Sermon
Safety In The Presence Of God
March 23, 2003
Pastor Donald Sheley

The text for our message today has been read for us by Pastor Leighton as we prepared for communion. But I'm going to ask you to take your notes, or you can take your Bible, it's Psalm 91. It's a beautiful psalm of refuge and comfort at a time of distress and trouble. The writer begins by saying, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.""

Now in our notes I open our comments with these words: When the skies are falling, and the world is in turbulence, and men's hearts are failing them for fear, we need a refuge and safe place to find peace for our souls. The author of our Psalm found that safe place and he wants to share its secrets with us.

Many believe that the writer of the Psalm also wrote the one that proceeds it, Psalm 90. It begins with these words: "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."

Many Bible scholars believe that Moses wrote both of these Psalms maybe as an exposition to the passage that he wrote in Deuteronomy, which says: "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Our Psalm contrasts the permanence of God with the mortal frailty of man. God is from everlasting to everlasting. He always has been, He is, and He always will be. Man is fragile at best, but God is permanently the God of eternity -- permanence, something that never changes.

Mr. Douglas is the gentleman who wrote the book "The Robe". They have made movies from that, but he wrote other novels. And he tells in one of his personal stories that while he was going to college he lived in a boarding house. And in that boarding house lived an old gentleman who for years had taught music in the schools, and now he was an invalid, and lived his life out in a wheelchair. But he was early in the morning to greet the students as they were off to their college classes, and he was there in the evening to greet them and welcome them home.

Mr. Douglas says that he formed a habit that as he came down the stairs ready to leave for college he would tap on the door of the old gentleman's home and say, Sir, how are things today? And the old music teacher would pull out his tuning fork and strike the arm of his armchair and the sound of middle C rang through the house. And then he would say, young man, that is middle C. It was middle C 1000 years ago, it's middle C today, and it'll be middle C 1000 years from now. Son, that is middle C. It was his way of saying there is something that is very permanent that never changes. And our psalm today tells us that God is the middle C of history and eternity.

It's also known as a psalm of the wilderness. The sentence of death had been passed on Israel at Kadeshbarnea. Their sandglass of forty years was running out, and Moses their leader reminds them that the eternal God was their refuge, and underneath are His everlasting arms.
One of the most interesting things about this psalm is that it was a psalm that Satan knew. He memorized it and no doubt hated it, but he used it when he was tempting Christ there in the wilderness. He quoted from this psalm.

One of the interesting things about this psalm is we are told to who it is addressed, and the subject matter really is identified in the first two verses that we've read. The declaration lets hearers and readers of the psalm know that God confirms the trust of those who are committed to Him. The psalm seeks to nurture the trust of the faithful by encouraging each of them to take the Lord as their refuge from all the troubles of life.

You'll find this theme throughout the psalms. Listen to them: "For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me." "Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues."

And again, another psalm, "God is our refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling."

God is our refuge and strength. Now the key to understanding this beautiful psalm in the original context lies in the interpretation of the imagery. The imagery is very beautiful. Now the dominant image describing the obligation of the trusting believer is that of taking rest. God's protection is spelled out by the images of a hiding place, a shadow from the burning of the sun, a military fortress, a bird protecting her young, military defenses, and angels.

Now the images depicting threat speaks of the fowler, and from the disease; he refers to that as the deadly pestilence. For the battles of life he calls for the shield and the rampart to protect against the arrow that flies by day. And then in his imagery he talks about the cobra and the lion. It's images that say that we live in a world and live a life that the unknown and the hurtful often invade our life and bring great distress. But whatever be the trouble that surrounds us, our God is ever present to deliver us and protect us. Now let's pause there for a moment.

Thinking through this Psalm, I thought, is there one sentence that can be a one sentence sermon which really tells the truth about what the Scriptures want us to learn today? And it's this: our concept of God will determine the degree of peace, personal peace, that we enjoy in the midst of life's trials. Let me say it again. Our concept of God will determine the degree of personal peace that we'll enjoy in the times of life's difficulties and its problems.

