Living as God's House

1 Timothy 3:15 "but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."

Introduction:

When our church family gathers together for times of worship I often will tell them: "today we did not come to church, the church came here". When Paul is writing his first letter to Timothy, the key verse of the whole book, 1 Timothy 3:15, expresses his intent: ..."I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God." Pastor and Bible teacher Dr. John MacArthur expressed once in a sermon that the phrase used later in the verse, "household of God" could be easily rendered "the living God's house". As Paul instructs this young pastor named Timothy about his responsibilities as a Pastor and the responsibilities of the membership assigned to his care, we see clearly God's vision for what every local church should aim for in living as His house.

Where we see the church referred to as God's house

As individual Christians we are the temple of the living God. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Further study reveals that the concept of God's house extends over all true born again Christians who make up the true church the world-over. 1 Corinthians 6:16 reminds us that "...we are the temple of the living God...". Ephesians 2:21-22 is even more explicit - "in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." With regards to what God's house, the church, looks like in action, 1 Peter 2:5 explains -  "you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 4:17 draws the dividing line between true believers and non-believers by noting - "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"

Plainly scripture ascribes this description of the church the world over as being God's house. Local churches fit under this category and throughout the book of Acts, places such as Acts 2:38-42 indicate that the inaugural first church on Pentecost met together as a "flesh and blood" temple. To become a part of God's church the world over, one must be born again by the Spirit of God through faith. To become initiated into the local church, all truly regenerate believers must be subsequently baptized. The SBC Baptist Faith & Message 2000 explains: "A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel". This description fits the Biblical pattern and order of Acts 2:38-42, where we see people believing and repenting of their sins in salvation, followed by believer's baptism and then counted among the membership of the church at Jerusalem. 

Point of Application

With the church defined Biblically as "God's house" and specifically here in 1 Timothy 3:15 as the living house of the living God, how is it that we are to live as God's house? The point of application for today's post is: "Living as God's house is rooted in God-centered details practices". In looking over 1 Timothy, we can note three major God-centered realities that make it possible for a church to live as God's house:

1. God-centered pastors. 1:1-14

2. God-centered fellowship. 2:1-3:16

3. God-centered living. 4:1-6:21

Living as God's house requires God-centered pastors. 1 Timothy 1:1-14

What is a God-centered pastor according to 1 Timothy 1? God-centered pastors are those men who are passionate (1:1-17), who preach the Gospel (1:8-14) and who point to the Great Shepherd (1:15-20). 

When we say that a God-centered pastor is to be passionate, what ought he to be passionate about? 1 Timothy 1:1-4 indicates that the pastor needs to be passionate about the truth, both in affirming it and defending it. The God-centered pastor secondly needs to be passionate about his people. As one preaching professor told me years ago: "pastors are not cattlemen driving a heard but shepherds leading a flock". 

We can also note that a God-centered pastor needs to preach the Gospel by beginning with the bad-news as found in the law of God (1 Tim 1:8-10) and then bringing sinners and lost church members alike to the cross (1 Tim 1:11-14) These two ideas of being passionate and preaching the Gospel leads naturally to the third responsibility of a God-centered pastor - pointing to the Great shepherd. (1 Timothy 1:15-20). The greatness of the Shepherd, Jesus Christ, is seen in how he saves us from our wretched condition (1 Tim 1:15-17) and how worthy He is to live for (1 Tim 1:18-20). So living as God's house requires a God-centered pastor. Now notice the second requirement...

Living as God's House requires God-centered fellowship. 1 Timothy 2:1-3:16

What is fellowship? Fellowship in the original language of the New Testament means to "have in common". What do we have in common? Jesus Christ and Him crucified, buried, risen and exalted. The fellowship of God's house has to do with life as it is within the walls of the church. What ought we to see when we come to the living God's house? 1 Timothy 2:1-3:16 spells out what ought to be present. 

First, spiritual membership. The emphasis upon both the men and women of the church engaging in prayer and holy living depicts life flowing from the heart to the actions within the body of believers toward one another, as expressed in 1 Tim 2:1-15. A second trait of God-centered fellowship has to do with sound-leadership. Now this may sound identical to what we just covered in the first part of this post, however the need for Godly leadership to lead a God-centered fellowship of saints can never be over expressed. Thus Paul spells out sound leadership in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 by way of describing Pastors and Deacons. Then the third characteristic of God-centered fellowship has to do with being saturated with Jesus as seen in 1 Timothy 3:14-16. Jesus' incarnation, life, mission and ascension ought to be second nature to those who are truly born-again. 

