‘Who’ Can You Trust? [v194]

APRIL 2015

‘Who’ Can You Trust?

Being in the ‘digital marketing’ biz, I’ve noticed a huge shift in how ‘consumers’ gather information, entertain themselves, and how drastically advertising has changed in just the past few years (looked at the “Yellow Pages” lately?).

In 2014, there were approximately 1.7 billion Smartphones worldwide—and that is estimated to double in the next 3-4 years! The underlying benefit of a Smartphone is having ‘everything’ at your fingertips—whether you are researching a product you want to get, getting the latest score for your favorite sports team, checking your bank account, watching the latest viral video, or just playing your favorite game. Many of these features are possible because of mobile applications, or “apps.” The thing is, the mobile app is no different from other software ‘programs’ you use on your computer—you must ensure that you trust that it is ‘safe’ before downloading and installing it.

One of the greatest mistakes a Smartphone user can make is to implicitly trust apps that come from the Internet. Marcus Perryman, a software design engineer at Microsoft, states that “security and mobile application development rarely appear in the same sentence.” Perryman believes that developers place more importance on the ease of use than even the most basic of security features—such as requiring a password for access. As such, malicious ‘hackers’ are now more attracted to Smartphones to seek out their ‘vulnerabilities’ (“Tap Snake” was an Android app that posted where users were on an online map without their knowledge—and that could be really dangerous!). So, it’s advisable to treat your Smartphone with the same concern for security as you do for your bank account.

[ INFOGRAPHIC: “Who Can You Trust – How to keep your data private”:
http://www.signix.com/infographic-who-can-you-trust-in-a-digital-world ].

 

Apps aren’t the only things that we need to ‘trust’—and they’re probably not as important as many other things in life. Things like:
– The chair won’t collapse when you sit in it
– The review on the Internet for the product/service you are interested in purchasing is honest
– Other people aren’t seeing the texts you send
– The roller coaster is not going to fly off the track
– The nutritional/medicine information that is printed on the label is accurate
– The person in the car coming toward you in going to stay in their lane
– The important news stories we hear on the TV that affect us are true
– The pilot has the proper training and experience to successfully fly the plane
– The bank you have your money in will stay in business
– The financial investment advisor is giving you accurate information about the retirement account you are getting
– The ‘babysitter’ you selected is credible
– The doctor is giving you the proper diagnosis for your illness

These, and many others, are definitely much more important to us in the ‘grand scheme’ of things in our lives than a Smartphone app. So then, how does one know who to trust, and how should we go about determining it?

 

Well, there’s no easy answer to know who is trustworthy and who is not, but I’m thinking that it might help to know some of the ‘major’ and widely accepted qualities of a “trustworthy” person:
– They usually show up on time
– When they say they will do something, it usually happens
– If they tell you about something, the information they give you is so thorough that when you find out more about the event or learn about it from another source, the descriptions match
– They rarely lie and don’t expect you to lie for them
– They usually don’t lie by omission to ‘protect’ you or because they want to avoid ‘upsetting’ you
– They are rarely hypocritical
– They usually give real apologies
– Their behaviors match their actions

If someone does all of these things—or most of these things—then it may be ‘safe’ or appropriate for you to trust them. Another big thing to consider is taking a look at their ‘track record’, how well they’ve performed on their promises in the past or, since we are are human and make mistakes sometimes, how well they have ‘made things right’.

So, when you choose to trust anyone, you make yourself vulnerable. Outcomes for physical, emotional, financial, and even spiritual things now depend on that person’s ‘fidelity’. Like it or not, success in life unquestionably requires some willingness to cooperate with and to put your ‘faith’ in others.

 

Most people use ‘reputation’ as a proxy for integrity (“trustworthness”). Today, especially with the Internet available, we can look up whether or not a company or person has been reliable in the past (just be diligent in using multiple and reliable sources).

