Protection from God

And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for his heavenly kingdom. II Timothy 4:18


Life without ups and downs will not be interesting. But for many it is only downs and no ups. Every day we struggle so hard to meet the ends meet. We struggle from morning till evening may be with our boss or colleagues or other friends. Some dread to go home and face their spouse. We assume our boss, colleagues, spouse, etc. are our foes. In reality it is not so. Our foe is the satan who walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He makes us cry, suffer from disease, breaks the homes and hearts and puts in all the evil thought in our minds. You have comfort in Jesus. For the Lord says even though your father and mother may forsake you, I will protect you. Your parents can be with you till you finish your schooling or in some cases till you get married after that they may not be able to help you. The Lord says, everyone in this world may forsake you and you may be all alone. The Lord shall take care of your every need be it emotional or material.

The world is filled with evil designs. The very people whom you trust may act snidely behind your back. Lord says I will He will deliver you from every evil work (II Timothy 4:18). May it be caused by friends or foes. He shall take care of you from their evil deeds. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever. But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off (Psalms 37:28). He does not tolerate wickedness, the wicked shall be surely punished although it looks as if they are flourishing very well, their end will come abruptly. If you want the Lord to protect your ways should be acceptable to Him. He expects you to be just. How do you treat your subordinates, elders and parents. Do you give your parents the respect? Are you taking care of them in their old age? If you have hardened your heart against them the Lord is watching over you. He is a God who loves justice. If they are far away from them and are in a situation where you cannot take care of them physically at least send them money or provide them what they need.

He is a God who keeps you from stumbling (Jude 24). Are you weary and discouraged and feel as if you are slipping. Jesus can keep you from stumbling. He will lift you up and put your feet on the rock to stay. Surrender yourself to Jesus your weaknesses and qualms and tell Him you cannot face this world alone. He will give you the strength to face this world and resist the sin. Bible says, "The Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught" (Proverbs 3:26). The world is filled with attractive sins which lead a person astray easily. If you are careless you feet can be caught in its snares. Trust Jesus and keep fellowship with Him always then the Lord shall guard your feet. Scripture says, "He will guard the feet of his saints" (I Samuel 2:9). For the Lord to guard your feet you should be a saint. Abstain for evil ways and keep your body, mind and soul pure and holy before Him.
Not only will He keep your feet from stumbling, He shall also see that the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night (Psalms 121:6).
Trust in the Lord and you shall be saved.
May the Lord bless you and keep you (Numbers 6:24)

Walking over the storm with Jesus

Every Christian will experience dark times in their life — times when storms of doubt and confusion may be raging around them. It is during those times when it seems that Jesus is far from us that we need to be looking for him. We may discover that he is coming to us walking on the very waters of the storm.

We have the promise from God’s word that he will deliver us. Psalm 34:19 tells us, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all." And Isaiah 43:2 promises, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."

Matthew 14:24-32 shows us some real lessons of how we need to react when our life seems in turmoil and upheaval.

Verse 24

But the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.

The boats that were used to fish the Sea of Galilee had a large triangular sail suspended on a central mast so it could be moved to catch the wind. A large oar in the rear of the boat acted as a rudder steering the boat. The fishing boat that the disciples used would not be very large, and so it would be very vulnerable in a storm. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills. When the warm air from the lake would rise to meet cooler air blowing in from the Mediterranean Sea, it would cause great turbulence and a storm could arise quickly without warning. This may have been what happened to the disciples.

The men were in the middle of the Sea of Galilee far from the shore when a heavy storm came up. This verse tells us their boat was being beaten by the waves and the wind was against them. The safety of the shore was far away.

Have you been going through a difficult time? Does it feel like storms are beating against you? You try to fight it and get out of the tempest, but you can’t seem to make any progress. It seems the wind is blowing against you hindering your every effort. This is the way the disciples felt. These were experienced fishermen. They had been through many storms on this Sea before. But this one was a difficult one. Even with all their expertise they could not make any progress against it.

Verse 25

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

The fourth watch of the night was between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Are there times when you are lying awake late at night unable to sleep? You may be burdened down with worries and concerns. Your mind may be wracked with despair and confusion. In the midst of their storm Jesus came walking to them to help them. No matter what terrible or frightening situation you may be facing, you need to realize that Jesus is coming walking to you on the waters of the storm. He is there. All you have to do is look for him.

