[0:00] Let's resume our public worship of God by singing to his praise from Psalm 91. Psalm 91, from the beginning.
[0:12] He that doth in the secret place of the Most High reside, under the shade of him that is the Almighty shall abide. I of the Lord my God will say, he is my refuge still.
[0:26] He is my fortress and my God, and in him trust I will. Assuredly he shall thee save and give deliverance from subtle foul or sneer and from the noise and pestilence.
[0:43] His feather shall he hide, thy trust under his wing shall be. His faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler unto thee. Thou shalt not need to be afraid for terrors of the night, nor for the arrow that doth fly by day while it is life, nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness secretly, nor for destruction that doth waste at noonday openly.
[1:14] And so on. Verses 1 to 6 of Psalm 91. He that doth in the secret place of the Most High reside.
[1:25] He that doth in the secret place of the Most High reside, under the shade of him that is the Almighty shall abide.
[1:59] He that doth in the secret place of the Most High reside, and in him that is the Almighty shall be. The Lord my God will say, he is my refuge still.
[2:11] He is my refuge still. He is my heartless and my role, and in him trust I dwell.
[2:30] I should've been significant. The Lord my God will soon and all the mercKAIL But she, will be Good morning, Christian.
[2:50] unfolder year and grow the noisone foundation has opened let occupied and burned his wits of peace His faithfulness shall be a shield of God unto thee.
[3:35] Now shall I be to thee a king for heaven's love and night, not for the apple of thy life while in his night, not for the pestilence that walks in darkness secret me, not for destruction that the rest that do may overleave.
[4:41] Let us come before God in prayer. Let us pray. Lord, we give thanks for the encouragement that we often find coming from the lips of the psalmist.
[4:58] Words born out of experience, tried and tested upon the anvil of adversity, persuaded of the truth of them and convinced of the fact that the God of whom he speaks is a God who fulfills all righteousness with regard to his people, a God of heaven who is constantly the refuge of his people, so much so that, as he goes on to say in the same psalm, no plague shall near thy dwelling come, no ill shall thee befall, for thee to keep in all thy ways as angels charge ye shall.
[5:54] And the people of God are thankful for these words, whatever they may mean to them. At this time of global pandemic, we acknowledge that we are constantly reminded of the impact of this illness on so many.
[6:16] Regardless of however much we are brought face to face with the prospect of recovery, the hope that is held out to us, that there is a a remedy in the offing, that there is some way in which all that are exposed to danger may be protected from it.
[6:46] And we give thanks for that. We give thanks for the skills and the wisdom that has been given to so many people, doubtless from your own hand, even though this world will not acknowledge it.
[7:01] Whatever there is a success, it is their doing. Whatever there is progress made, it is their progress that they celebrate. Kings and queens and parliaments and governments rejoice in their own doings.
[7:19] And there is no sense of which God is at the heart of what is being done. and yet the reality is you are at the heart of this experience. And we acknowledge it because we are under your hand and it is your doing.
[7:36] And we must acknowledge it whether we like it or not. that we give thanks that your people know the difference between what God is doing for our good and what man is engineering.
[7:53] Because whatever goodness comes of it at the heart of every good and perfect gift there is a God who is to be stored of it.
[8:04] We marvel at your forbearance. We give thanks for your forgiveness. and we pray for your continued interest in us exercised through the proclamation of truth.
[8:19] An interest that you have promised to maintain till the end of time even beyond it. Give thanks for the Christ of which the gospel speaks. That he was born and he lived in this world.
[8:32] That he was put to death on the cross. That he rose again and he lives forevermore at your right hand. And there he pleads the cause of his people until such time as he returns as promised.
[8:48] And every eye will see him and every turn will confess him. And we acknowledge that that day is in the offering. We pray that you would remember us this day with all our needs.
[9:01] Particularly our spiritual needs. Pour out your spirit upon us that we might hear with the hearing of faith. That we might see with the eye of faith. That we might pay attention and look unto Jesus the author and finish of that all.
[9:17] We pray that you would bless every service of your house this day. We remember every person who is called to preach the gospel no matter how they are frustrated from so doing because of the current predicament we find ourselves in.
[9:32] You have appointed this like everything else. We pray that you would in mercy use the means and the medium that has been placed at our disposal whereby we are able to speak to others.
[9:46] Whoever they are we do not know. However many they may be. We fear at times that we are speaking to ourselves those of us who have been entrusted with this privilege of proclaiming the truth.
[10:01] Mercifully undertake for us that even a stray word heard in a passing by somebody who is still outside of Christ may it be used to the convicting of their soul.