Dozens of websites and resources, from “Angie’s List” to “Stack Overflow,” have sprung up to meet this demand. But there’s a problem with such strategies. Contrary to common belief, integrity isn’t a stable trait. Someone who has been fair and honest in the past won’t necessarily be fair and honest in the future! Rather, it focuses on two types of ‘gains’: short-term and long-term.

Ninety percent of people—most of whom identify themselves as “morally upstanding”—will act dishonestly to benefit themselves if they believe they won’t get caught! Why? Well, anonymity means no long-term ‘cost’ will be exacted. Even more startling is the fact that most of those who cheat also refuse to characterize their actions as untrustworthy, and they will rationalize their behavior even while condemning the same in others!

Of course, integrity isn’t everything—competence counts, too. Honorable intentions don’t matter if a person’s capabilities aren’t up to the task. Although reputation isn’t always a good indicator of integrity, it is a solid ‘predictor’ of competence. That’s because capabilities are relatively stable regardless of trade-offs in rewards, and thus aren’t subject to a moral ‘calculus’.

Researchers in the academic, business, and military communities have spent countless years trying to uncover a few simple methods for detecting trustworthiness but, despite their best efforts, continue to come up short. All those books promising to teach you how to spot liars through body language? None has empirical support (many people can ‘fool’ lie detector machines).

 

So, is there anyone who is worthy of our trust, or are we doomed to disappointment—even with those whom we are closest to and love the most in life?

Well, let me suggest that I think there is ‘One’ who is beyond the constraints of human sinfulness, human deception, and human moral vulnerability—Someone who we can place our absolute, undivided, unwavering trust in because He has ‘proven’ Himself absolutely worthy of our trust! That would be the God of the Bible.

 

So, why do I think I can make such a ‘proclamation’? Well, the Bible is held up by many to be His “Word” to us which says God’s actions are perfect, His character is flawless, and He has been faithful to keep every promise He’s ever made!

You may then ask me why I believe the Bible is trustworthy. Well for one, it’s the best-selling book of all time—and that’s saying something for over 560 years (Gutenberg started printing books on his press in 1452). Secondly, it has been the most studied and scrutinized ’manuscript’ in history, but after over 2,000 years, it continues to be proven 100% reliable! Thirdly, though written by over 40 authors, in three languages, and over a period of 1,500 years, it is consistent throughout without any errors!

 

To help you investigate the reliability of the Bible, Bible scholar, Hank Hanegraff , developed the acronym, M-A-P-S (since most Bibles have “maps” at the back of them). It stands for: Manuscripts/ Archaeology/ Prophecy/ Statistical Probability. The following is a summary of what he has proposed. [ Entire PDF here: http://www.equip.org/PDF/DB011.pdf ].

– Manuscripts: Accurate copies; Dead Sea Scrolls found in 1947, and the portion of Isaiah 53 found was dated to be written in 100BC compared to oldest fragment they had before this which was dated 900AD—there are 166 words in the passage (about 1,000 letters) and only 17 are different—14 for spelling (like the difference between the word honor and honour), and 3 for the word “light” which does not change the meaning of the text at all; Old Testament scribes counted lines, words, and letters on every page (each Hebrew letter has a value), and would burn the ones with even one mistake; For ancient documents, the more copies the better—the New Testament has over 8,000 Latin and 5,000 Greek manuscripts—overwhelmingly superior to any other ancient document (we have only 10 copies of Caesar’s “Gaelic Wars” and the earliest copy is 1,000 years after it was written); The New Testament has over 5,000 copies dating to within 40-60 years of the originals (simply not enough time for myths to propagate since too many eyewitnesses were still around).

– Archaeology: Solidly confirms the Bible’s accuracy; (example: the Hittites are only mentioned in Bible—monuments and clay tablets have been recently found) Never has there been an archeological discovery that has ever controverted a Biblical reference (Nelson Glueck); Sir William Ramsay set out to disprove Bible, but became a Christian because of the evidence he found.

