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In Whom Do You Place Your Confidence?
Sermonette by Martin G. CollinsConfidence in God is a vital matter of faith, essential for overcoming fear and confusion in times of uncertainty. When the Israelites left Egypt, their initial boldness waned as dangers loomed, and their trust in God's promises faltered, leading to fear and anxiety due to their lack of vision and faith in His dependability. Moses, as a leader, demonstrated varying responses to such challenges; in one instance, he led with calm assurance, sternly guiding the people, while in another, he succumbed to despair, questioning his burden and even begging for relief, yet God's provision of supportive elders restored his confidence through their united trust in Divine protection and provision. Confidence requires a high degree of certainty and faith, compelling us to act in accordance with our trust in God. While we may confide in others, our greater confidence must rest in Him, avoiding the pitfalls of relying on human solutions for spiritual issues. Scripture warns against placing trust in oneself or unrighteous individuals, emphasizing that only God controls life's circumstances and brings true fulfillment. We are cautioned not to trust solely in friends or companions for serious matters, but to look to the Lord, waiting for the God of our salvation, knowing He hears us. Trust in God provides mental stability, discernment, and wisdom, enriching our lives with safety and security, free from fear. The Lord is our confidence, a firm foundation that prevents us from being knocked down by deceit or confusion. Those who trust in Him will not be disappointed, unlike those who place confidence elsewhere and face ruin. Our spiritual roots must be deeply established in God's promises, ensuring our faith remains firm amid worldly distractions, governed by His eternal assurances. Confidence in God allows us to approach Him knowing we are loved and heard, not destroyed by wrath, but redeemed. If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward Him, receiving what we ask because we keep His commandments and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. Through faith in Christ, we have boldness and access to God, rooted in love, comprehending the vastness of Christ's love, and being filled with the fullness of God. We can come confidently to the throne of grace for mercy, assured that our prayers are heard, trusting that whatever God decides is good, and finding no need to worry about worldly crises, for He never leaves us.
Confidence
Sermon by James BeaubelleWe all seek a strong confidence in God, a firm belief built over time within our faith, knowing that He is near as we work out our salvation. We grow increasingly confident that He will finish the good work He has begun in us, watching over us at all times to do us good and guiding events to build a life of faith that glorifies Him. This faith teaches us to rely on His promises, no matter the circumstances, assured that those He has called will be brought into His Kingdom through the sacrifice and work of our Savior and High Priest, Jesus Christ. God is never slack in His responsibilities to His creation, acting as a good steward over what He has made. His active role in sustaining His creation, as seen in His providential care, gives us reason to have strong confidence in Him to fulfill His purpose with each of us as we seek and find Him at the center of our lives. As Psalm 36:5-10 declares, His mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and lovingkindness are vast, providing for our every need and inspiring trust under the shadow of His wings, where we find satisfaction and the fountain of life. Confidence with God is a two-way affair, as He tests His saints to confirm His confidence in their faith and obedience, shaping them to be more complete in concert with His purposes. As James 1:2-4 instructs, we are to count it joy when facing trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience, leading to perfection and completeness. God's promises, such as in 1 Corinthians 10:13, assure us that He will not allow temptation beyond what we can bear, providing a way of escape, which builds our confidence in His faithfulness. In times of discouragement, Psalm 42:5 reminds us to hope in God and praise Him for the help of His countenance, encouraging us to remain confident in His strength and compassion. Hebrews 10:19 urges us to approach the Holiest with boldness, or confidence, through the blood of Jesus, presenting our faith before God with a contrite heart. Hebrews 4:16 further teaches us to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find help in time of need, reinforcing our assurance in His care. Ultimately, we must guard against losing confidence in God, as seen in the deception of Eve in Genesis 3:4-5, where satan's lie led to fear and hiding from Him. Instead, let us confidently seek Him at all times in faith, boldly coming before the throne of grace for all reasons, trusting in His unwavering care and promises.
In God We Trust
Sermonette by Ryan McClureWhen the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib tried to intimidate Hezekiah, attempting to sow doubt and division, God intervened, destroying 185,000 soldiers.