Verse 26

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.

Why did they think Jesus was a ghost? First of all, they weren’t looking for him. The last place they expected to find Jesus was walking on the water. We can fault the disciples, but sometimes we’re the same way. We are in the midst of our struggles busy trying to solve the problems ourselves, and we never look to see if Jesus is around to help us. We may even feel that God has abandoned us, and maybe start to think the tempest we’re facing is some kind of punishment from Him. So we never look for Jesus. And if we do spot something resembling the Lord, we assume it must be a shadow, an illusion, a ghost.

Another reason they might have thought Jesus was a ghost was because the crashing waves of water on the boat formed a foggy mist which made Jesus appear surreal. Even though Jesus was there, he was masked by the mists of the storm. You may be going through a dark time. You may only see the mists of the crashing waves, but be assured Jesus is right there standing in the midst of the tumult ready to help.

The last part of this verse says they cried out for fear. Things had gotten so bad. The waves were crashing over the boat, the wind was against them, and now it seems they were haunted by a ghost. Fear gripped their heart and took control of them. Are things going bad for you? Is the storm crashing around you? Does it seem like everything is blowing against you? Are you haunted by fear? Has terror gripped your heart? Do you dread another day? It is at those times that Jesus will speak to your heart.

Verse 27

But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

As soon as they cried out in fear, Jesus spoke to them words of comfort. This verse tells us he spoke to them "immediately." When we seem overwhelmed by the turbulence of this life, it is then that Jesus speaks to us. Are we listening for his voice?

Notice the 3 things Jesus tells them: take heart, it is I, and have no fear.

1. Take heart. The Greek word here is < Qarsei&te> tharseite which means be of good courage. When we are facing howling storms, we need to be of good courage. We need to stand firm and not waver in our faith. Tempests may be thundering around us, but Jesus is with us so we can be confident in Him and trust in His word.

2. It is I. There is only one who can truly help us. Sometimes we can figure things out ourselves, other times friends can help us, but no one knows what’s best for us like Jesus. If we haven’t gone to him yet, then we haven’t received the best help we can get.

3. Have no fear. No matter how dark the storm may appear, we don’t need to fear. No matter what trials or difficulties you are going through, the Lord is beside you, so don’t be afraid.

Verse 28

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water."

Now our focus in this story is going to shift to Peter. Peter makes a bold statement indicating absolute trust in Jesus. We might think that Peter was being impulsive here, and that’s why he got in trouble when he tried to walk on the water. But I think Peter is simply reaching out to his Lord in faith. Peter is simply saying, Lord if you’re really there, reveal it to me. When we feel all alone and helpless, we may wonder if God has abandoned us. Perhaps all we can see are the boiling mists from the tempest clouding our vision of the Lord. At those times it’s all right for us to say, Lord if your really there, reveal yourself to me. God understands our doubt and our confusion. He knows how we can become so easily distracted by the churning storms around us. If you’re not sure if God is with you in your dark time, call out to him. He will reveal himself to you.

Verse 29

He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

Jesus said come. Whenever we need to find Jesus, whenever we need to meet him and spend some time alone with him, he says, Come. The Lord wants his children to come to him. He loves to bless us and help us through our difficulties. If you are facing a fury of trouble, Jesus is saying to you, Come. Come for help, come for strength, come for comfort.

Verse 30

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."

What happened? Peter was doing fine. He was walking above the storm. The same thing happened to Peter that so often happens to us. He took his eyes off of Jesus and started looking at the storm-driven waves. As long as he kept his eyes on the Lord, he was able to walk above the storm. But as soon as he looked at the raging storm around him, he was afraid and began to sink.

We can fault Peter, but the truth is we do the same thing. We spend most of our time inspecting all the bad things that are happening to us, and worrying how we’re going to survive the mess we’re in, when we should be looking to Jesus. The result is we sink deeper and deeper into despair and confusion. We need to keep our eyes on Christ. Our focus must be centered on the one who tells us, Be of good courage, it is I, have no fear. When we stop looking at the storms around us and start looking to the Lord, we will find ourselves walking above the storm on top of the waves.

This verse closes with Peter crying out, Lord save me. If you feel that you are sinking in deeper and deeper and it seems that you are drowning in your troubles, cry out to Jesus, Lord save me.


