Transcription downloaded from https://yetanothersermon.host/_/church4u/sermons/87044/our-refuge/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] Let's go to Psalm 46. Let's stand shall we? And read it together if you've got a Bible handy. And let's dwell on these words as we take them to heart and confess them with our mouth.

[0:15] It says, There is a river. The streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High.

[0:46] God is in the midst of her. She shall not be moved. God shall help her and that right early. The heathen raged. The kingdoms were moved. He uttered his voice. The earth melted.

[0:59] The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Jacob is our refuge.

[1:37] Selah. Let's say verse 1 again. God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. And everybody said? Amen.

[1:48] Please be seated. Psalm 46. Our refuge. The writer of this song declares that God is in charge.

[1:59] No matter the shaking going on all around. Notice it says, Therefore will not we fear. No matter what the shaking happens. It says, God is with us.

[2:11] With us. Behold his works, it says. And the message is still the same for us today. Be still and know that I am God.

[2:22] He says to you. Trust him. God is our what? Refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble.

[2:36] A refuge. What is it? A refuge talks about what it is you trust in. What it is you rely upon. When you're taking shelter somewhere. When trouble strikes, where do you turn to?

[2:47] Where do you go? Everybody takes refuge in something. What matters is what is your refuge. In Isaiah 28, we won't turn there but I'll refer to it.

[3:00] The prophet tells of some people who take a refuge that fails. A refuge that fails. Isaiah is telling in the context of a time of judgment, of testing, of trial.

[3:13] And he says in Isaiah 28 and it's verse 17. In part it says, The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies. Have you ever experienced heavy hail?

[3:28] No, it can be deafening, can't it? On your tin roof especially. It can be quite terrifying. Hail. Heavy hail. Not that long ago I came home one day to find devastation.

[3:39] There'd been a sudden freak gusty wind and it had blown away the shade house in the backyard. Turned it over. It wasn't a safe refuge.

[3:52] Thankfully I wasn't a pot plant in the shade house that day. But friends, people are reeling in many ways in our day, aren't they? There's a lot of stormy weather you could say round about.

[4:03] A lot of commotion. When the storm strikes you want to flee to shelter. Shelter that will hold steady. Now the context of Isaiah is of a coming judgment.

[4:15] Tales of a storm coming. When a storm comes it matters where you go, what refuge you have. Question is, where will you turn? Now, when storms come in lives, people sometimes they turn to a refuge that will fail them.

[4:30] Some resort to the glug, glug, glug, the bottle. They try and drown their sorrows. But when they wake up again in the morning, they still have them with a hangover to boot.

[4:44] It's a refuge of lies. The Bible talks about a refuge of lies. Some people think they're pretty safe and comfy. But after a bit of shaking goes on, things change.

[4:55] When the curve ball comes out of left field, it can knock down that house of cards that some people have built for themselves. You know, I know some people right now who are under suicide watch because their world has gotten shaken.

[5:11] They didn't have a refuge to take shelter in. Maybe not the refuge that Psalm 46 talks about. Many are doing a lot of soul searching right now.

[5:25] A faulty refuge will be shown for what it is. Faulty. Look at the footy games now with no fans. Seems somehow a bit hollow and dull, doesn't it?

[5:37] Not the same. Not knocking footy or any other sport. But it's like something's changed, hasn't it? It's shown to be maybe not as much a big deal as what people make.

[5:49] Maybe it's lost some of that appeal. Not such a big fuss anymore. We see sports. For some sports can be a refuge of lies. It's not a refuge for your soul.

[6:01] It might be some pleasant entertainment, harmless, but it's not a refuge, is it? You can't take shelter in that. And the delusions of men are a refuge of lies.

[6:12] The lusts of men are a refuge of lies. The religion of men is a refuge of lies. It will fail you. Trusting in your own self-righteousness is a refuge of lies.

[6:24] It will be blown away when the storm comes. It cannot save you. Yet many would rather believe in lies. Just about anything, anything but God.

[6:35] Anything as a God substitute. I was holding up a sign in Rundle Mall last week. And my sign said this, simply, trust in Jesus. I thought that's the message our city needs, especially right now, doesn't it?

[6:50] As it always has and always will need. Trust in Jesus. And many appreciated that message. I had some smiles and amens as I stood there. And I felt somewhat foolish, but I thought, this message is too important not to tell our city.