So we have seen that as Christians, living as God's house, the Holy Ghost in 1 Timothy expresses the necessity for God-centered pastors and God-centered fellowship. These first two components have to to with life within the walls of the church. However we are not called as the Living God's House to be a citadel within which we huddle but an embassy from which we tell others about Jesus until He comes. The final necessity for living as God's house is found in 1 Timothy 4:1-6:21, namely...

Living as God's House requires God-centered living. 1 Timothy 4:1-6:21 

So what should the world see of the church according to 1 Timothy 4:1-6:21? First, maturity. The local church and its members ought to be people who are spiritually mature, that is to say, people who know good from evil (1 Timothy 4:1-10) and who know their Bibles (1 Tim 4:11-16). One of the clearest definitions of spiritual maturity found anywhere in the Bible, Hebrews 5:12-14, emphasizes these two points. So God centered-fellowship in the church is characterized by maturity.

Secondly, God-centered living needs to be expressed in relationships (1 Timothy 5:1-16), as well as other areas such as the example of Godly leadership to others (5:17-25); the workplace (6:1-2); attitudes (6:3-5) and possessions (6:6-9). Why are these areas mentioned? Because it is in these key areas where a Christian's lifestyle is most sorely tested. Relationships stretch us, being an example brings with it accountability, how we act before co-workers, our attitudes and how we handle possessions all contribute to testing how serious we are in living for God in this world. 

How is success measured in God-centered living among pastors and church members living as God's House in an unbelieving world? Faithfulness. Notice 1 Timothy 6:20-21  "O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— 21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith.Grace be with you." As God's House, success is ,measured by faithfulness. As the old saying goes: "What is done on this earth will pass, but what is done for Christ will last."

Closing thoughts

The point of application for today's post was: "Living as God's house is rooted in God-centered details practices". In looking over 1 Timothy, we noted three major God-centered realities that make it possible for a church to live as God's house:

1. God-centered pastors. 1:1-14

2. God-centered fellowship. 2:1-3:16

3. God-centered living. 4:1-6:21 

May every local Bible-believing church, of whatever denomination and stripe, aim to adhere what is written in 1 Timothy regarding living as God's house. 

P2 - What to look for when picking a Bible

2 Timothy 2:15 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."


In today's blog we want to explore the various features to look for when trying to choose a Bible for purchase, regular reading and study.  Yesterday we consider the different types of translations, and now we want to note what features to look for in helping you grow in your Christian walk.

1. Cross References
When you open up your Bible, have you ever noticed those little Bible verses running down either the middle column or on the side.  Those little verses references are what we call "cross references".  Simply put, many study Bibles have a system that editors have included to guide the Bible student to other verses that have similar themes as the given verse.  Cross referencing helps you to learn and explore your Bible, and is the most effective way to grow in the scriptures.  By comparing scripture with other scripture, you begin to know what God has to say on a given matter.  Recommended Bibles that are strong in this area include The MacArthur Study Bible, Ryrie Study Bible, Reformation Study Bible, New Scofield Study Bible and Thompson Chain Reference Bible.

2. Study Notes
Most Study Bibles will not only have cross references, but also study notes either at the bottom of each page or on the side.  Some study Bibles will tell you what the verse means (deductive study Bibles), while others are designed to help you discover the meaning (inductive study Bibles).  The top study Bibles with the best notes that I have seen are the NIV Study Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, New Geneva Study Bible, Archaelogical Study Bible and New Scofield Reference Bible.

3. Articles
Some study Bibles, in addition to having cross references and study notes, will have feature articles that will sometimes be one or two pages in length.  Usually topics such as parenting or the Deity of Christ are included as aids in helping the Bible student to broaden their understanding of a given topic.  The top four Bibles that do this in my opinion are the Archaelogical Study Bible, New Open Bible and New Geneva Study Bible.

4. Topical index
All study Bibles will feature verses in the back arranged under different topics.  The NIV Topical Study Bible and the MacArthur Study Bible are fine examples of Bibles with incredible topical indexes.