This verse tells us that Peter actually got out of the boat and walked on the water. Jesus was walking above the storm. Now he invites Peter to come, and we find Peter is also able to walk above the storm. No matter what tempest is howling around you, Jesus is inviting you to walk above the storm. He is saying come. Will you listen to his call?

Verse 31

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Usually, when we read this verse, we tend to notice the Lord’s rebuke of Peter. Peter had failed. But so have all of us. There are many times we lack faith and we have doubts. Peter was no different than most of us. So these words to Peter are really to us: "O people of little faith, why do you doubt?" Just like Peter, doubts enter our minds when we become fearful. God really wants us to live by faith, not fear. O Lord, help increase our faith!

Simon Peter, who was audacious enough to say, ‘Lord, bid me come unto thee on the water’ and actually walked on the water, which should have cemented his faith, got his eyes off Jesus, and his faith failed. I don’t want to criticize Peter because that has been my problem, also. I have stepped out on faith many times and then have taken my eyes off Him."

The part of this verse we tend to ignore is the first part that tells us that Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught Peter. Peter had failed. He had demonstrated his lack of faith. Now, if we were God, maybe we would let Peter bounce around in the waves for awhile so he could learn his lesson. But this is not what Jesus did. As soon as Peter cried out for help, Jesus was there to rescue him. As soon as we call out for help, the Lord is there to rescue us.

Verse 32

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

As soon as Jesus got into the boat, the wind and storm ceased. As soon as we let Jesus come into our time of difficulty, the winds and storms of confusion will cease. So what’s holding you back from allowing Jesus to come into your time of difficulty? Are you trying to handle it yourself, but you are still miserable? Are others helping you, but you still are confused? Are you being treated by good doctors, but nothing seems to be getting better? Are you receiving good counsel, but the darkness doesn’t seem to go away? Allow Jesus to enter your time of difficulty. He will take you above the storms and give you peace and comfort.

Verse 22

Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

This verse should have actually been at the beginning of the study but I wanted to conclude with it. Notice that it was Jesus who sent the disciples into the boat to go across the sea. He knew he was sending them into a storm, but he sent them anyway. Sometimes God allows us to go through storms so we can learn to trust in him. Whatever difficulty you may be going through, know that Jesus has allowed you to go through this storm. He cares about you, and he wants you to learn how to put your complete trust and faith in him.

We must live in the Tabernacle which is Christ

Psalm 91:1-3

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Dwelling in the secret of the Most High under the shadow of the Almighty is a safe and marvelous place to dwell, we can dwell in a safe place where we can have sweet and beautiful communion with him. Imagine standing behind the Almighty God beneath His shadow and His towering might, it’s a safe place where you are protected and feel like you’re invincible.

2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."

When we dwell in the secret place of the Most High we stand in an impenetrable fortress and a protected refuge. No matter where we are or what trouble we’re in, as long as we stand in the secret place of the Most High the enemy will not be able to prevail against us, because the Lord is like a fortress that stands before us.

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High shall be delivered from the net or trap that the enemy tries to catch them in, they will be delivered from all the devices the enemy uses against them, and the weapon of the enemy shall not prosper against them.

These are amazing promises from the Almighty God, and it shows us that those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High are protected from: pestilences, the traps of the enemy, and no weapon shall prosper against them because they stand in the fortress of the Almighty God. But are there conditions to these marvelous promises? Does going to church on a Sunday and praising God with my mouth and lips guarantee these promises? Going to Church once a week does not allow you to claim these promises, as there are conditions to receive these promises, in Psalm 15 we are shown what conditions and requirements bring the promises of Psalm 91 into fruition. Psalm 15 turns the key and opens the door to the Almighty’s secret place, and without exercising and putting into action the love and pureness of Psalm 15, we will never be able to walk into the Lord’s secret tabernacle and fortress.

Psalm 15:1-2,5

1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

King David is asking the Lord, who is able to dwell in your tabernacle or secret dwelling place? King David really wants to know who can dwell in the shadow of the Almighty’s holy hill.

