We Trust in the Lord Our God

Don’t rejoice, all of you in Philistia, because the rod of the one who struck you is broken. For a viper will come from the root of a snake, and from its egg comes a flying serpent.

Isaiah 14:32 HCSB

What answer will be given to the messengers from that nation? The Lord has founded Zion, and His afflicted people find refuge in her.

Philistia was feeling secure, but their situation would be short lived

These two verses are reminders to Judah not to trust in things that won’t last while at the same time turning away from what is secure.

The people of God forgot this many times.

We need almost constant reassurance that that we do not walk by sight, but by faith. (2 Corinthians 5.7)

Sometimes we walk by sight when we put too much trust in the good “THINGS” that we see going on in our lives.

Sometimes we walk by sight when we put too much trust in the bad “THINGS” we see going on in our lives.

We have to keep reminding ourselves that God is our refuge. He founded Zion. He establishes our heart. He orders our steps. HE HE HE .

Churches can be guilty of trusting in things that are not good allies to faith.

We need to be reminded that politics does not make a good ally for the church.

We need to be reminded that methodologies are not good allies either.

I heard JD Greear preach this week and he reminded preachers that people are looking for someone who will open the Book and tell what it says and explain what it says, and lead people to put into practice what it says.

We can’t compete with Disney. In with a hotdog, out with a hamburger. Ferris wheels at fall festivals.

Good news is we offer something that Disney can’t offer. Let’s not ever confuse this. God has chosen through the foolishness of the preaching of God’s Word to save men

We need to put our Confidence in God for the Right Reasons

The Nation of Moab is on the run.

They can no longer trust their idols

Isaiah 15:2 HCSB

Dibon went up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails on Nebo and at Medeba. Every head is shaved; every beard is cut off.

They can no longer trust their military

Isaiah 15:4 HCSB

Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out, and they tremble.

They can no longer trust their riches or success

Isaiah 15:7 HCSB

So they carry their wealth and belongings over the Wadi of the Willows.

Moab is a nations of refugees on the run. They are moving further and further South to get away from the enemy coming from the North.

If you study the poetic portions of Isaiah 16 you will discover that Moab, the longtime enemy of God, is being forced to turn to Israel for refuge.

Its not that they repented and turned whole heartedly to the Lord, it is simply that they have run out of options and need a place of refuge.

Isaiah 16:3–4 HCSB

Give us counsel and make a decision. Shelter us at noonday with shade that is as dark as night. Hide the refugees; do not betray the one who flees. Let my refugees stay with you; be a refuge for Moab from the aggressor. When the oppressor has gone, destruction has ended, and marauders have vanished from the land.

God will let you turn to Him in a crisis. Sometimes He even brings the crisis about to turn us to Him. But jailhouse professions often do not last.

God is really not into bargaining. He’s not simply interested in getting you out of a bind or a pickle so that you go back to life as normal.

Some of us have children, that call only when they need something. While we love our kids we can see through that. Surely God can as well.

Most of us have lived long enough to see people get in trouble, and show up at church a week or two or a month or two in hopes of a fix for their problems.

Often God does intervene, and people quickly go back to life as normal.

Sometimes God doesn’t intervene, and people say “well I tried the whole God thing and He didn’t fix my problem.”

Many times couples get in a bind. They come for counseling. They come to church. Then in a few months they leave.

People ask me to pray about this JOB that will change their lives, and then that job takes them away from the things of God.

We need to learn to seek God because He is worthy of our worship, not because We need something.