This morning we looked at the
city's refuge. Tonight we'll look at how Christ
is our refuge, but it'll be more of a practical everyday thing
for us. How Christ is our refuge every
day. Every day. Every minute. He's
the eternal refuge of our souls. And He's our refuge. Turn if
you would to Hebrews chapter 6, verse 13 to 20 we'll read. And here before us in the context
of our text, we see the certainty of God's promise and how Christ
is the refuge for His people. Hebrews 6, verses 13-20. For when God made promise to
Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself. God made promise to Abraham.
saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I
will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently
endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by greater,
and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife,
wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise
the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. that
by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, in which entereth
into that within the veil. Whether the forerunner is for
us entered, even Jesus made an high priest after the order of
Melchizedek. So let us take note of verse
18, where Scripture declares that God's people have fled the
Christ who is their refuge, and that they have a hope, a hope
in the one who is, in verse 19, the anchor of their soul. And
Christ is the anchor of our soul. And verse 20 identifies that
refuge, and he who is the anchor of the believer's soul is Christ.
as Christ. And we know from today that what
we looked at in the study on the cities of refuge, that true
believers flee to Christ. They flee to Christ. And He's
the only one that is their hope. He's the only one that's our
refuge. Turn, if you would, to Colossians
1, verse 5. Colossians 1, verse 5. Scripture declares this. for the hope which is laid up
for you in heaven, the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
wherever you heard before in the word of the truth of the
gospel. Who's the gospel all about? It's
all about the Lord Jesus Christ. It's all about the one in whom
the sinner hopes. It's all about him. And this hope for the believers,
this hope which is laid up for us in heaven, is in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ, in Him alone, who is the believer's
refuge. And I ask you, beloved, I ask
you, is not Christ your refuge every single day? Every day, isn't He? Every day
He's the one we flee to. Every day, He's the one we speak
to. He's the one we desire to learn more of. Every day. You see, this isn't just one
refuge and then, whoa. No, we continuously flee to our
refuge, don't we? We continuously flee to Christ.
Now, we're safe in Him, but we keep going to Him. We keep going
to Him. And I ask you this. Is not Christ
your reference every day from the storms and trials of this
world, when something comes up unexpectedly? Who do you flee
to? Who do you cry out to? Christ. We have nowhere else
to go. Remember, where shall we go,
Lord? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. Where else would we go? We go to our refuge. We flee
to our refuge. We speak to him who is our refuge. We fly daily to Christ who's
the refuge of our souls. And the reason we do is because
we're needy creatures. I'm needy. I need Christ all
the time, every day. Is it so with you? I can't make
it on my own. I don't have the strength to
do that. I've tried that before. It doesn't work. It just leads
to utter failure. Oh, what a refuge I have in Christ.
What a refuge I have in Him, and I flee daily to Him. I need fresh manna every day,
do you? Remember the Israelites? They'd
go out and they'd gather that manna, fresh manna, wouldn't
they? Every day, except for one day. But the day before, they gathered
double. Need that manna every day, don't
we? We need this all the time, don't
we? The green pastures of his word,
sheep food. the one in whom we read of our
refuge, Christ Jesus, our Lord. And you know, his mercies are
new every morning to us. Every morning, his mercies are
new. Every morning, for those who
have fled to the only refuge of our souls, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, refuge in the Webster's
Dictionary is defined as this, shelter or protection from danger
or distress. That which shelters or protects
from danger, disaster, or calamity. A stronghold, we looked at that
this morning, didn't we? A fortress, a stronghold, which
protects by its strength. Now think of that. We have a
refuge who protects by his strength. And he has all power. He has all power. It also goes
on to say, or a sanctuary which secures safety by its sacredness. He's the holy one of God. Any place, and this is what I
touched on a little bit this morning, any place inaccessible
to an enemy. Inaccessible to an enemy. God's
people are safe in Christ. Safe. And we have some pictures. Jonathan
was a refuge for David in his times during the times with Saul. They loved each other. They were
such close brethren. And Jonathan told David when
Saul was going to do something. And during biblical times, in
times of medieval war, a strong castle or a walled town was considered
a refuge. What happened would be, folks
would be farming all around, and if there was word that the
enemy was coming, they would ring a bell, and they would all
flee into the stronghold, or into the castle. So that the
enemy couldn't get, now the enemy could go and wreck their crops
and stuff, but they couldn't hurt them while they were in
that stronghold. Unless they overcame the stronghold, but
we know that Christ is a stronghold that no one can overcome. Absolutely
no one. And we looked at this morning
at the cities of refuge and how they are a picture of Christ,
who is our refuge. And there were six cities. But
beloved, we only have one refuge. There were six cities of refuge,
but we only have one. That's where the type starts
to break down that way, where we only have one, one refuge
and that being Christ. And he's the refuge for our soul.
