WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.439 Well, turn with me in your Bibles to Psalms 46. 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:11.839 You get me talking about politics and I just Lord help us. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:16.640 I'm glad I know who's really in charge. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:19.199 Amen. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:23.760 I'm glad that I know who's really in charge, ladies and gentlemen. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:25.679 And I'm telling you what. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:32.479 Hey, the one who spoke this world into existence is in charge. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:33.840 Amen. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:40.640 And don't you ever forget that when you really start to get a little down, just just uh just turn around. 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:44.560 You're gonna see today, I've got a I got a line that we're gonna learn today. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:48.240 When going gets tough, you just remind them who's your friend. 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:52.960 Yes, and he is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:55.920 But he's also the Lord of hosts. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:02.320 And so you're gonna, when we leave here today, you're gonna be saying, hey, don't mess with me. 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:04.879 I know the Lord of hosts. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:07.200 You know, we like to drop names. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:09.840 Well, bless God, I'm gonna show you a name you need to drop. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:12.959 And it's called the Lord of hosts. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:18.799 Psalms 46. 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:24.319 Triumphing in the midst of trouble. 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:33.280 And boy, this week, you know, of all that I've met and dealt with, and there's trouble on every corner. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:35.120 Every corner. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:38.079 But I love this Psalms. 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:47.280 This Psalm is a song that Martin Luther wrote my mighty fortress hymn from. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:02:17.599 And the reason he did, he said, because when trouble comes and it comes on every corner, and when it gets like it's to the point that you think you're going under and you're gonna quit, and Satan's trying to take you out, and at that time the whole Catholic nation was against him because he had just wrote his thesis and proven uh scripturally from the word of God that salvation was by grace and not works. 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:23.919 And he was hiding out in a castle when he wrote the song. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.879 And he wrote it from Psalms 46. 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:45.520 And as some of his writings, as I was reading this week, uh scholars are not unanimous, but I will agree with Martin, well, with uh John Calvin, who relates this psalm to the time of King Hezekiah, and I believe it was written during that time. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:56.240 Judah was surrounded by the army of King Son of Cherub, king of Assyria. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:02.479 Forty-six towns and villages in Judah had been sacked. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:10.800 Over 200,000 residents had been taken captive, along with much spoil, much of their belongings. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:12.159 And are you ready? 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:34.000 At this time in Judah, right there, we see Hezekiah in Jerusalem are surrounded right now at this situation, at least by 185,000 troops, surrounded Jerusalem, and it looked like only a matter of a few days before the city fell. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:38.479 Now that's the context of this psalm. 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:50.159 But proud sin of Cherim, the king of Assyria, did not reckon with the fact that Hezekiah's God is a living God. 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:55.680 He's not a monumental God, he's a real God. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:04:02.879 He didn't reckon with that, and he didn't realize that this living God would not be mocked. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:05.599 So Hezekiah prayed. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:07.120 God spoke. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:10.560 And in one night, the angel of the Lord, are you ready? 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:19.279 Defeated one night, sent a cherubim by killing a hundred and eighty-five thousand soldiers one night. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.040 Hey, don't mess with the Lord of hosts. 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:28.000 Amen. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:30.000 I mean, just like that. 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:35.439 So, America, don't mess with the Lord of hosts. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:40.879 Just let them keep going. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:43.600 Judgment's coming. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:45.519 It's coming. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:54.160 And you find that in 2 Kings chapters 18 and 19, 2 Chronicles 32, and Isaiah 36, chapters and 37. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:56.079 Oh, just an awesome story. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:59.600 In fact, you're going to read that and say, man, what a God. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.399 I'm glad I'm on his side. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:03.839 Amen? 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:17.519 Whether out of that situation or some other, Psalms 46 was written out of extreme adversity from which God provided deliverance. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:18.319 Amen. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:25.040 And I don't care how extreme your adversity is, my God can deliver you. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:28.000 My God can deliver us. 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:29.360 Can I get an amen? 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:32.000 And he can, and he will. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:44.000 It relates to anyone who is in time of trouble or to anyone who is facing trouble, no matter how extreme your trouble may come in the future. 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:45.600 And we never know. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:47.839 So, the introduction. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:54.639 When trouble strikes, here it is, God is sufficient to get you through. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:55.920 Can I get an amen? 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:01.279 When trouble strikes, God is sufficient to get you through. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.800 Look at Psalms 46, verse 1. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:09.680 God is our, say it with me, refuge and what? 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:12.000 A very what? 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.759 Present help in time of trouble. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:26.079 Therefore, he says, Will not we fear though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea? 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:36.000 Woohoo! What a, you read that and you say, Well, I don't kind of what he's saying is there's fixing to be when God moves, he shakes the whole world. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:43.199 It's talking about an earthquake, and not only when he shakes it, he can engulf the whole mountains into the sea. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:46.319 Wow. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:56.800 So here they are in this situation that no problem, whether emotional, physical, spiritual, is too big for our God. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:59.279 It's no problem too big for our God. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:12.560 If we learn to take refuge in Him and put our trust in Him and Him alone, we can face the most extreme circumstances and situations and be overcomers. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:13.600 Amen. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.839 Thanks be to God who dwells in us. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:20.160 He's our overcoming God. 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:23.199 Because God is with us and He is sufficient. 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:29.120 But we would be in error if we thought that God insulates us from problems. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.480 I was listening to some preachers this week. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.399 I was coming back from Tennessee to watch. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:43.439 I went up Thursday and came back Friday morning and watched my little boy play football, my grandson, through a touchdown and caught a touchdown. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:44.240 Not bad. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:46.879 He takes after his poppy. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:54.079 But I was listening, when I'm riding, I listen to preaching. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:55.279 That's what I do. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:56.959 Because I want to be fed. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.439 And I want to hear, I want to hear what God's doing. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:05.519 Because I'm convinced when God's got a word, when God's got a word, you'll hear a lot of preachers preaching that word. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:11.040 Because he's sending, it's like a radar, he's sending it out. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:12.639 He's sending it out. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:17.360 And I really got excited because Adrian Rogers, uh Dr. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:22.959 David Jeremiah, Tony Evans, and all of them are fixing to start a series on faith. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:25.839 Ha ha! Guess what my new series is? 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.879 Four, hey, the lessons of faith. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:31.199 There'll be four messages. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:39.360 We're gonna learn how we can walk by faith, war by faith, wait by faith, and work by faith. 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:40.639 It's gonna be good. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:42.559 It's gonna be right before Thanksgiving. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:45.759 And then we'll go into our Christmas series after Thanksgiving. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:50.639 But but I got to thinking about this also, God, that we serve. 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:56.159 Because we serve God doesn't mean that we are free from troubles. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:00.799 In fact, I was listening to a couple of preachers and I almost turned them off, but I didn't. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:05.440 I said, I hadn't listened to a health and wealth preacher in a long time. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:07.200 So I just listened to him. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:09.440 And he started talking about faith. 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:12.720 And he said, if you speak it, it's gonna happen. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:21.600 He says, the reason that people are sick and the reason people are poor, they just don't have the faith. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:25.279 And I thought to myself, hmm. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:32.320 What do you do with Matthew 26 when Jesus turned and told the disciples, the poor you have with you always? 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:37.679 And then what do you do when Paul turned to the Lord? 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:41.200 And wouldn't you agree that the apostle Paul had some pretty good faith? 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:45.440 He wrote 12, maybe 13 chapters of the New Testament. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:46.960 I mean books of the New Testament. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:47.600 Amen. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:54.639 Wouldn't you say he's the one that that wrote 2 Corinthians 5, 7, we walk by faith and not by sight? 00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:04.799 And if he wrote Hebrews, and I believe he did, without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that he is, that he is a reward of them that diligently seek him. 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:08.320 Faith is a substance thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:10.159 Hebrews 11, 1. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:12.000 Faith is believing something is so. 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:15.120 When it's not so, so did it become so because God said so. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:20.960 I'd say he had faith. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:27.039 And he prayed three times in faith to remove this thorn from me. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:29.360 God said, nope, not gonna do it. 00:10:29.679 --> 00:10:32.559 But he said, I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll give you grace. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:36.559 And my grace is sufficient for thee. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.240 When you're weak, I'll hey, I'll be strong through you. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:47.120 And I'll encourage you and I'll help you, and I'll support you, and I'll comfort you, and I'll see you through. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:48.639 Amen. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:52.480 So, anyway, I got to thinking about that. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:54.960 And I said, man, that is just heresy. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:57.679 But the Bible teaches no such thing. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.600 It teaches that God, let me tell you what the Bible does teach. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.840 Not that we're free from trouble, but that God is our help in trouble. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:07.360 Can I get an amen? 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:09.679 That's what it teaches. 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:11.360 And that's what we see here. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:13.759 It teaches that God is our help in trouble. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.360 Not that we will be exempt, that He will exempt us from trouble. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:20.639 The Psalm mentions, watch this, watch right here. 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:23.200 Catastrophic. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:25.039 Hey, trouble. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.320 Verse 2, global change. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:31.840 There's your global change. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.840 Yeah, God's doing it. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.799 Severe earthquakes and storms, verse 2 and 3. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:42.000 Wars, verse 6 and 9. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:51.759 And then in Hebrews chapter 11, verses 35 through 38, it tells us about all kinds of bad sorts of troubles that Christians go through. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:57.039 For example, it talks about being homeless, it talks about not having clothing and food. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:11:58.399 It talks about being mocked. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:05.840 It talks about being tortured, beating, imprisonment, and various forms of cruel execution. 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:10.480 Hello? 