I have some additional notes, and these are not in yours, so just listen for a while and we'll get back to the notes in a moment. But in my library I have a little tiny book written by an English Pastor and his name was J. B. Phillips. He entitled his book "Your God Is Too Small", and he opens up that little book with these words: No one is ever really at ease in facing what we call life or death without a religious faith. The trouble with many people today is that they have not found a God big enough for modern needs. While their experience of life has grown in a score of directions and their normal horizons have been expanded to the point of bewilderment by world events and by scientific discoveries, their ideas of God have remained largely static.

It's obviously impossible for an adult to worship the conception of God that exists in the mind of a child learned and a Sunday school class, unless he is prepared to deny his own experiences of life. Here's what the old English Pastor is saying, many of us started our Christian faith in a Sunday School class and our concept of God as a little child was presented to us, but we've matured. We grow up. We met the issues of life. And what he's saying is, if our concept of God doesn't mature along with us, our little Sunday School God will not be adequate to meet the responsibilities and the dangers as an adult person.

He goes on to say: But many men and women today are living often with inner dissatisfaction without any faith in God at all. This is not because they are particularly wicked or selfish, but it's because they have not found with their own adult minds a God big enough to account for life. Big enough to fit in with our new scientific age or big enough to command our highest admiration and respect, and consequently, their willing cooperation.

He is saying the great problem with many of us, our concept of God is too small. Then a few weeks ago I went to the bookstore and I saw a book on the shelf, and the title of the book was "The Trivialization of God". And I thought, that is a fascinating title -- "The Trivialization of God" written by Mr. McCullough. I brought it home and this week I picked it off my shelf because I was thinking about this concept that we have of God.

Here's what he says in his little book. Visit a church on Sunday morning, almost any will do, and you'll likely find a congregation comfortably relating to a deity who fits nicely within precise doctrinal positions, or who lends almighty support to a social or political issue, or who conforms to individual spiritual experiences, but you will not likely find much awe and sense of mystery. The New Testament warns us, offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and with awe for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

He continues, but reverence and awe have often been replaced by a yawn of familiarity. The consuming fire has been domesticated into the flame of a candle. But when I read the next sentence now he had my attention, he says, when the true story gets told, whether in the partial light of historical perspective or in the perfect light of eternity, it may well be revealed that the worst sin on the church at the end of the twentieth century has been the trivialization of God. His point is this, our generation of Christians suffer from a loss of a sense of awe at the majesty of God.

The eternal almighty God of the universe, the creator of heaven and earth, the sustainer of all that is, is frequently referred to as the Man upstairs. Ladies and gentlemen, He's not the Man upstairs, He's the God of eternity, the sustain of the universe, and we trivialize our concept of God by such statements. He goes on to say, we've missed the majesty of God.

David writes, The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. And you'll find that frequently in the writings of David he refers to the majesty of God, and he is awed by the greatness, by the glory, by the awesomeness of the creator of our world and he speaks of it in terms of majesty.

Now the Christians' instinct to trust and worship are stimulated very powerfully by knowledge of the greatness of God. But this is knowledge which Christians today largely lack and that is one reason why our faith is so feeble and our worship is so flabby. We are modern people, he writes, and modern people though they cherish great thoughts of themselves, have as a rule small thoughts of God. How big is your God today?

I'd like for you to go with me to another passage in your Bible: Daniel chapter 4. I want you to catch a man's concept of the greatness of God. It's the story of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4:28. It says, All this came to King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you (seven years), until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the time (seven years) I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding (that is, my sanity) returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Nebuchadnezzar has learned how great the God of heaven is. He says that His dominion is from everlasting -- nothing is done that He doesn't direct. He is the King of heaven. A man's concept of God. Now let's go back to our text.