2 He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart

The Lord tells David that he who can dwell in the Lords secret place is he who: walks uprightly, works righteousness and speaks the truth from their heart, is able to abide in the secret place and tabernacle of the Lord. Jesus said that it is what that comes out of a man that defiles him, for out of the abundance of a person’s heart the mouth speaks. So to walk into the tabernacle of the Almighty you must not be defiled in your heart and words, so you need to speak the truth and have a truthful and pure heart which only Jesus Christ can give you, and you need to continue to seek Jesus to have this truthful and pure heart.

3 He who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Those who put out money at usury and take advantage of people economically will not abide in the Almighty’s tabernacle. Politicians like George W Bush who take brides from oil companies in the form of lobbying, to invade countries like Iraq to plunder their oil, are not able to abide in the Lords tabernacle. Those businessmen who oppress the poor and exploit wage earners, such as those Western businessmen who import cheap slave labor made products from China, will be banished from the Lords Tabernacle and sent to Hell fire.

If you would like to dwell in the Lords tabernacle, fortress and secret place so you are protected from all things, I would like you to invite the following prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I desire to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, so I can be protected beneath the wings of the Almighty, I desire to dwell in a protected fortress in My Fathers Kingdom. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and I believe you are the son of God. Help me to obey your commandments and love others as you loved me, help me to stand up against: unjust wars, corrupt politicians and evil that abounds. Help me to take a stand for those whose wages are being exploited.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Holding on the promises of god in hard times

One of the biggest tests of faith is holding on to God's promises when going through a rough time in a Christian's life. Often Christians tend to believe that the reason for their troubling times is because of a sin or simply that "God hates them", when actually it is the furthest from the truth. One can find this through the great example of Abraham in Genesis 22: 1-24, that God's promises hold true even through times where faith might run thin. The first thing one can learn from Abraham's example is to be obedient to God even when rough events come. Often one can let circumstances rule their emotions, and the first mistake one will make is misplacing their trust in God's promises for their own feelings of fear and inadequacy. In verses two and three , the first thing that Abraham does is stay obedient to God as he prepared the next morning to go to the place God had asked him to sacrifice his son. The next lesson is that even though one might feel far away from God in troubling times that is when God is the closest. A great example is the well-known poem, Footprints in the Sand. The character in the story looks back on his life and sees only one set of foot prints in the hardest time of his life and two sets with God by his side when his life was going well. He first thought that at the hardest points in his life he was alone, but God explains in those times he was being carried just like that in Abraham's story God stayed with Abraham the entire way as God arrives on the scene to supply him with the alternate sacrifice after God sees Abraham's faithfulness. When Christians are going through hard times it is crucial to rely on the promises that God has given. Abraham relied on the promise that God gave him in Genesis 17:19, which Sarah would have a son, and that son God will establish his covenant through to everlasting generations.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we can trust our Savior and turn to him in hard times. God cares for us and he is sovereign. His Holy Word is sure and his promises are true. Take some time to ease your worries and calm your fears by meditating on these Bible verses for troubled times.


Dealing with Fear

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid? (NIV)
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (NIV)


Loss of Home or Job

Psalm 27:4-5
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock. (NIV)

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (NIV)

Psalm 84:2-4
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Selah (NIV)

Psalm 34:7-9
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing. (NIV)
Philippians 4:19
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (NLT)

Dealing with Stress


Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Joy and encouragement in the midst of difficulty

Philippians:

1:6 "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." In other letters, such as the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul takes great care to show how God chose us and began this good work through the redemption that was provided in Jesus Christ. But here, he explains that the good work continues, it is more than just getting to heaven someday. The good work is a continuing growth in our Lord and being conformed to His image, which will not be complete until the day of Christ Jesus. Even when we are backsliding, the Lord is at work. He will discipline his children when necessary, and encourage them when appropriate, but He will in either case continue the good work He has begun in us.

1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The context is that Paul is under house arrest awaiting trial by Caesar, and did not know if he would lose his life (he was set free, but probably arrested again a few years later and put to death). Instead of being fearful, Paul proclaimed Christ to the guards, taught Christians in Rome, and dictated letters such as this one. He realized that this life is inferior to being 'absent from the body but present with the Lord', and would gladly die if it were the will of God. He does conclude that being alive is beneficial for other believers. The goal of his life is not his own comfort or ambition, but to be of service to other Christians. We should not fear death if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but we should not seek it either. We should follow the example of Paul in living for others and not for ourselves.

