God's Remedy for Troubled Times

Well, there's one thing that we can always count on in this world in which we live and live is trouble. Joe put it this way in Job 57. He said man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

The time comes that sparks in the fire stop going upward than you can look around and perhaps see the trouble has ceased to exist, but there's no question that this fallen world is a troubled place and all of us experience troubles in our lives of many, many kinds. Seems like the past several years in the United States have been especially troubled more than those of us who have lived a number of years I have experienced a long long time with younger people might not know that it's ever been any different, but things have certainly been more troubled in these last years than they have been in my earlier years. The question is, is there any solution for all of these troubles and if by that you mean is there a way to end troubles as long as the world is in its present condition of the answers no there is not is only one solution that's the coming of Jesus Christ and until he comes. We are going to be in a world that is under the curse, because of sin, and that means that there will always be difficulties, troubles, sorrows, disappointments and heartaches of many many kinds, but is there a solution to this troublesome world.

And if by that you mean is there a way to overcome troubles victoriously. In our own lives.

The answer that question is yes very much so in the Bible shows us the way and I think the beloved Psalm 46 is one of those places that will help us in this regard.

Psalm 46 a very beloved Psalm. For many, many people and understandably so. As you read the words of this great Psalm it interestingly is not one of the Psalms of David notes in the section of Psalms, most of which were written by David this one was not.

We are told that it was authored by the sons of Cora, sons of Cora were a family and the tribe of Levi, descendents of Cora, who lived actually was a was a brother to Aaron the high priest back in the days of Moses and they were a family that was especially gifted musically, they were involved in the musical part of worship in the temple and the choirs in the orchestra is in the singing in leading people in worship and this particular song was composed by the sons of Cora and it was addressed to the chief musician, the choir director, the minister of music for the temple that was a big responsibility because they had a whole lot more going on in that area than we do.

When you realize that the Levites were all in essence, full-time Christian workers as we use that term today and that several hundreds of them were involved in the ministry of music that you can understand that the chief music director had a huge job. In fact, he had up had to have a lot of assistance in order to keep all this going because they were divided into divisions and they served at different times and there were different choirs, but there was a lot going on but all of that is to remind us that the Psalms were written to be sung. The Psalms are written for public worship. The Psalms are devised for God's people to join not only their hearts together but their voices together in praise to God. The Psalm also, we are told in the introductory material is a song of LaMothe not everybody is united in what they believe. That is the most believe that is a musical instruction of some kind and probably related to young women because that word LaMothe is related to the Hebrew word Alma, which is translated, a young woman or a virgin in Isaiah 714 behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a child, Alma, and that's the related to this word, and therefore the probably the most knowledgeable guests that what this means is that this song was written for Sopranos and was signed by the choir of young women and I'd love to have heard it when it was first introduced into temple worship. We don't have that opportunity. They didn't have recordings then but we do have the words and we can consider that as we are doing this morning.

The Psalm divides into three parts, and in that I think I find a threefold remedy for troubled times, God's remedy for troubled times number one renew your faith versus one, two and three, number two review God's way is verses four through seven number three. Examine God's works verses eight through 11. First of all, renew your faith. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear even though the earth be removed even though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. We have an affirmation of God's protecting power determination, which is our believing response and a continuation which is our unwavering perseverance in what we have learned, but it begins with a very important affirmation about God's protective power. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. God is our refuge. That word means a strong fortress, a place of safety. God is our strength that he is the one who empowers us in times of trouble.

He empowers us in our weakness so that we have the strength to face the trials that God brings into our lives. God is a very present help in trouble. He is exceedingly to be found. As one translator put it, he is exceedingly available. He is there he is here he is with us.

This is an affirmation of God's protective power. God is our refuge. God is the place of safety. God is that impenetrable fortress through which nothing can reach us for harm.

As long as God is God and he is involved in our lives. He is our strength.

He is our helper and it was based upon this text that Martin Luther wrote the great hymn. We sang a moment ago mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing. That's what is told us in the first verse of this Psalm and affirmation which is followed therefore logically by a determination which describes our believing response in the first phrase of verse two. Therefore we will not fear if God is our refuge.

If God is our strength. If God is very presently here to help us in time of trouble, then why do we fear why do we worry, why are we concerned choir we upset. Therefore we will not fear because there is, according to what we've learned. Verse one. There is no reason to fear and we will not fear because we believe God. We believe his word. We will not fear because on the basis of this truth we choose not to fear. We can do that.

