What IS trust?Definition: Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/)
The Biblical definition: to have faith in someone or something; believe that someone (usually GOD) will be good to you; to believe that someone is good, and speaks good words; to follow something that you think is true; to follow something/someone as if it/they were true; when we believe in a person.
Trust is both an emotional and logical act. Emotionally, it is where you expose your vulnerabilities to people, but believing they will not take advantage of your openness. Logically, it is where you have assessed the probabilities of gain and loss, calculating expected utility based on hard performance data, and concluded that the person in question will behave in a predictable manner. In practice, trust is a bit of both. I trust you because I have experienced your trustworthiness and because I have faith in human nature. We feel trust. Emotions associated with trust include companionship, friendship, love, agreement, relaxation, comfort. (Changing Minds)What does the Word of GOD say about TRUST?
Do not put your trust in idols....I, the LORD, am your GOD. (Leviticus 19:4)
i trust in GOD, so why should i be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:11)
See, GOD has come to save me. i will trust in Him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living GOD, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. (I Timothy 6:17)
We are made right in GOD's sight when we trust in JESUS CHRIST to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. (Romans 3:22)i no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey GOD's law, but i trust CHRIST to save me. For GOD's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. (Philippians 3:9)
We know how much GOD loves us, and we have put our trust in Him. GOD is love, and all who live in love live in GOD, and GOD lives in them. (I John 4:16)And yet many put their trust in horoscopes, the I-Ching, runes, tea leaves, crystal balls, Jeanne Dixon, Feng-shui, voodoo, Nostradamus, fortune cookies, Edgar Cayce, palm readers, ouija boards, spiritists, mediums, soothsayers, witchcraft. All these in all their disguises are occult practices. GOD has specific laws against the occult (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).
GOD is the Creator of all things...He is Sovereign...He is in control. So why do people put their trust in daily horoscopes, on how the I-Ching lands, or the way the tea leaves float around in hot water, or the "prophecies" of Jeanne Dixon, or Edgar Cayce or Nostradamus? These are counterfeits of GOD's power and have as their root a system of beliefs totally opposed to GOD. "Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the LORD." (Deuteronomy18:12)
The acid test for identifying a prophet of GOD is recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:21-22. According to this Bible passage (and others), GOD's prophets, as distinct from satan's spokesmen, are 100 percent accurate in their predictions. There is no room for error. (reason.org)
If Dixon, Cayce or Nostradamus lived in Moses' time, they would have been put to death for making false prophecies!
If anyone wants to foretell the future, if anyone wants to put his trust in something that's 100% reliable, if anyone wants true peace of mind knowing that his daily forecast is Truth and Best -- the Bible is 100% trustworthy. No ifs...no buts...no second guessing. The Word of GOD (THE GOD of the Universe) is totally reliable. It's true wisdom.
Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. Approximately 2500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter—no errors. (The remaining 500 or so reach into the future and may be seen unfolding as days go by.) Since the probability for any one of these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance averages less than one in ten (figured very conservatively) and since the prophecies are for the most part independent of one another, the odds for all these prophecies having been fulfilled by chance without error is less than one in 102000 (that is 1 with 2000 zeros written after it)! (Dr. Hugh Ross)
So a person looking for answers, for daily advice, for direction, for signs of the end times -- the best place to look because it's 100% accurate is GOD's Word -- the Living Bible.
Hi - I came to your site from the Joburg photographer's one.
