Trust and favor are keys to healthy relationships and create space for deep transformation. Trust usually takes time to grow - and can be easily lost. There is wisdom for growing trusting relationships. These slides were associated with a talk by Russ Fochler at Blazing Fire Church on June 22, 2013. See www.blazingfire.org and click on "Listen Not" to see the available podcasts.

1. Trust & Favor
Walking in Wisdom & Grace
To Pastor the World with Jesus
Russ Fochler June 22, 2013

2. Why Talk About Trust & Favor?
From Ephesians 4, I accept that as a
pastor, I have a part in helping equip the
saints to be representatives of Jesus to
the world.
My desire is that this fellowship grows as
a healthy family - and is able to bring
the father and mother heart of God to all
realms of society.

3. Understanding Trust and Favor
Are some of the keys to living
whole-hearted
and for growing in our call to
“pastor the world”....

4. Trust...
Usually Takes Time To Build
Is Easily Lost
Is Difficult To Restore
Is Key to Healthy Relationships
Makes Deep Transformation Possible

5. We’re Created to Learn to Trust
Early in Our Life
But You are He who took Me out of the womb;
You made Me trust while on My mother’s
breasts.
Ps 22:9

6. Good Advice From a Father:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own
understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

7. Sometimes Trust or Faith
Looks impossible for us.
Like this situation:

8. “Leap of Faith” Clip from
“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”

9. Have You Ever Felt Like That?
Have you trusted in God’s goodness in
scary times.
And then seen Him take care of you/
come through for you or a loved one?
Its really good to remember those times -
to “re-enter” into them with memory and
emotion.

10. Exercise!
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring you back
to a time when you trusted Jesus to
save or protect or heal or free you.
As you re-enter that memory, feel the
emotional connection - and begin to
thank Him.

11. Often Our Heart is Conflicted
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own
understanding; Proverbs 3:5 NKJV
So learning to connect with Jesus
with our emotional heart as well as
our cognitive and functional side -
helps us become whole-hearted.

12. Trust me?
Really?
Just being asked by someone to
trust them....
Raises questions and alarms for
most of us.

13. Trust Challenges
Ourselves - Can I trust myself?
Leaders
God

14. Trusting Ourselves
While we aren’t to just depend upon our
own understanding:
Can we trust ourselves?
To make good decisions?
To discern what is true vs. what is
not true?

15. Internal Discernment
To discern the internal voices:
Is it me,
or God,
or the enemy?
“Who is “sponsoring” this Thought?”

16. Needless Distrust
Are the ways we “filter”
impressions and
Interpret the words and actions
of others
Fostering needless Dis-trust?
Vows like:
“I can’t trust women” or
“I can’t trust men”
Making internal rules to try to
protect ourselves.

17. Trusting Leaders
Many have deep issues in trusting
people in authority - due to past
hurts or betrayals from parents,
teachers, bosses, and spiritual
leaders.
It’s hard to receive the trust of
leaders if you aren’t able to trust

18. Long Term Leaders:
Generally:
Either demand/force submission
through fear and coercion or
Receive authority and trust from
others because of the grace and favor
upon them.

19. Loving Confrontation
And good “fathers” and
“mothers” lovingly confront and
challenge those in their “family”
to face difficult things.
So people can grow into all they
are created by God to be.

20. Growing in Favor
The Bible observes that both the prophet
Samuel and Jesus grew in favor with God
and with people:
And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in
favor both with the Lord and men. 1 Sam 2:26
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and
in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52
Don’t despise where you
are now.
Believe that like Jesus -
as a loved daughter or
son - you can grow in
wisdom and favor with
God and men.
How do we grow into
Leaders?
By embracing the
growth process that
Father God has for us.

21. Healthy Relationships Run on Trust
Be they friends, co-workers, family
members, bosses, leaders, or simply
people God wants to love through us....
If we treat their trust in us as very
valuable - and an honor; then....
Our relationships will be healthier and
They will be more open to God’s
influence through us.

22. Trust and Favor from Others
Comes from:
A “track record” of doing what you say
you’re going to do.
Relationship: Valuing and protecting our
heart connections with others.
Keeping confidences

23. Growing Favor
Favor is also grows as we grow in
our capabilities and capacities;
And with those growing
capabilities; we steward and
multiply what we’ve been given
(spiritual gifts, possessions,
positions of influence, etc).

24. Trust Grows
Trust from others grows when we handle
feedback well.
Trust grows when we demonstrate that
we value the well-being of the “family”
or community more than personal gain
or promotion.
Trust grows when people see they are
valued and protected.

25. Trust Grows
When we work through conflicts (!)
When we communicate with kindness
AND honesty.
When we are authentic and vulnerable
with each other.
When people really know that their heart
has been heard.
Karena’s story....

26. Trust Grows
When we clean up our “messes”.
When love motivates us instead of fear.

27. Trust, Favor and Pastoring the World
How we treat city and county leaders
How we treat our neighbors, co-workers,
the people we cross paths with in the
marketplace
They can tell if we’re looking to control
their lives - or if we are truly for them.
Examples: Joseph and Daniel
Trust came from the love
and authenticity the
leaders felt.
Favor came from the
supernatural capabilities
that Joseph & Daniel
developed with God.