Rely On The Lord
Psalms 46
To rely on means we have taken all the facts into consideration. We have studied the ability of a certain person along with his integrity and after considering all the evidence we have confidence that we can trust and depend on that person.
This describes the truth of our relationship with the Lord!
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
We can know, what hope, what riches, and what the overwhelming greatness of the Lord's power is but only when we rely on Him for all things, especially our salvation!
Let's begin:
*****Psa 46:1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Hear again we have another song put to music by the sons of Korah. We see one other thing in this Psalm.
That word "Alamoth". The word Alamoth means that when this Psalm was sung it was to be the tenor voices that were to take the lead or be emphasized.
In Psalm 6 we can see the word "Sheminith" and this word would indicate just the opposite or the bass voices to take the lead.
SO, why can we rely on the True and Living God? He is our refuge and our strength!
Until the Lord Jesus Christ is our foundation of life we have nothing else to rely on or to trust in as we travel through this thing we call physical life.
Life means we have movement. We are living, breathing, creatures. This physical, bodily existence is subject to suffering, sickness, weakness, temptations and sin!
But life as described in the Bible has greater meaning than than just physical, bodily existence.
In reality only God has life in the absolute sense of life's true meaning!
We know our Father in Heaven is the fountain of life and the light of life.
Psa 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
So we know that the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ has life in Himself.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
This is our only means of real life!
It is our Savior who is also the source of all life!
The Bible does not teach that life exists of it's own. Life is not spoken of as made!
The Bible only says that our life exist only in Our Creator and our Savior!
We can rely on this life because of the work of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
**He gives abundant life.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
**He gives resurrected life.
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And this life which is given to us as a gift from God we can have in this present life!
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
This is the proof that we can rely on the Lord!
Our God is our "sure" shelter and our "pure" strength and is "ever present" in our lives today!
God will never withdraw Himself from us!
*****Psa 46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Therefore still means "for this reason". It is because my God is my refuge and my strength that I will not fear and it can be the same for each one that will trust Him!
With God on our side it is irrational to have fear of what man can do!
Even when the worst of the worst presents itself to the child of God, if we have placed our trust in the Living God we should have no fear!
Those that reject that the Earth will change during the tribulation period have rejected the Word of God!
Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and "all flesh shall see it together": for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Those that reject the fact that this Earth will one day be destroyed and replaced have rejected the Word of God!
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: "for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away"; and there was no more sea.
Those that reject the world wide flood in the days of Noah also reject the Word of God.
Gen 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Those that reject the coming destruction also reject the Word of God.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Peter described these things like this:
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Destruction of all life that breathes came by a flood in the time of Noah.
Destruction of all life will come by fire at the return of Jesus Christ.
If you have never been in a war zone then you have missed an opportunity to see that some men just simply have no fear of death.
As Christians we need to be like these men and have nothing to fear from this world we live in. We are just passing through!
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that "they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth".
*****Psa 46:3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
We know that in the time of Noah, no one had ever seen a storm because no one had ever seen rain, so when those waters were raging even Noah was troubled by this sight as God judged this Earth.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
But those same waters that troubled that world to destruction also saved eight people when those flooding waters raised up the Ark of Noah into safety.
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, "wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water".
God will remove His people from this earth before this coming storm rages!
The same God that carried Noah and his family to safety can still carry all of His children to safety in any storm that happens in this life!
All those that trust in the Lord have no reason to fear!
And Selah, let's stop and take a moment to think about and meditate on what God has already done and then relate those things to what God says He will do in the future.
Let's stop and enjoy the music of the songs of salvation!
We can rest in the middle of every storm in this life, if we are sure of our future eternal and everlasting life!
Why?
*****Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
There was a great river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden and divided into 4 streams.
Gen 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
There will be a great river that will flow from the rebuilt Temple of the Millennial Kingdom.
Eze 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
But these cannot compare to the river of life that will flow out of the throne of God.
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
In the Church Age we can still see the river of Grace that is smoothly flowing from the hand of God to every believer.
It is "Grace" that flows through the Lord Jesus Christ that is our water of life and the river of God's pleasures!
What are the two greatest evils of mankind?
Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; "they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters", and "hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water".
When we forsake the Lord Jesus Christ we have forsaken the fountain of living waters.