God Has Faith in You
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. ReidHaving faith and trust in God is essential to salvation, and this trust, described through the Hebrew word batach, means to confide in God so completely that one is secure without fear, fleeing to Him for refuge and resting on Him with confidence. This confidence is warranted because God is faithful to fulfill every promise He makes, as demonstrated throughout Scripture. By contrast, mankind's record is one of failure, wickedness, and rebellion, with no one righteous or seeking God on their own. This stark contrast raises a troubling question: has God chosen the wrong vehicle for His plan, or has man's terrible history somehow defeated God's purpose? The answer is a firm no—God's plan will stand despite the condition of man, for He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. This confidence rests not only on trusting God, but on recognizing that God has confidence in humanity to fulfill His purpose. Remarkably, God has faith in those He calls to succeed in His plan. This is demonstrated through four key provisions: mankind alone is made in God's image; the entire angelic host was created to minister to those who will inherit salvation; the whole universe was fashioned to provide a setting for human beings to be raised as heirs with Christ; and God designed humanity to receive His Holy Spirit, imparting His very mind. God is the perfect Father, capable of raising His children flawlessly, even though those children stumble and grow through trials, mistakes, and increasing responsibility. This divine confidence in human beings is illustrated through numerous biblical examples. Noah, with no shipbuilding experience, was trusted to construct the ark. Moses, despite his doubts and reluctance, was trusted to lead Israel. Abraham, though he doubted God's promises, became the father of the faithful. Paul endured tremendous suffering yet never wavered. Jeremiah, Daniel and his companions, Esther, Job, and Peter all began with weaknesses or fears, yet God's trust in them proved justified. Job endured severe testing not because he failed, but because God was refining him, teaching that God tests the righteous to strengthen and grow them, not to destroy them. The conclusion drawn from these examples is that God does not make mistakes in His choices. Just as He had faith in flawed individuals throughout history, He has faith in every person called today to complete the course set before them. This calling requires a response: cooperation with God's work of change, setting one's will against sin, and drawing near to God through study and growth. Believers possess real authority and power, granted through being begotten by God, to become His children—an authority so complete that success is assured if one simply trusts Him. Confidence in God, therefore, means moving forward without doubt, trusting fully that God is present in every circumstance, working out His purpose so that His called ones may share in His glory forever.
God's Workmanship (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughConfidence in God stands at the very foundation of the entire process of salvation described throughout this message. Salvation is not a one-time event but a lifelong process—illustrated by Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan—moving from justification through sanctification to glorification. Because this process spans a lifetime and beyond, believers can easily grow discouraged, wondering whether they will truly reach the resurrection. The answer to that fear lies in Romans 8:31-39, where Paul writes with ringing assurance that nothing—tribulation, distress, principalities, powers, or any created thing—can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This confidence originates with God Himself, who bears the primary burden of bringing His people into His Kingdom and supplies whatever gift, whether faith, love, or strength, is needed to make it through. This divine confidence is further revealed through the grammar of Scripture itself. In II Corinthians 2:14-16, Paul uses the present passive tense to describe salvation as already occurring, likening believers to captives spared by a victorious Roman general and marching toward life rather than death. God speaks of things not yet accomplished as though they already were, as seen in Romans 4:17, where He "calls those things which be not as though they were." This reflects God's absolute certainty that He can fulfill His covenant promises, first made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and repeated with increasing detail throughout Scripture. His faithfulness to those patriarchs guarantees His faithfulness to those called into that same promise today. This confidence is inseparably tied to faith, defined in Hebrews 11:1 as "the substance of things hoped for." Yet faith itself must rest on something firm—God's own faithfulness, character, and power. Since it is impossible for Him to lie, His word can be trusted completely. Malachi 3:6, Deuteronomy 7:6-9, and Isaiah 46:1-5 all reinforce this: God preserves His people not because of their worthiness but because of His unchanging faithfulness, proving Himself superior to false gods who cannot deliver on their promises. Isaiah 46:3-4 depicts God carrying Israel "even to old age," a picture meant to reassure believers that He will likewise carry them into His Kingdom. This confidence in God directly shapes the purpose of works. Because salvation cannot be earned, works are not the means of being saved but the evidence of a living, active faith—one that builds godly character, witnesses to the world and to God, and brings glory to His name. A dead faith, merely intellectual, cannot save; only a faith that trusts and acts, growing out of confidence in God's proven faithfulness, produces genuine transformation. Ultimately, the confident, assured language used throughout Scripture regarding salvation is meant to encourage believers to rest in God's certainty of success while wholeheartedly yielding to His creative work in them, trusting that the God who has never failed His promises will indeed bring them safely into His Kingdom.