5. Maps, Weights and Measures, Bible Dictionaries
Nearly all study Bibles have these features.  Bible dictionaries list main Bible words and concepts in alphabetical order, giving definitions and cross references.  Good colored maps that have clear ways of finding Biblical locations are a must.  Knowing what the difference is between a shekel and a cubit will be helpful if your Bible as a good weights and measure section.  The NIV Study Bible, New Open Bible, MacArthur Study Bible, Archaeological Study Bible and Reformation Study Bible are the finest examples with these features.

By using a checklist such as this, you can prayerfully compare which Study Bible is best for helping you to grow in your faith. 

P1 - What to look for when picking a Bible

2 Timothy 2:15 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."

Choosing the Right Bible is important for your Christian growth
Years ago I had worked for a Bible bookstore and was amazed at the wide variety of Bible translations and versions that were available.  Choosing a Bible is a major part of growing in the Christian faith, since Christian growth and stability cannot be done without the scriptures. (Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17)

3 general types of Bibles
When categorizing the way in which Bibles are translated from the Hebrew/Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) into English, three general categories are helpful in classifying Bible Translations and Versions:

a. Literal Translations (word for word faithful to the Original Languages, good for Bible Study)
This first grouping prioritizes faithfulness to the style and wording of the original language.  Preachers, Bible teachers and those who study the Bible regularly prize these versions for helping them get as close to the underlying Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek as much as possible.  The top four translations in this category tend to be the King James Version (KJV); the New King James Version (NKJV); the New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the English Standard Version (ESV).

b. Readable Translations (Good for regular Bible reading, devotions)
This second type of Bible translation aims more at being readable than corresponding to every word to the original Hebrew or Greek.  Thus if I were using this approach to Bible translation, I may take a sentence in the original that 10 words along and summarize it into 6 or 7 words to increase the understandability of the passage.  For everyday Bible reading or devotional reading, Bibles such as the New International Version (NIV) and the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) are the best examples of this category.

c. Paraphrases (Good for getting a summary or commentary on a verse)
This last category refers to those versions which function more like a commentary than a translation.  If the literal versions focus on the author's wording, and the second category aims more at the reader, then this final group emphasizes the interpretation given by the actual translator.  Bibles such as The Living Bible (TLB), Today's English Version (TEV) and the New Living Translation (NLT) are the best examples of those Bibles that are more on the paraphrase side.  Reading these alongside the first two categories can be sometimes helpful in gaining a clearer understanding of the text.

The Best Version is the One that Will help you grow in Christ
Using a literal translation as your primary Bible, along with a readable translation and a paraphrase as your secondary Bible is a suggested way to ensure you have all the bases covered in your understanding of the scriptures.  Each type will get you to study the Bible, read the Bible and have a clearer understanding.  

Sometimes reading a familiar passage like Psalm 23 or John 3 in each version helps in the choosing process.  Another rule of thumb to follow when choosing a translation is to find out what version your church uses in their services. Noting what Bible version your pastor preaches or what the congregation reads together in the worship service helps in your overall Christian growth with the body of Christ.   As a final note, if you desire to memorize Bible verses, using one of the more literal versions is the best approach, since the emphasis is on the translation corresponding to the original wording.  

With those categories defined, we can begin to look closer at determining what to look for when picking a Bible.  Tomorrow we will look at various features found in today's Bibles as a means in helping you choose your Bible. 

A suggested description of Biblical Preaching

2 Timothy 4:2 "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with greatpatience and instruction."

The opening verse for today's post has special meaning to me because it was the verse God used to call me to preach. As a seventeen year old young man, those three opening words: "preach the word" lept off the page and reverberated in my heart. Though I still view myself as learning how to preach God's Word, I thought it may be important to jot down a suggested description of Biblical preaching. Today's post is simply a listing of characteristics to look for, listen for or if the reader is a preacher - aim for. What describes Biblical preaching? Here is a suggested list:

1. Biblical preaching's design is to expose or unpack God's Word in the manner it was revealed, verse by verse.

2. It's aim is to point the people of God to the Son of God to be called by God to live for God

3. Biblical preaching's methods include explanation, illustration, application and exhortation to obedience.

4. It's power is from the Holy Spirit

5. Biblical preaching's audience is God Himself, since its His word and He is the One whom I am to please.

6. It's concern is to bring today's world to the text, so that the text can transform my world

7. Biblical preaching's effectiveness is in direct proportion to what I spend in prayer

8. It's reach is to command all men everywhere to repent and to compel the saved to live for God.

The God-centered church - An Overview of 1 Timothy

1 Timothy 3:14-15 "I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."

1 Timothy 4:6 "In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a goodservant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following."