When we reject the Word of God and go our own way we are as pots that can hold no water.
God the Father is the source of living waters!
God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ is the water that flows from that source!
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
God the Holy Ghost is the power behind that source of living waters!
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Because God is in the midst of the city of God and all life flows from Him!
*****Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
God stands in the middle of His river of "Grace".
What does God promise to all those that believe?
Jesus Christ said, "I am with you always".
God is never separated from any part of His creation.
And God is always present in His relationship with those that believe on Him.
And without a doubt, God took a moment out of eternity and appeared to this world in the human flesh of His Son Jesus.
God is not some impersonal force in this world. God is alive! God is working in this world and God is relating to all those that call on His name!
God is a jealous God, taking Himself seriously and God is to be taken seriously by those He has created!
Whether we get God's help in certain things or not God is still present and available to help if He so chooses to do so!
If we do not believe this we cannot get a single prayer answered.
God is forever by our sides!
And the certain promise of God is that He will always be there for us at the right time!
God is never late because He is always on time!
The Church is not the city of God, because the city of God is the New Jerusalem.
It is the New Jerusalem that will be the eternal dwelling place of God in the midst of His people.
This city is not in Heaven because it is coming down from Heaven.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, "coming down from God out of heaven", prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
This is the eternal city that will last forever.
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Those that will live in this city is the Church of the first born and the Lord stands in the midst of His Church and the Church cannot be moved!
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Though this earth may be moved, God's Church cannot be moved but by Him!
*****Psa 46:6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
There are only two things in our world today that can cause such a furious uproar.
1) The city of Jerusalem in the hands of the Jewish people.
2) The Church established in the name of Jesus Christ.
God allows the heathen to rage at this time but one day soon this will all end and their voices will be silenced!
God will not always allow the heathen to turn this world against His people!
When God utters His voice these things will cease and so will those that are heathen.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The Hebrew word for "melt" means to be dissolved or to disappear!
Who are the heathen? All those that do not worship the One True Living God!
1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
What kingdoms will be moved? Those that are influenced by Satan.
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms";
Isa 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Who can do all these things?
*****Psa 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Why is the Church so secure? The Lord of hosts is with us.
Why is Heaven so secure? The Lord of hosts abides there.
Isa 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Isa 40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
It is our Lord who rules all the angels, all the stars, all the elements, and all the hosts of Heaven and it is this same Lord who stands in the midst of His Church!
It is the same God of Jacob that fulfilled the prophecies of the Bible to stand in the midst of His Church!
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
It is our God that gave Himself for the Church and it is this same love and dedication we are to give to our own families!
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
And Selah.
Let's take a moment and meditate on all these things as we behold the works of our Lord!
*****Psa 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
All we need do is observe all the things that are going on in this world we live in.
God has made sure that technology has progressed to a point that if we want to, we can see what is going on throughout the entire world without leaving our homes.
There has been no other time in history when these things that take place can be observed as they are taking place due to television, computers, and cell phones.
To believe in the providence of God is to be sure to know that God's will and God's plan are moving forward at His own pace and by His own wisdom!
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Man's evilness is leading our world down a path of destruction but these things are not within man's control!
Psa 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
This world we live in is under the direct control of our Almighty God!
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
And God has already told us of a future coming destruction.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
You know, God cast all our sin into the deepest part of the sea but there will be no sea in the New Heaven nor the New Earth.
What happened during the time of Noah?
Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
What will happen someday in the future?
Isa 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
Isa 24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Isa 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant
Even war and peace are under God's control!
*****Psa 46:9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
The world tries to end wars by the use of politics.
Politics is supposedly the science of government. The world uses of laws, regulations and so called ethics to preserve the safety of innocent people, at least this what they say.
**Politics have been used to bring to the end many wars.
But today politics is more about making concessions to those that seek to do evil at the expense of those that seek to do good!
Most people think that peace can come only by a One World Government with one set of laws for all people.
But these results would be a peace that cannot be sustained because those that seek to do evil are never satisfied!
**There are those that seek to bring peace by education.
If we study the history of our world we can see where and why wars have begun, many by trivial matters, and not repeat these same mistakes.
The pure fact is the leaders of our world never learn from the mistakes made by those of the past and history continues to repeat itself over and over again.
