What is God like?
Notes
Transcript
If you have ever gone through troubling times or are currently going through troubling times than this message is for you today. This is the Psalm you need to be reminded of. But, in order for us to see what the Psalmist is talking about here we need to go back to Psalm 88.
In the Psalms, the Sons of Korah are known for their jubilant chants. Yet in Psalm 88, they sing something really dark. There is no relief within their stanzas and no triumphant resolve at the end.
O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me?
Have you ever felt this way? Maybe you are there this morning. Often times we feel this way in the crisis of life. This Psalm confronts us with the big time reality, in that our relationship with the Lord does not mean that we will escape the difficulties of life in a fallen world. But, it does help us see that God is with us and that God knows what its like to suffer. But, this message is far from over because I want to give you some hope today, and that hope comes from knowing God and what He is like. In fact, that is the title of our message today, and I want to give you 5 things that you need to know about God. These 5 things give us hope as we walk through life.
1. God is Personal.
1. God is Personal.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
(My relationship with Pete. It was a personal relationship)
In Psalm 91:1, God’s Word reminds us that the best way to overcome a difficult circumstance is to remember who our God is. God is the Most High and He is the Almighty! In historical context, the psalmist is speaking to Israel in a time of trouble, reminding them that God is with them and will protect them. But what does this look like for us today? I think that it can be easy for us to get distracted and easily discouraged when we face stress in our lives, the rising pressures of the moment, or the uncertainty and fears of tomorrow. When this happens, we can forget how big our God is. We can forget it was God who made us and the universe we live in. God is personal, and he has revealed himself to us. One of the ways God shows us his character and what he does for his people is through his different names. Proverbs 18:10 tells us, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” How amazing is that church?
In Psalm 91, the psalmist points us to God’s names. He zeros in on two specific names: first, he refers to God as “the Most High” which emphasizes that no threat can ever overpower Him. He then uses the word Almighty.”
A. W. Tozer said, ”What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” In other words, what we believe about God is even more crucial when we walk through a hard day, week, or season. Our view of God will determine our relationship with God. Some of you today are still mad at God for something that happened or you feel like He doesn’t care about you. I can understand why you feel this way, however that is why we need to turn back to him and trust that He is “the Most High.” When we do that we can begin to experience the peace and comfort that only comes from Him. We do not just think about Him, but we pray and experience what only He can give us. When we lift our eyes to our God, who is “the Almighty,” then we can finally “rest not in our strength or power but His. For me today, I have to stop looking at the current news, or my present situation, and all the unknowns of the future and get my heart and mind on God and His Word. God is personal and He is our Almighty God!
2. God is Strong.
2. God is Strong.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
In Psalm 91:2, we see the strength of God described as a refuge and a fortress. The image of a refuge is used time and time again through the book of Psalms to show that God can be a hiding place and source of security for us. When the world around us is chaotic and feels unstable, like it has recently, we understand that the presence of God is a safe place for us to find rest.
We also see here that God is our fortress, this is a symbol of protection from attack. My senior year in high school our youth group went to Wales and England and we got to take a tour of a huge castle. This castle was built to last and had been there for years. The walls were built to last and the people who once lived there had protection from battle. I share that with you because this is how Psalms refers to God. He is a fortress.
The last thing that I want us to see here is that the psalmist tells us that his trust is in God. Some scholars see this verse not only as a personal statement from the author, but an attempt to build the faith of those around him. Church, we can trust God today because He has shown Himself faithful. Trust comes from a position of security, and we can trust Him because he has revealed Himself as strong.
D.L. Moody said, “When a man has no strength, if he leans on God, he becomes powerful”. Do you need security? Do you need protection? Today, if you feel a lack of strength, lean on God and let Him be strong for you.
3. God is Protective.
3. God is Protective.
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
In Psalm 91:3-4, the psalmist finally gives us what we have been waiting for. Psalm 88 looked as if there was no hope, but now we come to the hope message. God's promises hope in this, “For he will deliver you.” The Psalmist compares the danger that God’s people sometimes face with the “snare of the fowler” — a trap used by hunters to catch birds. So, just as God is strong like a fortress, He is also protective, sacrificial, and gentle.
You may be here today and say, “Yeah Matt but exactly how does God deliver us?” Well I am glad you asked. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15:3.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
This verse tells us, “Christ died for our sins.” Jesus took our punishment of what we deserve for our sins. He truly delivered us.
In a times of suffering and pain, we can be confident that God is not punishing us. Jesus already took the punishment that we deserve on the cross. So, when we face hardships we need to remember that God is not distant from us. God stepped out of perfection and endured the greatest pain and relates to our struggles. How do we know that? Here is how.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Today we have hope because of what Jesus has done for us. Jesus overcame the grave and will one day return to remove all sin, and evil, and the injustices in this world. We desperately need Jesus and to be reminded of what He has done for us.
4. God is always with the faithful.
4. God is always with the faithful.
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
In Psalm 91:5-13, the psalmist continues to tell us about some difficult things that we may go through. He talks about:
- “the terror of the night,”
-”flying arrows,”
- and “the pestilence in darkness.”
What this shows us is that God is our refuge and when difficult times come our ways God picks us up and carries us. He gives us the strength to overcome obstacles we will face.
The promise of Psalm 91 is not that we won’t experience dark and difficult days, but that God will be with us when we go through them. We know that God is with us because we see this from Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14. God gives us His Son Jesus, whose very name is Emmanuel, which means “God with us.”
Today some of you are facing difficult problems and suffering situations, but remember that “the Lord, your dwelling place,” “the Most High,” and your “refuge” is right there with you. He always has been, He always will be, and He has overcome sin and the grave and He is coming to get us!!!
5. God will answer us.
5. God will answer us.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
When we have a question about something today many of us ask Siri or run to google for answers. We google it. We do this because we want immediate answers. So, here in Psalm 91 we see that God does answer us. It may not be in our timing or the response that we want but God does answer us.
In Psalm 91:14-16, God makes some wonderful promises to those who love Him. God promises that He will:
1. Rescue us.
2. Protect us.
3. Respond to our prayers.
4. And be close to us in trouble.
5. God also promises in this passage to give us “honor,” eternal life, and “salvation.”
Over and over again in the Old Testament we see God’s amazing promises. In Genesis 12:1-3, God promises Abraham land, descendants, and to make his name great. In Exodus 3, God promises Moses that he will deliver his people from Egypt. God fulfilled these promises to Abraham and Moses. The New Testament is the fulfillment of God’s promises in that of Jesus.
The Bible begins with a promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15, announcing the coming messiah who is later given the name Jesus in Matthew 1:21. The Bible ends with a promise of hope in Revelation 22:20, pointing to Jesus’ second coming.
The point I want us to see here is that God answers us through His wonderful promises. God has spoken to us through His Word and is still speaking to us by His Word. So, we need to spend time daily with him and talk with Him through prayer.
Faith is our confidence in God’s character and His promises, so today take hold of God’s promises by meeting with Him daily. Get into His Word and talk with Him everyday.
(Pray and lead into Communion)