[10:16] This we pray above all else we give thanks for the ability to believe that your people will be strengthened that they will grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that they will continue to grow and to mature until that day they find Christ formed in them.
[10:37] We pray that you would remember those who are still out of Christ and until such moment as that Christ becomes their Saviour they are in dire jeopardy and no one knows what day or hour will bring.
[10:52] Death may remove us from time and into that eternity we are beckoned never once again to return except to a fearful judgment if we are outside of that Christ.
[11:05] Be merciful to your people as they would witness to that Christ who means so much to themselves. We pray that you would bless your people in all their circumstances.
[11:17] Remember any who may be unwell especially those suffering from Covid but also at the same time we know that there are other illnesses in the world. There are many diseases many frailties.
[11:31] We pray that you would sanctify every dealing that you have with us especially those who are undergoing treatments of different sorts within our own community and beyond.
[11:43] We ask Lord that you would bless homes and families visit every home and provide for them an ear that would inspire confidence that when they speak to you they know that they are speaking to the God of heaven who has access to such a God like your people.
[12:10] Many none of us have ever very few of us have ever spoken to the Queen or any of our family except perhaps for a moment but we have access to the King of Kings we are able to speak from the heart to one who will enable us to make our cares and concerns known.
[12:32] So be near to us throughout this day blessing the world in which we live remembering the countries of the world and those in it. Pray for our own nations prayers.
[12:44] Pray for the first minister that you would speak to her in her own soul and that she would be reminded that there is one to whom she must give account. She may be concerned about the future as far as the political situation is concerned but there is a greater accountability that awaits each of us and we must answer to you our God.
[13:10] Pray for the prime minister pray for the parliaments and all in it. We pray that you would visit us in mercy and that the eyes of all would be lifted heavenwards that you would rend the heavens and come down.
[13:26] Hear our petitions now and continue with us a short time we are around your word cleansing from sin in the right and redeemer's name we would ask it. Amen. We are going to hear the word of God as we have it in the first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians and chapter 5 But of the times and the seasons brethren ye have no need that I write unto you for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night for when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape but ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief ye are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunken or drunken in the night but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation for
[14:49] God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us that whether we awake or sleep we should live together with him wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even us also ye do and we beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and do esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and be at peace among yourselves now we exhort you brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient toward all men see that none render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all men rejoice evermore pray without ceasing in everything give thanks for this is the will of
[15:56] God in Christ Jesus concerning you quench not the spirit despise not prophesying prove all things hold fast that which is good abstain from all appearance of evil and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it brethren pray for us greet all the brethren with a holy kiss I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you amen may the Lord add his blessing to this reading of his word and to his name be the praise we are turning today again to
[17:02] Paul's epistle to the Ephesians and chapter 6 this passage that we have been looking at over the last number of Lord's days the whole armor of God finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand stand therefore having your loins skirt about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shot with the preparation of the gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith wherewith he shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of
[18:18] God praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints and so on and take the helmet of salvation take the helmet of salvation when we look at this passage of God's word we are reminded of the way that every part of the body is to be protected on the battlefield and that includes the head because the head is exposed to blows that may debilitate the soldier very very quickly very seems that in
[19:30] Israel armor was a much later invention with early accounts describing armor being the property of foreign soldiers nevertheless when we look at the word of God we find mention made of armor and that armor also being spoken of with regard to the passion of God himself in the book of the prophet Isaiah chapter 59 the prophet there speaks of the Lord himself being clothed with armor and he saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor therefore his arm brought salvation unto him and his righteousness it sustained him for he put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation upon his head and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with seal as a cloak words that are symbolic of the
[21:00] God of Israel putting on a helmet of salvation upon his head God is wearing salvation now here in this passage the Christian is encouraged to take the helmet it it is an invitation to ensure that those who are saved are making use of their salvation and ensuring that when the enemy comes that they are equipped to deflect the blows that he will inevitably direct towards them obviously we know that a helmet is worn on the head and the attack that it is designed to prevent from causing damage is deflected by reason of the helmet but in this spiritual battle where a
