Rules for Happy Living - Lesson 7 - Trust in God
Teacher
Lesson Summary
The class focused on the seventh rule—Trust in God—emphasizing that all other happy‑living habits flow from a firm reliance on the divine. Larry Johnson reminded the group of preceding lessons, such as gratitude, love, generosity, positivity, and prayer, and explained how each is rooted in trusting God's character and promises. He connected the lesson to Scripture by recalling the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ teaching that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven (Matt. 19:24), prompting the question, “Who then can be saved?” The discussion highlighted the ancient belief that wealth signified divine favor and examined how that mindset persists today. The class then read Acts 16:20‑25, where Paul and Silas, despite being unjustly beaten and imprisoned, sang hymns because they trusted God. The teacher defined trust as confidence in God’s consistency, knowledge, truthfulness, and power, concluding that authentic trust leads to reliance, faith, confidence, and obedience in the Christian walk.
Key Scriptures
And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice. The crowd joined in in attacking them. And the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.