Why do we need a refuge? Because we're guilty. Because
the the avenger of blood is on our heels. We're guilty. God's law and justice, and we
touched on this this morning, is the avenger of blood. And
unless we are in the city of refuge, Christ, we will be overtaken. Be overtaken. But think of this
in our daily life. Let's bring it practical for
us. We are assaulted daily by trials and by temptations. And
we battle the world. We battle the world. We battle
the flesh all the time, don't we? I've often told you I'm my
I'm my own worst enemy. I can get worked up. So fast,
my. But my goodness. What a present
help I have in Christ. Turn, if you would, the Psalm
46. We're going to go look at this verse, this chapter or this
Psalm. We'll look at this Psalm, which
relates to to God be in our refuge. Let's look at this verse by verse.
Look at this, Psalm 46. We go to the one. Now, where
do we go for strength and safety? Do we go to others for strength
and safety? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Do we go to religion for strength
and safety? No, no. Do we go to ourselves? No, no way. No, no, no, not at
all. We go to Christ. We go to Christ
and him alone. He's the one who's our strength.
He's the one who's our safety. And we we flee to Christ continuously. Look at this in Psalm 46, verse
one. It says this. God is our refuge
and strength, a very present help in trouble. You ever had
trouble? You believer. You who believe
in God, have you ever had trouble? Scripture declares here, God
is a present help in trouble. He's a present help in trouble.
Here we see the believer fleeing to the one who is the ever-present
help. The ever-present one. The only one who is the refuge
for sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ. And we
know in scripture, he's promised to never leave us nor forsake
us. Look what this scripture says. A very present help in
trouble. Now, there's times when we feel
we feel like, Lord, why am I going through this? What's going on?
Just remember this. He's right there. He's a present
help. He's a present help. Now, all
men also have their places of refuge, though some are refuge
of lies. We touched on that this morning.
But God is our refuge and strength, isn't He? The all-knowing, ever-present
God, Jehovah, is pledged for defense and support of His people. He is a very present help in
trouble. Beloved, He is always near. Always near. Always. But He's nearest when
we're most needed, aren't we? He's nearest when He's most needed. And again, He's a very present
help in trouble. Look at verses 2 and 3. Therefore
will we not fear? Though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried away in the midst of the sea,
though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains
shake with the swelling thereof, So here we have mentioned great
calamities going on in these two verses. Great calamities.
Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed and though
the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. These are
great calamities. Though the waters thereof roar
and be troubled. Brother John used to be a sailor.
When that water gets, Vicki's dad was a fisherman. She said
sometimes them waves get so high and the water just roars. Take
a ship and just toss it around like it's a toy. Though the waters thereof roar
and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof,
see not. So here we have mentioned great
calamities in the world, yet the believer fears not. The believer
fears not. Not based upon anything in us,
and not based upon anything in anybody else, but based upon
the fact that Christ is our refuge and our strength, and that he's
a very present help in trouble. Kings, think of this. Think of
this through your lives. Think of this through the ages.
Kings have risen. Presidents have risen. Governments
have risen and been removed. Empires have risen and been removed. Whole kingdoms have vanished
from the earth. Famine and war may arise. Anarchy may break out. The whole
world may seem to be in a great storm. A great sea of calamity. And many may become hopeless.
