lean on Him... Jeremiah 17:7-8...

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.

He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Jeremiah 7:7-8 ESV

The blessing of the one who trusts in the Lord is evident...
like a tree planted near a stream...
an ever-present supply of living water...

"...Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said,

'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" ---Jesus

John 7:38 ESV

Trusting in the Lord... believing in Him... leaning on Him...

has its benefits...

no fear from heat... or drought...

always fresh... alive... green...

no worry... because He makes the way for fruit to grow...

Are you planted near Him...? trusting in Him...?

Do you sense the blessings...? carefree attitude...? He promises...?

This is the last lean on Him... in this series...

and this is one of my favorite reminders... to trust in Him... 

blessed... like a tree planted by water...

Life abundant...

fruitful for Him...

when everyone else might be wasting a way...

Learn to lean on Him... trust in Him...

because this is life... rest... peace... hope...

Lean on Him... Isaiah 50:10...

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant?

Let him who walks in darkness and has no light

trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Isaiah 50:10 ESV

Trusting in Him... primarily happens... when we realize... we can't trust in ourselves...

Finally understanding we have absolutely no light of our own... 

makes us realize we need help...

When we get tired of stumbling around in the dark...

when we've run into one wall too many...

or one more pit too deep...

we wise up...

We begin to cry out to God...

fear... revere Him as we should...

And fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...

and realizing we have no light in and of ourselves...

causes us to lean on Him... trust Him...

cry out to Him... and obey Him...

Without Him we walk in darkness...

trust Him... rely on Him... lean heavily upon Him...

lean on Him... Isaiah 26:4...

Trust in the Lord forever,

for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:4 ESV

There is nothing more sure... in which to place our trust... than in Him... the Everlasting Rock...

He will never fail us...

He will never tire...

He will never pass away...

Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you will remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

but you are the same, and your years have no end.

Psalm 102:25-27 ESV

His Word always sure...

His promises faithful...

His strength unfailing...

His wisdom and knowledge perfect...

How long can you trust Him...?

Forever...!

What can you trust Him with...?

Everything...!

Who or what...? are you trusting...?

lean on Him... Isaiah 26:3...

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you. 

Isaiah 26:3 ESV

The one who trusts Him...

has a mind stayed on Him...

The Hebrew translated... stayed... means... "to lean upon"... (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament)

What does it look like to have a mind... leaned upon Him...?

Thoughts always leaning toward Him...

not toward worry...

not toward fear...

but to the One who is Sovereign...

the One who is Good...

the One who loves you...

"...For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,"

says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10 ESV

Those who trust Him...

lean their thoughts toward Him...

and reap the benefit of peace...

Not just any peace...

but perfect peace...

The Hebrew reads...

shalom shalom...

double peace...

wholeness of your wholeness...

all things set right...

all things secure and sound...

peace...

Where are your thoughts stayed...? leaning...?

What results from your thoughts...?

Trust Him...

lean your thoughts... mind... imagination...

toward Him...

and know... peace... peace...

Amen...

lean on Him... Isaiah 12:1-2...

You will say in that day:

"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me,

your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid;

for the Lord God is my strength and my song,

and he has become my salvation."

Isaiah 12:1-2 ESV

Our God has every right to be angry with us...

those whom He created... and gave charge of His creation...

took it... and broke it... in the very beginning...

But God... He is trustworthy... even in His anger...

He will not constantly accuse us,

nor remain angry forever.

Psalm 103:9 NLT

He does not constantly accuse... condemn... blame...

He chooses instead to save... redeem... forgive...

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed.

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

God Himself... became our means of salvation... through His Son... Jesus...

He took God's wrath... in its fullness... 

He took everything we deserved... and paid the price we couldn't...

How can you not trust a God...? who doesn't treat you as you deserve...? even in His anger...?

He does not deal with us according to our sins

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Psalm 103:10 ESV

lean on Him... Psalm 143:8...

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143:8 ESV

What this psalmist needed most to hear... be assured of... was God's steadfast love for him... and his confident cry... petition... comes from a heart of trust...

Trusting Him gives us confidence to cry out to Him... for what we need...

Jesus told us... we have a good Father in heaven... who will give us exactly what we need...

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ..."

Matthew 7:7-11 ESV

Trusting our heavenly Father... gives us confidence to ask... because we know... He will give us what's good...

Do you need to hear... be assured... of His steadfast love for you today...?

Do you need to know... the way to go...? 

Trust Him...

lift up your soul to Him...

take the psalmist's prayer...

make it yours...

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV

lean on Him... Psalm 125:1...

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,

which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

Psalm 21:1 ESV

Want an unshakable life...?

Trust in the Lord...!

Like Mt. Zion unshakable...

the home of God's presence...

the heavenly Jerusalem...

the eternal home of Believers...

