Insecurity is an epidemic worldwide but especially in RSA. People in Hollywood have confessed that the major prevailing emotion is fear which is the opposite of faith. The word trust is closer to the word faith than the word believe. You can believe something without trust but you cannot have faith in something that you don’t trust.

THE MARK OF BELIEVERS

Trust in the Lord

Things we trust in:-

• Ourselves. Our works, our devotional life, our goodness, etc.
• Man cannot trust himself. We are full of weakness and infirmity. Cursed is the man who trusts in the arm of the flesh.

Faith is only as good as its object. We put our faith in the thing that we trust. Faith pleases God, only faith – Heb 11:6…without faith impossible to please God.

THE SECURITY OF BELIEVERS

Mount Zion – Some people like sand; ever shifting and treacherous. Some are like the sea; restless and unsettled. Others are like the wind; uncertain and inconsistent. Believers are like a mountain; stable and settled; strong and secure.
The Lord surrounds his people. A picture of security that nothing can penetrate. Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of Christ.

THE PROMISE OF BELIEVERS

The scepter of the wicked. A picture of oppression. The rod of rule of evil men will not always prevail. A time will come when the government will be upon “His Shoulders” and he will rule in righteousness, justice and peace.
Do good to those who are good. An appeal to God’s mercy to prevail. God will give to each man what he deserves. Believers will obtain eternal life but the wicked will be banished from the land of the righteous.

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Read through the psalm observing the pictures and symbols used to emphasize the theme.
• Some people say “once saved always saved”, what do you think of this expression and what do you think it actually means?
• Discuss the difference between Belief and Trust. See James 2:14-25. What kind of belief is he describing?