Is God Safe?

When you hear a question like this, what goes through your mind? “Of course he is safe! What are you thinking Monty?” or possibly “I myself have wondered and maybe even doubted that God is safe.” For many of us, we have been touched personally by the death of a loved one, endured crop failure, suffering through chronic pain, and toiled through depression or anxiety.

Trials, hardships, affliction and persecution come upon us in many different ways. This can make us wonder if God really cares or understands what we are going through. When we have not had to endure a great trial, this can seem foreign to us. But looking carefully through the bible and throughout church history, it is crystal clear that those who are God’s people have great trouble and tribulation. Causing doubt and fear.

So is God really safe if our troubles are not taken away from us? This I hope to answer this morning by first looking at what are we saved from, secondly what makes God safe, thirdly who can be safe and lastly how can safety in God give is comfort in our affliction.

Point #1 - Safe from what? or Who?

(Read 10&11). When a child is sleeping in bed and has a bad dream, when they wake up, what is their natural instincts? They run to dad and mom’s bed to find comfort and safety. Parents serve as a fortress of safety for a child that they can trust to protect them from danger.

In reality, we want to be safe from an illness, or a financial hardship or sadly from physical or verbal abuse. This is our normal response to real trouble that comes to us. As important as seeking safety from these things are, one trouble reigns above all. It is the fact that all of us are rebels against God and thus sinful beings. God’s command and curse in the garden of Eden is that you must obey perfectly or you will die. Adam and Eve disobeyed and were cursed with spiritual and physical death. The righteous wrath of God is upon all of us as children of Adam who do not obey God perfectly. The wages of sin is death.

The righteous wrath of God is upon all of us who do not obey God perfectly. The wages of sin is death.

The rich man finds comfort and ease in his money. He thinks that will protect him from life’s troubles. But money cannot bribe the perfect Judge and Jury. God sees all and nothing is hidden from him, no matter how dark the room is or how thick the ceiling is. Never ending torment in hell is the just punishment for all who disobey God’s commands. Whether it be lying, cheating, stealing, a lustful thought or gossip. To disobey just one of God’s commands carries the verdict GUILTY! The wealth of the rich man, he thinks is his fortification but as Solomon states, it is his imagination. His money is like a child’s fortress that they build in the living room out of cardboard. It won’t stand up to the holy wrath of God’s anger.

For Israel, this visual picture of a strong tower

Transition: So if perfect obedience is required by God, and I know that I have transgressed God’s law, what is to come of me? Is there any hope for me?

Point #2 - What makes God a Safe Haven?

In (10) the name of the LORD is a strong tower. The name of God is meant to be understood as describing his character, his very nature as holy, loving, merciful, powerful and all wise wrapped into the very fabric of Who he is. Where the rich man’s wealth or his good works serve as an imaginary fortress, God himself is the impenetrable, life giving tower that stands high and lofty.

For much of history, there was constant raids by foreign nations or marauding parties. Seeking vulnerable villages and cities that they could plunder. So fortress were erected that would have been filled with fresh food and water, equipped with an swordsmen and archers so that if trouble came the people would run to these strong towers to be safe.

For us today

This is the visual picture Solomon was giving for the next generations in Israel. In the times of Noah, there was great evil in the land. God had Noah build an ark for his family and pairs of animals, birds, reptiles and bugs. He judged the world as guilty and destroyed all living beings except for those that were safe in the ark. Israel was in bondage to slavery in Egypt, they could not save themselves so God brought them out by wonders and miracles to save them. It has always been God alone who brings salvation.

Through the revelation of God in his Word, Jesus Christ is that fortified tower that the righteous run into and are safe.

God demands perfect obedience but no one can obey perfectly. So God made a way for his people to be saved from judgement and damnation. He established a sacrificial system to atone for sin by the death of an animal to serve as a substitute. In the new covenant God sent his one and only Son Jesus to earth as the sacrificial Lamb who perfectly obeyed God. The wages of sin was paid by God in Christ Jesus as the Saviour of the world.

In our fallen state we believe this to be true because we are deceived by Satan. We are blinded to truth of where true safety is to be found.

So God does something truly remarkable. Perfect obedience is demanded of humanity and no one can obey perfectly. For Israel, God gave a substitute through the sacrificial system to atone for sin by the death of an animal. In the new covenant God sent his one and only Son Jesus to earth as the sacrificial Lamb who perfectly obeyed God. The wages of sin was paid by God in Christ Jesus as the Saviour of the world.

Think about this for a moment, what the LORD did was he sent his Son Jesus to save sinners from his holy just wrath for sin. The wrath that I deserve was placed upon Jesus instead.