– Prophecy: Predictions made 500-1,500 years ahead of time (example: the destruction of Tyre by Ezekiel was written 200 years before it happened—King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed mainland city within 15 years, and Alexander the Great threw the debris into the water to form a causeway to destroy the island—finishing the ‘job’); Eventual return of the Jewish people and re-creation of their nation; Isaiah wrote about crucifixion of Christ 700 years before hand and crucifixion was not even a method used at that time; Isaiah also talks about details like gambling for Jesus’ garments; There are over 300 specific prophecies about Jesus that have come to pass.

– Statistical Probability: Written over 1,500 year period by 40 different people in 3 different languages on hundreds of subjects—and it has one consistent non-contradictory theme throughout; No errors have ever been found; God had to have ‘superintended’ it—the unity of it all is shocking; Ask yourself this: suppose you put all the writings of medical subjects together for the last 1,500 years—would it be a unified whole or a chaotic mess? Now, take 40 journalist students from the same culture and the same language and ask them to write on the same subjects the Bible covers—Do you think it would be a ‘harmonized’ masterpiece?

Those few ‘proofs’ are definitely pretty comprehensive, and for those who would like to do more in-depth study, there’s other books about the Bible’s reliability listed in the “Resources” section below. [ I did a substantial amount of study on the ‘veracity’ of Scripture, so contact me if you are interested in additional resources ].

 

Well, I am writing this ‘newsletter’ on Easter weekend, 2015, and have been reflecting on the resurrection of Jesus—the most important ‘proof’ of the Bible’s accuracy, and the ‘foundation’ of the Christian faith—which separates it from every other religion.

Christianity without the literal, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is merely one religion among many. The Apostle Paul could not have chosen stronger language: “and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most miserable” [1 Corinthians 15:14-19].

Granted, over the past 2,000 years or so many brilliant minds have tried to disprove the resurrection of Jesus—but all have come to naught. In recent years, an avowed atheist, Lee Strobel, educated at Yale Law School and an award-winning journalist, set out to prove conclusively that Christianity is a big hoax. After a few years of systematically investigating every ‘angle’ of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, this cynical, hard-bitten journalist presented all of his compelling evidence and expert testimony for the claims of Christianity in his book, “The Case for Christ.” This once ‘spiritual skeptic’ is now the teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago. [ See an excerpt video of the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikxb09pyZwM ].

 

So then, where does this leave us? Well, most of us have a strong desire to ‘protect’ ourselves from getting hurt or let down—and that’s why it’s hard for us to completely trust other people. ‘Logical’ people, like me, jump right into ‘evaluation mode’, thinking to themselves, “If I can gain a comprehensive knowledge of the problem, perhaps I can escape trusting someone else altogether.” (Sounds like a guy named Gideon in the Bible, doesn’t it?)

Trust at its ‘base’, is a delicate problem centered on the balance between two dynamic and often opposing desires—a desire for someone else to meet your needs, and your desire to meet your own.

Indeed, trust shapes how we love, how we learn, why we succeed, why we falter, what we buy, and what ‘legacy’ we leave behind. Perhaps most pivotally and uncomfortably, however, trust defines our relationship with ourselves—the quality of the inward gaze and the tangle of dignity, anxiety, uncertainty, and conviction with which we hold it.

Put simply, the more trust you have for a person, the more you view his or her actions as “noble sacrifices.” Trust begets trust, it turns out, and is what holds relationships together in the first place, and what prevents damage under stress.

I’ve discovered that trust is about having tremendous confidence in someone or something, ‘depending’ on someone or something for the help you need. A lovely thought, but not very encouraging.

I also have learned that real trust assumes that the one whom we trust demonstrates a fortified character of honesty, fairness, truthfulness, justice, morality, ethics, and consistency—and if you are like me, you’re thinking, “There’s no way! No one and nothing is that trustworthy!”

