A new Gallup survey suggests that Americans are in fairly good moods. The poll released last week reveals 56 percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country.

In the past, polls have found American’s reported contentment is predictably linked with their confidence in the economy and the president. The Gallup organization says the new results show that Americans are leery about the current economic conditions, yet hope things will improve is widespread. Other similar studies by other organizations, suggest Americans are largely a happy, resilient lot, in spite of fearful conditions or people.

Many times, our source of trust influences our state of mind. When we base our trust on political leaders or economic conditions, our feelings rise and fall with each new day. The Lord offers us a constant source of contentment and encouragement and strength, regardless of circumstances. Confidence in the Lord is a secure, and unshakeable foundation.

—Washington Times, Americans Express Optimism, May 14, 2002. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim

Psalm 20:7-8 “Some may trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.”

Chris Kratzer says, “Great things happen when our resources end and God’s resources begin.”

Mark 8:1-9 NASB “In those days again, when there was a great multitude and they had nothing to eat, He called His disciples and said to them, [2] ‘I feel compassion for the multitude because they have remained with Me now three days, and have nothing to eat; [3] and if I send them away hungry to their home, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a distance.’ [4] And His disciples answered Him, ‘Where will anyone be able to find enough to satisfy these men with bread here in a desolate place?’ [5] And He was asking them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ And they said, ‘Seven.’ [6] And He directed the multitude to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the multitude. [7] They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. [8] And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. [9] And about four thousand were there; and He sent them away.”

For more information on Future Church: Ministry in a Post-Seeker Age, go to: http://www.www.thefuturechurch.com/order.html

Four decades of opinion polling has revealed a startling trend in American society, most people do not trust others as much as they once did. Polls have revealed a constant slide in the level of trust since the 1960s.

When asked whether “most people can be trusted,” 53 percent of Americans agreed in 1964. The number was down to 49 percent in 1971, 44 percent in 1980, 39 percent in 1991, and 35 percent in 2002. Tom Smith, director of the General Social Survey at the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center says, “We’re talking a 20 percentage point drop, and the majority of Americans have switched positions from optimistic to pessimistic.”

Smith says there are many views regarding the change. It might be due to higher crime rates, television viewing, or an increasing divorce rate. He notes others blame the slide on economic instability or poor job security. The cause might even be living in larger groups, which makes everyone more anonymous and somehow less trustworthy. No one is quite sure why the trust level has continued to slide.

Cynthia Ivie, owner of “Loose Ends,” a company that manages client’s affairs for a fee says, “ I couldn’t have a business if my clients didn’t trust me.” She says right now the level of trust has hit a low, and we can’t afford to go much lower. She suggests the way to combat natural suspicions is to prove yourself trustworthy over and over again. She adds, “When you don’t pretend to be above it all, people respect that. We’re only as good as the ethics we practice on a daily basis. It’s a daily test.”

—www.miamiherald.com, Surveys show Americans less trusting, more suspicious than ever, By Greg Burns, Sunday, June 8, 2003. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

In his book, “Out of the Whirlwind,” Mark Tabb writes, “will I continue to believe in him and follow his Son even if doing so never resulted in any blessings in this life? Will I believe when believing only makes life harder not easier? Will I accept bad things from the hand of God and keep trusting in him even if the bad so overwhelms the good as to make it invisible?”

For more information on “Out of the Whirlwind” by Mark Tabb, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080542721X/fm082-20

In his book, Out of the Whirlwind, Mark Tabb writes, “He tells us to trust him enough to believe he knows what he is doing. When his actions don't make sense, trust him. When the windows of heaven seem to be open extra wide and life can't get any better, trust him. When the bottom falls out and life turns hard, trust him. Good times and bad, happy and sad, trust him. When I try to explain him away or reduce him to neat little formulas, I show a lack of faith not a wealth of it.”

What will God do? I have no idea, but I do know this: God is God. His wisdom knows no end. He isn't making things up on the fly. He knows what he is doing. Now I must trust him enough to entrust my life to him even when I would rather not.”

Proverbs 3:5 NASB “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding.”

For more information on “Out of the Whirlwind” by Mark Tabb, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/080542721X/fm082-20

Like many believers, Karen Sparks had trusted God with her salvation, but wasn't sure she was trusting God with everything. She wasn't sure that is until she returned from a mission trip to Ecuador. On that trip she noticed how the believers in Guayaquil literally trusted God for their daily bread.

