Proverbs 3:5 “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding”
When it started to become possible that I could attend bible college for a season, Wendy immediately had faith in Australia as the destination for us. I did not, I fought against the idea of going to Australia and wanted to stay in Scotland and work out a plan there.
A very unusual set of circumstances started to unfold around us. My main argument for not going was that we had never even visited, so how could we possibly just up and go. Shortly later through a bizarre set of circumstances and completely unexpectedly the owner of the Company I worked for, sent Wendy, Rachel and me on a two week holiday to Australia, flights and accommodation paid.
My main argument was down. A family from London we had befriended (in another very unusual set of circumstances) gave us telephone numbers for people in Sydney (we had no idea who these people were) – two of the numbers were for Robert Fergusson and Duncan Corby. As a result, I ended up sitting in a college class and feeling (for the first time) that maybe Hillsong and therefore Australia was a possibility. Later in the holiday Robert (unexpectedly) sent a car for us to bring us to the Hills location and he was actually preaching that day on the “theology of coincidences” – what he called “God-incidences”.
My own reasoning and plans at this point started to look feeble, and limited, to say the least. I think that we both accepted, in those moments, that Australia was the most likely destination. There were still many more God-incidences to occur before we would actually move – but in reality, the move had already started in our thinking and emotions that day.
KNOWLEDGE
So the instructions are made plain. There are two paths – one of seeking a relationship and one of self-reliance. We are encouraged to go deeper, to find the vanishing point, where we are completely hidden in Christ. We have not just to seek God, and this time it is Yahweh, so its the aspect of a personal God of relationship and covenant that we are considering, but we have to seek him with literally [note this is not figurative language] every single part of our life – the way we think, the way we feel and the way we act, all cooperating together on a single mission – single purpose – single goal – that everything in us completely trusts God. We need to re-enable our “complaint fast”.
If God is the author and finisher and is sovereign, then every complaint we make is directed against him, as we complain about our circumstances we are really saying “God, I don’t trust you”. As we complain we are leaning on our own understanding and not including a sovereign, trustworthy, relational, covenant-keeping God, who sent his only son to die for us, into our thinking. If we are going to complain, to grumble, to contest, then let’s make that a private, heartfelt, intimate, and genuine conversation with God and not a rambling, ongoing, draining stream with others. Let’s demonstrate our trust in Him, by how we live and how we speak. Either he is God and we serve Him, or He is not and we forget Him.
John 16:33 –
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
I think we really have to look at “trust” today, through the original word “batah” and it is in the Old Testament 118 times, translated as [ESV] confidence; unsuspecting; secure; depend; bold; complacent ones’; and rely on. In our context we see the aspect of “putting our confidence in, relying on, and to depend on”.
WISDOM: what does your daily internal dialogue sound like?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Analytical – you make evidence-based decisions, consider the unseen as well as the seen.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – [take refuge and find confidence in your covenant-keeping God with the very centre of your being, don’t try and support yourself or rely on your own limited insight and knowledge.]
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Please help me to remain hidden in you, trusting in you, and living in you. Thank you.
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Thank you Pastor Allan.
Thanks for the great word, like
God is the author and finisher and is sovereign, then every complaint we make is directed against him. How often we do this and what u said really puts it into prospective, God is the Author.
1 Corinthians 10:10 talks about the Israelites missing out: ‘ We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them’ (MSG).
I read that this morning and what you have said today confirms that. Thanks
A beautiful message and a timely one for me today. Reading this has taken a huge load off my shoulders, something I was struggling with for some time. I need to “complaint-fast”, not question His way and trust in God to lead my way.
Thank you, Pastor Allan.
Wow- love this! Praise God you guys moved to Australia. Love all the God orchestrated moments.
Thank you for the reminder that when we complain, to have the conversation with the Lord and checking in on what our daily internal dialogue looks like.
Love the God-incidence’s! People to easily brush off things as coincedence but I love how in the Christians life we just seem to have so many more of them! As we trust in Him with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding He does truly guide me in all His paths. Thank you Jesus and Allan for a great reminder.
We have to find the ‘vanishing point.’ What a stunning thought.
My first thoughts were the same as Adriana,
WOW! I had not once put two and two together and realised that when I complain I am telling the Father that I don’t trust Him. What a powerful truth to know.
It’s so comforting to know that our Father wants us, His children to be completely hidden in Him, hidden in, trusting in, living in Him. When everything around us is shaking, as it does and will, He wants us happy, at peace and in trust, hidden in Him.
How fortunate we are are. Thank you Pastor Allan. Just beautiful!
Today’s scripture
Trust in the Lord with all your heart ,and lean not in your own understanding ”
Having heard this scripture so many times ,yet fail to use it to full potential at all times, specially when things get challenging ,
We Tend to find answers to questions in our own strength,
But God has always been faithful and trustworthy
To bring blessing from a negative situation.
We need to remind ourselves that God never let’s us down ,we can completely depend and trust in Him always .He has the very best for us
Wow. Today’s message is a wow. I am trully grateful for today’s message. God works in mysterious ways. Lean not on my own understanding but trust in God is very reassuring. Thank you Pastor Allan.
Thank you Father God for your most generous gift in bringing Pastor Allan & his family to Australia & Hillsong Church & myself knowing him personally – what a great treasure & blessing you are to so many people Pastor Allan!
I read this scripture every morning & what a powerful one it is!! It brings such reassurance & comfort that Father God is directing my every step as I trust obey & live in faith to believe that His ways & thoughts are so much higher than my own. It’s a journey & our faith will be tested many times but this in turn re-enforces our trust in a loving heavenly Fathef who deeply cares & loves us His children & His plans for us are SO good!!
Praise God for Wendy!
How amazing is God’s ways and opening doors of our heart and minds in alignment with His purposes!
God incidences:
When I was waiting for my visa to Australia my first application failed.
My friends have got the visa and I was left out. But in that period of re-applying and receiving visa I had met some people who was instrumental to connect me with my future husband.
I was so sure that I will never be married! But God incidences ( Divine appointment) I ended up falling in Love to this handsome man!
By this time I was in Australia and I was so lonely and truly needed a close friend!
My destiny totally changed!
What an amazing Scripture “ “trust…not rely on your own understanding..”
Thank you for helping us to
see complaints are mistrust in our
God.
Your journey is amazing and so evident God was in it wow !! We are so grateful for his plans that your family would come to Australia!
This is a great message of trust , because without our whole heart trusting his will for us , we may miss his blessing . Seeking after him with our whole heart is his desire that we would trust his plans for us and not rely on our limited understanding and knowledge of what is to come in our lives
A blessed word thank you Allan
Wow! Thank you pastor Allan.
This reminds me to completely trust God with all my heart and not to lean on my own understanding in all situations that I find myself . The author and the finisher of my faith 🙏
I have heard this verse so many times as a young child in Church, it is so good and you have given me another perspective on it.
I love this part – all cooperating together on a single mission – single purpose – single goal.
It is so true. Thank you so much for this wisdom.
I love how God orchestrated you, Wendy and Rachel to be here in Australia.
I am left speechless with this message. I wish I had made the time to read this on the morning it was sent. I was experiencing so much doubt, confusion and wavering faith that day.
Friday morning I felt my day was going to be challenging and I prayed for God to give me strength before I even got out of bed. It was coincidental that your prayer for us Allan that day was also that I would receive strengthening from God.
My day turned out terrible and ultimately I felt defeated, I knew I was being tested and felt I had failed. However, through the loving and gentle words of another I felt God speak to me and open my eyes to “trust in the Lord with all your heart” and that “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!”