No Fear #2

God is even over nature. He prevails over that is the God of the storm.

He's the God of the quake is the God of it. If you know him than you know the one who is directing all that to accomplish, and therefore there is no reason to fear. Welcome to the truth pulpit with John Green, founding pastor of truth Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Don is teaching God's people. God's word hi, I'm Bill Wright were concluding a message titled no fear.

Last time God gave us the first of three reasons to have confidence instead of fear and anxiety. That is, God prevails over nature. So even in natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. We know that God is sovereign over the on today's program. Don will provide reasons.

Number two and three concerning God's sovereignty over nations and judgment. If you struggle with fear and anxiety in your life you will gain much needed encouragement today so have your Bible ready as we join Don green now in the truthful second, not just God prevails over nature. Secondly, God prevails over nations. God prevails over nations.

The psalmist turns from an upheaval in nature to an upheaval in the nations look at verses four and five with me. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the most high God is in the midst of her. She will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns and look at verse six versus four and five being a reference to the earthly Jerusalem where God dwelt in the temple at the time that the song was written.

God was in the midst of the city in his holy dwelling place in the temple were uniquely manifested is presence and he says in verse five the psalmist as God is in the midst of her. She will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.

God is in the mats.

Therefore, what could be the threat against this marvelous city where his presence is dwelling verse six the nations made an uproar threat came against Jerusalem, the kingdoms tottered they were they were vulnerable. What did God do verse six he raised his voice and the earth melted God merely elevated his voice and the threat was turned away at the beginning of the day.

You know it happened twice in Israel's history, at least it was at daybreak when God drowned the Egyptian army and the Red Sea as the people of Israel were leaving Egypt heading into the promised land. It was at daybreak. Exodus 14 verse 27 says the God drowned the Egyptian army in the Red Sea when they try to pursue them. It was at daybreak when Israel found the Assyrian army destroyed after the siege of Jerusalem and 185,000 Syrian soldiers, their finest men were dead and one night was at daybreak that they found that verse five there, God will help her when morning dawns with saying here is that from the very start of the day the people of God are safe even when nations rise up against them. Why Weiser's the sense of safety. Verse six the nations made an uproar. The kingdoms tottered. He raised his voice, the earth melted Scripture tells us that the God is so sovereign over nations that they cannot successfully rise up against him. Now follow the logic of the Psalm in this see where that leads us you have this God over nature. Yeah this God over the nations, to protect his people and lives in the midst of them.

In verse seven says the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of armies, God of the armies of Israel, the God of Angel armies always by my side. Verse seven, the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Jacob being another name for Israel, the God of Israel is our stronghold.

Jacob, who was weak and faltering.

Even a deceiver in his early years as a man.

The man from whom the nation of Israel came from his lines that wavering week deceitful man became one who belong to the God of the nation and that God is the one the psalmist says who is our stronghold. He is the fortress that we run into and we are safe from all who would attack what you meant to do as you hear that as you read through that is to say who is this God, the God of hosts, the Lord of host Lord being that the covenant name the promise keeping God of Israel, the one who has made Israel his people and he is there God, what about him.

Well nations cannot stand before him nature is under his control with the psalmist saying is that our God. That's the God who is with us he's over nations. He's over nature. What does that mean go back to verse two. Therefore we will not fear the United States is not the people of God, never has been.

There will be in New Testament times. It's the church that are the people of God and we belong to him in that way, but do you see what this means. Do you see that in the midst of everything that is designed in an election cycle to stir you up to fear and being unsettled about the future of government, the future of the world and what's going to happen.

Do you realize, as a humble believer in Christ as a member of the true universal church of Christ. Do you realize that the Lord who is over nations is with you. Do you realize that the God who is sovereign over all is beside you and with you and committed to your well-being and guarantees it by the surer precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, you realize that you realize then that that empties all of the cycle of fear for you. Looking to the future what defines your future. What defines your perspective on life is not who the next elected official is beloved defined by your God is in the nations may make an uproar and they may come after the church and they may do this and that and we look at all that and say I know I know and on. I know something more important. I know who my God, it's my God is a refuge, my God is a strength.

My God is over nature. My God is over nations and he is with me. I'm not afraid. I long to see the people of God go through an election cycle like that rather than engaging in the fear that politics brings you should want to at least be a person like that because your God is worthy of that trust your God will care for you through whatever comes because he is who he is because he is over nature because he is over nations. Then you should worship him and you should worship him with trust with confidence says no fear not afraid.

How can you not be afraid Bob a lot a lot a lot but I know something more important. I know that the Lord of hosts is with me.