When she returned, she began praying, "God help me to trust You for everything like the believers in Guayaquil." Not long after that prayer, her church sent out offering envelopes and she noticed that one of the envelopes was for International Missions. As she considered how much money she should put in the envelope, Sparks began to think about how the widow gave all she had. "Well, Lord, I'm not a widow. This can't apply to me." She sensed the Lord saying "Yes it does."

So Sparks balanced her check book and wrote a check for everything she had and put it in the envelope. She held onto the envelope for a couple of days just in case God changed His mind, when He didn't, she put the check in the mail.

That evening, she went to her pantry and surveyed its contents. There wasn't enough for a week, much less a month. She would have to trust the Lord for her daily bread.

The Lord provided every meal. "No, I didn't have any extra, but I never missed a meal." Sparks said, "Our God is good, and I can truly say that when we are determined to trust Him completely, He will provided for us just like He says."

Luke 21:2-4 NIV "He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. [3] 'I tell you the truth,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. [4] All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

A new study has found that more Australians trust in their country's Defense forces than their churches. The study conducted by Queensland University of Technology examined social attitudes toward many organizations, such as police banks, politicians, and public service. Researchers found two thirds of Australians had little or no confidence in the courts and legal system, and 60 percent did not trust the nation's Parliamentary leaders. Thirty-five percent of the people had confidence in churches or other religious institutions, while 82 percent trusted the nation's Defense Force. Law enforcement agencies had the trust of 72 percent of the people. The survey found banks and financial institutions were trusted least.

Professor Clive Bean said the rise of terrorism and the collapse of large corporations have shaken many people's faith. He added, "People look to the defence forces as a way of feeling a bit safer about the world that they live in."

—http://www.abc.net.au, (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Defence Force more trusted than church: study, October 4, 2005. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Psalms 20:7 (HCSB) "Some take pride in a chariot, and others in horses, but we take pride in the name of the Lord our God."

In their book, "Lead Like Jesus", Blanchard and Hodges write, "Trust is essential for two people to work together. It is important to note though, that the outcome of trust will never be achieved or maintained if the first arena of development—personal leadership—has not been addressed. If a leader has a self-serving perspective, people will never move toward him or her."

Judge Thomas Wingate recently ruled that a reference to God in a Kentucky law establishing the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security is unconstitutional. The General Assembly created an official government position by passing a law requiring the office to acknowledge “the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth.” The wording of the statute would require the executive director of the office to include a statement asserting the state’s dependence on God in training material and even on the plaque at the Emergency Operations Center. Judge Wingate’s opinion said the reference violates both the Kentucky and U.S. Constitution which prevent government from establishing an official religion.

Representative Tom Riner who inserted the language in the bill disagrees with the ruling and has asked the state Attorney general to appeal or ask the judge to reconsider his decision. Riner, who is also a pastor, says there are references to God in other state regulations and that there are four mentions of the Almighty in the state Constitution. Riner believes the language in the bill is similar to the phrase “In God we trust” on American currency. Riner said, “In God we trust is an affirmation that we trust in God. That doesn’t make that a church doctrine.”

--Court Strikes down reference to God in state law, http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090826/NEWS01/908260387/Court+strikes+down+reference+to+God+in+state+law; August 26, 2009, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Psalm 20:7-8 (CEV) “Some people trust the power of chariots or horses, but we trust you, Lord God. Others will stumble and fall, but we will be strong and stand firm.”

A comparison of Gallup poll results and employment data from the Labor Department may indicate a unique correlation between the nation’s employment rate and belief in the Bible. The relationship could be coincidental, but compiled data from both organizations indicate that as unemployment rises, belief in the Bible does as well. In May 2008, belief in the Bible hit a 35-year low. At that time, the unemployment rate was at a relatively low 5.4 percent. Over the next three years, the unemployment rate rose to over 9 percent, while belief in the Bible went from 76 percent to 79 percent.

For purposes of the poll, Gallup defined belief in the Bible as a belief that the Bible was either the “actual word of God” to be “taken literally word for word.” or the “inspired word of God.”