God's Love and Teachings for His Children
Sermon by Kim MyersGod lovingly teaches His children, just as a perfect parent. As children cry out to their parents, so human nature drives God's people to complain to Him.
Power Belongs to God (Part 1)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughPaul knew that only through strengthening his relationship with God was he able to both abound and be abased. When we are in trouble, we need to contact God first.
The Faithfulness of God (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)God established permanent patterns, electing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as all of those He has called. This election should be our obsession.
God's Workmanship (Part 3)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod assumes the burden for our salvation, but we are obligated to yield to His workmanship—made manifest by good works, the effect of salvation.
Self-Confidence
Sermonette by James C. StoertzThis world in general touts self-confidence as a key indicator of capability and success, even if one has to 'fake it' until he makes it.
Power Belongs to God (Part One)
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughWhere does real power reside? All power has its source in God—and not just the kind of power we typically think of.
The Household of God and Loyalty
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe ultimate shame for a covenant people is to be found disloyal. God will be faithful to His purpose for humankind and will pursue it to its glorious end.
God Gives Grace to the Humble
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGenuine humility is one of the most elusive characteristics a person can attain. It consists of of self-respect accompanied by a genuine desire to serve.
Sovereign God, Not Man
Commentary by Richard T. RitenbaughWe have all become little 'sovereigns.' Everyone thinks he or she can make up the rules about God's truth, when God is to be the sole arbiter of truth.
Why Is God Doing This, This Way?
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)We must learn to see ourselves and our function as God sees us—as a distinct, unique entity, a holy people, a special treasure.
God the Father (Part 1)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJesus reveals that the Father has always had supreme authority, and that He and His Father are absolutely at one in purpose. We must conform to their image.
Psalm Genres (Part Seven): Trust
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughConfidence in God forms the core of spiritual faith, arising as strong belief or conviction in His character, promises, and purposes rather than in physical proof or human strength. This confidence rests on revelation, by which God discloses His invisible attributes and plan to reproduce Himself through a covenant relationship with those He calls into His image. It also draws support from creation, which displays His power as Creator and Designer, confirming that He exists, works, and desires closeness with humanity as a divine Family. The relationship remains reciprocal: believers place confidence in God by trusting His instructions and waiting for His action, while He demonstrates faithfulness by keeping every promise to save, heal, protect, and bless. Trust, expressed by the Hebrew term batach, conveys dependence, reliance, and hopeful conviction that God will respond according to His mercy and power. This attitude produces peace amid trials, replacing fear or doubt with positive expectation that God will prevail. Psalms of trust illustrate this confidence through declarations of assurance, vivid metaphors such as God as rock, refuge, defense, keeper, and shade, and affirmations that He guards His people from every evil without slumbering. These psalms describe threats yet counter them with the reality of God's proven care, urging reliance on Him alone rather than on human resources or oppression. The result is a settled conviction that deliverance comes not from inner courage but from knowing God's faithfulness, leading believers to wait silently, pour out their hearts, and rest in the certainty that His covenant love will bring them safely to the end.
Endure to the End of What?
Article by Craig SablichChrist urges God's elect to endure to the end. What is that end? He desires that we persevere through our struggles in faith, building godly character.
Snapshots (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeEven if a present snapshot of our lives looks dismal, it cannot reveal what happens next. What happens next is in God's hands—and He finishes what He starts.
Will You Show Up?
Sermonette by Hunter D. SwansonExpecting to do the very best each time might prove to be a detriment leading to inhibiting self-doubt. Sometimes, "showing up" may be our best works.
Faith to Face Our Trials
'Ready Answer' by Pat HigginsLife seems to be one trial after another. However, God has revealed an astounding facet of God's love that should give us the faith to soldier on.
