even put our ultimate trust in a friend or any human being, including ourselves, and Proverbs 20:19 states that we must be careful with certain people. The Bible also warns those who put their trust in money: “He who trusts in his riches will fall” (Proverbs 11:28).

We should know whom we ought to trust. But do we? Do we really trust God the Father; Jesus Christ; God’s Word, the Bible; and God’s Church—the “pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15)?

We must never leave God out of the picture.  It is through God and because of God that we can have certain trust in selected individuals, but we must be aware that trials will come to test our trust. We also have to be careful that we don’t trust in ourselves, without God in the picture, as it says in Proverbs 28:25-26: “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.”

Tough times are ahead of us, and as the Church’s annual conference approaches in just a few days, tough decisions may have to be made.  We have been admonished by the ministry to pray and even fast for the success of the conference, and that everything will be done and decided with total trust in God. This principle applies to every facet in our individual lives as well.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us: “Trust in the LORD  with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” When we trust in Him, He will give us the desires of the heart, as it says in Psalm 37:3-4.

We read about several individuals in the Bible who put their trust in God, like David who went to God many times in prayer to ask for deliverance from his persecutors (compare 2 Samuel 22:3; Psalm 7:1).  Job went through some very serious trials and had to trust God that there were reasons for his suffering. Abraham trusted in God when he was to offer his son as a sacrifice. Moses had to trust God when he was commanded to free Israel from Egypt. Even Jesus Christ, when He was on this earth, had to trust in His Father to get through many trials, and also, when He was being tempted by Satan. Christ could have sinned because He was in fact human, but through trust, faith, and the power of His Father’s Holy Spirit in Him was He able to overcome and remain sinless. He did it for us, for our benefit, so we could inherit eternal life.  

Trust and faith do go together.  We can’t have faith if we don’t have trust, and we must pray with good intentions, as it says in Hebrews 13:18-19: “Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.”

The Bible prophesies that times will get more and more tough. We have to stay strong and trust in God and what God promises us.  The world is blind and in darkness. They don’t realize what is to come in the near future. If we are ever in doubt about somebody or something, we should always remind ourselves who it is that we can count on at all times, and where we should put our trust. Remember: In God We Trust!!

Simple things that we all have and seem to need are often times taken for granted. One such example is electricity. Most just do not understand what it is. What do we really know about it? We simply turn on the light switch or start any appliance or push a button, and something works. When we wake up in the morning, we may wash ourselves with warm water; go into the kitchen and cook breakfast in a stove; and for those who are environmentalists, unplug our car or perhaps charge it up before we head out. 

It is only when there is no electric power available, that we start to consider the importance of it. Without electricity, we would still be burning wood and coal to heat our homes and businesses, and we would still be using oil and candles to light our way in the dark. That is the way it was for many centuries, before electricity was discovered and used. Only since the invention of the electric generator have humans been able to advance in every aspect of modern life. In fact, modern living is defined by electric power.

We might consider Benjamin Franklin. He was a great American inventor and innovator. His electrical experiments formed the basis for other inventions that we still use today, such as batteries, incandescent light bulb, electromagnetic fields, generators and transformers. His experiments became the origin of our  “plus” and “minus” nomenclature. The positive and the negative charges helped identify the atmospheric and static electricity.

In a few weeks, the Church of God will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. It reminds us of the day when God poured out of His Holy Spirit on the New Testament disciples (compare Acts 2:18, 33, 38-41; 1 John 4:13). When we receive God’s Holy Spirit of power (Acts 1:8), something happens to us spiritually. When used properly, it will change our lives for the better. It is an incredible gift from God. It is not to be taken for granted.  

In an analogous way, the Holy Spirit, as the manifestation of God’s power, can be compared with the flow of electric power. Electricity flows through conductive wires from its source to the devices using it. Only as long as the flow of the electric current from its source is uninterrupted, have those devices use of its power. So it is essential that there is constant contact with the electric power source.

The same is true of God’s Spirit. We do not have the capacity to permanently store the power of the Holy Spirit for use when we don’t feel like serving God. If we discontinue our relationship with God, we cut ourselves off from the Source of the power working in us. 2 Corinthians 4:16 tells us that our “inward man” needs to be “renewed day by day.” God’s Holy Spirit within us must flow from us toward others–that is, others must be able to recognize the effects of God’s Spirit within us. And since God’s Spirit is to flow through us and out of us toward others, it must be renewed on a regular basis (through regular prayer), so that we can be constantly filled with it (Psalm 51:10-11; Philippians 1:19; Ephesians 5:18; compare 2 Corinthians 4:16). Rather than quenching the Holy Spirit within us (1 Thessalonians 5:19), we must be led by and follow the lead of the Spirit (Romans 8:14; Luke 4:1).

When a battery is fully charged, it works at its full potential, but eventually it will need to be recharged before it loses its power. As true Christians, we need to be renewed by God’s Holy Spirit. We need a constant spiritual recharge. When we start to become weak, we need a boost; otherwise, we will slip away and lose all power. We must not let that happen to us, but we must be reenergized on a daily basis.