Looking back over the past thirty five years, the correlation between unemployment and belief in the Bible are striking. In July and August of 1980, unemployment stood at 7.8 percent, and belief in the Bible peaked at 85 percent. In February 2001, belief in the Bible dropped to an all-time low of 76 percent, while unemployment was also at a low 4.2 percent. The two figures track together through the economic ups and downs of the intervening years. The Gallup poll did not ask respondents if they had recently changed their minds about the nature of the Bible, or if so, why they changed their minds,

--Belief in Bible Climbed as Employment Declined, Say Gallup, and Labor Dept. Data, http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/belief-bible-climbed-employment-declined; July 14, 2011. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
I
nteresting to note that belief in the Bible ebbs and flows based on the nation’s economic status. We are better off when we put our trust in God’s word all the time.

Proverbs 11:28 (CEV) Trust in your wealth, and you will be a failure, but God's people will prosper like healthy plants.

A Belgian woman only wanted to travel 90 miles to pick up a friend from the train station in Brussels. Instead, following the directions on her GPS device, she went 900 miles in the wrong direction. She ended up in Croatia. The woman said she didn’t realize there was a problem until the second day of driving. The 67-year-old woman stopped for gas two times, slept on the side of the road, and was involved in a minor accident during her journey. Authorities are not sure if the woman entered the address incorrectly or if the GPS unit malfunctioned. The woman told reporters that she must not have been paying attention. She said, “I was distracted, so I kept driving. I saw all kinds of traffic signs, first in French, then German, and finally in Croatian, but I kept driving because I was distracted. Suddenly I appeared in Zagreb and I realized I wasn’t in Belgium anymore.”

Woman drives 900 miles out of her way after GPS error, by Mike Krumboltz, http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/woman-drives-900-miles-gps-error-181605523.html , Accessed, January 15, 2013.

Psalm 31:3 (NLT) You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger.

Two Canadian researchers are sending a robot hitchhiking across Canada in order to gauge people’s feeling about them. Dr. David Harris Smith and Dr. Faulke Zeller built a device they call the HitchBOT and are hoping drivers will help it travel the 4,000 miles across Canada. The robot is a collection of pool noodles, a bucket, cake saver, garden gloves and other common items and is programmed to entertain drivers with its Wikipedia-based knowledge. HitchBOT also tweets and posts on Instagram to keep followers up to date on its adventures as it travels across the country.

The researchers hope to see if people view the robot as a toy, or perhaps a threat. Overall, they hope to see if there is some level of trust and respect on the road. Dr. Zelle said, ”Usually, we are concerned whether we can trust robots…but this project takes it the other way around and asks: Can robots trust human beings?”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
Meet HitchBOT: the robot hitchhiking across Canada, By Nicole Goodkind,
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/robot-hitchhikers-now-a-reality-161123465.html, Accessed July 28, 2014.

Jeremiah 17:7 (NASB) "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.”

It took a couple of months for someone to discover the typo, but was quickly corrected when it was discovered. The $500.00 rug outside the Pinellas County Sheriff’s office in Florida was supposed to say, ‘in God we trust,’ but the rug manufacturer mistyped the word God, rearranging the letters so that the rug said, ‘in Dog We Trust.’ –Jim L. Wilson

http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/dog-trust-accidentally-printed-sheriffs-rugs-28228579

Having made my share of typos, I understand how mistakes are made. Misspelling a slogan is one thing, but misplacing one’s trust is another. Yet every day, people place their trust in money, instead of God, even though it clearly declares ‘In God we Trust.’

1 Timothy 6:17 (CEV) (17) Warn the rich people of this world not to be proud or to trust in wealth that is easily lost. Tell them to have faith in God, who is rich and blesses us with everything we need to enjoy life.

Every day a person goes to their faucet to get a drink of water they exhibit a level of trust. They trust their water company, the local officials, and their government. They trust the water coming out of the faucet is safe, this trust hurt people in Flint, Michigan. Reuters News Agency reported, “emails between high-ranking Michigan State officials show they knew about an uptick in Legionnaires ‘disease and it could be linked to problems with Flint River water.”

The people of Flint began using pipe-corroding water in April 2014. It was between June 2014 and November 2015 that “90 people in Genesee County came down with Legionnaires' disease.” News sources reported, “Ten of the cases of the illness, which is caused by bacteria, were fatal.” Other side effects of drinking the contaminated water resulted in loss of hair, weight loss, and unexplained rashes. In some children, brain damage and developmental delays occurred all of which appeared to be the result of lead poisoning.

