Who do you REALLY Trust?


A couple walk hand-in-hand, just enjoying each other's company. Suddenly the man drops to his knees and proposes: "You are the sun that shines in my heart. Your presence quickens my inner being. I can't live without you. Will you marry me?"

His poetry is far from being delightful, but it still touches the girl's heart: "Oh yes," she hastens to respond. "I will marry you."

The two have just fallen into each other's arms for a heart-felt, passionate kiss when seemingly out of nowhere, another girl appears.

"Hi Johnny," she cries. "I haven't seen you in a LONG time!"

"Oh, hi Lori. Honey this is my friend, Lori. Lori, meet my fiancée."

"Fiancée," sneers Lori. "Hey! You're moving up in life!"

"Johnny, why haven't you ever mentioned Lori to me before?" Asks the soon-to-be-bride.

"Keeping secrets from her, are you Johnny?"

"But . . . But she's just a friend!" Stammers Johnny.

"Friend? 'Just a friend' you say?" Lori challenges. "I won't exactly call our relationship 'just friends'!"

"You don't have to worry about her, Lisa," Johnny hastens to say. "YOU are the ONLY one I love!"

Lisa isn't quite convinced, but she's known Johnny for a long time. How could he lie to her? And the three of them continue their "leisurely" walk. Suddenly she asks, "Could we go to the movies Johnny? I heard there is a terrific new film. It's called 'The Innocents'."

But before Johnny can answer, Lori jumps in with: "The Innocents? Ha that movie is for wimps. Stupid as can be! It would be lots better to go see 'Hell's Dominion'. That one will literally keep you on the edge of your seat!"

"We????" Lisa begins to say, "I thought it would be just . . ."

But she's quickly interrupted by her husband-to-be: "You're so right, Lori!" Turning to Lisa he adds, "I think we should go see the one Lori suggests, don't you?"

Shocked and hurt, the newly engaged girl keeps her silence.

"What car do you drive Lisa?" Lori asks.

"I drive a Toyota," she answers. "They're the most reliable car out there."

"You better sell it. It's foreign!" Lori sneers. "Buy a Ford! They're cheaper, AND they're made in North America! Besides, they get better gas mileage!"

"But, I don't . . ." Lisa starts to argue, but she is again cut off by her new fiancé:

"Honey, Lisa is right. Let's trade your Echo in on a Taurus!"

The confused, soon-to-be-ex-fiancée suddenly stops in her tracks: "Johnny, can you please take me home?"

"What a stupid idea honey," responds the soon-to-be-slapped-ex-boyfriend. "The evening is young! Let's enjoy being together, just the three of us! We should do what Lori suggests and go see 'Hell's Dominion'. She's always right, you know!"

The sharp crack of the hand sticking bare skin, followed by the purposeful click of heels moving in the opposite direction is all that the stunned Johnny hears as he stands, mouth gaping, staring at Lori.

"Don't worry, honey!" Lori replies. "She isn't worthy of you anyway!"

What about you? Would you like to marry a guy like Johnny, who takes an old friend's word above the word of his own fiancée? It's apparent who Johnny really trusts, isn't it, and it isn't Lisa!

But we, as Christians, sometimes find ourselves treating our Lord and Savior in the same way! We CONFESS Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we SAY He's the only one we trust, but sometimes we continue to listen to the devil, and we continue to yield to the temptations he throws our way! When we do so, aren't we putting our trust in him instead of in Jesus? Aren't we treating Jesus the same way Johnny was treating his new fiancée?

The Bible encourages us to be constantly on the alert for the devil's attacks on our lives: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11 NIV)

But do we follow this advice? Are we constantly attentive to the devil's attacks on us? Do we resist him when we are tempted? Or do we listen to his "sweet" lying voice? When we fall away into temptation, we are showing who we really trust: The tempter, and not the God of our lives! By ourselves there is no way we can victoriously resist the devil. Only God can give us the victory. Only by trusting in Him rather than in ourselves will we be "strong, firm and steadfast."

This is confirmed in 1 Cor 10:13: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." NIV

Victory is ours if we trust in God rather than in ourselves or in the devil. Jesus knows what we are going through and is willing to come to our rescue, if we only trust in Him. "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." (Heb 2:18 NIV)

Relying on Jesus will guarantee our victory!

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36 NIV)

Who do YOU really trust?

Rob Chaffart

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