II. Examples for Living the Christian Life (2)

2:1 Another way of reading the ‘if’ clause is "If you have any encouragement, and you do, then ..."

2:4 "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." (KJV) This prefaces the example of Jesus - referring to both his coming to earth and his dying on our behalf. We are not told to ignor our own needs, simply to also consider the needs of others. Looking out for others also includes 'seeing to it' that real needs are met (to the extent that we are able).

2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (KJV)

2:12 Working out your salvation does not mean earning your way to heaven, the price of that ticket was paid on the cross. Salvation includes sanctification, the lifelong process of becoming like Jesus. Working out salvation means putting our freedom from sin and the ability to do God's will into practice in our life. It is characterized by service to others and by good works.

2:15 We must face the fact that God considers our society to be a "crooked and peverse generation". We may think of the positive aspects of our nation, even considering it as a beacon of democracy in the world. But we must also consider how little honor is paid to God, and our very materialistic and selfish national character. (Come to your own conclusion on this.)

2:21 Paul had to say of Christians that he knew and loved, "Everyone looks out only for his own interests, and not for the interests of Jesus Christ" (My paraphrase). If this was true of some early Christians, we should ask ourselves whose interests we are looking out for. It was not that they looked out for themselves, but that they only looked out for themselves.

III. Exhortations for Living the Christian Life (3)

3:2-9 The immediate problem was the false teaching that men must be circumcised to become true Christians. Paul had to warn against this in many of his letters. But Paul also warns against a more subtle deception, that we might begin to trust in other things we do in place of trusting in Christ for our standing before God. Paul boasts, but only to show that his accomplishments are nothing when compared to faith in Christ. It is a great error to think that this only applies to 'being saved' or first coming to Christ. It also concerns our daily walk with the Lord. We can enjoy serving him, but we can never earn this privilege of walking with Him. It always remains a gift of His grace by faith. Did you notice what harsh words Paul has for the false teachers? He calls them dogs. He does not extend polite words to those who would lead the saints astray. False teachers, different from people making honest mistakes or asking questions, are dangerous.

3:12-14 If Paul, who wrote this letter by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, admits that he is still being perfected, then certainly we still have some perfecting to look forward to. This is one more section reminding us of our growth in Christ. Paul pressed toward 'the goal', are you moving toward the goal?

3:20-21 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body so that it may be conformed to His glorious body ..." We are reminded that Jesus will return to Earth someday. Our final destiny is not as a spirit in the presence of God, but as perfect people complete with a transformed body. For Paul, this was more than an abstract doctrine for someday, he eagerly waited for it and lived for this goal. The chapter break was not in Paul's original letter, his exortation to 'stand fast' immediately follows the reminder that we will be transformed.

IV. Enablement for Living the Christian Life (4)

4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."

Lyrics to "I'm Gonna Praise the Lord"

I'm gonna praise the Lord, I'm gonna praise His name
Oh, I'm gonna praise the Lord, I'm not gonna be ashamed
The Devil won't like it, but I don't care
I'm gonna sing about my Jesus everywhere
I'm gonna praise the Lord

Verse 1
Sometimes my load is heavy, sometimes the road is long,
But the Lord is always fathful and He always gives a song,
In the mist of trouble the Lord will give me peace,
If I can just call on Jesus, He'll set my mind at ease.

Verse 2
He is the rock of ages, His kingdom has no end,
He's closer than a mother, father, sister, brother, friend,
and He made me a promise, if I live like I should,
He'd take my circumstances, and work them for my good.

Strengthened in Faith Regarding God's Promises

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. (Rom_4:20-21)
Faith is the proper response to the promises of God. Also, our faith in God's promises can increase day by day, year by year. These present words offer helpful insight into being strengthened in faith regarding God's promises.

It is so often the case that the circumstances we are in tend to cast doubt upon the promises God has made. This was certainly what happened to Abraham concerning the promised son, Isaac. It was obvious in God's first set of promises to Abraham that a son would be provided some day. "I will make you a great nation" (Gen_12:2). Soon thereafter, the Lord promised that the land He had for Abraham would go to his seed. "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land' " (Gen_12:7). The years rolled by, and no son had arrived. Eventually, a son was specifically included in God's promises. "And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 'This one (Eliezer, his servant) shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir' " (Gen_15:4). Still, the years passed by without the arrival of the son.