[7:05] And many appreciated this message as they walked past. And that was encouraging for me. Because I was packing it, really. I was quite feeling a bit fearful, naturally, in my natural self.

[7:17] But one man walked past and he grunted that his trust was in science. I tell you today, men, science can be a refuge of lies, can't it?

[7:29] Science can be a refuge of lies. The science is not settled, they're telling us, aren't they? People are always saying that. The science is not settled. Science is not something to settle on.

[7:41] It's not settled. I'm not saying we are anti-science. Not at all. There's many Christians who are scientists. What I'm saying is don't make that your refuge.

[7:51] It's a refuge of lies, amen? We have something that is settled. Settled forever in heaven. The word of God. That's settled. God settled it. Amen?

[8:02] God's truth is some so-called science, I'm talking evolution, is a, let's tell it like it is, a lie.

[8:13] It's a bold-faced lie. It's a falsehood. It's a farce. It's a failing refuge. It's a refuge of lies. I think it's truly sad when people build their lives on a foundation of sand.

[8:25] As our Lord tells the story of such. And when the storms come and the winds blow and the rain comes down and the floods come up, when the storms come, it all gets swept away.

[8:37] Like a refuge of lies. They're left with nothing. And empty. They've been lied to. People have built their lives on faulty foundations. A famous man ages ago once said this.

[8:52] People will believe a big lie sooner than a little one. And if you repeat it often enough, they will sooner or later believe it.

[9:04] So said Mr. Adolf Hitler. Tell people a big lie and they'll believe you. The media is using the same techniques today as Adolf Hitler, as fathered by him.

[9:15] Massive repetition, aren't they? You're getting bombarded. Fear, panic, despair, chaos, confusion. It's getting their message across, isn't it?

[9:29] This lie. And of course, before long, we believe them. If we don't use the filter, and of course we know who is the ultimate father of lies.

[9:45] Satan. Satan, that's his title, one of them. A father of lies. He's created them. It seems that our nation has taken for its refuge. It seems, for the most part, a refuge of lies.

[9:58] That's why people in our world are attacking it. Aren't they? They're feeling fearful. It's been shown for what it is. When things are getting shaken, people search for solid ground.

[10:11] I heard just days ago that an earthquake rocked the U.S. of A. And the earthquake hit the headquarters of the Mormon religion. And the trumpet in the hand of the wicked idol, the so-called angel Moroni, atop the top of the Mormon temple at Utah.

[10:31] The trumpet of this wicked idol, Moroni, fell off. Surely that's a sign, isn't it? Surely that's a sign, a wake-up call to the Mormons of the false religion, of their refuge of lies.

[10:46] Surely, isn't it? At the moment, the Pope of Rome is telling people, don't worry about going to confession to a priest. The Pope is actually saying, go straight to God.

[10:58] At last, he's got something right, isn't it? Amen? As a refuge of lies to go confessing your sins to a man, you go straight to the maker, the creator, the one that can forgive your sins.

[11:11] The abomination that is called the Catholic mass has been called off. It's too dangerous. Friends, these are changing times, aren't they?

[11:21] At the end, the book says there will be evil men and seducers and they're going to get worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. That's 2 Timothy 3.13.

[11:32] Question is, what is your refuge? Maybe God's sweeping away some things right now so we can get back to the foundation, to that which is settled and sure and steadfast, so we can see what is going to stand.

[11:46] What is going to stand? I think there's some good things happening, don't you? Hotels and nightclubs are shutting down. Movie theatres, bars, discos.

[11:58] They are a refuge of lies, aren't they? Abortion clinics, that's a good thing. They're shutting them down. Amusement parks. Not saying they're wicked and sinful necessarily, but it's a refuge of lies, isn't it?

[12:14] People just want to blur out and blot out God with something else other than him. Universities are closing down. That's maybe a good thing too.

[12:25] It could be, couldn't it? There's some sweeping going on, isn't there? I think some of my superannuation has got swept away. You know, we don't take refuge in that, do we?

[12:37] That's not our refuge. That's not what we founded upon. And look, this is not to trivialise there's people in our church that are potentially losing jobs, potentially losing income.

[12:48] I'm not making lies of that. These are serious times. And we need to hang together, hold together, hang in there for each other. It's about what we're taking refuge in.