Well, as I mentioned before, the Bible says that we can trust God without reservation, and that He will sustain us and cause all things to work for our good [ Romans 8:28 ].

My ‘defense mechanism’ of not trusting others doesn’t ‘work’ when it comes to God. When I actually fully trust Him, I have discovered that His character is fortified with honesty, fairness, faithfulness, truthfulness, and justice. He is the ultimate example of one who is moral, ethical, and consistent. He is unfaltering. He is dependable. Each time I trust Him, this truth settles deeper in my heart, and my struggle with trusting lessens.

May I say today, I have learned that there is absolute freedom, joy, rest, and peace in trusting the sovereign, faithful Lord, and I want you to know this freedom, joy, rest, and peace for yourself!

 

My ‘life verse’ from the Bible is: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Catch that? “Lean not on your own understanding.” That’s talking about trusting when you don’t understand how or when something is going to change—and it might not be when you want or the way you want. God’s ‘path’ is not necessarily the one we would naturally take, and God’s idea of a ‘straight’ path is not necessarily our idea of one.

So the final element of learning to trust in God with all our hearts is being prepared to go wherever He is ‘taking’ us. It may not seem like the path of least resistance at the time, but looking back we will always see that it was the straight path after all.

Sometimes there will seem to be insurmountable obstacles in our way, and we may begin to doubt that this is the straight path that God is leading us on. But this is all part of learning to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. Removing the obstacles is his job! You can TRUST HIM to make your paths straight!

 

The key for any of us today is to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author of our salvation, the Source of our strength, and the Sustainer of our faith. He alone is worthy of our absolute trust—and He is trustworthy. He will never let you down. He will never fail you. He will never forsake you. He will never abandon you!

 

If you’re going to TRUST your life and your future to someone or something, you’d better choose someone who has your best interest at heart, knows everything, is perfect, and will never lie to you. I’m thinking that kind of limits your options…to God.

Psalm 33:4 says, “For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does.”

 

I pray that the previous information will help you ‘settle’ and/or ‘launch’ you into an investigation so you can decide, once and for all, whether the Bible is true and if Jesus is God—because I’m suggesting that is the most important decision you will ever make, since, as the Bible states, will determine ‘where’ you will end up for eternity!

 

[ Excerpts from: My Secure Cybespace; Mike Hayes; David DeSteno; Maria Popova; Colleen Swindoll Thompson; Albert Mohler ]

 

RESOURCES:

“Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible”
By: Erwin Lutzer

Can you trust the Bible? Our culture answers this question with loud “No!” Critics increasingly attempt to poke holes in the authority of Scripture and deflate faith among believers. But ask Erwin Lutzer if you can trust the Bible and he’ll respond in one word: “Yes.”

In this revised and expanded edition of his top-selling Seven Reasons Why you Can Trust the Bible, Dr. Lutzer offers seven foundational arguments for the reliability of Scripture. In clear, easy-to-understand language, he explores:

The Logical Claims of the Bible
The Historical Reliability of the Bible
The Prophetic Predictions of the Bible
The Authority of Christ
The Story of Creation
The Role of God’s Providence in Creating the Bible
The Power of God’s Word in Your Life.

http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Reasons-Why-Trust-Bible/dp/0802484336

—————-
“Can I Trust the Bible?”
By: Darrell L. Bock and Ravi Zacharias

There are some questions you can’t avoid, no matter what you believe. The Bible is held up by many as the Word of God, but to make such an assertion is to invite a greater scrutiny than we assign to other literature. Are the documents that make it up reliable sources of history? Where did they come from? What’s been left out, and why? This Critical Questions Discussion Guide provides a forum for exploring this question in a group or individually, guided by the engaging insights of world-class philosophers and theologians.

http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Critical-Questions-Discussion-Guides/dp/0830831525/

—————-
“How Do We Know the Bible Is True?”
By Focus On The Family (6-part series)

The best-selling book in history remains one of the most controversial. Revered by Christians as God’s holy Word, the Bible spans centuries of history, contains a variety of literary styles and culminates in the person of Jesus Christ. But how do we know the Bible is true? Isn’t it just a collection of stories and myths? Even if it contains some history, is there any way we can trust it completely?