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:18.960 So, God does not protect Christians from this sort of thing. 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:26.799 When an airplane goes down, the airplane is not just carrying sinners. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:30.080 You with me? 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:42.159 Or when war savagely rips through a country or a city or a place, it doesn't just, hey, kill the sinners. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:47.759 We all have the consequences. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:53.519 And all the godly Christians that have been martyred for their faith. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:13:00.399 No, God does not allow cancer to just strike only the non-Christians. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:04.720 Are you listening, church? 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.639 No, trouble will strike the godly as well as the ungodly. 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:18.720 The question is, when trouble strikes, do you want God on your side? 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:22.080 Or do you want to handle it yourself? 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:25.279 I think I'll take God. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:26.000 Amen? 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:31.120 If God be for me, Romans 8.31. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:36.480 Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:43.600 So Psalm 46 shows us that when trouble strikes, there's a lot of things that take place. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:46.879 And trouble will strike the godly. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:51.200 Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier, Jesus Christ. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:55.200 All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:57.279 2 Timothy 3.12. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:09.279 So, Psalms 46 shows us, though, that when trouble strikes, number two, not only number one, trouble will strike the godly, but number two, God is sufficient to get you through. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:17.919 Now let's first look at the God who is sufficient, and then at how you and I can lay hold of that sufficiency. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:21.759 How can we take that sufficiency and live it through our lives? 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:34.399 If we know God is sufficient to take us through, let's first of all look at why He's sufficient to take us through, and then how we apply that sufficiency in our lives. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:35.519 This is good. 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:36.639 Real good. 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:39.600 For example, how is God sufficient? 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.440 Hey, how is God sufficient? 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:49.759 Number one, God is our refuge against the raging of nature. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.080 Again, look at verses one through three. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:55.919 He talks about being a refuge, a very present help in time of trouble. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:10.399 Therefore, he says, we will not fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, through the waters thereof roar and the trouble, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:20.159 The psalmist pictures one of the most frightening, most catastrophic earthquakes ever to take place in the world's history. 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:21.200 Wow. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:30.080 In fact, I used to read different articles about earthquakes that happened in California, and they happen out there quite often. 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:37.919 And there was a group of people that lived up in the mountain and said they couldn't wait for the big one because they would have beach property then. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:44.639 But how true it will be. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:46.960 How true it will be. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:16:01.919 So we see right here that this earthquake, this earthquake, I meant the greatest, most horrible disaster, God takes you through. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:14.080 I don't care what disaster you faced, I don't care how extreme it is, I don't care how bad it is, God is sufficient to take you through. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:16.000 Don't forget that. 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:19.200 That will encourage you when nothing else will encourage you. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:22.320 If God be for me, who can be against me? 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.200 God is on my side. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:31.519 He is saying that the worst disaster we can imagine, God is still sufficient. 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:36.559 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, Philippians 4.13. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:43.200 As our refuge, we can flee to God and find relief and comfort. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:59.279 This verse really blessed my heart this week because I was thinking about all my friends I went to school with and thinking about Don and just the couple that I, well, the wife and family from the suicide. 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:02.639 And then I thought, John 14, 18. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:07.920 Jesus says, I will not leave you comfortless. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:14.960 And then he says, I will come to you. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:17.839 Wow. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.680 That blessed my heart. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:20.400 I needed that. 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:23.359 I needed that word of encouragement from the Word. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:31.359 As our strength, look at it, we discovered that his strength is made perfect in our weakness as we trust in him. 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:33.680 2 Corinthians 12, 9. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:37.039 His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:42.079 And God's protection and strength are immediately available. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.440 Look at verse 1. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:46.160 A very present help. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.519 Present right now, right where you are. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:52.000 Say this with me, church. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:52.720 He's here. 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:54.480 Right now. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:56.720 He's here. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:17:58.319 Right now. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:02.960 Don't ever forget that. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:09.599 When you go to Psalms 91, he talks about the shadow, and we may, I may take you there. 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:14.319 It's just there's three verses there that'll make make you just get so encouraged. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.720 But but he talks about God being our shadow. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.000 Can I ask you something? 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.359 How big is a shadow? 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:20.960 Pretty big, isn't it? 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:22.160 So you can't. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.799 Have you ever tried to get away from a shadow? 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.559 I have. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:29.119 We used to play a game, see if we'd get away from the shadow. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:31.599 You know, we never could get away from the shadow. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:37.519 Unless you walk behind a tree or something where the sun couldn't make that shadow. 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:39.359 But you couldn't get away from it. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:42.160 You'd run here, you'd run there, and it's still there. 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.359 That's the way God is. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:46.079 You can try to run away from him, but you can't. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:52.160 Church, say, I'm glad he's my shadow. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.160 I'm glad he's my shadow. 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:57.279 Woo! He's there. 00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:58.720 All the time. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.240 All the time. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.119 He's there. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.720 Very present help. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:16.160 The instant we turn to him, while he may delay delivering us to show us our absolute need for him, or sometimes he delays and we don't understand it. 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:20.240 God's still there and God still knows best. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:23.680 And that was so encouraging to me. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:28.880 During an earthquake in California, I was reading some things, statistics about it. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:38.720 There was one little town that had such a horrible earthquake, and man, everybody was just upset and they lost everything. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:44.720 And they noticed this older lady over there just smiling and calm and restful. 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:50.240 And finally they had the nerves to ask her, ma'am, what are you so joyful about? 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:51.920 And I wrote it down. 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:53.599 Here's what the lady said. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:54.400 Why? 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.240 Why are you not afraid? 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:57.440 They asked her. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:59.519 She said, No, I'm not afraid. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:06.160 She replied, I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:11.519 Now that's the right attitude, folks. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:17.920 I'm glad to know that I hey know a God and have a God that can shake the world. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:20.000 And that's good. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:28.480 Whatever personal catastrophe you and I face, it could be a major health problem, and we've had several in our church. 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:31.920 The death of a loved one, we've experienced that this week. 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:37.519 The loss of your job, emotional problems, relational conflicts, or whatever. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:40.400 God is bigger than your problems. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:42.880 Know that. 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:50.160 And he is readily available to help if you will take refuge in him and put your trust in him. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.119 I love Psalms 9-9. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:21:01.279 This is another verse that he gave me the other morning when I was just I got all I got three uh emails. 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:10.000 Back to back about uh friends and I went to uh I was pretty good friends with it. 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:31.759 Uh uh I was just like the board will be aware for the pressure press you ever failed to press you ever failed the screen. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.039 I mean you get wood. 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:36.960 You get wood bad news. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:40.480 Then bam, bam, bam. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.240 And then bam. 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:46.799 Four in one week, in three days. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:50.240 That's depressing. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:52.720 That's so pressing. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:59.519 And then God said, Yeah, but look, the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in time. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.119 Of trouble. 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:02.240 There it is. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.759 Psalm 46. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:07.279 But it's all through the book of Psalms. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.119 He's my refuge. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:10.880 He's my strength. 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:13.759 Oh, I love what he says. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:21.599 In Matthew 11, 28, Jesus says, Come unto me, all ye that labor, now watch, and are heavy laden. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:28.559 Heavy oppressed, heavy depressed, discouraged. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:30.880 And I will give you rest. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:33.279 I will give you rest. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:45.119 So he's a refuge against the raging, raging situation and the raging of nature. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:51.200 But number two, God's our resource against the raging of nations. 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:53.519 Look at verses four through seven. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.720 There is a river. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:00.720 Hmm. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:04.160 You know when it's hot? 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:06.880 It's been real hot. 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:11.680 But we used to go to a little spring where I grew up. 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:25.680 I was thinking about this with a couple of, well, actually, Phil and Joe, and I used to go to the spring because we both, we all three of us worked on Alan Boyd's daddy's farm and right in the middle of it. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:31.119 He had a big old spring in the watermelon patch, back kind of in the middle to the right corner. 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:33.599 And we'd be throwing watermelons all day. 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:36.079 It'd be so hot and we'd be thirsty. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:37.599 And Mr. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:40.559 Boyd say, all right, time for break, hit the spring. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.720 Boy, we'd just take off. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:46.480 Oh. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:48.160 Oh. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:50.799 You just lay there. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:51.440 Oh. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:52.319 Oh. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:56.240 Oh, Lord, please don't let us have to throw any more watermelons. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:04.720 Don't let us have to get out of this water. 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.160 Ever been there? 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:07.599 I mean, cold. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:10.079 But it takes your breath when you hit it and go. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.839 But then he's oh. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:14.240 Oh. 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.319 That's what he's talking about. 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:18.480 He's talking about a spring. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:20.960 And watch how this works. 00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.640 Verses 4 through 7. 00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:35.440 He's talking about this river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:37.279 God is in the midst of her. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:38.000 Hello. 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:40.319 She shall not be moved. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:46.160 God shall help her, and that right early he will help them early. 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:47.759 Oh, verse 6. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:49.359 The heathen rage. 00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:51.119 The kingdoms were moved. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:54.079 He uttered his voice, and the earth mounted. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:55.519 Oh my goodness. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:57.759 The Lord of hosts is with us. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:00.319 The God of Jacob is our refuge. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:02.720 So what do we say? 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:08.640 And Jerusalem was one of the few cities, ancient cities, not built on a river. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:09.839 Isn't that weird? 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:10.960 But I got news. 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:15.599 If you've ever been to Israel, you've heard of Hezekiah's tunnel. 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:17.279 And I've been there. 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:18.480 Went in it. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.240 Hezekiah's tunnel. 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:28.400 It was 1,700 feet of a tunnel drilled through rock that brought the Eon River. 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:50.799 In other words, hey, the armies couldn't shut it off because it came through the mountain and they couldn't get to it to stop it. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:53.680 I'd say that's pretty smart. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.240 Pretty smart, isn't it? 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:03.519 So this is the analogy as he's writing this psalm that he's looking at. 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:19.680 Because we see here ancient cities needed water close at hand, especially during a siege or an attack or an army trying to take over, what they'd do, they'd just sit outside till the water ran out and they knew they'd have to surrender. 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:21.599 But not here. 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:33.200 But hey, when Sennacherub attacked Jerusalem, he was sure that the lack of water would ultimately drive them out and they would surrender. 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:46.160 But unknowing to Sennacherub, Jerusalem had a source because King Hezekiah was a smart man and had that tunnel dug so the water could come right into the city. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:54.079 Now, the river is a picture here of the greater spiritual resource of the Lord Himself. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.920 Now, watch this. 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.599 It's going to get good. 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:01.839 God, verse 5, is in the midst of her. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:05.599 Look, she will not be moved. 00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:11.359 He is the living water who alone can quench any spiritual thirst. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:20.640 He is the God who is powerful enough to stop the uproar of the nation by simply raising his voice, folks. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:31.920 This nation came against Israel and came against Hezekiah, and Hezekiah prayed, and God just opened his voice and killed 185,000 soldiers. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:41.519 Sounds like revelations to me, too, when he opens his voice and the sword comes out and he takes care of business. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:44.640 Wow. 00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:46.400 Think about this, folks. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.599 Think about it. 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:55.599 In fact, Jesus told the woman at the well, look at John 4.14, I think we have that for you. 00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:05.279 Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. 00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:06.319 Listen to that. 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:12.720 And then Jesus also said in John 7, 37 and 38, if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:13.839 Oh, I love that. 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:19.920 He who believes in me, as the scripture says, from his innermost being shall flow rivers. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:22.480 Now, watch, of living water. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:27.279 He was referring to the Holy Spirit who's given to every believer. 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:33.680 Ladies and gentlemen, you whoo! We have a river dwelling in us. 00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:50.720 We have a river flowing through us through the person of the Holy Spirit of God, who strengthens us, who empowers us, who gladdens us, who gives us joy, who gives us strength, who gives us comfort, who gives us serenity, who gives us peace. 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:55.359 As long as we don't dam the stream up. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:58.480 Amen. 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:00.720 So we see this right here. 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:10.000 Whatever problem rages against us, God's Spirit is the ever-flowing river who sustains us and gives us gladness, even while under the seeds. 00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:11.680 That's what he says in verse 4. 00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:26.240 If we Christians would learn to drink from this abundant river of God's Spirit, why would we ever turn to the world or to fraud or to young or to the worldly philosophy and psychology for our answers? 00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:29.920 No, we would turn to the truth. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:33.119 And we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:34.319 Can I get an amen? 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:36.880 What a beautiful picture here. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:38.720 I mean, awesome. 00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.920 Awesome. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:44.960 So we see God is our refuge, God is our resource against the raging of nations. 00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:48.480 And then that brings me to the third thing. 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:52.720 God, the ruler over the rebels of the earth. 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:54.559 Verses 8 through 11. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:58.319 Nations may rage and proud men may rebel. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.519 We see that here. 00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:03.519 But God's sovereign purpose will be fulfilled, folks. 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:07.680 I love this verse. 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:14.000 He tells us that he sets up kings and removes them as he wills. 00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:14.960 He is God. 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:17.519 Look at what he says in verse 10. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:18.640 I love this. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:20.799 Be still and know that I am God. 00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:22.720 I will be exalted among the heathen. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:24.400 I will be exalted in the earth. 00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:26.000