Introduction:

So many suggestions are made today as to how we ought to have church. Some suggest that the church ought to run like a business, with the pastor being like a CEO who has a head for business, implementing program strategies and casting a vision. Others picture the church being more like a team, where there is a coach and players. Still others suggest that the church is to be a place of entertainment where we do bigger events to draw people and keep them happy. Which is right? Is any of them right? Is there a little bit of truth to each one or is one more right than the others? 

Thankfully when it comes to figuring out how we ought to do church, there is a series of three Divinely Inspired Church manuals that tell us what do to and how to do it - what are commonly called the "Pastoral Epistles". The author of all three (1&2 Timothy and Titus) is the Apostle Paul. The recipients are young men who are pastoring their first churches and who need wise counsel. Though the letters themselves are 2,000 years old, the subjects they deal with are essentially no different than what is experienced in the 21st century church. Though we term them "Pastoral Epistles", their instruction and truth is just as much for the person in the pew as for the man behind the pulpit. 

A quick note about 1 Timothy

Today's post is specifically interested in looking at the first of these "Pastoral Epistles" - 1 Timothy. Timothy of course is the young pastor to whom the letter is written. Timothy's charge was to take the very strong Ephesian church and lead it. According to what we read in the background passages of Acts 19-20, the church at Ephesus was founded at the end of Paul's 2 1/2 year ministry in that city. Ephesus was the "crown jewel" of Asia Minor, and the church that would be planted would become the greatest church of the Apostolic age. 

Near the end of Paul's time in Ephesus a riot had broke out, and the aftermath required the establishment of strong spiritual leadership. In Acts 20 the Apostle Paul established Elders to provide the needed anchoring for the then fledgling congregation. By the time we come to Paul's letter of 1 Timothy, the church at Ephesus would had been a few years old. 

Timothy had been called by God to preach the Word and love the people. Many challenges would lie ahead: Timothy's timidity, increasing pressure from the pagan culture and competing heretical teachers operating within the church itself. 1 Timothy 3:14-4:6 operates as the heart of this first epistle to Timothy, with 1 Timothy 3:16 being the key verse. The theme of this letter is: "The God Centered Church". 

What does it take to be a God-centered Church

The value of the book of 1 Timothy in our New Testaments is that we learn what it takes to be a God-centered church. All ideas about how to do church and what it means to be the church must be measured against 1 Timothy and its two other companions (2 Timothy and Titus). As we briefly fly over the contents of 1 Timothy, I will submit to the reader the following four necessary ingredients for having a God centered church.

1. God-centered Pastors. 1 Timothy 1:1-14

In this opening section of 1 Timothy we find out that one cannot have a God-centered church without a God-centered leader. What does a God-centered Pastor do? According to 1 Timothy 1:1-7 the pastor needs to be a stable leader: doctrinally, morally, personally and spiritually. Then we discover in 1 Timothy 1:8-14 the God-centered Pastor is a man who preaches the Gospel faithfully. So a God-centered church needs a God-centered pastor, but notice secondly...

2. God-centered focus. 1 Timothy 1:15-17

Three times in 1 Timothy we find the Apostle Paul talking about "faithful sayings". In 1 Timothy 1:15 we comes across the first of these: "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." What ensures the God-centered focus of a church? The Gospel. The Pastor and the flock of God is charged to preach and live out the Gospel that saves the sheep. Whenever we get our eyes off of the Great Commission and its companion the Great Commandment, we have gotten our eyes focused on the wrong thing. If we ever expect to be a God-centered Christian and church, we must have God-centered pastors and a God-centered focus on the Gospel. Now notice the third necessary ingredient for the God-centered church...

3. God-centered fellowship. 1 Timothy 1:18-3:16

As Paul develops further this major theme of "The God-centered church", he deals with a subject that many Christians think they know about but often don't - fellowship. What is fellowship? Is it just about "dinner-on-the-grounds"? Certainly coming together and enjoying one another with food is Biblical (Israel had feasts and the early church had its love feasts!). 

However fellowship is far more than just about food. 1 Timothy 1:18-3:16 gives us a crystal clear picture about what constitutes God-centered fellowship. With God-centered pastors, focus and fellowship explained in the first three chapters of 1 Timothy, we can now focus on the final necessary ingredient for a God-centered church...