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/the-study-of-god/how-do-we-know-the-bible-is-true/how-do-we-know-bible-is-true

—————-
“Evidence That Demands a Verdict” [1999]
By Josh McDowell

A classic, authoritative defense of Christianity containing arguments from the best apologetics of the ages. Scholarly, intelligent resposes for those who question or attack the basis of Christian faith.

Bestselling author and Christian apologist Josh McDowell hopes The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict will further document historical evidence of the Christian faith. As such, it is a straightforward compilation of notes prepared for his lecture series, “Christianity: Hoax or History?” The entire book (over 750 pages) is laid out in outline form, which makes it easier for researchers, scholars, and students to access. As a result, this is not reflective fireside reading. Rather, it is a tool for locating supporting “evidence” whenever the need arises. Part I addresses the trustworthiness of the Bible; Part II offers historical evidence and supporting attestations for Jesus’ claim to God; Part III addresses “radical Christian criticism” of the Bible; Part IV is devoted to quelling the voice of numerous skeptics, including “a defense for the existence of miracles” and “answers to divergent worldview.”

Book:

http://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Demands-Questions-Challenging-Christians/dp/0785243631

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRemWMIy2IY

—————-
“God-Breathed: The Undeniable Power and Reliability of Scripture” [2015]
By Josh McDowell

“God said, ‘Let there be. . .’ ” And when God spoke, things happened. Recapture the awe, the mystery, the passion and power of scripture in God-Breathed—where you’ll personally experience a life transformed by the One who spoke everything into existence, including you.

http://www.amazon.com/God-Breathed-Undeniable-Power-Reliability-Scripture/dp/1630589411

—————-
“Evidence For The Resurrection”
By Josh McDowell

When Jesus died on the cross, it seemed that all had been lost. Death had won. But after three days in a rich man’s tomb, Jesus appeared . . . alive! Can we really believe the promises made by a man who rose from the dead?

Josh will take you through compelling and abundant evidence that Jesus Christ conquered death and the grave. And he will challenge you to answer this question: If Jesus rose from the dead 2,000 years ago, what does it mean for me today?

“The resurrection issue takes the question, ‘Is Christianity valid?’ out of the realm of philosophy and makes it a question of history.”

http://www.josh.org/video-2/evidence-for-the-resurrection/

—————-
“Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God”
By: Sheila Walsh

Do you ever question God’s ability to catch you when you fall? Do shame, fear, and brokenness keep you from fully trusting God? Do you secretly believe your dreams are unreachable? Do you secretly believe your dreams are unreachable? You are not alone.

This is a book about trust. How we fight it. How we learn to do it. How it transforms us. Life is not safe. That reality slips over us as we grow. Our response to the Father in that reality allows us either to swing higher and higher with the trust of a child…or fearfully shrink back from the swing set altogether. As we weigh that choice, God whispers: Trust me.

In a remarkably transparent account, author and speaker Sheila Walsh opens wide her lifelong battle with trust and the moment-by-moment choices she made to follow where God led. Sheila has lived a life ruled by the “hidden places” of insecurity and brokenness and knows the overwhelming beauty of a life wholly handed over to Christ.