[13:01] We're not founding our lives on that. We don't take refuge in that. Rest in ears, is it well with your soul? Like the old song goes, we must find our refuge in him, in our Lord.

[13:16] We must find our refuge in him when the storm hits and the world gets shaken up, when we see that there actually is only one refuge. But we can take sure shelter in.

[13:29] Some maybe think they're self-sufficient. They think, I don't even need a refuge. I'm all right, Jack. But they don't need God. But that's a fake and faulty stand too, isn't it?

[13:40] We can't take refuge in ourselves. As much as we might have lots of positive affirmations, look, it's not going to stand. We all know times when it can feel sometimes like we're on our own.

[13:56] King David had such a time. In Psalm 142, 4, he says, Refuge failed me. No man cared for my soul. It can feel like that. No man cared for my soul.

[14:09] But as someone, the God-man we've been hearing about, the man of God, the God-made flesh who dwelt amongst us, he knows, he cares, he cares for us all.

[14:21] There is one you can entirely trust with your present and your future, the Lord. In contrast to a failing refuge, we need one we can count upon.

[14:35] And Psalm 91, I know people are saying this is going to be, on a lot of the pulpits today. Psalm 91. Look at the words of Psalm 91, where David could declare this.

[14:49] Psalm 91. Just the first couple of verses, but look, you can read the whole thing. Psalm 91, verses 1 through 2. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

[15:02] I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him will I trust. These words are true today and will be true tomorrow.

[15:15] You are safe, brother, sister, in Him, in Christ, safely abiding. He can wrap His arms widely around you and hold you safe and warm and sure to His dear heart.

[15:27] Surely He shall deliver thee. It goes on through the verses. Surely He shall deliver thee. Surely. He is your habitation.

[15:40] He is your fortress. He is your dwelling place. He shall cover you. He shall shield you. He is always with you. Even in time of discouragement. Even then, isn't it?

[15:54] He is with you. Because He is ever by your side. He doesn't clock off. He doesn't clock in or out. He's there always. He is with you. In trouble.

[16:05] He is with you. In tragedy. He is with you. In turmoil. He is with you. In affliction. In sickness. Whatever. He is with you. The storm cannot stop His love.

[16:16] Amen. It cannot. Sometimes it's in just those very times of the storm. Those times we're brought to the end of our own strength. We need to know we've got the right refuge. All other refuges are going to be swept away.

[16:29] The refuges of lies. And we see the one refuge we truly need. Surely we can come to our knees and come and rely upon Him. Upon His strength. Maybe this nation has to be brought to its knees.

[16:41] I think it does. Likewise in Psalm 9 David said this. This is the man who said no man. Prepared for my soul.

[16:52] Refuge failed me. He says Psalm 9 verse 9. The Lord also will be a refuge. For the oppressed. A refuge in time of trouble.

[17:04] Friends God is our refuge. We need to be refugees. Don't we? Get under the refuge. Get into the refuge. Amen. I like to think really that I've only got a temporary visa for Australia.

[17:22] Really. Haven't we? This is temporary. We're refugees. We want to go to the refuge. Amen. Jesus our refuge. Our sanctuary. Our safety.

[17:33] It's important to determine this. What is your refuge? Deuteronomy 33.27 says, The eternal God is eternal. The eternal God is thy refuge.

[17:44] And underneath are the everlasting arms. God is always there for us. His arms are how long? Everlasting.

[17:55] Always He's there for you. He's our heart's refuge. Our strong confidence. His arms hold you dear. What is your refuge? Proverbs 14.26 says, The fear of the Lord is strong confidence.

[18:10] And His children shall have a place of refuge. I urge you today, flee to the refuge. Find that. That refuge today. The refuge for your soul.

[18:20] That sure haven. That sure place of safety. For your own soul. Brother, sister, find it. Find it for your own soul. Where you find that perfect peace and rest. And assurance.

[18:32] And we can have strong confidence, it says. Strong. This is no confidence of some braggardly positive guru. This is strong confidence.

[18:46] Not self-confidence. God confidence. Amen. That's what we need. When everything falls and fails all around us, when everything weakens, we have something that will not fail.

[18:56] It's not a refuge of lies that's going to be swept away. This refuge will not be shaken. This refuge will stand. And you are surely safe. Now what a joy it is to know as a Christian, I'm safe.