Can you imagine anything more unshakable...? immovable...?

Trusting Him now... in the every day...

can bless you with a secure... peaceful... immovable spirit...

I think about the wise man... who built his house on the Rock...

living out life... through obedience to His way... trusting Him... 

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them

will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew

and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because

it had been founded on the rock. ..." ---Jesus

Matthew 7:24-25 ESV

Following Him... His Word... His Way...

makes our lives unshakable...

because we trust in Him...

How shaky are you feeling these days...?

lean on Him... Psalm 112:7...

He is not afraid of bad news;

his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

Psalm 112:7 ESV

I used to live my life... afraid of bad news...

this is the reality of one who lives worried... anxious...

Being fearful of the next bad thing... flows from a heart filled with unbelief...

I say this because I know...

I was...

fearful... unbelieving...

even as a new Believer...

and a decade or so after...

To believe in Him is to trust Him...

to trust Him... is to know He has your best at heart...

to trust Him... is to know nothing happens without His allowing it...

to trust Him... is to know it is for your good and His glory...

A heart firm... trusting in our good... gracious... loving... all-powerful... God... is a heart free from fear of bad news... free of worry... free of anxiety...

Where are you...? when it comes to fear of bad news...?

Exercise your faith today... trust Him... with your worry...

lean on Him... Psalm 91:1-6...

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

Psalm 91:1-6 ESV

I've got your back...

it's a popular saying these days...

one that encourage trust... strength...

This psalmist tells us...

when we live God's way...

He's got our back...

The shadow of the Almighty...

looms large behind us... over us...

Do you see it...?

Us moving forward... trusting Him...

knowing He's got our back...

His shadow falling over...

lengthening beyond us...

In this place of trust...

following His way...

there is no need to fear...

the snare of the enemy...

the terrors of the night...

the threats of the day...

But there is a place...

we can wander...

out from under His shadow...

away from His way...

living in the world...

instead of His Word...

this is a deadly place... 

a place we don't want to be...

Stay near... under His shadow...

for whoever lives hidden in Him...

remains in the shadow of His strength...

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind
on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3 ESV

lean on Him... Psalm 84:12...

O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

Psalm 84:12 ESV

A prayer of praise... to the Lord of thousands upon thousands...

Blessed are those who trust in You...!

Blessed... the Hebrew... 'esher...

The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament teaches us 'esher... is a word of  envious desire...

To be envied with desire... is the one who trusts in Him...!

Trusting in Him brings blessings which people see... want...

desired blessings...

What blessings have you received by trusting in Him...?

Do others see...? and want...?

If you are really trusting Him... leaning on Him...

they will see... and want... what you have...

O Lord of hosts... blessed is the one who trusts in You...

lean on Him... Psalm 62:5-8...

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62:5-8 ESV

For God alone...

No other is worthy of our trust...

only God...

He alone... is the one we encourage our souls to wait on... when fear or panic stir...

He only is my rock...

He only... is the Rock Everlasting...

a firm foundation for our lives...

the way of salvation...

and unshakable strength...

Trusting in Him as our only refuge... our only way...

no plan B... or C...

is where we find peace... stability... security...

No one else offers what He offers...

we can pour out our hearts before Him...

no matter what's in it... He can take it...

And not only can He take it...

He has the cure for it...

When we encourage our own souls to wait on Him...

trust in Him... we find Him a trustworthy refuge...

which inspires us... to share it with others...

From our own shaking boots...

to a confident cry...

Trust in Him... at all times... O people...!

God is a refuge for us... calling all... to come... and find unshakable peace...

lean on Him... Psalm 56:3-4...

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust;

I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

Psalm 56:3-4 ESV

Leaning on Him...

trusting Him...

allays all our fears...

Need we say any more...?

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,

for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 ESV

lean on Him... Psalm 52:8...

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.

I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.

Psalm 52:8 ESV

Those who trust in His steadfast love...

are like green olive trees in His house...

First of all... a tree is rooted...

it will not be easily removed from the house of God...

Trusting His steadfast love...

makes us immovable from His presence...

Second... the Hebrew translated as green...

means... luxuriant... fresh...

a green... healthy... tree...

a fruitful tree...

Trusting in His love...

keeps us fresh... vibrant...

useful to His Kingdom...

filled with life...

No need to fear dis-ease...

root-rot...

or drought...

His love...

keeps us green...

when we trust in Him...

How lively... fresh... do you feel...?

You might need to question... What am I trusting in...?

lean on Him... Psalm 40:1-3...

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:1-3 ESV

In an earlier lean on Him... post... we saw waiting as a sign of trust in God...

We don't wait for people who aren't going to show up...

Here... in Psalm 40... the psalmist waited patiently for the Lord...

he waited in a pit... a miry bog...

he called out to God... trusting Him...

and He acted...