As you encounter her struggles and triumphs, you also meet ten of the Bible’s transformed—Tabitha, David, Paul, and others—who teach us that in spite of overwhelming circumstances, just one trusting encounter with Christ sets beautiful things in motion. It can resurrect dreams, instill purpose, and ignite hope.

http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Things-Happen-Woman-Trusts/dp/1400202434

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[P.S.: If you would like to investigate if the Bible is divinely inspired or merely human, visit the following link:
http://www.4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q4_d1_1of10.html

 

LIFE’S DEEP THOUGHTS (v194) for APRIL 2015
If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

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‘REAL’ TRUST
Jean-Francois Gravelet (1821-1897), better known as “Blondin,” was a famous tightrope walker and acrobat. He was perhaps best known for his many crossings of a tightrope suspended high above the Niagra Falls, watched by large crowds. On one such occasion in 1860, a Royal party from Britain went to watch Blondin perform. He began with a relatively simple crossing using a balancing pole. Then he would throw the pole away and begin to amaze the onlookers with increasingly impressive stunts. He then wheeled a wheelbarrow from one side to the other as the crowd cheered. He put a sack of potatoes into the wheelbarrow and wheeled that across. The crowd cheered louder. Then he approached the Royal party and asked the Duke of Newcastle, ‘Do you believe that I could take a man across the tightrope in this wheelbarrow?’ ‘Yes, I do’, said the Duke. ‘Hop in!’ replied Blondin. The crowd fell silent, but the Duke of Newcastle would not accept Blondin’s challenge. ‘Is there anyone else here who believes I could do it?’ asked Blondin. No one was willing to volunteer. Eventually, the only person willing to put her life in his hands was an old woman, Blondin’s mother. Blondin wheeled her all the way across and all the way back!

[ Alpha Course – Exploring the Meaning of Life ]

https://alphawefc.wordpress.com/page/8/

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WHO CAN YOU TRUST?
If you trust the wrong people, your brain wiring may be the reason

One of the most important decisions you make in life is deciding who to trust. Trusting the wrong person can result in abusive relationships, date rape, being taken advantage of, financial losses, next morning walks of shame. and many other undesirable outcomes. It would be nice if the sociopaths who lurk amongst us actually looked suspicious, and the psychopaths wore labels saying “Be scared, be very scared” Unfortunately, this is not the case. In fact research shows that people with narcissistic personalities who tend to manipulate other people for their own selfish ends actually present as especially charming and attractive on first impression. They also are more likely to have high-status jobs or possessions. So how do you avoid the con man or serial seducer? Understanding your brain’s automatic wiring may hold the key.

[ Read the entire article by clicking on the following link:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201411/who-can-you-trust ]

[ Melanie Greenberg, Ph.D ]

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9 SIGNS YOU KNOW YOU CAN TRUST SOMEONE WITH YOUR HEART
(Dating Insights)

It really amazes me what falling in love can do. It turns closed up, self-centered, arrogant, private individuals into people willing to open themselves up, expose themselves and voluntarily make themselves vulnerable. Love really does seem like a mental disorder. Love makes us want to give ourselves over to another.

We let down our guards and allow those we love to see the real us—naked and vulnerable. This is where the fun part comes: giving yourself up too soon will likely ruin what you have. The very same can be said for giving into love too late.

There’s a narrow window of time that relies heavily on those involved. Sometimes things align just right and they work out wonderfully. The real task is knowing that window when you see it.

1. You’ve known this person for at least a year (two if you want be safe):
You may not be able to help falling for someone, but you can help letting him or her know too early. Once you say those three words, your relationship goes to the next level; it will never be able to level back down again. Once you love someone, you’re supposed to love that person forever (or so we’re led to believe).

Before giving someone your heart and taking the relationship to the next level, make sure that you know who you’re getting into bed with. No pun intended.

2. As far as you know, this person has never lied to you:
And if he or she has, you at least never found out. I understand that most people are entirely against lying, but the truth is that no one wants to be told the truth all the time. Reality is harsh and having it softened by those who love us can be a wonderful thing. There are some lies, however, that shouldn’t be told.

Certain types of lies are formed out of malice and deception. If you know you’ve been lied to before and were hurt by the knowledge itself then you may want to rethink moving forward. It’s not the lie that hurts, but the truth that it’s covering. You don’t want to be with someone who hurt you in the past while lying to you about it.