And hearts may be shook to the core. Yet God's people are still
safe in Christ Jesus, our refuge. Remember that when things are
going on. And He is a very present help. So when we see things going
on, like sometimes we see things going on in our country and around
the world, just remember, just remember, God's people are safe
in Christ, who is our refuge. Though God should, to use his
words concerning Jerusalem, wipe the earth as a man wipes a dish,
wiping it and turning it upside down, wiping a dish and then
turning it upside down, so everything in it just goes out, right? empty
of all its contents. Yet God's people will be protected. Will be protected. And if he does not protect us
here on earth here, take us home. Right, because sometimes he just
takes us out. But he does always protect us
until that time when he removes us from this world and then We're
under his protection in heaven forever. So let us remember this. As long
as God is God and he's God, he's not going to abdicate his throne. There is no need for the believer
to fear. And this brings me great comfort. That brings me great
comfort to know that. And I know it's so for you. Because we're prone to anxiety,
we're prone to fear, we're prone to depression, we're prone to
all different things, aren't we? This is why I need to be constantly
reminded of this. That God is my refuge. My protector. And look, it says Selah. That's
a pause there. That's a pause. One of the commentators
said, pause, beloved, and renew your confidence in God. Pause
and renew your confidence in God who has never failed us and
will never fail any who trust in Him. Just pause. Just reflect. Has He ever let you down? Never. Never. I may have to wait for
things and go through some things, right? You guys experienced that
too. We all did, right, in the last
couple of years? But He works all things out for
His will and His purpose, doesn't He? Why? Pause. Renew your confidence in God.
He's never failed us. And He never will fail anyone
who trusts in Him. That's why He's a sure foundation.
He's a sure refuge. He's a sure refuge. Then it says
in verse 4, There is a river, the streams whereof shall make
glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the
Most High. Now here we have a symbol of
God's free and sovereign grace right here, flowing freely and
freshly from the fountain of God's eternal love. And who does
it flow to? His people. Flows to his people. This wonderful book, the scriptures,
the Holy Bible, the word preached, The precious promises in this
book and the Holy Spirit himself revealing Christ to us is like
a glorious river flowing to God's people. Continuously refreshing
us. Continuously giving us confidence,
not in ourselves, but in our God, in Christ, who is our refuge. And then it says this in verse
five, God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved.
God shall help her in that right early. Think of this, when we're
going through a trial, when night is the blackest, when darkness
is thick in a trial or temptation, then God shall help His church. Now, this is a promise for us
as His people. Here is a promise and it says,
the text says, and that right early, which means at the turning
of the morning. at the turning of the morning.
Now, God may tarry for a while, right? We've all experienced
that, haven't we? We're going through something. And like I
said, we're Lord, what's going on? All right. God may tarry. He may tarry for a while with
us, but he will tarry no longer, no longer than is wise, than
is wise. And we look back at the things
we've went through and we see that, don't we? We see that we
see that that just in time. just when we need it the most.
Just when it seemed and I often I often experience this, I don't
know if it's so with you, but I often experience it at the
point where I'm just like absolutely exhausted and realize I can't
do any of this on my own. It is that surrendering aspect,
right? Lord, I don't have the strength
to do this. And it's so good and the Lord's so good to us.
He's amazing. He truly is wonderful Wonderful So so that which may seem long
in our eyes when God's dealing with us And when we cry out Lord how
long Yet he did help us say As the secure scripture here proclaims
It was right early when He did, at His appointed time. So let
us cling to this promise and know that our Savior, our refuge,
is ever with us. He's ever with us. Look at verse
6. The heat and rage, the kingdoms
were moved. He uttered His voice and the
earth melted. Now think of this. We just had
snow. That was beautiful. Wasn't that a beautiful, absolutely
beautiful snowfall we had yesterday? That was stunning. Chet and I
were talking about that, just how beautiful it was and how
the trees had that nice coating and the ground was coated, right? But did you notice how fast it
was gone? I woke up this morning and it's all gone almost, right? Now consider that. Consider how
fast the snow melts. Right? Before the sun. Look at this. The heathen raged.