A wise man once wrote:
Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
If we could learn from our mistakes, we could make something new and lasting but we just keep remembering "the good old days" which is not the wise thing to do.
Ecc 7:10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
**There is only one method to bring world peace and it is God's way. It is the Christian way!
Evil must be conquered and removed or reconciled to God.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The Church must be ambassadors for peace and not ambassadors of war!
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
In the end, God will bring peace!
Isa 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
There will only be peace when the Prince of Peace rules on this earth and government will rest on His shoulders!
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
What did God tell Moses? God said you go tell Pharaoh that "I Am" sent you.
*****Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
If we truly rely on the Lord, sometimes we must simply "be still".
To be still is to keep silent, or to be quiet!
We must quit warring with ourself long enough to hear "that still small voice" of the Lord!
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire "a still small voice".
When we become so occupied with our own selves and our own miseries, we sometimes cannot hear what God is trying to teach us!
The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" is a gentle voice of "Mercy and Grace".
The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" is a gentle voice of Love!
It is "that still small voice" of God that brings with it peace, and pardon, and righteousness, and best of all salvation by Christ Jesus!
Psa 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Psa 89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Most of the time, "and God knows", when we are relying on the Lord, we just need to stop what we are doing and wait patiently on the Lord!
After all He is God!
If we believe in what we say we believe in, then all we need do is read what God has done in the past and we can see what God will do in the future!
God is no respecter of persons!
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
God will not do for one, what He will not do for another!
We simply cannot put anything else before our God!
Anything we put before God is an idol. We all have our idols from time to time and they will certainly interfere with our relationship with the Lord!
There is coming a day when our God will be exalted in all this earth!
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
SO, Why can we rely on the Lord?
*****Psa 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
God is never separated from any part of His creation!
God is present throughout all His creation! We call that the omnipresence of God.
But even more important than that, God is always present in His relationship with those who love Him!
God has appeared to us all "Person to person" in the flesh of Jesus Christ, His Son!
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
It is the Lord of all creation who is our Father!
It is the that same God of Jacob who is our refuge!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Psalms 46
To rely on means we have taken all the facts into consideration. We have studied the ability of a certain person along with his integrity and after considering all the evidence we have confidence that we can trust and depend on that person.
This describes the truth of our relationship with the Lord!
Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
We can know, what hope, what riches, and what the overwhelming greatness of the Lord's power is but only when we rely on Him for all things, especially our salvation!
Let's begin:
*****Psa 46:1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Hear again we have another song put to music by the sons of Korah. We see one other thing in this Psalm.
That word "Alamoth". The word Alamoth means that when this Psalm was sung it was to be the tenor voices that were to take the lead or be emphasized.
In Psalm 6 we can see the word "Sheminith" and this word would indicate just the opposite or the bass voices to take the lead.
SO, why can we rely on the True and Living God? He is our refuge and our strength!
Until the Lord Jesus Christ is our foundation of life we have nothing else to rely on or to trust in as we travel through this thing we call physical life.
Life means we have movement. We are living, breathing, creatures. This physical, bodily existence is subject to suffering, sickness, weakness, temptations and sin!
But life as described in the Bible has greater meaning than than just physical, bodily existence.
In reality only God has life in the absolute sense of life's true meaning!
We know our Father in Heaven is the fountain of life and the light of life.
Psa 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
So we know that the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ has life in Himself.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
This is our only means of real life!
It is our Savior who is also the source of all life!
The Bible does not teach that life exists of it's own. Life is not spoken of as made!
The Bible only says that our life exist only in Our Creator and our Savior!
We can rely on this life because of the work of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
**He gives abundant life.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
**He gives resurrected life.
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
And this life which is given to us as a gift from God we can have in this present life!
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
This is the proof that we can rely on the Lord!
Our God is our "sure" shelter and our "pure" strength and is "ever present" in our lives today!
God will never withdraw Himself from us!
*****Psa 46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Therefore still means "for this reason". It is because my God is my refuge and my strength that I will not fear and it can be the same for each one that will trust Him!
With God on our side it is irrational to have fear of what man can do!
Even when the worst of the worst presents itself to the child of God, if we have placed our trust in the Living God we should have no fear!