Now, as Abraham approaches one hundred years of age, God repeats promises that necessitate a son. "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God . . . I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly... And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you' " (Gen_17:1-2, Gen_17:7). More time passes. Once again, the Lord restates His promise of a son. "Sarah your wife shall have a son" (Gen_18:10). At this point, the scriptures record the natural impossibility of this promise being fulfilled. "Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well-advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing" (Gen_18:11).

Nevertheless, "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith." How did he grow in faith? His circumstances gave reason to doubt: "his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb" (Rom_4:19). He focused upon the ability of the God who had promised a son, and he was assured: "being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."

Learning from the Suffering of Job

The suffering of a man named Job explains much about why character is more important in God's eyes than the discomfort and pain we experience in this life. Job was an exceptionally righteous man. He carefully avoided acts of transgression against God's laws. He behaved blamelessly. But, like all of us, he had weaknesses (Mark 14:38). He was not perfect.

God decided to test Job's character to see how his commitment to Him would bear up under adversity. The account of Job is in Scripture to help righteous people, when they go through discouraging and traumatic experiences, to learn to trust God patiently while awaiting the resolution of their problems.

God boasted of Job's righteous behavior to Satan. (Job 1:8). Satan responded, ". . . Stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and [Job] will surely curse You to Your face!" (Job 1:9-11). Later events proved Satan wrong. Job's character was not that weak.

God granted Satan permission to strip Job of his possessions and his family and to afflict him with excruciating boils (Job 1:12-19). Job at first accepted his plight, saying, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21).

Later "Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, [and] each one came . . . [to] mourn with him, and to comfort him" (Job 2:11). After a week of lamenting with him, they began to discuss his calamities and suffering. Job listed his complaints, showing the inequities of life. Later God agreed with him. Not everything in this life is fair and equitable.

Job's three friends, however, were certain that God was punishing Job for some secret sin, something Job could hide from everyone but God. Job vehemently denied that such was the case, and he was right. God later verified this also.

However, during his ordeal of loss and suffering, Job gradually came to resent God. This often happens to people in the midst of inexplicable calamity.

Many chapters relate the faulty reasoning and accusations of Job's three friends and Job's denials. Finally, one of Job's younger friends, Elihu, spoke up. He recognized that Job's perspective was flawed and distorted. Job had convinced himself that his afflictions served no purpose. He decided that God was simply not treating him fairly.

Elihu realized that Job was so obsessed with his innocence (Job 33:8-9) that he was finding fault with God rather than looking for lessons to learn from his trials. To Job's complaints Elihu replied: "Do you think this is right? Do you say, 'My righteousness is more than God's'?" (Job 35:2).

Instead of seeing his adversity as opportunity for patience and for letting God mold him, Job had grown in his resentment toward his Creator. He closed his mind to the possibility that he could learn something valuable from his suffering.

Job's principal objection was that God was unresponsive to him, that He was not properly acknowledging his righteousness.

God challenged Job, suggesting that he try to tame a sea creature, a great beast that was "made without fear" (Job 41:33-34): "Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you?" (Job 41:1-3, 4-10).

In the end Job saw that the basis of his problem was his lack of understanding and excessive confidence in his own righteousness. Then his view of God's fairness changed. He saw that His critical attitude toward God was wrong: "I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know . . . I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:3-6).

Job's experience is recorded in great detail so we can learn the folly of holding too high an opinion of ourselves. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud" (Proverbs 16:18-19).

Job's experiences can explain why righteous people may go through discouraging and traumatic times and be tempted to resent God for not obviously and quickly intervening on their behalf. Like Job, we can fail to understand that God sees far more than we see.

No matter how severe a trial is, we should never assume God isn't listening or doesn't care. He sees lessons we need to learn that are beyond our present understanding. We need always to remember some excellent advice from King David: "Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14). We should learn from Job's experience to maintain patient respect and trust in God even in the midst of our sufferings (James 5:10-11).

But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him (Psalm 37:39-40).

David's life was a life of strife. It was through this that the Spirit worked sanctification in his heart, but also that he learned what it meant to trust in the Lord his God. It was through these struggles that David learned the language of our text: salvation is of the Lord. He learned what it was for the Lord to become his strength. The Lord delivers the righteous because they trust in Him.

