Between the Lines

The greek words translated confidence usually mean reliance or trust. 

Let’s look first at what we are NOT to have confidence in, then consider what we should have confidence in.

Use your own bible to mark the scriptures.  References are from the NKJV.

WE ARE NOT TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN…

PEOPLE

Why?  Because men are frail and fall, God is steady and always righteous.

Psalm 118:6-9

Hi-lite:

• :6 The Lord is on my side
• :7 The Lord is for me
• :8 It is better to trust in the Lord
• :9 It is better to trust in the Lord

Underline the question:

• :6 What can man do to Me?

Bracket:

• :8 put confidence in man
• :9 put confidence in princes
• In these two verses put a ^ between put and confidence and write NO above it

Proverbs 25:19

• Circle “is like” – what two things are being compared here?
• Hi-lite “unfaithful man”, “bad tooth” and “foot out of joint”
• Underline “confidence”, “in time of trouble”

WEALTH

Why?  Because it is temporary

Job 31:24-28

Circle all of the  “if”s

Underline

• :24 I have made gold my hope, said to find gold,You are my confidence
• :25 I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, my hand had gained much
• :26 I have observed the sun, the moon moving
•              Cross Reference: Deut  4:19 this verse refers to sun & moon worship

Put brackets around the whole passage and write in your margin:  IDOLATRY

Hi-Lite\

• :28 iniquity deserving of judgment, I would have denied God who is above

Double underline “I would have denied God who is above”

THE FLESH

Why? Because our heritage in the flesh, our ethnicity, is not what saves us, it is our spiritual heritage.  We should consider one another on this spiritual plane.

Philippians 3:3-7

Paul gives us two lists here.  Lists are important in understanding a passage.

First list:  Who are “the circumcision”? (speaking figuratively)

Hi-Lite

• :3 we are the circumcision

Number the list (put a circled number above and in front of each item in the list)

1. Who worship God
2. Rejoice in Christ
3. Have no confidence in the flesh

Paul then tells the Philippians that IF it were about fleshly heritage he would have confidence in that.

Hi-Lite

• :4 Confidence in the flesh

Number the list

1. Circumcised the eighth day
2. Stock of Israel
3. Tribe of Benjamin
4. Hebrew of Hebrews
5. Pharisee
6. Zeal, persecuting the church
7. Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless

Circle the contrast word “but”

Double underline “these I have counted loss for Christ”

OUR CONFIDENCE SHOULD BE IN…

THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION

Psalm 65:5-7

Hi-lite

• :5 God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth

Underline

• :5 awesome deeds in righteousness
• :6 established the mountains, clothed with power
• :7 still the noise of the seas, the tumult of the peoples

THE LORD

Proverbs 3:25-26

Circle the command words “do not”

Circle the reason word “for”

Hi-lite “the Lord will be your confidence”

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Proverbs 14:26

Underline “fear of the Lord” and “strong confidence”

Draw a line connecting these two phrases

Hi-lite “His children will have a place of refuge”

AT HIS SECOND COMING

1 John 2:28

Hi-lite “abide in Him”, “have confidence”, “not be ashamed”

Double underline “confidence”

Underline “when He appears”, “at His coming”

IN FAITHFULNESS

1 John 3:18-22

Circle “let us not”- this is like a command

Circle the contrast word “but” – what is contrasted here? 

How we are to love – not with words only,  but  with deeds and truth

Underline and draw a line from “by this” (:19) to “in deed and in truth” (:18)

Hi-lite

• :19 we know, assure our hearts
• :20 God is greater than our heart, knows all things (put a heart here)

Circle “if” in verse 21

Double underline “we have confidence toward God”

Draw a line from verse 19 to verse 22

Put a bracket around “we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (:22)

IN PRAYER

1 John 5:14-15

Underline

• :14 this is the confidence that we have in Him
• :15 whatever we ask

Circle the “if”s

Hi-Lite

• :14 ask anything according to His will, He hears
• :15 we know that He hears us, have the petitions that we have asked of Him

IN STRENGTH

Isaiah 30:15

God begs His people, Israel to come back to him and promises confidence if they will.  But as history bears out, “they would not”.

Double underline “In returning and rest you shall be saved”

God wants us to rest in Him, that is where salvation is.

Hi-Lite “quietness”, “confidence”, “strength”

Put brackets around “you would not” and write “rebellious & stubborn” in your margin.

IN JESUS THROUGH FAITH

Ephesians 3:12 

Who is “in whom” referring to?  Christ Jesus our Lord in verse 11.

Underline “in whom” and draw a line to and circle “Christ Jesus our Lord”

Hi-lite “boldness”, “access”, “confidence”

Circle “through faith in Him”

DON’T CAST AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE

Hebrews 10:35

To what does “therefore” refer? In verse 34 underline “you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.”

Circle therefore and draw a line to the phrase in verse 34.

We have the negative command “do not”.  Always important to notice a sentence of phrase that begins with these words.

Double underline “do not cast away your confidence”

Hi-Lite “confidence” and “great reward”

Hebrews 3:14

Underline the “we” statements:  “we have become”, “we hold”

Circle “if” (always important)

Hi-lite “partakers of Christ” and “beginning of our confidence” Draw a line from one to the other

Put a box around “steadfast to the end”

Hebrews 3:6

Circle “if”

Underline “whose house we are” and “hold fast the confidence” connect with a line

Hi-lite “confidence”, “rejoicing” and “hope”

Put a box around “firm to the end”