The kingdoms were moved. He uttered his voice. The earth
melted. Our God has but to speak against his strongest foe. He
has but to speak against his strongest foe. And his strongest
enemies melt like the snow. Like the snow when the sun shines
upon it. God. That's our God. That's our king. That's our refuge. So let us remember this. This
is the very one we have refuge in. The one who makes his strongest
enemies melt like snow. What a God. What a great God. And in verse seven and eight,
it says the Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is
our refuge. Selah come. Come, behold the
works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He
maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth. He breaketh
the bow and cutteth the spirits under. He burneth the chariot
in the fire. Here the psalmist brings forth
before us in these three verses what God has done in the past.
He has desolated the desolators. He has destroyed the destroyers.
War is a thing to mankind, but God is even master over war. He's absolutely sovereign. And
He will get the victory over all His enemies. He will break
all His adversaries in pieces. And however long He may wait
before putting forth His great power and judgment upon them,
they will be destroyed. Now think on this. The one who has all that power
is our refuge. He's our refuge. Stand in awe and see the salvation
of the Lord. Look at verse 10. Be still. Just
be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen.
I will be exalted in the earth. This isn't a question, is it?
He's stating a fact. Here is the command for the believer
were to be still and know that I know that Jehovah is God. Look at what he's told us. And
he can do with his power. Yet he is a great refuge to his
people. And this is practical for us
when a trial comes up, when something comes up, a trial, a temptation,
right? And we pray to God when we're in a temptation, oh Lord,
please deliver me. But a trial will come up when,
just be still. Be still and know that I am God.
Now the first thing for us when a trial comes up is we usually
get worked up. But then I know as a believer, Once I come to
my senses, I just calmly rest in Christ. Is it so with you? My, be still and know that I
am God. And we know we're assailed from
all sides, but be still and know. that I am God. We know that people
will come up against us, family members, friends. Be still and
know that I am God. Right? Be still. Rest. Sit. Listen. Be still. We're not to murmur
at His providential dealings with us. We're to be still and
know that He is God. And I really believe that this
is a lifelong teaching for us. I really do. I really do. I haven't
got a handle on that. I haven't met anyone who has
yet. But we are commanded to be still.
Just to be still. And we're learning, aren't we?
And we learn through our trials and different things that occur
in our lives to just be still. Have you ever noticed that after
you went through something, that if that same thing comes up again,
you're usually just a lot more calm about it? And things, have
you ever noticed too, that things that seem like a mountain, you're
looking at them going, oh my goodness, are turned into mohills
before the Lord? It's incredible. It's absolutely
incredible. Think of that. He's taken the
mountain of our sin and it's gone. He's gone. So we stand in awe. We stand
in awe of our great God. We stand, we wait in silence
and in confidence that the one who is our refuge, the one who
is the refuge of our souls, the one who is our strength, is the
one we are to be still before. That we're to rest. and trust. We are impatient beings. But
let us remember that his time is the best time. His time is
the best time. And he will be exalted in due
time. He will be exalted in due time. Then look at verse 11.
The Lord of hosts is with us. The very one who is our refuge,
the Lord of hosts, is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge.
See you again. Pause. Now, think of this. He is an able refuge. He's able
to save all who come to Him. He's an able refuge, isn't He?
And He's an all-sufficient refuge, isn't He? In Him, all my sins
are forgiven. In Him, I have justification.
In Him, I have redemption. In Him, I have sanctification.
And it goes on. In Him, I'm made holy. He's an all-sufficient Savior.