3. This person doesn’t need to be chased after—you simply manage to find each other:
Before you hand your heart over, be sure that the person you’re handing it over to actually cares about you. It’s not difficult to tell. If he or she is there when you need and isn’t always the one who is in need, then it’s a good bet that this person really enjoys spending time with you. If he or she enjoys your company that much then he or she most definitely cares about you. Beware those who seem to be regularly unavailable.

4. This person told you that he or she isn’t “going anywhere” and you believe it:
Before people say “I love you” they tend to ease in with an “I’m not going anywhere” remark, or its equivalent, strategically fitted as a witty and romantic response. If this person doesn’t plan on running off and is falling for you, he or she is likely to start by making you feel safe.

This person wants you to trust in him or her because this person wants to be able to one day, in the near future, exchange those words. If this person has already told you that he or she loves you, hearing “I’m not going anywhere” from time to time is still a nice reminder that you made the right decision.

5. This person has always treated you well and has respected you:
If he or she has been treating you poorly then don’t expect that to ever change. If this person doesn’t respect you then he or she isn’t the type of person you should be with and definitely isn’t the one you should be giving you heart to. Your partner should be your partner, not your owner.

6. This person is always there for you when you need him or her:
This one is a big one. A lot of people are quick to talk big, but are nowhere to be found when it comes time to actually follow through. The person you should love is the person who will never abandon you, never leave you alone and stranded, never give up on you or let you go. If he or she isn’t that person then forget about him or her and keep searching.

7. This person is willing to inconvenience him or herself to make you happy:
Being inconvenienced is nothing more than being uncomfortable. If this person isn’t willing to be uncomfortable for you then he or she won’t be willing to do a whole lot for you throughout your relationship. People have very neat comfort zones—leaving them is often pretty easy, but uncomfortable. This person should be willing to sacrifice his or her comfort for yours.

8. This person is trustworthy:
If you can’t trust him or her with your secrets then he or she isn’t a very good partner. You need to trust the person you have feelings for before you allow yourself to accept that you love him or her. You have to be able to trust this person—trust him or her as a friend, lover and as a partner. If you can rely on and count on him or her to catch you when you fall, then and only then, should you be willing to make yourself that vulnerable.

9. You’re ready for this:
This is one that is most often overlooked. It’s not enough that your partner is right and ready to take the relationship to the next level. We ourselves have to be ready for it.

We often are too busy thinking and worrying about those we are falling for to consider if we are prepared to play the part ourselves. Are you ready to follow through on points one through eight? If you’re not then it doesn’t matter if your partner is, does it?

[ Paul Hudson ]

http://elitedaily.com/dating/10-signs-know-can-trust-someone-heart/

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TRUST HIM
(Parody of “Truckin” by the Grateful Dead)

Trust Him – got to keep from sin
Keep trustin’ – baby, do not fret
To get a – really bles-sed life – just keep trustin’ God

Heroes of Hebrews 11 those people became great
They followed the Lord and His voice and they all had the same faith
Your typical people involved in the Biblical mandate
Hangin’ tough to see what the Lord would bring

Doubters – got a selfish streak
Useless – because they do their own thing
You know – you got to wait and see – the best is yet to be

Moses was back with the sheep when he’d meet with the true God
Noah he might have been thinkin’ of buyin’ a home
One of these days you know that God could just show up
Out of the blue with something to do all your own

Trust Him – like the true God says
Trust in Me and I will make you blest
You’ll find your life ain’t worth a dime – if you don’t lay it down

Sometimes I might lose sight of one thing
All those guys were as scared as me
They made it and so can we – with a strong faith just in Him

What in the world ever became of “Sheep Dave”?
He lost his flock – but you know he isn’t ashamed
Little ol’ kid, fightin’ and bein’ so brave
All the men could see that David would reign

Trust Him – up above you’ll go
In Heaven – and not to Hell below
It takes time – you need faith to go – just keep trustin’ God