ReplyDeleteI notice that you like the 'Rapture Alert' blog and seem to believe in a rairlt literal interpretation of the Bible, below is a series of questions written by a friend from Finland:
"QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ABOMINATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY Päivi Tapper wrote (March 25) that according to the word of God, homosexuality is an abomination. I assume she was referring to Leviticus (18:22). I would like to ask this expert on the eternal and unchanging word of God to answer some of my questions about the second and third Book of Moses, so that I can follow these laws in my life literally and properly. 1) When I burn a sacrificial cow on the altar, I know that this will bring a sweet aroma to the Lord (Leviticus, 1:9). The problem are my neighbors. They don't find the aroma sweet. Should I curse them? 2) If I wanted to sell my daughter as a slave, which is sanctioned in Exodus (21:7), what would be a proper price for her today, in your opinion? 3) Leviticus (25:44) says that I may own slaves, as long as they are from the nations that are around me. A friend of mine says this applies to Russians, but not Swedes. Can you elaborate? Why am I not allowed to own Swedes? 4) I have a neighbor who constantly works on the Sabbath. Exodus (35:2) clearly states that he should be put to death. Do I have a moral responsibility to kill him myself? 5) A friend of mine thinks that although eating shellfish is an abomination (Leviticus, 11:10-11), it is less of an abomination than homosexuality. I'm unsure about this. 6) According to Leviticus (21:20), a priest may not approach the altar of God if he has a defect in his eye. I have seen priests wear glasses. Should they be given an opportunity for laser surgery, or should they be put to death right away? 7) Most of my male friends let their hair be cut from the sides of their head and shave their beards, even though this is prohibited in Leviticus (19:27). How should they die? 8) I heard that a female colleague of mine had sexual intercourse during her period, even though it is prohibited in Leviticus (20:18). Should she and her partner be cut off from their people by sending them to Russia, or to Sweden? 9) I have learned from Leviticus (11:7-8) that touching the carcass of a swine will make me unclean. Can I still wear leather shoes, if I use socks? 10) A relative of mine has a farm. He is breaking the law of Leviticus (19:19) by sowing his field with mixed seed. His wife also breaks said law by using clothes that contain two types of fiber (a mix of cotton and polyester). He also swears a lot. Is it really necessary to call all the congregation to stone them (Leviticus, 24:10-16)? Couldn't we just burn them with fire, within the family, like we do to people who lie with members of their spouse's family (Leviticus, 20:14)?
Juha Ruotsalainen
Jyväskylä"
Jyvaskyla -- i appreciate your very interesting questions! i am NOT by ANY MEANS an expert on the BIBLE, and i'm an ignoramus when it comes to the Torah. But i am a fully devoted follower of CHRIST JESUS; and i believe that the entire Holy Scriptures is the inerrant, infallible Word of GOD, Creator of the universe. Some of the laws you mentioned actually brought a smile to my face and even a couple chuckles!
ReplyDeleteAll the regulations you asked about came from the 613 laws of Moses, as written in the Jewish Torah. If you would also read the teachings of JESUS, YESHU'A, you would find that even CHRIST acted against some of these laws. For instance, to answer #4, JESUS Himself worked on the Sabbath by healing a man. (John 7:21-24)
JESUS' teachings included the Ten Commandments, but His teachings went far deeper than the legalistic traditions as adhered to by the Pharisees and Scribes in those times. The Mosaic Law stated that "Thou shalt not kill" -- but JESUS taught that if anyone has anger without cause, he is just as guilty as a murderer. "Thou shalt not commit adultery" -- JESUS taught, "Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already comitted adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28)
The Ten Commandments expose man's sins. JESUS' teachings expose the deepest part of man -- his very heart and soul. This is where every sin has root -- his sin nature. "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7)
The Jews were made to follow 613 laws... JESUS summed up all the Law and Prophets with two commands -- 'You shall love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'
JESUS said, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:30) (Believing CHRISTians have 127 commands, compared to the 613 for the Jews. i'll blog about the 127 in my next entry.) CHRIST came so that sinful mankind may truly be free. He didn't come to abolish the Law and Prophets, but to fulfill. All those legalistic regulations were written for those times, in those particular cultures of those times, and yet with valid purpose -- to maintain the unique position of the Jews as being GOD's chosen people -- a separated people for GOD.
JESUS did not promote slavery, nor degrade women (He had many females who followed Him and were given important roles), nor shunned sinners (He dined and mixed with them freely. He did not turn away anyone asking for help or for healing) -- JESUS, Son of GOD, came to set captives free.
"And who would patch an old garment with unshrunk cloth? For the new patch shrinks and pulls away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger hole than before." (Matthew 2:21) This verse is an analogy of the teachings that JESUS brought.