He's an all-sufficient refuge. And many refuges that people
fly to under trouble and in trials, they prove to be unable to shield
and shelter them. Because usually they run to their
own strength or they run to other people. But these false refuges, Fade away. But Christ is an ever-present
refuge, an ever-present refuge, an ever-present help for His
people. Here never stop being our refuge. Never. Even in glory our eyes will behold
the One who is our refuge. Christ. It is said of the one who we
have fled to for refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ, that I have
laid help upon one that is mighty. That's my refuge. Is it so with
you? One that is mighty. Refuge for the believer is the
mighty one. It is said of Christ, He shall
be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace. And only in Him, beloved, do
we have forgiveness of all our sins. Only in Him are we secure
from the danger, the danger all around us. And let us remember
that He is a refuge that is at hand. Turn, if you would, to Psalm
32. The Lord Jesus Christ is our hiding place, beloved, and
He alone shall preserve me from all troubles that can pass me
about. We'll look at some scriptures
now where Christ is mentioned as our refuge. Or that imply that He's our refuge
also. Look at this Psalm 32 verses
5 to 7. I acknowledged my sin unto thee
and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my
transgressions unto the Lord. And that's what we do. And thou
forgive us the iniquity of my sin. Sheila, pause, pause and
ponder the fact that God forgives the iniquity of all our sins
are forgiven. For this shall every one that
is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Surely
in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto
him. Thou art my hiding place. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble.
Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. Pause. Ponder this. But no, thou art my hiding place.
And this is why the believer sings rock of ages cleft for
me. Let me hide myself in thee. He's our hiding place, isn't
he? And the hiding place is a refuge. He's a refuge for us. Now think
of this. It says there, thou art my hiding
place. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble in Psalm 32, 7.
Think of this. I want us to ponder this. What
is the greatest of all our trouble? What is the greatest of all our
trouble? The greatest of all our trouble
is the guilt of sin. The guilt upon my conscience
for my sins. But if God has forgiven me for
all my sins in Christ, What then now do I have to be afraid of? Who can lay any charge to God's
elect? It is God that justifies. My,
what a Savior. God has forgiven his people in
Christ. And may we just marvel at this
blood. May we let it sink in that we've
been delivered from that trouble which is greatest, our sins. Psalm 57 one, turn over there
if you could, would. And just keep your finger in
Psalms. We'll be moving through Psalms a little bit here. And I also want you to put your
finger, though, in Luke 13. I'm sorry, Luke 13. But stay
in Psalms, because that's where we'll be going back to. Look
at this in Psalm 57, 1. Be merciful unto me, O God. Be
merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee. Yea, in the
shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities
be overpassed. And here we see a turning away
from man and from his ways and a holy turning into the Lord
Jesus Christ and resting and trusting in him. And the believer
comes to the Lord in great humility, pleading for mercy and mercy
alone and trusting and reposing in God alone. And then look over
at Luke 13, 34. And this scripture came to memory
as I was studying for this. And I saw there in the shadow
of thy wings, Look at Luke 13.34, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which
killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee.
How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen
doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not. They
say that when prairie fires are happening, that sometimes the
chickens would go over their young, and that they would even
die in the fire that their young would survive. Covering them
covering them. That's what the Lord's done for
us. He covers us under his wings He covers us. We're safe under
him And we saw that safe under the the everlasting arms are
what upholds us My What a refuge we have And let us remember this that
our Lord is an unchangeable refuge He never changes. Now many strongholds
which men used as refuge have come and gone. We see ruined
castles, right? Cities that people take refuge
during war, they're going to a city, a city gets bombed and
becomes just rubble. But our Lord remains the refuge
of His people. And our refuge is sure. It says
this in scripture, but this man, because he continues ever has
an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore, he is able also to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them. He has an unchangeable
priesthood. Our refuge never changes. Never. What security the believer has
in Christ. So the believer, again, keeps
fleeing to Christ, who's our refuge, day after day after day. Now let's look at Psalm 59, verses
16 to 17. Psalm 59, verses 16 to 17. But I will sing of thy power,
yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning, for thou
hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. He's
constantly our refuge unto thee. Oh, my strength. Remember, he's
mighty. He's our strength. Well, I sing
for God is my defense and the God of my mercy. That's our king. Our trials and our temptations,
what do they do? They lead us to flee to Christ,
don't they? Constantly. They lead us right to Christ.
They drive us to Him. They show us our utter inability
to overcome them. But God, by His strength, gives
us grace and strength and takes us through them, doesn't He?
Do you know, have you ever wondered? Things that would destroy people,
the Lord gives us strength and grace and mercy to get through.