Gideon was scared and now he’s a local hero
God had said, You’re gonna win the war, Gideon
He tried some tests with fleece before the battle
But he still went to war and – I guess you knew that he’d win

Trust Him – now with fervency
Get up – time to go with Him
Start now – and get to where it is – the Lord wants you to be

If you’re sick of foolin’ around and liv’n’ like the devil
You’re tired of the devil and you wanna turn around
Confess, repent, devote your soul to Christ
Get out of the drawer and find what that Book’s all about

Sometimes when life gets kind of lonely
Other eyes might be starin’ at me
Waiting in eternity – what a lot of great witnesses

Trust Him – I’m a goin’ home
Whoa whoa baby, up where I belong
Back home – sit by my master’s throne
You get there trustin’ God

[ ApologetiX – “Soundproof” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAKffWwNw9Q

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FOLLOW ME
(Parody of “Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker)

You don’t know how He met me — You don’t know why
You can’t turn around my faith in Christ
Long ago I went-a fishin’ one day at sea
He said to me, “James, try some fishin’ for Me”
“And if You want to leave life in Galilee
“You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”
I’m not worried ’bout the king out there
Cause the Lord has got my soul and my body don’t care
You feel I’m guilty and I’m well aware
A funeral’s booked for James but baby I’m not scared
He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
“I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
“And if You’re gonna be fightin’ Pharisees
“You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”
Forgive me, Mama, I can’t kiss you goodbye
You’re better off if you don’t drop by
I’m locked in prison; I’ll soon go away
Maybe they’ll write of this in Acts 12 someday
“Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
“I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
“And if You want to lead to Gethsemane
“You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”
You don’t know how He met me — You don’t know Christ
You’ve captured me now and say I’ll die
All I know is when I’ve left you, I’m breaking free
So cling to your vain lives, I’m itchin’ to leave
He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
“I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
“And if You want to lead up to Calvary
“You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”
He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
“I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
“And if You want to lead up to Calvary
“You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”
He told me, “Follow Me, ” and I said, “Jesus, all right
“I’ll be the one to trust You with his life
“And if You want to lead up to Heavenly
“You know I’ll go gladly just like Thee”

[ ApologetiX – “Grace Period” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcIcM9N_fHo

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TRUST IN THE LORD

Trust, trust in the Lord
Lean not on your own understanding
In all, all of your ways
Acknowledge Him
He’ll make your path straight

You’ll be my guide for life
I’ll walk by Your side
With Your hand in mine
I’ll go where You lead me

Trust, trust in the Lord
Lean not on your own understanding
In all, all of your ways
Acknowledge Him
He’ll make your path straight

My eyes can only see
The ground beneath my feet
Your dreams are greater
Your ways are higher
O Lord please show me

Trust, trust in the Lord
Lean not on your own understanding
In all, all of your ways
Acknowledge Him
He’ll make your path straight

Bless my thoughts
My dreams, my imaginations
Step by step
Your delight, Your creation

Trust, trust in the Lord
Lean not on your own understanding
In all, all of your ways
Acknowledge Him
He’ll make your path straight

[ Jaci Velasquez, Jill Phillips, and Point Of Grace ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaKDTZdT7bE

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DEEP THOUGHT(s):

“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”
[ Friedrich Nietzsche ]

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
[ William Shakespeare ]

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”
[ George MacDonald ]

“Few delights can equal the presence of one whom we trust utterly.”
[ George MacDonald ]

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
[ Stephen Covey ]

“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”
[ Albert Einstein ]

“A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.”
[ Charles Kingsley ]

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
[ Corrie Ten Boom ]

“The most important lesson that I have learned is to trust God in every circumstance. Lots of times we go through different trials and following God’s plan seems like it doesn’t make any sense at all. God is always in control and he will never leave us.”
[ Allyson Felix ]

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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ‘pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.”
[ Proverbs 3:5-6 ]

Mark

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Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

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