I know that the God of Jacob. I know that the father of my Lord Jesus Christ is my strong are you trying to scare me. I trust him. I know I will not be afraid no fear why because of who God is, because of what Christ is done at Calvary for my soul. I'm not living for this world. And so verse seven look at it again with me. This is really a refrain for the Psalm.

It's the chorus that which is repeated again at the end, the Lord of hosts is with us.

The God of Jacob is our stronghold selloff. Clear your mind and think on this beloved.

There is no limit to the power of God.

There is no limit to the promise of God to defend and help his people not therefore we respond with a vertical sense of trust that says God, you're with me.

Therefore, the response of my heart is no fear I will offer you a courageous heart in response to the God that you are to me.

God, whether it's a personal trial of great physical magnitude family matter that shatters you to the core financial reversal things to go on around you no fear because God is who he is. Final aspect of it that the psalmist brings us to point number three is that this is a God prevails over judgment. God prevails over judgment. The psalmist now in this final section is going to call you to examine God think about God contemplate God in light of final in light of final judgment and let me and let me just say this and back up for a little bit. I realize that Psalm 46 is is one of the more familiar songs and you know I've often gone to Psalm 46 in times of personal crisis concerns and things like that.

What I would have you see to appreciate an appropriate Psalm 46 more deeply in your heart is that it is dealing with the power and supremacy of God at a level that is far beyond your earthly individual life. This is not a song that is about your personal circumstances, and if you approach it, simply through through the prism of I need help today in this immediate particular problem, you're really going to miss the defining impact that it has on your life. This song present such an elevated and glorified view of God. God over nature got over nations got over judgment. As we'll see in a moment to realize that it's talking about God at such a great transcendent level that spans the eons of time. This is not this is not a Psalm isolated into our personal life circumstance. This is about who God is over over eternity. God and his sovereign, my God, and his powerful Majesty, you're supposed to leave yourself behind as it were, and look up at the greatness of God and see him there on the throne, high and lofty and exalted, like Isaiah did in Isaiah 62 God is and then bring that in.

Bring that down to earthly life after you've already contemplated everything else see some of the songs come to you not to give you an immediate answer to the circumstances.

The trouble your heart so actually what the songs call you to is is to forget the circumstances of trouble, your heart, look up full into the full glory of God and the troubles diminished by comparison, the Psalm is like that in verses eight and nine.

He calls us to think about God. In light of his coming judgment. Look at verse eight with me come behold the works of the Lord. Behold, here being a term not so much to see it with your physical eyes but but to see it with your inner understanding grasp this in your heart. Now, like you, you see the answer to a math problem. Well, you're not. You're not literally seeing it with your physical eyes your understanding it with your mind so this is the first to understand, to think about the contemplate to meditate on the fact of who God is and what does God do verse eight. Nine. Again, all this is cool I mean this is really cool come behold the works of the Lord who is wrought desolation's in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow and cuts the spear into he burns the chariots with fire speaking to the. The elements of warfare as they existed at that time nation against nation, warring against one another. How great is God. God intervenes and imposes his will on the outcome. God is a divine warrior. Scripture shows us. I want you to see something I want you to understand something and I want you to write this down because we needed so much in the day in which we live in an era in an age which has has denied absolute truth in an age of of false tolerance that just says everybody should get along with everybody else. We should coexist with one another.

People believe that so much that they stick it as a bumper sticker on the back of their car boys that ever conviction for you. Good grief. All of these were Brendan were in an era of just of of all tolerance and compromise and negotiation, no matter what the implications for righteousness might be. I want you to see something in this passage when it says in verse nine God makes wars to cease to the end of the earth. He is Lord of hosts, who is with us this God of Jacob who is our stronghold. He breaks the bow and cuts the spear into he burns the chariots with fire. What is this saying about the nature of God. You know how God wins wars. You know how God brings conflict to cease.

It's not through compromise.

It's through conquest. It's through victory God defeats his enemies.

God subjects them to his power that is the way that God prevails in judgment not to negotiate with Satan.

To some kind of outworking that where each side gives no God in the fullness of his righteousness, the fullness of his power imposes his will to absolute outcome of righteousness and the complete fulfillment of his purpose and everything that is opposed to him will eventually bow and defeat an acknowledgment of who is Lord God is look over at second Peter chapter 3 this is the this is the outcome of the ages.

Second Peter chapter 3, just before first John will start in verse 10.