Faith and Contentment (Part One)
CGG Weekly by John ReissA Christian can be content because his faith and trust are in the trustworthiness of the supreme God. The world is not spinning wildly out of control.
We Are Saved in This Hope
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsThe Scriptures assure us that by combining God's redemptive acts from the past, we are to have an ardent hope in the future, anticipating eternal life.
Christian Optimism
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPaul wrote some of his most optimistic letters from prison, under the possibility of execution, but absolutely convinced that ultimate victory was imminent.
Count Your Blessings
Commentary byThe fact that God has handpicked us from the billions that live on the earth should give us a quiet confidence that God is providentially caring for us.
Psalms: Book Two (Part Four)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughEight of the psalms of Book Two were not written by David, but by Asaph, the sons of Korah, and Solomon. These psalms have more of a group emphasis.
Faith versus Doubtful Things
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFaith falters when our attention moves to ourselves. God periodically allows storms to test our faith. We are driven back to God when there is nowhere else to turn.
Thank You for Finishing What You Start!
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe should be thankful to God for His Holy Spirit, spiritual blessings, fellowship, as well as God's promise that He will finish what He has started.
Joy: What Is It?
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWithout God's Spirit, the fruit of joy is unattainable. Godly joy buoys people in the midst of grave trials, providing hope for a glorious future.
Psalm Genres (Part Four): Laments
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the journey through life's inevitable sorrows and trials, a profound confidence in God emerges as a steadfast anchor. Within the Psalms, particularly in the laments, there is a recurring expression of trust in His divine intervention, even amidst deep distress. In Psalm 64, the psalmist transitions from lamenting the wicked's schemes to confidently asserting that God will turn their own words against them, ensuring justice with His own arrows of retribution. This confidence inspires a broader recognition among all people to fear and declare His works, affirming His support for the righteous. Similarly, in Psalm 44, despite a communal lament over a humiliating defeat and feelings of abandonment, the Israelites maintain a resolute trust in God. They reflect on past deliverances, stand firm in their fidelity, and ultimately express a raw faith that He will deliver them in His perfect timing. Even without immediate resolution, their plea is grounded in the belief that He watches over them and will act according to His mercy and greater purpose. This unwavering trust transforms despair into hope, as seen in the structure of lament psalms, where statements of confidence in God often follow cries of anguish, leading to praise. Such faith assures that, despite unresolved trials, clinging to His promise ensures that all things will work together for good for those who remain faithful.
Making Faithful Choices (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGideon began his life as a coward, became a conqueror, and ended a compromiser, all the while needing assurances from God to bolster his flagging faith.
Where Do We Fit?
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The church exists because of what God has purposed and done, not because anything we have done. When pride exists within us, God can do nothing with us.
The Sin of Fear (Part Two)
'Ready Answer' by Pat HigginsThere are two seemingly-contradictory types of fear, the good fears and the bad ones. We must begin and remain in the proper fear of God to cast off other fears.
My Parents Won't Let Me!
Article by Clyde FinkleaHere is the story of a young man's momentous choice regarding his keeping of the Sabbath, a decision he had to make all on his own.
The Genuineness of Your Faith
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsIn the Bible, character is not affirmed until action takes place-namely obedience to God's commands in which faith or trust in God is the dominant ingredient.
Facing Times of Stress: Persecution
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsPersecution involves a wide spectrum, ranging from torture, physical beating, social excommunication, imprisonment and death. Our boldness should match Paul's.
Could You Stand Alone?
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWould we have the same courage to stand spiritually as the brave unarmed man who resisted the tanks of the Chinese Red Army in Tiananmen Square?
Meditate on These Things
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe must avoid shallow thinking, developing spiritual depth by meditating upon God's creation, His truth, His Law and His standards of righteousness.
Deuteronomy (Part 6)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughGod is absolutely faithful to finish what He started, knowing the end from the beginning. Our strength is dependent upon the relationship we have with God.
We Must Believe!
Sermon by John O. ReidWe are asked to believe in a Being nobody has directly seen or heard, whose written word has been vilified and scorned. Without faith, we can't please God.