We read in Psalm 37:1-3: "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." The strife and struggles of this life teach God's children to be weaned from themselves, to be weaned from the world, and to build their trust in the Lord.

So often we take our food and water and other blessings for granted, but Scriptures clearly teach otherwise. It is a great blessing of the righteous to know "bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure" (Isaiah 33:16).

We want to see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked. The contrasts are set forth in Psalm 37. The wicked borrow and pay not again, but the righteous show mercy. David illustrates the contrast between the wicked and the righteous throughout this psalm.


1: For our first point, let's endeavor with the help of the Lord to show who the righteous are, and how their salvation is of the Lord.

2:For our second point, let's consider how these righteous will, and must have their time of trouble, but that in this time of trouble God proves to be their strength, will help them, deliver them and save them.

3:For our third point, let's consider why the Lord will do all these things unto them: "because they trust in Him."


First, who are the righteous spoken of in our text? Who is the judge? One judge's opinion can be totally different from another's. We experienced a change in our nation's highest court when Thurgood Marshall, a liberal justice, retired. It was said by a newspaper editor, "He was always honest."

Yet, who is the judge? How do we determine whether he was a righteous man? Public opinion? Do we go by our news media? According to the editor's judgment you would say Justice Marshall was a righteous man. By whose standards? That is what you and I have to come to grips with—by what standards was he righteous?

During his term on the high court Justice Marshall strove tirelessly for the rights of minorities. He was a strong advocate for women's rights. He was an adamant advocate of women's right to abortions. He was always honest? By whose standards?

When you attend a funeral conducted in today's liberal philosophy, all you hear is praise for the deceased. The mourners are told that the departed one has ascended into mansions of bliss based on the fact that they have lived a good life. How do you discern who are the righteous that are blessed? The standards upon which we must judge this are what we must call into question. Who said he lived a good life?



Satan told Eve in the garden of Eden that man should be the judge of what is right or wrong, that is, "ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). This judgment is the fruit of deceit. This is what we must learn to decipher. When we start passing judgment, not upon our fellow man, but upon our own hearts, we must realize that we must come to stand before a righteous judge, and we must ask whether we have passed righteous judgment upon ourselves. Are we the righteous of whom our text speaks? Can we say that our salvation is of the Lord? Can you and I say we have grounds to believe that we have the salvation of God?

If we use God's Word as our authority we find none are righteous of themselves. This is where we have to start. We find in Romans 3:10-12: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

We need to use the authority of God's Word as the basis of our judgment. Judging righteously, by the authority of God's Word, we must say that "there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

If we use God's Word as our authority we find none are righteous of themselves. This is where we have to start. We find in Romans 3:10-12: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

We need to use the authority of God's Word as the basis of our judgment. Judging righteously, by the authority of God's Word, we must say that "there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

How then do we know who are these whom our text calls the righteous? See the context of our text. Let's go to Psalm 37:30-31: "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide."

Going back to verse 4 to 6 we read: "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." In other words, if we commit our ways to the Lord, and if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will make our righteousness to stand out as brightly and distinctly as the sun in the sky. Then we won't be in question any more, will we? The righteous are those who have the law of love—loving God above all, with our hearts, souls and minds, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. When that law of God is in the heart, when that is the basis on which we judge every decision in our lives—is it according to the will of God, is it to promote our neighbor, then we can see who the righteous are.

As Christ becomes formed in the heart and soul through sanctification of the Spirit, those whom our text calls the righteous become engrafted into the true Living Vine. They become built upon Christ as their corner stone. They become part of Christ's mystical body. Christ is revealed in them. That Spirit of Christ, that law of love, is revealed in every thought process of their hearts. Why? Because the law of God is in their hearts.

We read in 1 Peter 2:4-5: "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Holiness is complying with the first table of the law. A holy priesthood makes holy sacrifices—sacrificing that ugly monster self on the altar as an offering to the Lord. We need to sacrifice self on the altar and sacrifice self for our fellow man. Christ becomes our corner stone.

Through the work of regeneration and sanctification this union is formed, and Christ becomes precious. By nature Christ is not precious to us. We see this in 1 Peter 2:6-7: "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner."

This precious union of Christ and His church is not only for the joy of the bride, but the bridegroom rejoices in that marriage union as well.