Fear of course is an emotion is a strong emotion that comes upon us when difficulties are around us and sometimes we have the sense that it's something that we can't help it just comes and we have no control over it. But that's not the sense of Scripture, that's not what the Bible tells us the Bible tells us that if in our mind we will by faith reach out and lay hold on God and his promises and who he is, then we can make a conscious decision that, on the basis of that truth.

We are not going to fear. We refuse to do that. Verse two tells us that in verse one is believed.

The result is fearlessness. I chose that word carefully fearlessness that almost sounds too strong.

Surely you're not expecting anyone to be fear less in the face of all that is going on in the world today in the face of the many things that are going on in our lives today. But that's exactly what we are told if God is our refuge and strength, to see if God is very present help in time of trouble is see then we will not fear God, help us to believe his word and to act accordingly. May God help us to choose not to fear God, help us to reject fear the normal, natural response to these kinds of troubles but nevertheless it does not have to be the response of the children of God. Let the world fair let the world be overcome with worry and they really are they really are. I read just recently someone did a poll among people to see what their level of fear was in the face of covert how how much do you fear covert.

What they found out was that there is a correspondence between the level of fear in people's political orientation and the more leftists were people in their political beliefs. The fire was their level of fear.

The progressives were the most fearful the normal leftist people were slightly less fearful as he moved to the middle. The fair goes down. This is your move to the right to work more and more conservative people. The fair became less and less it can completely disappear, but is not an interesting observation enough they related to political matters. I suspect that this probably even underlining correspondence underlining correspondence. It probably has more to do with how strong people's faith is in the living God and the God of the Bible and the just happens to generally work out an inner political spectrum, but I think probably what we're looking at is the stronger person's faith is in the Bible the stronger person's faith is in the word of the living God, the more people who believe the Bible is God's word and I read another interesting poll.

These things are interest I read another interesting poll that even yet in America, in spite of all that's going on something like 57% of Americans still believe the Bible is God's word. I'm amazed all the attacks that have, and continue to be upon as I would think would probably be down to just a little bit maybe 20 or 25% that still believe the Bible is God's word. 57% lycée when they're asked the question you believe the Bible is God's word they say yes, but at least 43% filled with fear is that it may. I don't know this. They don't believe this, we have no refuge and strength, they have no present help in time of trouble, so they are filled with fear. So we have an affirmation in God's protective power we have determination which is our believing response to God's power, but there is a continuation. It goes on to describe that we will not fear you know it's it's one thing to say I won't fear when I stubbed my toe. It's another thing to say I won't fear when everything that I have known everything that is stable, everything that represents normalcy and stability in my life is crumbling all around me.

But here we really don't. Therefore we will not fear so the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling. Much of what is described to sounds like the granddaddy of all earthquakes. It is just completely shaking the world in every way but of course this is poetic and that's really what it language for all of the things that crumble around us. The cultural's norms and we have known that are crumbling around us, the political situation that we have known that is crumbling around us. The family structures as we have known them that are crumbling around us and on and on and on a ghost, and sometimes those things begin to add up. Don't think it and we we don't fear at the beginning but then we have this one added to this one. Added to this one. Added to this one, and pretty soon were not so sure anymore and were beginning to to cave-in a little bit were beginning to fear, and the psalmist tells us we don't need to do that. If you are one of God's people of God is your refuge very personal incident. If God is your refuge.

God is your strength is God is. You are very present help in time of trouble, then you don't need to fear even though everything that you have known in this life just completely collapses, though the earth should change, though the mountains should crumble the earth, waters threatened, though the mountains quake though everything stable around us collapses. We will not fear, renew your faith, dear friend Linda help with that. We go on in the second section to review God's ways and this is like looking back over the past and seeing what God has done. This will help you to strengthen your faith in verses four through seven. There are three certainties about God. They are number one God provides for his people. Number two God defeats his enemies number three God protects his people. God provides for his people. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the most high God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved. God shall help her just at the break of dawn the nations ranged the kingdoms were moved, he uttered his voice, the earth melted Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