God drew Him out...

set him in a secure place...

on a rock... 

the Rock...

Trusting in God... waiting on Him...

resulted in His action...

and the psalmist was filled with a new song of praise...

But the greatest benefit... in addition to being rescued...

was the witness he gave to those in his circle of influence...

The psalmist's trust in God...

led many others to trust in Him too...

How amazing...

Our patient trust in Him...

draws others to Him...

Don't ever think people aren't watching...

to see if you believe... trust... rely on... Him...

because they are...

and in that pit... whatever pit it might be...

you have an opportunity to witness to others...

just how great He is...

All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him...

go therefore and make disciples...

by living out your trusting faith in Him...

Amen...

lean on Him... Psalm 37:5...

Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

Psalm 37:5 ESV

Commit. The Hebrew here literally means... roll on...

Way. This way means... manner... habit... course of life...

So... if we roll our course of life onto Him...

trust Him in all our ways...

He will act...

Trusting Him brings His active power into our lives...

but this trust requires committing all our ways to Him...

I think about this verse often when I'm struggling with an emotional issue in my life... you know those relational issues... angst over loved ones...

I roll it on to Him...

give it to Him...

but the next thing I know... it's rolling around in my mind again...

I've taken it back...

Often I roll things onto Him multiple times a day...

but that is not the way to be...

The new way I want to live...

is leaning on Him in all my ways...

not just the things that cause angst...

or the things that challenge me beyond my limits...

but everything...

My entire way...

I want to see Him act on my behalf each and every day...

in multiple ways...

because I trust in Him...

Trust Him with it all...

and watch Him work...

Amen...

lean on Him... Psalm 37:1-4...

Fret not yourself because of evildoers;

be not envious of wrongdoers!

For they will soon fade like the grass

and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:-4 ESV

Sometimes... we fret... get all stirred up... over evildoers...

who appear to be getting away with murder...!

We wonder why they don't get caught...

why they are allowed to prosper at the expense of others...

His Word tells us... Don't do it...

don't get all bent out of shape... or envious... of those who do wrong...

they will get what they deserve in the end...

He will see to it...

like grass... they will simply fade... wither...

they will be no more...

Trusting in the Lord... we are to continue to do good...

lean on Him... faithfully...

no matter what others are getting away with around us...

We are to befriend faithfulness...

delight ourselves in the Lord... and His ways...

because when we do...

He will give us what we truly desire...

And what we truly desire is what lasts forever...

not the things of this world that pass away...

Trust in the Lord...

lean on Him...

be blessed with the true desires of your heart...

lean on Him... Psalm 33:21

For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

Psalm 33:21 ESV

We trust in Him...

because His name... His character... is holy...

Holy... separate from the common... sacred...

totally good and entirely without evil...

(Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament)

He is only good... 

no evil... no darkness... 

can be found in Him...

Because He is holy... holy... holy...

He is trustworthy...

And trusting in Him... makes our hearts glad...!

Our minds... wills... emotions... rejoice... 

in Him who is holy...

when we trust Him...

Trust Him...

Be glad...

lean on Him... Psalm 28:7...

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 28:7 ESV

Strength... material or physical... personal or social or political...

When we lean on Him as our strength...

discover His strength... for every area of our life...

allow Him to shield us from whatever seems bigger than us...

our hearts grow in trust... because we find He is our help...

Our hearts exult... rejoice... triumph...

Our mouths fill with songs of thanks...

Let Him be your strength...

lean hard into Him...

trust in Him with all your heart...

be helped...

rejoice...

give thanks...

Amen...

lean on Him... Psalm 25:2-3...

O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame;

let not my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame...

Psalm 25:2-3 ESV

Those who trust in the Lord...

wait on Him...

even in the face of their enemies...

We only wait... when we trust someone...

when we expect them to show up...

when we know... they... will... come...

Leaning on Him...

requires waiting on Him...

not taking things into our own hands...

but waiting in hopeful expectation...

knowing you will not be put to shame...

Those who wait on Him...

trust in Him...

lean on Him...

will never be shamed...

for placing their trust Him...

He is worthy of trust...

lean on Him... Psalm 13:5-6

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13:5-6 ESV

Trust in God is based on His steadfast... unfailing... love...

His love that sent His Son to die...

when we were the ones that deserved to...

His love that causes the sun to rise and set...

seasons to come and go...

producing food for all...

whether you love Him... or deny Him...

His love that seeks the lost...

when they don't want to be found...

or don't even know they are lost...

His steadfast love that holds all things together...

when we should be falling apart...

When we trust in Him... in His steadfast love...

our hearts rejoice... in His salvation...

We see and know... He has dealt bountifully with us...

far more than we deserve...

and... so... we... sing...!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

Amen...