Transition: Therefore, true safety from God’s wrath is found in God the Son as our Substitute. So how can we be saved from God’s righteous wrath?

Point #3 - Who can be safe in God?

Maybe you are here today and have not trusted in Jesus as your Saviour. Or as a Christian, but have been riding the fence, playing with fire so to speak. Maybe you have doubted whether you truly are born of God due to some sin that has entangled you. Please think carefully what I am about to say.

Paul writes that “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (,). Please listen closely. The sinner which we all are does not seek for God on his own to be restored because we all think we are pretty good people, self righteous and therefore if there is a God, he knows that I deserve to be in heaven eternally.

In our fallen state we believe this to be true because we are deceived by Satan. We are blinded to truth of where true safety is to be found.

Through the revelation of God in his Word, Jesus Christ is that fortified tower that the righteous run into and are safe. “For God so loved the world, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” ().

The only hope a sinner has of being reconciled to God and being freed from the wrath of God for disobedience is to run to God in Jesus Christ. By trusting fully in Jesus finished work in his righteous life and death on the cross a great exchange occurs. The wrath you and I deserved is paid in full by Jesus on the cross that he did not deserve. You are now forgiven and free from all condemnation. In the eyes of God, he now sees you as being perfectly righteous by your union to Christ. Jesus paid it all so we run to him as a strong mighty tower and are safe forever.

If you have not turned to Christ, please do it today for today is the day of salvation.

The Christian way of living is now changed when we are born again. Out of gratitude for what God has done for us, we now strive to obey the Lord because we now love him and want to serve him. If you profess faith in Christ but are indifferent or unmoved to follow Jesus, you are in great danger, come to the throne of mercy and repent. Run to him and plead for forgiveness and strength through his Spirit to overcome laziness.

Whoever trusts in Jesus as his or her Saviour are now safe in the Father’s hand that no one will pluck out. When you sin, yes when you sin, you don’t just lose your salvation or get kicked out of God’s home or tower. As the body of Jesus, he does not sever off his members when they disobey. We are eternally forgiven and secure in Christ. If you have doubted, remember who God is and his promises.

How we now live as Christians changes when we are born again. Out of gratitude for what God has done for us, we now strive to obey the Lord because we now love him and want to serve him. If you have backslidden and are caught in Satan’s lies, come to the throne of mercy and repent. Ask for forgiveness and strength through his Spirit to overcome sin. Brothers and sisters, the war on the flesh will continue till we die, but in Christ we are safely hidden and protected from Satan’s grip. That chain of bondage has been severed.

Transition: So those who have repented of sin and believed in Jesus Christ as their Saviour are those who are safe in God. Now the question we need to address is what do we do when trials come our way?

Point #4 - How do we feel safe in God?

With the bubonic plague known as the Black Death destroying lives in Martin Luther’s day, he penned that glorious battle hymn of the saints “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” Through his bouts of depression he rested in the LORD to see him through. Our Protestant forefathers would loudly sing this great hymn as they were dragged through the streets to be burned at the stake for rebelling against the Roman Catholic church.

From the last verse “That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who walk with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever!”

To be safe in the LORD as a strong tower does not mean that our troubles will just vanish. It is to mean that in God, we have confidence that whatever comes our way, we can trust that the LORD will see us through this life and carry us to glory to be with him forever.

You see, trials and hardships are ways that God destroys our cardboard fortresses such as dependance on our money, our popularity, our inner strength and pride. He wants us to have faith in him like a child has faith in his/her parents when they are scared. As we mature in our faith, we find that we trust less and less in ourselves and become more childlike in our faith. Sanctification.

I remember how Nancy described a time when our son Jesse was very sick and in praying she felt the warm embrace of God that comforted her in her trouble. Or when Albert passed away, Donna felt an inner strength to press on. We are comforted by the Spirit because we are loved by God. He is our Father. He is our great Shepherd who holds us close to his bosom. He heals the broken hearted and ministers to us when we worry about a health diagnosis or cry when we miss our loved one. He lets us know he holds the future when crops are still on the field, or a financial hardship is hitting us.

In Jesus, you are loved, Doesn’t mean you will have comfort and ease but peace.

Conclusion: So what is our passage saying to us this morning? It is God saying “I am the Lord your God. I am your refuge and strength. I am a strong tower that will never be overcome. Money, land and power are not safe. Trust me, run to me when you are discouraged, tired, and lonely. In me you will find perfect love, peace and rest for your weary and fearful souls. I am a Mighty Fortress and I fight for you! The great I AM is with you and not against you. In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” Is God Safe church? He is!!!

Benediction from (): From a man who suffered so great yet trusted in the Lord...

Benediction:(Romans 8:31-39)

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.