The Christian Atheist: I Believe In God But Don’t Trust Him Fully

CHRISTIAN ATHIEST—4

I BELIEVE IN GOD BUT DON’T TRUST HIM FULLY

“Go up and take possession of the land I have given you.” But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You did not trust him or obey him. Deuteronomy 9:23, NIV

THE PARTIALLY SURRENDERED LIFE

Craig Groeschel paraphrase: 5Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, lean on your own understanding, 6 in some of your ways, acknowledge him, and you can make your own paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6 (PSV) (Is this a picture of you?)

Jesus dealt with this issue among his Disciples: The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Luke 17:5, NIV

DEVELOPING A WHOLEHEARTED TRUST

5Trust (bāṭah – reliance on someone for security) in the LORD with all your heart (cf. Matthew 6:24; James 1:5-8)and do not lean (not ‘recline’ but ‘support yourself’) on your own understanding (bȋnȃh –  idea of “control” and “ingenuity”); 6 in all your ways acknowledge (yada – come back to this word) him, and he will make your paths straight (to lay a highway and remove obstacles). Proverbs 3:5-6, NASB

Note: “acknowledge”: yada: “coming to know and submit by observing, reflecting, and experiencing.”

GET TO KNOW GOD

• THE UNCHANGING NATURE OF GOD. Malachi 3:6
• THE GOODNESS OF GOD. Nahum 1:7
• THE LOVE OF GOD. 1 John 4:16
• THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD. Lamentations 3:22-23; 2 Timothy 2:13

3Know that the LORD is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is goodand his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:3-5, NIV