4. God-centered living. 1 Timothy 4:1-6:21

What is the purpose of God's people coming together? Why do we have houses of worship today? We come together in the walls so that we can be equipped to make Christ known outside the walls. As is the pattern of Paul's letters, the first half is devoted to right-doctrine and the second half is devoted to right living. You cannot live right unless you believe right. Likewise, one cannot prove they believe right unless they are living rightly. 

God-centered churches can only demonstrate they are such when they are living out what they believe. A God-centered church or Christian is one that not only has God at the center but also at the circumference of daily life. The subjects we see mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:1-6:21 include wise decision making, morality, health, handling of money, family, widowhood, compensation of the pastor, men's treatment of women, women's conduct before men, avoidance of gossip, one's testimony and other important issues. How many of those subjects do you find being experienced in the average church today? Answer: All of them! When we say we want to be God-centered, that not only includes the songs we sing and the sermons we preach but also the lives we live 24-7. 

Closing Thoughts:

Today was about doing a fly-over of 1 Timothy and understanding the main ingredients of a God-centered church:

1. God-centered pastors. 1 Tim 1:1-15

2. God-centered focus. 1 Tim 1:16-17

3. God-centered fellowship. 1 Tim 1:18-3:16

4. God-centered living.. 1 Tim 4:1-6:21

P2 - Do you trust God?

DO YOU TRUST GOD?

Psalm 139:1 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me."

Psalm 139:23-24 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me."

Review from yesterday:

The above opening verses for today's post serve to frame the contents of Psalm 139. David is indicating that in His relationship with God, God has thoroughly searched and known him (139:1) and that he is willing to surrender himself to further scrutiny by God (139:23-24). These verses together communicate the necessity to trust God. We saw yesterday the following main point of application: How much you trust God depends upon how well you know God and surrender to Him.  We looked at the first foundation for trusting God: namely knowing God. Today we consider the second foundation for trusting God: surrender to God.

The MRI machine as an illustration of trust
I can recall many years ago having a work injury. When I went to the hospital the company had me undergo a required MRI scan to see if I had a concussion. For anyone who has had to undergo such an ordeal, they are anything but comfortable. The machine I was required to enter was the full -length kind. My level of trust in the doctor was admittedly low. I had never met the man and I was instructed to place my trust in his hands. 

When he told me to get into that tube with only 1 inch of space around my body and to wear earplugs for the loud bursting and banging noise, I'll admit the temptation to run was pretty keen. Yet as the doctor talked to me and as I got to know him a little bit, being convinced of his knowledge and calmed by his bed-side manner, once I surrendered - my trust level took over. You may laugh - but I thought; "what have I to lose"?

When it comes to trusting God, we many times may know a lot about God, however unless the second foundation is in place - namely surrendering to God, trust will never be present. Notice what David writes in Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." 

Does it truly make you comfortable to know that God knows everything about you? Clearly David is comfortable. If anything, David is asking - no - begging God to examine him even more thoroughly. In trusting God, the believer desires nothing less than closeness with God, even if it means finding out further things about themselves they would rather not know. When we see the phrase "see if there be any hurtful way within me", such a statement is issuing from a surrendered heart trusting God. 

The same author, David, writes in Psalm 94:19 "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,Your consolations delight my soul." David was in numerous situations where there was opportunity to be anxious and to trust God. He learned by being in God's spiritual MRI machine that it is best to surrender and know the great physician, rather than making a run for it. 

Closing thoughts:
So as we close out this short series, I ask you dear reader: Do you trust God? How much you know God from scriptures such as Psalm 139, and how much you choose to surrender and let Him have His way will determine how much you trust Him. 

P1 - Do You Trust God?

DO YOU TRUST GOD?

Psalm 139:1 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me."

Psalm 139:23-24 "O Lord, You have searched me and known me."

The above opening verses for today's post serve to frame the contents of Psalm 139. David is indicating that in His relationship with God, God has thoroughly searched and known him (139:1) and that he is willing to surrender himself to further scrutiny by God (139:23-24). These verses together communicate the necessity to trust God.