God provides for his people. Perhaps a more literal translation of verse four says there is a river be something like low a river called her that come from can tell you where it came from. It comes from the throne of God. The stream of never ending grace and that figure is used all throughout the Bible to find many places we can go to the prophetic section in Ezekiel where he tells us about the temple, describes a template beautiful terms, and that but do we see we see pretty soon a trickle of water that is coming out from the temple and gets deeper and deeper. At first it's it's just you can touch your toes, and then it's up to your ankles and that it's up to your waist and then you have to swim in it so river River grace, and you can go to the to the end of the Bible to the book of Revelation and you read there about the new heaven to Jerusalem and out of that is a Crystal River. In this figure is used many times of the life-giving streams that come from God which are picture of God's goodness. God's grace that is ministered to his people. So we have a lot of songs about rivers no way like a river glorious is God's perfect peace, over all victorious in his bright increase, where there is river bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb. I can't remember all the words you know that when I'm sure this river were told supplies. The city of God, and that's a figure for the people of God told her example that the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, and then were told the new Jerusalem is the bride I do want to get into prophetic issues here because so much of it is symbolic and it's not always easy to unravel. And I think anybody was too dogmatic about it is probably being very foolish because there are a lot of questionable and an interesting possibilities here, but you have to consider this one that is that city is not going to see that as a city that's a figure for the bride of Christ. The people of God in some respects there like a city, a strong city, and that's the same language that is used here this river that supplies the city of God, that is, the people of God and God is in the midst of her again that would that would parallel the figures that we see in the book of Revelation that God is in the middle of this city that is he in them is in the middle of his people, and God faithfully delivers his people. This river, this river of grace shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the most high God is in the midst of her and she shall not be moved. Are you part of that city. Are you part of the bride of Christ, then you shall not be moved alive because your strong all because he is were like little children who to him belong. We are weak that he is God faithfully delivers his people oftentimes at the last minute God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved. God shall help her when just at the break of dawn. Just when you just about given up hope. Just when it seems like the darkness will never end.

It just is going on and on and on without end but just at the break of dawn always at the right time. Always to rescue the liver to save to protect to provide what is needed for his people always at the right time God comes to his people. God's presence is like a quiet powerful life imparting river. In contrast with those roaring waters of the world. Veteran turbulence and to mold all the time. I will not fear, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling the waters roar and be troubled. That's a figure of the turmoil that's constantly going on in this world. It's like a flood. It's like a storm at sea.

It's like waves crashing out of control and the waters rolling in. That cannot be stopped seemingly except they can be by God Almighty, who has all things in his control, and then, by contrast, flowing out of the throne of God is quiet peaceful river, someone would look at that and they would say what is this quiet peaceful river in comparison to the mighty floods of a turbulent ocean powers over there with the floodwaters, the powers over there with the ocean, roaring and raging in breaking through its levees and what is the the power of this quiet peaceful river. I'll tell you what it is.

It's the power of God and with God takes the things that seem by the natural light to be insignificant in the mix of powerful and significant. So what is the church in comparison with all of the powers of this world are sailed against it.

I'll tell you what it is. It is the power of God in the midst of his people, and we shall not be moved. That's what it God provides for his people in verses four and five is grace in the river that just flows and flows and flow.

God defeats his enemies. Verse six the nations rage. The kingdoms were moved all yeah they were in a big uproar. They thought they were going to overthrow God and overthrow the people of God.

God spoke and plucked the earth nine. That's all it took. That's all it took. God spoke, reminds me of Psalm two why do the heathen rage toward the nations imaginatively. The kings of the earth set themselves against God and against his anointed, saying we will cast their bands off from us.

We will we will toss their cords asunder.

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh because of the appointed time he's going to speak in all of this is going to just collapse all the opposition all the danger all the mischief all the ill intent. God says enough staff. That's it.

We saw a little glimpse of that when Judas in the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden and he said the who are you looking for most of the soldiers didn't know Jesus. They didn't recognize him. They had been around so who are you looking for, they said, Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus spoke to words in the Greek ego a me I am bad all fell to the ground. They were powerless they were helpless when Jesus spoke would've been kind of interesting if he had kept that up again about her feet and he says I have a foldout event to get a father figure says I have the fold out again wonder how many times it would've taken for them to decide they can overcome this.

One of their power. Sometimes people are stubborn and takes him a while. Remember that in the days of the larger Elisha I think was Elisha when not the king sent out company of 50 men to arrest him on the mountain. He spoke the word and they all were consumed fire so then he sent out another group, another band of soldiers to get one man and they came to arrest him and Andy gave the word bind. They all fell down dead. That third group had very humble attitude. If it would, please use our profit if it would if it would be too much trouble. The king would would would like to have audience with you. We're not here to make any trouble. Please don't don't say anything that would kill us like you did the folks before us the beginning to catch on that God Almighty is more powerful than any force on earth and the people who belong to him are invincible because of him, not because of us and that God's enemies are our enemies are turn of the other way around our enemies. Those who are against everything that's godly those who are against the word of God. Those were against Jesus Christ.

