Praise the Lord for the Day of the Lord, the Day of Resurrection, worship, and witness. The Lord gave us a brilliant and sunny Sunday. I can see the tops of daffodils, tulips, and crocus, as they are popping up by the eastern wall of parsonage. The readings for the First Sunday in Lent were taken from Luke 4 and Psalm 91.
Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. (He sounds like a character of Hollywood cowboy movies.) From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoaches. Amazingly, Bart did it all without firing a shot. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and was never trailed by a sheriff. Instead, Black Bart used fear to paralyze his victims. His sinister presence was enough to overwhelm the toughest stagecoach guard.
Today fear & terror have another name - Al Qaeda & terrorism - as they attempt to paralyze their victims with FEAR!
36 years ago researchers at Johns Hopkins University reported that the greatest fears of elementary school children were:
1. Animals (We know this one well, as Micah is afraid of cats and deer)
2. Being in a dark room (Secretly, many adults are still afraid of the dark)
3. High places
4. Strangers (Often this is a very healthy fear)
5. Loud noises.
Today, kids list their top fears as
1. Terrorism (Al Qaeda)
2. War
3. Disease
4. Divorce
5. Death
In today’s world there is evidence of terrorists flying planes into sky scrapers. We fear that there may be suicide (or homicide) bombers on the buses where we ride, or in the malls where we shop. Yet, despite the terrors of the day (or night) in the world around us, Psalm 91:1-16 states, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling--even the Lord, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you; no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91 teaches all of us a crucial life lesson, a lesson we need to live by whether we are at war against terrorism or whether we are enjoying a period of peace, whether we are experiencing economic prosperity or whether we are struggling waiting for economic recovery, whether our family life is terrific or whether we find our home torn in conflict . THE truth we need to remember, THE truth we must have to live in victory is that when we place our TRUST in God alone then we are promised:
1. SHELTER (v. 1-2)
(v. 1-2) He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Shelter. . . Refuge. . . Fortress. . . These are vital words. The Hebrew word for "shelter" means "a place to hide from your enemies." The Hebrew word for "Refuge" means, "A place to run to for safety." The Hebrew word for Fortress (which is also translated "stronghold") means "the one who keeps me above the non-believers." These words remind us that during times of trouble, we can run to God and he will take care of us.
When we abide in our place of security and shelter, then we find REST (v. 1) “He...will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Our relationship with God is, in itself, a retreat. We can run to him anytime and find rest for our souls. Jesus’ exact words to us are, “Come to me all who weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
God is our place of shelter. When the bad news of the world piles up, with heartaches and sorrows, you can run to Him, and He will give you rest. God is our source. He is our SHELTER and He gives us rest.
When we place our TRUST in God alone then we are promised, 1. SHELTER and…:2. STRENGTH (v. 5-8) The Scriptures state, "When I am weak, then I am very strong". In Christ alone we find strength for the day and hope for the morrow.
When we place our TRUST in God alone, we are promised, 1. SHELTER, 2. STRENGTH, and…: 3. SECURITY (v .9-10) The question each of us must ask ourselves is, "Who is our source of our SECURITY?” We know that even if we have the greatest government on earth, the source of safety is not in our government. Even if we were yo have the most powerful military on earth, our source of safety is not in the armed forces. There is ONLY ONE TRUE LIVING God, and God alone is our source of SECURITY. David said, (v. 9-10) “If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.” (v.11-12) “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot upon a stone.”
Do you recognize this verse? It is the very verse Satan misquoted to Jesus during his temptation in the wilderness. Satan misquoted this verse to tempt Jesus to take it out of context and apply it where it was not meant to apply. This verse is about God’s ultimate protection.
When we place our TRUST in God alone then we are promised, 1. SHELTER, 2. STRENGTH, 3. SECURITY and finally 4. SALVATION David concluded Psalm 91 with the very words of God, (v.15-16) “He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
HE IS OUR SHELTER, OUR STRENGTH, OUR SECURITY, and OUR SALVATION. He gives us rest in the midst of our greatest trials; He gives us courage in the face of terrorism; He protects us in the midst of danger; He saves us from evil that is within and without. He is our peace. He is our salvation. Blessed be His Name.
In Jesus our Lord,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWndDW_271g
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