We find in the first two verse, you will notice that if we were reading from the Hebrew Bible we would find that the writer uses 4 different names that bring out the eternal characteristics of the God of the Bible. Notice: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High (title number 1) shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Title number 2: I will say to the Lord. Title number 3: He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, Title number 4:

Now let's go back in the Hebrew and learn what those names really mean and how they bring out the characteristics of the God of heaven. You'll notice, first of all, he uses the title Elyon, the Most High. It's the word that Nebuchadnezzar used when he said, He is the Most High God. It stands for the possessor of heaven and earth. That's the thought connected with this name. That is, He owns everything. He is the possessor of everything. Our God is the Sovereign God of the universe. He created it, He owns it, and He runs it. He has never lost control of it.

Our writer realizes that the God that is going to carry him through all the difficulties of life, the God that is going to take care of the arrows that fly by day, the God that is going to take care of those unexpected tragedies, He's the God that is in total control of everything. That's the God of the Bible.

Someone said to me this week, noting great fear and fright feelings are voice, and I made the comment: you know, you really should be ashamed of yourself. You must not worship the God of the Bible, because the God of the Bible is the God who had this all scripted into eternity past. And we are a part of His divine story, History, and He's the God that's in total control. And if He's my God, and I'm His child, I need not fear because He's got it all under control. We may not understand. We may not agree with all twists of history, but this thing we do understand, God is in charge. Elyon, the Most High, is reigning, even today.

Now the next title that he uses is El Shaddai. It's "The Almighty" and He's the God of provision, and the thought behind this name, embedded right into the Hebrew structure, is that God is not just the living God, but He is the giving God. He is the one who supplies all of our needs.

Paul writes, But my El Shaddai, my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now if we could pick up our Hebrew Bible and read it, we would find that the word title that's used for God is El. And you'll find that constantly throughout the writings of the Old Testament. When the children of Israel wanted to describe a characteristic of God then they would add that word that describes how God ministered to them at that particular moment; the God who provides, the God who answers. And here we have a very unique title El, the God, Shaddai, the God who pours forth Himself.

If we were reading that in the text, and I must be very delicate with my explanation, but to a Jewish family, the home, the marriage, the caring for the little ones is a very, very sacred task. And oft times their title of God took on experiences in life such as the peace that comes with God -- shalom. And they perceived God as they would view the mother sitting in the home, and this mother is cradling her little newborn in her arms, and that little one is protected by mother's love. That little one has nothing to worry about. That little one is nursing from the breast of its mother, and the nourishment necessary for life is being provided.

And the word Shaddai in the Hebrew is the breasting one, and they thought of God their relationship with God, like unto that little child nestled in the arms of the Almighty being nourished by the Almighty, and that's why they use the title El Shaddai. The God who provides. The God who pours forth His life. The God who loves me so much He takes care of my various needs. The God who loved me so much that He sent his Son to die on Calvary. The God who gave His best, the El Shaddai, and He cradles me in His eternal arms and He provides for all my needs.

The writer to this psalm understood that concept; for him to say let the arrows come, let the cobras come, let the serpent, it doesn't make any difference. I'm a child of almighty God who runs the universe, and not only does He run the universe, He's a God intimately concerned about me and my needs and He is my provision. That's my God.

I had a man walk up to me after the last service. He said, Pastor, I just lost my job. How am I to handle it? I said, the bigger your concept of God is, the smaller your problem. It's true folks. My God shall supply all of your needs, and I know that many in our congregation are going through difficult times, but keep your eyes on God. Never let your concept of God diminish with the problems that surround you.

This writer says the cobras will come, the serpents, the arrows will fly by day, but my God is the God who owns the universe and who has a personal interest in me. He's going to nourish me through life.