Those who are against biblical morality exposure against all these things in this world and we look at those and we say those are mighty forces and they are our enemies together. Our enemies of world if work Christiansen work living for God were lined up with his truck. Yes, there are enemies because they are his enemies and just don't forget that all God has to do is say boo review God's ways God provides for his people.

God defeats his enemies. God protects his people.

Verse seven the Lord of hosts is with this is like the psalmist or some vests it may be a good company.

People who may have been a committee reconciled with the psalmist have to keep reminding us of this because they know that we know we know what we tended to let it slip out of our active memory, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Don't forget that that's really a restating of what he said in verse one. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Now he says in a different way, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. God protects his people. He is with us always. He is our refuge always not some of the time. Always.

Occasionally we have some Jim envelops him based on the song we probably should sing it more often. God my ever present help in floods of pain and trouble.

You are my refuge and my strength though with mountains around me crumble.

I don't know where the department got in you. I cannot fear the mountains fall around me, the waters of adversity.

The roar and foam surround me, always present, always helping always, Lord Almighty God, while kingdoms Ray my secret doubts may overtake me, but you are here. I will not fall and break of day you'll save me always present, always helping always, Lord Almighty God, you make my wars to cease one word brings desolation.

Be still my soul and know he's God in him. Find consolation always present, always helping always, Lord Almighty Lord of hosts is with us.

The God of Jacob is our refuge so review God's ways verses four through seven to then examine God's works verses eight through 11.

Similar, but verses four through seven are thinking more in terms of what has taken place in the past. Review past events and remind you of who God is and what he does and then this has to do with examining present things more recent examine God's works presently verse eight, behold the works of the Lord there all around you. Are you seeing the who has made desolation's in the earth who makes wars to cease to the end of the earth.

He breaks the bow and cuts the spear into he burns the chariots in the fire.

Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth, then this refrain again, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge and invitation to examine, let us behold the works of the Lord, take a good long look for some that think that the historical event that was in view at this particular writing of the song was that time when King's inaccurate came up against the people of Israel with a mighty army and Israel's King Hezekiah think it was. Went to the Lord in prayer and spread out his petition before God fact, he actually took the very very letter the epistle that the king had sent with his threats and boasting that nobody could stop him and then he just spread it out before God and said God take a look at this we can't we can't do anything about this, but you are God Almighty will you please do something about this and remember what happened. They children of Israel got up the next day for the King James languages is hilarious but I'll read it for my new King James. It's in Isaiah 37 verse 36 then the angel of the Lord went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000, and when the people arose in the morning there were the corpses all dead, examine the works of the Lord. This just take a look at what God did during the night while you were sitting there, filled with fear, behold, works of the Lord and invitation to examine then he goes on to give us a report of the examination having examined. What do you report well he makes desolation. See makes wars to cease work. We read in verses eight and nine. He brings deserved justice upon the unbeliever, the one who will not bow the knee, the one who will not believe the one that will not surrender the one that will not relinquish his own independent personal sovereignty to the one who is truly sovereign over all. God is amazingly gracious to let such people go on for a long time but find the time comes and nine. Look at the desolation, when all God does is speak. He makes wars to cease he destroys the rapid weapons of war.

Think about the children of Israel. Going across the Red Sea on dry ground and then the Egyptians decided that they would try it. So they followed into the same path and before God. Let the floodwaters loose on them. We read that there sure it wheels were wobbling and coming off in the end that what's causing that to happen.

You don't know you don't know. Currently all the works of the Lord. Things are going the way they planned, and then buying incomes the flood and all of the destroyed. Therefore, the result of this examination of the works of God is that we can relax, be still and know that I'm God that's that's when one translator translated, translated, be still, relax, relax. God is God, relax and know that God is God, stop worrying, stop fretting or some believe that this word is actually spoken to God's enemies rather than to God's people, in which case it should be translated desist not be still. But stop desist. Stop all your futile opposition how futile it is.

You keep trying, you keep ranging you keep fighting against all mighty God, stop if you know what's good for you. You can't win is going to win God's is going to win everybody was on God's side. Everybody was with that so that's is going to win, we can all have renewed confidence in God that he is God. A lot of people don't believe that he is.

Be still and know that I am God. We can have confidence that he will be exalted.

Went what is going to happen all Lord God, we praise thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We long for that to happen, and year after year and decade after decade, century after century roll-on.