Genuine CHRISTians -- true followers of JESUS CHRIST -- are not under the Mosaic Law. i, and ALL believers in JESUS as CHRIST (Savior, Messiah) -- Jews and Gentiles alike, are under GRACE. This AMAZING GRACE is a gift from GOD -- unmerited, unearned...it's free for the asking. A sinner who repents, who turns to GOD for forgiveness, who believes that JESUS died for his sins, who believes that CHRIST is the risen Savior, and who asks JESUS to come into his heart and be LORD of his life, is never turned away. GOD always accepts all those who believe in the name of His Son.
Jyvaskyla -- i pray that you will examine the teachings of CHRIST Himself; that you will continue to search for the TRUTH, which is found Only in JESUS. May GOD, our Almighty Father in Heaven, grant you His wisdom to discern Kingdom Reality as you continue to seek Him, the One True Living GOD.
Jyvaskyla -- i recommend Zola Levitt ministries at
ReplyDeletehttp://www.levitt.tv/media/watch/098
He is a Messianic CHRISTian, an expert on Judaism with his Jewish background, and explains CHRISTianity from his perspective and insights as one raised a Jew.
But, rln, that is the point of the questions I posted: why is the Bible to be taken literally when it applies to groups we can easily hate (Gays) and can easily tirade against - as your friend on the Rapture ready blog does - but when it comes to the equally absurd injunctions and punishments for adultery, the role of women etc, suddenly the rules can be bent; they are reflections of another system. The message of love becomes one of hate when it is used to simply target groups that we are uncomfortable with.
ReplyDeleteLept -- The message that JESUS taught is that GOD IS LOVE...but to be a GOD of LOVE, He must also be a GOD of Justice, of Righteousness...GOD's Loving character is expressed in His Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice.
ReplyDeleteGOD IS a Holy GOD...HE canNOT look at ANY kind of sin -- whether adultery, lying, cheating on taxes, stealing, gossiping, murder, homosexuality, blaspheming His name, pride, greed, idolatry (which is making ANYthing and ANYONE above GOD)...even "little white lies." EVERY person IS a sinner -- whatever gender or sexual preference. There's no one good, except GOD.
And this is where JESUS comes in. HE is GOD's Love made manifest. ALL sin can be forgiven, through CHRIST, no matter what it may be -- from the most heinous and depraved sin, to the sins not outwardly expressed, but hidden in the heart and mind.
The Bible has to be taken as a whole, and that the whole BIBLE is the revelation of GOD about JESUS CHRIST. But more importantly, a person has to be saved -- believe in JESUS, believe in GOD -- so that he may be receive the Holy SPIRIT Who then makes the believer understand the Word of GOD.
Those who defend the Word of GOD are NOT politically correct -- as neither am i. But true believers do not speak up for the TRUTH to condemn sinners or to spew hate, but to warn those who have enmity towards GOD to repent that they may be saved. Genuine CHRISTians believe in a literal hell -- and a literal Heaven. So we speak the Truth -- GOD's Word -- because just as GOD desires none to perish...true followers of CHRIST don't want anyone to perish.
r l n !,
ReplyDeleteThe simple and most direct answer to Lept's questions above is that we are no longer bound by levitical law as made clear by the New Testament but the author of that oft-used list of questions, which I've seen several versions of, probably knows that already.
What seems to be the motivation for the laundry list of seemingly perplexing questions is the practice of the homosexual lifestyle. The motive of the questions is to ridicule a literal interpretation of Scripture, thus casting the homosexual lifestyle in a more favorable light.
Eating shellfish and all other levitical dietary restrictions are lifted as clearly recorded in Acts 10:11-16, but homosexuality? There has been nothing close to a repeal of God's previous commands concerning that as Romans 1:20-27 clearly demonstrates. Homosexual lust is referred to as unnatural, "vile affections" - the Holy Bible's words, not mine or anyone else's.
If Lept wants to dialogue with you about the faith, which I don't believe to be the case in any real sense based on the SPAM questionnaire above, there is a more appropriate way for them to converse with you and they well know it.
In Christ,
Mike
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ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike, for being to the point (i do tend to run on, eh?). i believe in the Bible as GOD's Word, and that's that! The points of view i write about are not my own originally -- i'm quoting from the Originator's Word.
ReplyDeleteSo i guess those who have a problem with the Bible should just take it up with GOD -- the Author Himself.