“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8).
Blessed are you who trust in the Lord. Cursed are you who trust in man, who depend upon yourself for strength. Beware of this warning; attend to this promise.
Are you bothered or worried by what lies ahead? Does the threat of tribulation or the end of your present comfort shake your peace? What does your armor look like? Who have you been relying upon for protection? His faithful promises are your armor and protection (Psalm 91:4). It is easy to claim His promises during good times, but times of testing will prove whether we really have staked our entire being and existence upon His faithfulness.
The life of Judah’s King Asa (2 Chronicles 16) depicts a man who once received blessings, but in the end was cursed. When Asa relied on the Lord, He delivered mighty armies with great numbers of chariots and horsemen into his hand. But when Asa made a treaty with the king of Aram to gain victory over Israel’s king, Basha, God removed His power. “You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” (See 2 Chronicles 16:1-9.) I wonder what got into Asa’s head. Was he intimidated by King Basha’s aggression? Did he just want to maintain his position, and did what came naturally?
In times of turmoil, what comes naturally to you? Will you consistently rely upon the Lord? True, crises are invitations to release God’s awesome power, but God will only act for those who trust in His name alone, and rely only on Him.
SCRIPTURE
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.” (Isaiah 31:1)
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.” (Luke 21:34)
Further References: Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 50:10-11
©2005 Masterpiece of the Wilderness, Deanna Deering
Trust
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Posted on December 21, 2012 by admin
“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:5-8).
Blessed are you who trust in the Lord. Cursed are you who trust in man, who depend upon yourself for strength. Beware of this warning; attend to this promise.
Are you bothered or worried by what lies ahead? Does the threat of tribulation or the end of your present comfort shake your peace? What does your armor look like? Who have you been relying upon for protection? His faithful promises are your armor and protection (Psalm 91:4). It is easy to claim His promises during good times, but times of testing will prove whether we really have staked our entire being and existence upon His faithfulness.
The life of Judah’s King Asa (2 Chronicles 16) depicts a man who once received blessings, but in the end was cursed. When Asa relied on the Lord, He delivered mighty armies with great numbers of chariots and horsemen into his hand. But when Asa made a treaty with the king of Aram to gain victory over Israel’s king, Basha, God removed His power. “You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” (See 2 Chronicles 16:1-9.) I wonder what got into Asa’s head. Was he intimidated by King Basha’s aggression? Did he just want to maintain his position, and did what came naturally?
In times of turmoil, what comes naturally to you? Will you consistently rely upon the Lord? True, crises are invitations to release God’s awesome power, but God will only act for those who trust in His name alone, and rely only on Him.
SCRIPTURE
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.” (Isaiah 31:1)
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.” (Luke 21:34)
Further References: Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 50:10-11
©2005 Masterpiece of the Wilderness, Deanna Deering
Category: Deanna's Words, Encouragement
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