Have you ever went through a trial and wondered, how did I get through
that? I know. And you look back and you
just realize it's God strengthening of the time. It's God carry you
through it all the time. And he does that with his people.
It's amazing. And he continues to do. He's
unchangeable. He's unchangeable. And if you
would, the Psalm 61 verses one to three. Hear my cry, oh, God. Attend
unto my prayer. Is that not our cry all the time? Hear my prayer, O Lord, please.
Attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will
I cry unto thee. When my heart is overwhelmed,
and our heart is often overwhelmed, when my heart is overwhelmed,
lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a
shelter for me, and he's been a shelter for us, beloved. After
time, after time, after time, after time. My goodness. And a strong tower
from the enemy. Remember? He protects us from
the enemy. And then look at further down
and look over in Psalm 62, verses 6 to 8. We pour out our heart
in supplication to Christ and Him alone. He only is my rock and my salvation. You see, what that shows us is
we have no strength and no ability to save ourselves. He alone is
our rock. He alone is our salvation. And
this is a constant vein through scripture. Yet man, you give
man something to do and they will run to it. You tell them
it's the free grace of God in Christ and they'll run away from
it. Unless God makes them willing.
And like I said, it's like I heard the old preacher say one time,
Zacchaeus climbed up that tree and he skinned bark coming down.
He came down so fast out of that tree when the Lord said, told
him to come down. And that's how we are with Christ. We flee
to Christ. We run to him. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not
be moved. And that there, I shall not be
moved, that's not confidence in himself. That's confidence
in Christ. Confidence in the Lord, who's
our rock and our salvation. It's not confidence in ourselves.
And God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my strength
and my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times. Now,
there's a lesson for us. Trust in Him at all times, not
just sometimes. Trust in Him in all times, all
times. Now, we trust our eternal souls
to Him, don't we? But Scripture declares here,
trust in Him at all times, ye people. Pour out your heart before
Him. Tell Him, talk to Him about what
you're going through. And we do, don't we? Lord, give
me strength, please. He gives us strength Pour out
your heart before him. God is a refuge for us He's a
refuge for his people Turn if you would the Psalm 71 Psalm
71 verses 5 to 7 And he's not just our refuge
beloved, but he's a strong refuge Look at this Psalm 71 verses
5 7 For Thou art my hope, O Lord
God. Thou art my trust from my youth.
By Thee have I been holden up from the womb. Now remember that,
even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, He knew us. He knew
us. Thou art He that took me out
of my mother's bowels. My praise shall be continual,
Thee. I am as a wonder unto many, but
Thou art my strong. The Lord's not just a refuge.
He's a strong. He's the strongest refuge. Turn,
if you would, to Isaiah 25. Stand back and see the salvation
of the Lord. Isaiah 25, verses one to four. Oh Lord, Isaiah 25 verses one
to four. Oh Lord, thou art my God. I will exalt thee. I will praise
thy name for thou has done wonderful things. Is it not wonderful that he saved
you? Is it not wonderful that he went to Calvary's cross and
died as our substitute? Is it not wonderful that he shed
his precious blood to purchase us? Is it not wonderful that
we're clothed in his pure, spotless righteousness? Is it not wonderful? I ask you, beloved, you who believe
on Christ, is it not wonderful that he's your refuge? Oh, my. He has done wonderful
things. Thy counsels of old are faithfulness
and true. For thou hast made of a city
and heap, of a defended city a ruin, a palace of strangers. To be no city, it shall never
be built. Therefore see, the strong people
glorify thee. The city of the terrible nation
shall fear thee. For thou hast been a strength
to the poor. A strength to the needy in his
distress. Are you needy? Are you needy? A refuge from the storm. Do you
have a refuge from the storm of God's wrath and justice? A shadow from the heat when the
blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
Beloved Christ is a stronghold for those who trust in Him. Have
you trusted in Him? Have you trusted in Him? Nahum
says this, the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble.