What's his world headed to those who are concerned about climate change. The Lord's going to change the climate all right. Second Peter three verse 10, the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. God is going to con is going to judge his enemies and is going to judge this wicked world and bring it all to an end in judgment. Verse 11. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat. God is going to prevail in judgment and it will be decisive, it will be complete, it will be the end of everything evil that has opposed him, not because of some compromise that he negotiates with supposedly equal powers know by an exercise of his sovereign indomitable will, he will accomplish everything that he wants. That's our God. What does the certain outcome of his judgment. What does that have on our effect does it have a heart. Verse 13, according to his promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Know what that saying it, saying that God's word is going to have his people in the palm of his hand safely covering them as he exercises his judgment.

What is he going to do except carry us through all of that safely, so that on the other side. We will be in an era of righteousness and peace. That's how great his care is for his people's while God prevails over in judgment.

He keeps his people through the process and brings them safely out on the other side. That is what God does now go back to Psalm 46.

With that in mind this God who prevails in war. This God who prevails in judgment no one to contest him no one to successfully oppose him now in verse 10 he calls for surrender to all the nations, including his own people. He says cease striving stop the opposition to me and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. This God who is over nature. This God who is over nations. This God who prevails in judgment he is still yet to be fully exalted in earth one day Christ will be raining on earth, and the fullness of his glory will be on display and he will be exalted and that is the certain outcome of history is the return and reign of Jesus Christ and so resistance is futile. Cease striving stop the sin stop the opposition and simply recognize who this God is no him bow before him bow before the certain conquests that he will have. While there's still time because God prevails even in final judgment, the earth can collapse, God still reigns the nations make war, even against his people, God still reigns judgment is coming. God will reign. That's who God is.

Now what you're meant to do with all of that is to come to this refrain again in verse 11.

Look at it with me that is the God who is with us. Verse 11 the Lord of hosts is with us this God of power is with us and on our side.

This God of Jacob is our stronghold.

When we go to God we don't go to a week effeminate deity who is not able to do anything about it. When you trust in God. When you appeal to him you are going to the God who is over all and therefore fear the final selloff calls you to bring it all in your mind, and contemplated and filter it through your mind until it changes your perspective on life. He is with us to prevail for us.

He's with us in that macro sense, and he is with you to prevail for you, even in the depth of the sin of your own heart.

Look over Matthew chapter 1. What's the very name of Jesus. Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 Angel speaking to Joseph, telling him about the child in his patrol's womb. Verse 21. Mary will bear a son, call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins off all you meanies not only over nature is not only over nations and judgment, but he can even be Lord over my sin and do away with my sin as easily as he does away with with nations. Verse 22 now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which translated means what God with us, God with us in Christ God is with us in Christ at the cross Christ in the tomb with Christ and the resurrection with Christ and the ascension, God with us sparing. Not even his own blood in order to defend his people despising even his life for the sake of obedience to the father in order to accomplish redemption for his people, God with us, God with us over nature over nations over judgment. And as we see him in the cross, even over arson over your son. What a magnificent God, what a God to trust you see how your fear in life is a denial of these great truths of which we speak.

If your God is who Scripture says he is and you know him, then the outcome is assured.

No matter what the variations and circumstances might be from time to time so beloved, let's leave it here is your life being ruined by fear by anxiety by that knot in your stomach if you look to the future with gloom.

I ask it sympathetically. I asked getting care for your soul.

I asked to help. Why are you like that don't you know you God. Don't you know you trust him with everything with an assurance that he will bring you safe. On the other side. You might want to bookmark Psalm 46. If you haven't already. So the next time you're tempted to give in to fear and anxiety come back to this wonderful Psalm over and over again thanks to the God we serve life without fear really is for you next time pastor Don Greene begins another powerful series and we invite you to join us then you're on the truth pulpit right now though Don's back your in studio with some closing words. You know my friend.

I feel very blessed by God to be able to do what I do have a church that is loving and supportive of me that love to hear God's word. I have this radio broadcast. I have the opportunity to speak to you in a personal manner like this. What a wonderful gift that is. You know I would just encourage you. The Lord ever brings us to your mind, pray for us were like all men in ministry we feel our inadequacy. We realize that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to attend the work that we do so that there would be internal fruit for your good and for the glory of Christ.

So pray for us as the Lord brings us to mind. Pray for those that support the truth pulpit with the labor of their hands, we have a wonderful team and just so grateful for you as you listen to us day by day on the truthful thanks God just visit us at the truth.

Pulpit.com that's the truth. Pulpit.com. I'm Bill Wright will see you next time on the truth pulpit as Don Greene continues teaching God's people