[19:11] I'm safe. Not only are you saved, you're safe. Amen. We've got His safekeeping. That's an assurance we can have. And that's not an assurance we take lightly, but it's an assurance that is the promise of God that keeps our confidence strong.

[19:25] Did you know there's something impossible for God to do? You might think God can do everything. God can do anything and everything He wants to and can do and will to do.

[19:36] But there's one thing the Bible says it's impossible for God to do. You know it. Hebrews 6.18, in part it says, it's impossible for God to lie.

[19:48] And it goes on, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us. It says that it's impossible for God to lie.

[20:02] It's saying God cannot lie. What He's promised, He will deliver. Amen. I've had people promise me things they haven't delivered. I could give you a few names.

[20:13] Some people come to mind, they promised and they haven't delivered. But God has promised and God always delivers. He's not going to lie to you. And He has promised He will do it.

[20:26] We have certainty and rest. Psalm 46. I've finished my introduction now. First point. Go back to the text. I'm just talking about the refuges that fail.

[20:38] Now I'm going to talk about the refuge that is firm. Amen. Psalm 46 verse 1. What does it say? God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble.

[20:50] It's saying God is our refuge. The word of God says this truth over and over again. More than 15 times it says this truth. God is our refuge.

[21:03] Friends, judgment is coming. I'm not meaning to overblow the present circumstances that we're in. That could just all be just a passing thing. But nevertheless, judgment is coming.

[21:15] The Bible says so. And trouble is our lot in life, as Job said. We're born unto it. It's not something out of the ordinary.

[21:25] It is normal. And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. So the question is, what is your refuge? Psalm 46.1. God is our refuge and strength.

[21:36] A very present help in trouble. One day a little boy prayed and said, God, please take care of yourself. Because if anything happens to you, we're in a world of trouble.

[21:49] Isn't that true? Thankfully, God knows how to take care of himself and the whole human race that put their trust in him. Friends, without God as our refuge, we're in a whole lot of trouble, aren't we?

[22:01] And the good news is that even while for a time we are in any trouble, God is in it with us. He's a refuge for us. He is a very present help.

[22:14] Don't you just love that? He's not just present. He's very present. Amen? He is very, very, very, very present. And he is everywhere present. And it follows on then, the verse 2 of Psalm 46.

[22:28] Therefore will not we fear. It follows on. God is our refuge, strength, very present help. Therefore will not.

[22:39] We're not going to fear. We are not going to fear. Though the earth be removed and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, no matter what, we have no reason for fear.

[22:49] Zero. The holder of our hand is the one who holds the future. He's the one who holds everything together. Every atom and molecule. Every electron and all the other bits.

[23:01] He holds it all together. In him all things consist. He holds it all together. Every star and every galaxy. And he is the one who holds you. Doesn't he?

[23:14] He's going to hold you. And he holds you steady. And he is the one who guides your steps. He's the one who knows your future. Yet future. Hand over to him. Is the plea today.

[23:26] And my urge to you, believers, unbelievers, hand it over to him. Give your life to God. Give your life to him.

[23:37] Hand over to him. Resign yourself to his will. Hand over the car keys of your life. Hand over the car keys of your life to him. Amen. Hand it over.

[23:49] Flee to him. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled. Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There's going to be a whole lot of commotion.

[24:00] We know the Bible says there will be. Whether we're partly in it or about to go in it. Or it's still yet some way ahead. But there's a whole lot of commotion coming.

[24:11] And there's going to be a whole lot of waves crashing. And some mountains quaking. It's happening in Utah. But know this child of God. His power holds you. And his power is above any powers that threaten you.

[24:25] And his peace prevails whatever storm faces you. Catherine Booth founded the Salvation Army with her husband, William Booth.

[24:37] And they knew what it was to face up to trial and hardship as they labored in the testing ministry right on the front line at the coalface of human misery.

[24:49] Where they labored. They didn't labor in the toffee-nosed places. And Booth wrote a book and it's called this, In Darkest England and the Way Out.

[25:04] In Darkest England and the Way Out. I have this book on my shelf at home. And England is still dark, isn't it? As is this land of Australia. For all the good points, this is a dark land, isn't it?

[25:18] And we need the light. We need Christ. We need the saviour. We need salvation. Catherine Booth shared her own life struggles. And she shared this about when we're feeling like we're going to drown, when we're facing that surging tide of trouble.