Point of Application: 

The theme of "Trusting God" is huge throughout the scripture. Moses, the great statesman and prophet of the Old Testament, wrote in Psalm 90:1 of how God has been a refuge and help from ages past. The great king David, Israel's greatest king, says in Psalm 13:5 "But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation." The wisest man who ever lived and David's son, King Solomon, commands us to trust in the Lord and lean not unto our own understanding in Proverbs 3:5-6. Jesus, the Greatest of all, God in human flesh, is recorded saying in Hebrews 2:13a - And again, "I will put my trust in Him". Then one more, the mighty Apostle Paul, states in Philippians 3:10-11  "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." In thinking on verses like these, as well as what we will be seeing in Psalm 139, the main point of application today is this: How much you trust God depends upon how well you know God and surrender to Him.

With that main anchoring point in place, let us walk through Psalm 139 and see how much we can trust God. 

Knowing God as the first foundation for trusting God
In Psalm 139 we see just how much there is to know about God, and more so how well He knows His children. David says that God had searched and known Him in Psalm 139:1. As you go down through the Psalm, you see evidence of a close relationship between God and David. What is there to know about God, and how is knowing God the first foundation for trusting Him? In short order we see the following outline of Psalm 139:

1. God is all-knowing 139:1-6
2. God is everywhere present 139:7-12
3. God is all-powerful 139:13-16
4. God is all-good 139:17-22

This is essentially the kind of God that had been "searching and knowing David" in Psalm 139:1. Its as if David had been placed into a spiritual MRI machine with God as the the One doing the scanning. To know God is the most important thing in life, and to know that God knows me is the most amazing insight in life. However in the course of trusting God, we sometimes find ourselves questioning God. It is quite interesting how often our questioning of God is connected to His attributes as outlined here in Psalm 139. Notice the following questions, and how Psalm 139 answers them, providing a foundation for trusting God.

1. Does God know what I am going through? 
We can say with utmost certainty - yes He does! Psalm 139:1-3 reveals He knows our thoughts and Psalm 139:4-6 unveils His perfect knowledge of our future actions. Psalm 147:5 reminds us that the knowledge of God is without end and Hebrews 4:13 affirms that all things are open before His eyes. So yes, God knows! He is all knowing. You can trust God!

2. Is God really there? Am I all alone?
The Psalmist in 139:7 refers to the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity. Every Christian is given the Holy Spirit of God in regeneration as a Permanent Resident. (Romans 8:14-16; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13; 3:16) You as a Christian are never alone. God by the Person of the Spirit not only is in every Christian but pervades every square inch of creation. (Acts 17:27-28) The Person of the Son as God in human flesh holds all things together by the Word of His power. (Colossians 1:16-18) Indeed God is there for you! He is everywhere present! You can Trust God! How much you know God and surrender to Him determines you level of trust!

3. Is God strong enough to take care of my situation?
Psalm 139:13-16 answers this question. God is powerful enough to form you, give you life and write out the book of your life. As the Psalmists states: "How wonderful are your works (139:14)". Think about the works of God: creation, salvation, time, space and you. Whenever you and I find our trust for God being low, it is because we don't think He knows, is there and strong enough! When I was a small child, if I was playing outside and my dad happened to be working in the yard, I had no fears. Where I grew up was heavily wooded and sometimes I would hear the howl of a wild dog or hear a twig snap. Knowing that my dad was there with me - I had know fear. I trust my dad due to what I know about Him. Is it not much more with the Christian's Heavenly Father?

4. Is God really Good? 
I think out of all of God's characteristics (or attributes), God's goodness is perhaps the most doubted today. Do we truly believe God has the best of intentions for us? David writes in Psalm 139:17-18 that he cannot count all of the precious thoughts God has towards Him. Whenever he hears people speak ill of God or to question God's character, it causes indignation in the Psalmist. We may at first be offended at the language used by the Psalmist of "hatred" and "utmost hatred" for his enemies. However, why does it bother us? Perhaps because we do not think God is as Good as we claim. 

To illustrate, what happens when we find out that a child has been hurt by an adult? Or what response do we give to injustice done by selfish men against their wives or issues such as racism? Injustice is despicable. Hateful. Culture cries for justice, because true injustice is inexcusable. Now take each of those examples and multiply them an infinite amount and you begin to see why the Psalmist says what he says. God is Peerless in character and All-Good. I'm afraid sometimes the greatest accusers of God's character are we ourselves. Trusting God entails knowing that He is always Good - no matter what nor however little we may understand.

Indeed God is Good! He is All-powerful, All-present and all-knowing! You can Trust God! How much you know God and surrender to Him determines you level of trust! Today we saw how knowing God is necessary for trusting Him. Tomorrow we will look at the second foundation for trusting God.