Perhaps our faith gets its week we begin to falter.

Is this really going to happen. Is this really what the Bible is teaching us in the skeptics mocked and say you are foolish to believe that just hang in there. Just hang in there.

Be still and know that I am God, and I will be exalted. I will be exalted above the nations, and I will safeguard my children.

You have nothing to fear.

So we have that refrain again. Verse 11 the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. This is a remedy for troubled times. Shall I tell you again once remedy number one renew your faith number two review God's ways number three. Examine God's works and apply that to your situation, whatever it may be what's troubling you. Covert, it's real Kim believe there some people who act as if it's all a hoax. It's real. So what God is greater.

God is sovereign God said it.

God has a purpose for it, and it's under God's control is not out of control, and God will save guard is people so stop worrying and fretting.

Therefore we will not fear the face of covert what is troubling you. Politics we can't escape it, were all were all affected by can't pretend we can shut it out, pretend like there's nothing going on in the political world that has anything to do with me. Oh yeah it has a lot to do with all of us but are we fearful. I really afraid.

We think things are spinning out of control only wringing our hands.

Are we desperately trying to to do something to to make things go our way out God's in control. Just be still and know that God is God you troubled about world affairs. Things are breaking out in Israel again.

I'm watching the interest. But again, anybody who thinks they got it all figured out as to what this means prophetically. I would urge you to be cautious and careful with your pronouncements and prediction said that I've been around a long while we are talking about this the other day church staff meeting and I said let me show you something.

I went into my other room and pulled the book off-the-shelf that one of our church members gave me a 1980 dear ladies, now with the Lord gave me this book to somebody given to hurt and it was bio well-known prophetic preacher well-known of those days if I said his name some of the older folks would know what is in the title of the book was 1980s countdown to arm Armageddon and Anne Arundel proving that that was the case from prophecy from Scripture is no doubt about it before this decade is over Armageddon will be here. Here's the evidence from the word of God that dear church member asked me what I thought of it and I said well let me read it. We'll talk about it and I put it on my shelf and just let it sit there. She didn't say anymore about it but 1990 I pulled it down and looked at it that you got it figured out. Something's going on some things going on. I'm interested what's going on in the Middle East and I'm I'm very jealous for Israel and their protection and safety, but but I don't get all upset or concerned about that. Be still and know that I'm going God's in control, and I need to be concerned about that quick what is got you upset problems with your marriage. God can fix them. Be still and know that I am God problems with your children wayward children that are not trusting God. I know that's a great burden. Indeed, but God is able be still and know that I am God. Problem with your finances, you are struggling and you don't know how you're going to take things come together. I know that's a great difficulty had been there, done that at times through the years and I I know how distressing that can be but be still and know that I'm God. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. God will be with us, the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our Rick, are you concerned about illness. Do you have a disease that that may take your life with God doesn't intervene well I don't know what God's will is I had a disease like that that I thought was good to take my life back in the 80s and God's goodness it didn't. Here I am. The doctors at Duke told me I should be dead a long time that Dr. excellent Dr. outstanding doctor who treated me.

I think he's now retired. I leave know if he still living but I am still going on. Now that doesn't always happen sometimes it's God's will to take us by way of these illnesses.

But one thing is sure nothing is going to happen outside of God's perfect will and perfect control. Nothing is outside of God's control, and finally for us as a church just a couple of things before I conclude how does Islam apply to us. Well, sometimes we look at what's going on in the world today, and we say are we going to lose our freedom that we can lose our religious protection that we've enjoyed in this country is going to destroy a second going to going to destroy the church this winter others as well. Note Jesus said on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I can't promise you that the church may not have to change its form and change its way of of conducting itself as it has another countries today is meeting in homes and behind closed doors and in fear of persecution. But the amazing thing about it is that once I've been in contact.

In those situations seem to have less fear than we do, were enjoying all this freedom afraid it's going to end. I don't have it and are in danger of being arrested and thrown in prison and they are fearing anything trusting is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble will of God doesn't do this.

I don't know how church is going to continue God doesn't bring us more young people, and on and on it goes. God knows what we need. God knows how to maintain how to build how to bring about transitions when they come because they always do in this world we have nothing to fear God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear right we will not share. They may, we will not fear because God is with us to his grace has brought us safe thus far to his grace will lead us, shall we pray all father increase our faith over father forgive us for our doubts. Forgive us for our fears help us oh Lord to trust in you and in your word for that brings honor and glory to your son as we ask it in Jesus name a man