The blessed union between Christ and those whom our text calls the righteous springs from the electing love of the Father, the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and the washing of the blood of Christ. We see this in 1 Peter 1:2: "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." God the Father is the author, the source, of our salvation. It was the love of the Father, having loved His own from the foundation of the world. And it was that foreknowledge—elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus Christ. Salvation is of the Trinity. It is sanctification unto obedience. That rebellion of the heart must be broken. That will has to be conquered, and our will has to be dissolved into the will of the Bridegroom.



It is through the regeneration of the Spirit that the righteousness of Christ is imparted in the souls of the righteous—therefore none can do anything to effect his own salvation, nor that of his brother. If you have a child who has no work of regeneration in their soul, you cannot effect it. You cannot bring it to pass. You cannot redeem that child or that father or mother or brother or sister or wife. I want you to see this in Psalm 49:7-8: "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)." We need the redemption of the Son of God through the process of the economy of grace.

The children who have been born of God are righteous by virtue of the new nature imparted in them. It is the righteousness of Christ, Christ formed in you. We read in 2 Peter 1:3-4: "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." We have godliness and the precious promises through the righteousness of Christ imparted to us. That is where the new heart and desires come from.

God's Word tells us the righteous cannot "commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). You and I are not children of God because we were righteous. We become children by birth. We are children of our parents by birth totally outside of anything we did. The branch that abides in Him bears fruit. Those born of Him abide in Him. God comes with His restraining grace and He prevents them and protects them from falling into sin.

When God Doesn't Seem Just

Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Have you ever felt that a situation in your life was an exception to the promises of Scripture? In today's passage, Moses declares that the Lord is faithful and all His ways are just, but we have all been in circumstances that seemed wrong and blatantly unfair. And because God did not intervene, we've struggled to reconcile our experience with Moses' statement about Him.

Scripture is filled with examples of godly people who faced hardships that seemed totally unfair. Joseph was sold as a slave, David was hunted like an animal by King Saul, and the apostle Paul suffered with a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

Situations like these can cause us to question whether God is good and just. If left to fester in our minds, these doubts may give way to discouragement. We can easily start thinking, What is the use in serving the Lord? Look what it has gotten me--suffering!

It's important to remember that what we know about God from His Word is more accurate than what we feel. Scripture tells us that God is good and just, so we can know with certainty that He has a fantastic purpose for us in whatever we experience.

God allows each of us to face some trials that we won't understand to our satisfaction this side of heaven. Our job is not to comprehend everything He does and permits, but to know how to respond. He'll make all things right in eternity. In the meantime, trust the Rock when all else is shaky.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear

Fear of other people and things and events around us is something we often have to
come to grips with. No one likes to live in fear, but the sad reality is that most of us at times feel fearful. As God began working with Abraham, the man the Bible calls "the father of all those who believe" (Romans 4:11), God told him, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15:1). "Fear not," the King James Version says.

What a wonderful concept for us to understand as we come to God! He wants us to respect Him, but He does not want us to be frightened of anything. A simple saying encapsulates this truth: Know God, no fear. Its corollary expresses the opposite effect: No God, know fear.

King David had his ups and downs. On several occasions he fled to avoid being killed. Though his enemies often sought his life, David found a remedy for his fears.

In Psalm 27:1-3, he wrote: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident."

David found great peace in trusting God to take care of him. In verse 5 of the same psalm, David continued: "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock." In his own meditations, David could envision God hiding him in a secret place in His house or setting him high on a rock so his enemies could not reach him.

Small children often seek out secret hiding places so they can escape perceived troubles. As God's children, even we adults should realize we have a hiding place with God, where we can be cared for and comforted.

God's Holy Spirit performs this comforting function for us. It drives away our fears. David knew his faith in God sustained him through his difficult times. He said, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (verse 13).

In taking this refuge from fear, David knew the importance of coming before God with a pure mind. That is why he asked God to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him. David realized God could take His Spirit from him if he did not approach God in this attitude (Psalm 51:10, 11). When David was able to maintain this proper outlook, he could pray to God with the confidence that God would save him (Psalm 55:16-18).

Paul enumerated for the Christians at Rome these same principles: "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit [itself] testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:15-16, New International Version).

One of God's gifts that He imparts to us through His Spirit is freedom from fear. As Paul said in verse 31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"