And He knoweth them that trust in Him. He knows them. He knows
every one of them. They're His sheep. They were
given to Him by the Father in eternity. And He went to Calvary's
cross and He purchased them. He knows them and He calls them
by name. He is the refuge. He knoweth them that trust in
Him. Who shall have a place of refuge in Christ? Who shall have
a place of refuge in Christ? Turn if you would to Proverbs
14. Proverbs 14. Who shall have a place of refuge
in Christ? Proverbs 14. Proverbs 14, verse 26. Remember the verse in Nahum,
the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he
knoweth them that trust in him. Proverbs 14, 26. In the fear
of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children shall have a
place of refuge. His children. God's elect are His children. Proverbs 14, 26 again, in the
fear of the Lord is a strong confidence in His children shall
have a place of rest. It shall be well for those who
have made Christ their refuge those who have fled the Christ
Jeremiah 15 turn there if you would Jeremiah 15 and then put
your finger in Isaiah 26 and those would be the last verses
we'll be looking at Jeremiah 15 and Isaiah chapter 26 Jeremiah
15 the scriptures declare this the Lord said Verily it shall
be well with thy remnant The Lord has a people, doesn't
He? He has a people. Verily, I will
cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and
in the time of affliction. The Lord said, Verily, it shall
be well with thy remnant. Verily, I will cause the enemy
to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
God just turns their hearts. Did He not do that with the Egyptians?
They were just giving their gold and jewels over to the Israelites. They spoiled Egypt. And they didn't lift a finger. And then turn, if you would,
over to Isaiah 26. God's people are safe in Christ, who is their
refuge. Look at this in Isaiah 26, verses
20 and 21. Come, my people. Isaiah 26, 20 and 21. Come, my people. Enter thou into
thy chambers and shut thy doors about. Shut thy doors about thee. Hide thyself, as it were, for
a little moment until the indignation be overpassed. For behold, the
Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of
the earth for their iniquity. There will be a great day. The earth also shall disclose
her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." What are the
chambers spoken of in verse 20? As I was looking at this, I was
so blessed by reading this. Beloved, these are the chambers
of His covenant redemption, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
They're all found And all the attributes and perfections of
God the Father are in these chambers. Also the chambers, one commentator
went on to say, also the chambers of the person, blood, righteousness,
and grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord, the mediator, and the
influences of God the Holy Ghost. The chambers of His love. the
chambers of His promise, the chambers of His grace and His
mercy, which are all poured out upon the believer in Christ. In Christ. And note that they're
safe. They're safe from the wrath that
falls upon the inhabitants of the earth. So here in Christ, sinners find
mercy, rest, They repose. They find shelter from all evil.
And like Noah, we ride out the storm in the ark of our safety,
the Lord Jesus Christ. So well, like the deluge, the
fury of God's wrath against sin is poured down upon the Christless
and upon the ungodly, The believer is safe in Christ, who is our
refuge. Safe, beloved. Safe. May we ponder these precious
truths this week. Safe in Christ, who is our refuge. Gracious Heavenly Father, thank
you for the time that we've had to be able to look into Thy Word
and to study Thy Word. Oh, we pray that we might leave
this place glorifying in you, in praising you who are our refuge
and our strength and the stronghold against not only our enemies,
but your enemies. That you, we are ever in your
protection and you are an ever able refuge, an all sufficient
refuge for our souls. And I know we're going to leave
here, Lord, marveling in the fact that you bestowed this mercy
and grace upon us in Christ. Oh, may we tell others of the
great things that you have done for us. In Jesus name, amen. All right, take your hymnals
and our closing song tonight, number 29. Praise the Lord, ye
heavens adore him. I'm going to ask Katie to play
through one time. This one we haven't sung in a
while. Number 29. All right, let's stand. In the hearty heavens adore him,
praise him, angels in the high. The sun and earth rejoice, adore
him, praise him, all ye stars of night. Praise Lord Jesus. Born clean and spoken, Pearls
his eyes before his soul plain, Whilst with tender care they
drove him far, Their guidance he had made. Praise the Lord, for he is glorious,
ever shall his praise be. One can be his king, his lord,
yet he and magnify his name. so so