Let's go to the next one. The next title he gives is Jehovah, "The Lord". Now this was the greatest name for God among the Hebrew people. He is the God who exists because He exists, the I AM, the eternal, the immutable, the unchangeable One. Especially, He is the God in covenant relation, that is, He makes a promise and He keeps it. The thought here is that of promise. He is the God who has pledged Himself to do certain exceeding great and wonderful things for His own, things which cannot be thwarted by any demon in hell, any adversary on earth, or any failure of us.

Ah, what a God. When He says it, He means it. And it's true. It was Moses who wrote back in Numbers, God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?

Our writer of our Psalm has this tremendous sense of refuge because his God was the God of the universe, the God who made promises, and the God who never broke a promise -- ever. When He says something, He means it. He says that one passage, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Again, if we read the original, it's a continuous action verb. And it's like saying don't you ever, ever, ever do that again. That's a continuous action verb.

God is saying, I will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never; I will never, never leave you! nor forsake you. That's a promise. And the writer of our psalm takes this tremendous sense of courage in the midst of life's most difficult moments and says, I have a God whose made promises unto me. Somebody's counted and said there are 7000 promises that God has made to us in this glorious book. And the writer to our psalm says my Jehovah God made some promises that I can count on. Amen?

He will keep us in perfect peace whose mind is set on Him. That's a promise.

Look at the last name, Elohim, "God the Creator". That's the last title he uses in those two verses. The word Elohim always occurs in plural form accompanied by a single verb--something which would be very bad grammar in connection with anyone but God. God can say "We" because He exists in three persons and yet is one God. The word "ELOHIM" in the singular would simply not be full enough to convey all that is meant in the revelation of God.

Elohim occurs twenty-seven hundred times in our Bible. It first appears in the story of creation. It was Elohim who spoke this world into existence. Now notice, the God of the writer of this psalm is the God who controls the universe, the God who supplies all of our needs, the God who makes promises and keeps them, and the God who has power to throw this mighty universe into existence.

He says, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Now we know the names that he's referring to. He's brought about the characteristics, the eternal characteristics, of God.

I spend this week saying, God, what is that secret place? Because that's the key, isn't it? He that abides in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow. That's where I want to be, in the secret place. God, tell me, where is that secret place? And I got the idea, the says, He dwelleth in the shadow. And you've got to be very close to the object to stand in the shadow.

God, what is that secret place? And I don't have time to talk about it today, but I want you to come next Sunday. My heart has just been filled with the subject and I'll tell you about the secret place next Sunday. He that dwells in the secret place. That's where we want to be, isn't it? That's what we want to find. Where is that in my life -- that secret place of the most High? That person abides in the shadow of the Almighty.

You notice, ladies and gentlemen, that this psalm was written for those kind of people; not for those who just visit God when the tears are hot and the problems are heavy. We often run into that secret place long enough just to tell God how much we need Him. But he's describing a lifestyle. The little word abide means to take up your abode, moved in, and live there.

Blessed be the dweller, be the abider, he'll have the Almighty as his divine protection. Your assignment this week is let God reveal Himself to you. Maybe your concept of God is too small; that's why you're filled with fear and frightened at the world around us. If we really have the God of heaven as the center of our faith there's nothing to fear. That's what the psalm said. Amen? Let's pray.

Lord Jesus, what a beautiful psalm in such a turbulent time. There are a lot of us sitting here today and we have allowed the situation and the pictures of the events of our day to really frighten us. It's not that we're not concerned, it's just we've almost been overtaken by the fear of the moment.

But God, we've learned today that You wrote this as part of history from the foundations of the world. You had it all mapped out. You haven't abandoned the throne of the universe. You're still in charge. You're still God. And You're still ruling this world, and You're our God, and we're Your children. You love us. And I pray that in that relationship of faith may we take a deep sense of peace that You want to give to us today.

Yes, we're concerned. We'll pray. We ask You to bring all of these problems to an end, but we're not going to allow our hearts to be filled with fear because You're God, our God, and You are in charge. And we're going to leave it that way. In Jesus' name, amen. God bless you folks.