[22:43] Christian soldier is constantly facing the onslaughts of the enemy it is clearly understood to be aimed at the head not in a physical sense but in the sense in which the head is the locus of the intellect this is where the brain activity of the believer takes place sometimes we refer to the heart or the emotions but I think the best understanding of it is is to think of it as the place that evil one wants to take on the believer in this case the intellect the brain the understanding the enemy endeavors constantly to do all in his power to to get the better of you with regard to what you think or how you think when we were looking recently at the arrows that the enemy sends in our direction they are sent with a violent assault flaming arrows are directed towards us that we are supposed to deflect with the shield of faith but the enemy are often reminded of their own sinfulness by the enemy of our soul the preacher and teacher
[24:59] John MacArthur in a passage that he was considering the armor of the believer he refers to the passage that we have read there 1 Thessalonians 5 and he maintains that the most ferocious and powerful blows are directed at the believer's assurance and security doing everything in his power to undermine what the believer believes trying to water it down trying to divert his attention from what they know to be true and maybe you can apply this to yourself and think about if you are a Christian your experience of the personal attacks of the evil one he will do everything in his power to discourage and there are many experiences that we have that seem to indicate that the enemy of our soul is intent upon undermining our confidence in the word of God and if not the word the one of whom the word speaks there are passages in the scripture that remind us of occasions where we see how he works in
[26:54] Ezra and Nehemiah when they were building the walls the word was sown in the hearing of those who were labouring they were reminded of the former glory of the temple and the people became despondent and disillusioned and their task lost impetus but Satan is often involved in that kind of strategy many of us perhaps are in small congregations who have not experienced growth of any description and we are reminded of that fact we are reminded of how comparatively few have come to faith in
[28:02] Christ in the last while and in that sense the devil will come and he will do all in his power to make us feel sorry for ourselves and he wants us to believe that God is not going to gain the victory when we think about Paul elsewhere in the passage we read together he speaks of the helmet as being the hope of salvation and one reason is that he wants the believer to be without hope perhaps the experience of Jonah and Nineveh wishing death or Elijah after running from Jezebel different circumstances but the end result is the same at the heart of the discouragement is the evil one and he wants us to behave as if the word of
[29:02] God is to none effect but the preacher Charles Hodge says that which adorns and protects the Christian which enables him to hold up his head with confidence and joy is the fact that he is saved and that is not his doing this is God's doing and without the helmet the head goes down under the weight of the blows but that does not explain what the helmet is it is a remedy to every blow that Satan seeks to deliver to the builder of the temple that is sure and certain knowledge that the child of God is going to a place where there is but one great high pleased John in his words from Patmos he saw no temple therein for the Lord Almighty and the
[30:03] Lamb are the temple of it the word of God is a sure word a certain word a word that will prove to be true and not false as the enemy of our soul suggests he will have the last word with regard to each one of us and especially with regard to the enemy of our soul we read in the New Testament scriptures how Jude the apostle wrote the following to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory plainness with great joy the translation which reminds us of the way
[31:06] God is able to keep the believer secure in the midst of attack work and when the enemy of our soul is involved in seeking to undermine his own work undermine the work of God and to elevate the work of the devil this is what he what he does he takes doubts and discouragements and he tries to to do all in his power to make you feel uncomfortable with where you are notice that a vast number of the commentators have latched on to that passage we read first 1st Thessalonians 5 where the word hope there appears but Charles Hodges insists that the two passages although they are alike are not identical he is not saying put on hope but put on salvation in other words put on what it means to be saved be aware that you are no longer what you were you are now a sinner saved by grace you cannot live a life doubting what
[32:22] Christ has done he has done it he was born and he died and he ever lives and he makes intercession for his people and why should you doubt what he has done for you and what he goes on doing what he has done in you some people believe that being a Christian means being free from doubts but that is not what the scripture says often the Christian must come to the Lord and says Lord I believe but also help mine in belief always remember to wear this helmet of salvation and pay heed to the fact that there is one aiming blows at your head but that that one has been overcome the scriptures remind us of the need to be armed scripture reminds us of the need to have the helmet of salvation upon our head and as one of the teachers puts it we are to put on the helmet of salvation in the same way that we are to put on every other item of armor so that when the devil comes to attack our understanding and depress us with thoughts of giving up the fight then that is the moment that we give thanks to
[34:00] God that we have such an array of weaponry by which to thwart us attacks we do not lose hearts says Paul our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs all of these good hope through grace the helmet of salvation the enemy is a diligent enemy may we be as diligent in putting on the armor every part of it let us pray heavenly father we give thanks that your word reminds us of the provision that you have made for us in the passion of Jesus Christ and that he has supplied us with wherewithal by which we are to resist the devil that he will flee from us and we give thanks for the many ways in which we have discovered that such a resistance is something that that is only possible with your help and we give thanks that your word encourages to look to him because he has promised to destroy him that hath the power of death that is the devil because he has done that through death be with us throughout the day cleanse from sin and remember all who are in need pray for your people in all their circumstances be they in hospital or homes for the elderly be they in need temporal or spiritual continue with us we pray for giving sin in
[36:03] Jesus Amen