Those that reject that the Earth will change during the tribulation period have rejected the Word of God!
Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and "all flesh shall see it together": for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Those that reject the fact that this Earth will one day be destroyed and replaced have rejected the Word of God!
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: "for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away"; and there was no more sea.
Those that reject the world wide flood in the days of Noah also reject the Word of God.
Gen 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Those that reject the coming destruction also reject the Word of God.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Peter described these things like this:
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Destruction of all life that breathes came by a flood in the time of Noah.
Destruction of all life will come by fire at the return of Jesus Christ.
If you have never been in a war zone then you have missed an opportunity to see that some men just simply have no fear of death.
As Christians we need to be like these men and have nothing to fear from this world we live in. We are just passing through!
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that "they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth".
*****Psa 46:3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
We know that in the time of Noah, no one had ever seen a storm because no one had ever seen rain, so when those waters were raging even Noah was troubled by this sight as God judged this Earth.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
But those same waters that troubled that world to destruction also saved eight people when those flooding waters raised up the Ark of Noah into safety.
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, "wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water".
God will remove His people from this earth before this coming storm rages!
The same God that carried Noah and his family to safety can still carry all of His children to safety in any storm that happens in this life!
All those that trust in the Lord have no reason to fear!
And Selah, let's stop and take a moment to think about and meditate on what God has already done and then relate those things to what God says He will do in the future.
Let's stop and enjoy the music of the songs of salvation!
We can rest in the middle of every storm in this life, if we are sure of our future eternal and everlasting life!
Why?
*****Psa 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
There was a great river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden and divided into 4 streams.
Gen 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
There will be a great river that will flow from the rebuilt Temple of the Millennial Kingdom.
Eze 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
But these cannot compare to the river of life that will flow out of the throne of God.
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
In the Church Age we can still see the river of Grace that is smoothly flowing from the hand of God to every believer.
It is "Grace" that flows through the Lord Jesus Christ that is our water of life and the river of God's pleasures!
What are the two greatest evils of mankind?
Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; "they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters", and "hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water".
When we forsake the Lord Jesus Christ we have forsaken the fountain of living waters.
When we reject the Word of God and go our own way we are as pots that can hold no water.
God the Father is the source of living waters!
God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ is the water that flows from that source!
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
God the Holy Ghost is the power behind that source of living waters!
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Because God is in the midst of the city of God and all life flows from Him!
*****Psa 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
God stands in the middle of His river of "Grace".
What does God promise to all those that believe?
Jesus Christ said, "I am with you always".
God is never separated from any part of His creation.
And God is always present in His relationship with those that believe on Him.
And without a doubt, God took a moment out of eternity and appeared to this world in the human flesh of His Son Jesus.
God is not some impersonal force in this world. God is alive! God is working in this world and God is relating to all those that call on His name!
God is a jealous God, taking Himself seriously and God is to be taken seriously by those He has created!
Whether we get God's help in certain things or not God is still present and available to help if He so chooses to do so!
If we do not believe this we cannot get a single prayer answered.
God is forever by our sides!
And the certain promise of God is that He will always be there for us at the right time!
God is never late because He is always on time!
The Church is not the city of God, because the city of God is the New Jerusalem.
It is the New Jerusalem that will be the eternal dwelling place of God in the midst of His people.
This city is not in Heaven because it is coming down from Heaven.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, "coming down from God out of heaven", prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
This is the eternal city that will last forever.
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Those that will live in this city is the Church of the first born and the Lord stands in the midst of His Church and the Church cannot be moved!
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Though this earth may be moved, God's Church cannot be moved but by Him!
*****Psa 46:6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.
There are only two things in our world today that can cause such a furious uproar.
1) The city of Jerusalem in the hands of the Jewish people.
2) The Church established in the name of Jesus Christ.
God allows the heathen to rage at this time but one day soon this will all end and their voices will be silenced!
God will not always allow the heathen to turn this world against His people!
When God utters His voice these things will cease and so will those that are heathen.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The Hebrew word for "melt" means to be dissolved or to disappear!
Who are the heathen? All those that do not worship the One True Living God!
1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
What kingdoms will be moved? Those that are influenced by Satan.
Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, "Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms";
Isa 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Who can do all these things?