Trust is fragile and can be broken in a variety of ways within a relationship between two people or between governing officials and the people. In the case of Flint River, simply withholding information about the contaminated water source resulted in the broken trust.– Jim L. Wilson and Kevin C. Hall

http://www.ibtimes.com/how-many-people-have-died-flint-water-legionnaires-disease-deaths-possibly-linked-2331461

1 Corinthians 1:8–9 (HCSB)“He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful; you were called by Him into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Less than a third of all Americans feel like they can trust the people around them. Millennials believe other people can be trusted at an even smaller rate than the general population—for them, it is 19%. According to David Brooks in the New York Times there is a rising culture of paranoia and conspiracy mongering, and a surge of unmerited cynicism among all ages.--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Acts 16:31 (HCSB)“ So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’”

Ryan Succop was the last player chosen in the 2009 NFL draft. That earned him the label of “Mr. Irrelevant.” The 256^Th player chosen in the draft usually never makes the team roster. Succop has overcome the odds and has been playing ever since. Succop thanks God for his success. “Every gift and ability I have obviously comes from Him.” How does Ryan handle the stress of performing before 75,000 fans who know if you mess up? He does it by reading Philippians 4:6-8 before every game and recites it before every kick. “Every time I read that and pray that, the Lord has blessed me with peace and ability. God makes clear that He doesn’t want us to be anxious. Every time we’re anxious about something, we’re not trusting in Him.”

We may not experience the pressure of performing before 75,000 screaming fans, but we face stresses in our lives. Learning the peace that scripture reading and memorizing can bring would help us to increase our Trust in God. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.

Michael Jackson is widely regarded among the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. He sold over 350 million records worldwide being on the top of the best-selling artists in music history. Although Michael Jackson reached incredible success, he suffered from an overwhelming anxiety and depression that led him into a severe struggle with insomnia. He developed such a high tolerance to sleeping drugs that pills like Ambien did nothing to help him. Jackson became convinced that a surgical anesthetic used in hospitals was the only cure for his insomnia. On June 25, 2009, Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray, went to Michael’s home in Los Angeles and found him dead. He had administered Propofol to Jackson the night before. A jury found Dr. Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced him to four years in prison. Among the drugs found in Jackson's body were the anesthetic Propofol, benzodiazepines, used to treat anxiety like Lorazepam and Midazolam, and Diazepam used as a relaxant for patients suffering from insomnia and anxiety. Jackson was in desperate need of help, and his untreated anxiety end up costing him his life. —Jim L. Wilson and Carlos Andres Rodriguez

Philippians 4:6–7 (CSB)“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

In the book, The God Who Knows Your Name Max Lucado writes, “Don’t trust your emotions. Don’t trust your opinions. Don’t even trust your friends. Heed only the voice of God.”

John 10:27–28 (CSB) “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

In the book, The God Who Knows Your Name Max Lucado writes, “On a trip to the United Kingdom, our family visited a castle. In the center of the garden sat a maze. Row after row of shoulder-high hedges, leading to one dead end after another. Successfully navigate the labyrinth and discover the door to a tall tower in the center of the garden. Were you to look at our family pictures of the trip, you’d see four of our five family members standing on the top of the tower. Hmmm, someone is still on the ground. Guess who? I was stuck in the foliage. I just couldn’t figure out which way to go. Ahhh, but then I heard a voice from above. “Hey, Dad.” I looked up, and it was Sara, peering through the turret at the top. “You’re going the wrong way,” she explained. “Back up and turn right.” Do you think I trusted her? Didn’t have to. I could trust my own instincts, consult other confused tourists, sit and pout and wonder why God would let this happen to me. But do you want to know what I did? I listened. Her vantage point was better than mine. She was above the maze. She could see what I couldn’t. Don’t you think we should do the same with God?”

You never can be sure who you can trust, but one person you really trust is the pilot of any airplane on which you are traveling. According to Khulam Sarwar Khan, the aviation minister of the country of Pakistan, more than 30 percent of Pakistan’s civilian pilots have fake pilot’s licenses and are not qualified to fly. Of the 860 active pilots, 262 paid someone else to take the licensing exam on their behalf.

That ought to give you something to think about next time you book an airplane flight. “Did my pilot pass his own test or did he pay someone else to take it?” Trusting an unqualified pilot could cost you dearly. Trusting in the wrong thing for eternity, could cost even more. — Jim Wilson and Rodger Russell

They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”