*****Psa 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Why is the Church so secure? The Lord of hosts is with us.
Why is Heaven so secure? The Lord of hosts abides there.
Isa 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Isa 40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
It is our Lord who rules all the angels, all the stars, all the elements, and all the hosts of Heaven and it is this same Lord who stands in the midst of His Church!
It is the same God of Jacob that fulfilled the prophecies of the Bible to stand in the midst of His Church!
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
It is our God that gave Himself for the Church and it is this same love and dedication we are to give to our own families!
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
And Selah.
Let's take a moment and meditate on all these things as we behold the works of our Lord!
*****Psa 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.
All we need do is observe all the things that are going on in this world we live in.
God has made sure that technology has progressed to a point that if we want to, we can see what is going on throughout the entire world without leaving our homes.
There has been no other time in history when these things that take place can be observed as they are taking place due to television, computers, and cell phones.
To believe in the providence of God is to be sure to know that God's will and God's plan are moving forward at His own pace and by His own wisdom!
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Man's evilness is leading our world down a path of destruction but these things are not within man's control!
Psa 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
This world we live in is under the direct control of our Almighty God!
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
And God has already told us of a future coming destruction.
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
You know, God cast all our sin into the deepest part of the sea but there will be no sea in the New Heaven nor the New Earth.
What happened during the time of Noah?
Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
What will happen someday in the future?
Isa 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
Isa 24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Isa 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant
Even war and peace are under God's control!
*****Psa 46:9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
The world tries to end wars by the use of politics.
Politics is supposedly the science of government. The world uses of laws, regulations and so called ethics to preserve the safety of innocent people, at least this what they say.
**Politics have been used to bring to the end many wars.
But today politics is more about making concessions to those that seek to do evil at the expense of those that seek to do good!
Most people think that peace can come only by a One World Government with one set of laws for all people.
But these results would be a peace that cannot be sustained because those that seek to do evil are never satisfied!
**There are those that seek to bring peace by education.
If we study the history of our world we can see where and why wars have begun, many by trivial matters, and not repeat these same mistakes.
The pure fact is the leaders of our world never learn from the mistakes made by those of the past and history continues to repeat itself over and over again.
A wise man once wrote:
Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
If we could learn from our mistakes, we could make something new and lasting but we just keep remembering "the good old days" which is not the wise thing to do.
Ecc 7:10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
**There is only one method to bring world peace and it is God's way. It is the Christian way!
Evil must be conquered and removed or reconciled to God.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The Church must be ambassadors for peace and not ambassadors of war!
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
In the end, God will bring peace!
Isa 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
There will only be peace when the Prince of Peace rules on this earth and government will rest on His shoulders!
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
What did God tell Moses? God said you go tell Pharaoh that "I Am" sent you.
*****Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
If we truly rely on the Lord, sometimes we must simply "be still".
To be still is to keep silent, or to be quiet!
We must quit warring with ourself long enough to hear "that still small voice" of the Lord!
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire "a still small voice".
When we become so occupied with our own selves and our own miseries, we sometimes cannot hear what God is trying to teach us!
The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" is a gentle voice of "Mercy and Grace".
The "Gospel of Jesus Christ" is a gentle voice of Love!
It is "that still small voice" of God that brings with it peace, and pardon, and righteousness, and best of all salvation by Christ Jesus!
Psa 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Psa 89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Most of the time, "and God knows", when we are relying on the Lord, we just need to stop what we are doing and wait patiently on the Lord!
After all He is God!
If we believe in what we say we believe in, then all we need do is read what God has done in the past and we can see what God will do in the future!
God is no respecter of persons!
Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
God will not do for one, what He will not do for another!
We simply cannot put anything else before our God!
Anything we put before God is an idol. We all have our idols from time to time and they will certainly interfere with our relationship with the Lord!
There is coming a day when our God will be exalted in all this earth!
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
SO, Why can we rely on the Lord?
*****Psa 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
God is never separated from any part of His creation!
God is present throughout all His creation! We call that the omnipresence of God.
But even more important than that, God is always present in His relationship with those who love Him!
God has appeared to us all "Person to person" in the flesh of Jesus Christ, His Son!
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
It is the Lord of all creation who is our Father!
It is the that same God of Jacob who is our refuge!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