[25:33] She said this, I quote, The waters are rising, but so am I. I'm not going under, but over. The surging waters, the waves, we're just going to float up.

[25:45] God's going to carry us underneath of the everlasting arms. Amen. Since the days of King David, Psalm 46 has been a song of comfort for God's people. It's been sung through ages, through Christian persecution.

[25:59] In times past, of the martyrs of Europe, of persecuted believers across the planet, down through history, God is our refuge and strength. Hide it in your heart, people.

[26:11] We need to hide the word in our hearts, don't we? Is it a refuge of lies that we're holding on to? The storm will show it for what it is. For some, wealth is their refuge.

[26:23] They think they've got it all kind of in the bank. Well, it's still there, but for some, it's their health or fitness. They've got these refuges that they're going to fail. You know, people that are just wacko, mad, keen on physical fitness, whatever it be.

[26:39] We're not saying that's not a bad thing, but don't make it your refuge. It's going to fail. One day you're going to get old and grey and wrinkly like me. You know, Christ is our refuge, isn't he?

[26:52] Christ is our shelter, isn't he? Christ is the one, the shelter from God's judgment. God's just judgment. And he is all sufficient. When we suffer in health, when we suffer financial loss, marriage troubles, work worries, grief, yet still God's children have a refuge that will stand, a place of refuge.

[27:14] Verse 4 of Psalm 46, There is a river. The streams whereof make glad the city of God, a holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her.

[27:27] She shall not be moved. God shall help her. And that right early. There is a river. When life seems dry and fruitless, when we can know the words of God here, there is a river.

[27:41] There is a river. We've heard about the river. We've heard about the thirsting. We've heard about the living water. There is a river that will never run dry. Amen. There is a river.

[27:52] There is a gladness deeper and richer than anything this world can ever offer. Or no, a joy deep, deep down in the human heart. Deep down, bubbling over such that we can't contain it.

[28:06] Amen. I was talking with a brother this morning as I've been thinking myself, what an opportunity these days present for the Christian church to rise up. Not bunker down, but rise up and broadcast this life-giving message while we can.

[28:22] This joy that we have, it's bubbling out and bubbling over, but we cannot contain it. And I want to tell you today that while things may seem pretty dry right now, there is a river.

[28:36] There is a river. Amen. This river, and it's still flowing. You know, of course, I suppose it's picturing the heavenly river around the New Jerusalem and the picture of that to come.

[28:48] The picture of the Holy Spirit, the picture of the streams of living water, the picture of a water for the thirsty soul. Friends, there is a river. And this river is not going to run dry.

[28:59] It's not going to be like the Murray. We're always worried about it. You can know a gladness beyond your circumstance because if we come to the river, God will supply. God is.

[29:12] God is. God is able. God is our refuge. He is our river. And God is in the midst, it says. He's in the centre. Now, some like to say, well, God's my co-pilot.

[29:26] No, don't make him your co-pilot. You're in the wrong seat. He needs to be the pilot, you know. He is in the pilot seat. He is in the centre. God is in the midst. He's the one who says which way to go.

[29:38] He's saying go to the left, go to the right. He's saying, you know, what does it say? Keep right on. Keep right ahead.

[29:51] He'll show you the way to walk. We shall not be moved. God is our strength. Now, God is a strong tower from the enemy. Don't you know that today? He's a strong tower from the enemy.

[30:02] Nahum 1 verse 7. It says, The Lord is good, a stronghold, in the day of trouble. And he knoweth them that trust in him.

[30:13] That's a lovely scripture to write down. Nahum 1 verse 7. The Lord is good, a stronghold, in the day of trouble. He knoweth them that trust in him. Friends, our security is in God.

[30:26] It must be that. That alone. Not in things. Not in people. Not in our good government or our wonderful country. But in God as our refuge and strength.

[30:37] Verse 6 through 9 of Psalm 46 tells of wars and commotions. We won't cover that really, but those verses 6 through 9 tells of the Lord as being the Lord of hosts.

[30:50] The saying here is powerful. When we think of the Lord of hosts, hosts are armies. He's the commander-in-chief of the army of God, of the army of angels, of the the harnessed force of the church of God as the soldiers of his service.

[31:11] He is the Lord of hosts. It's saying he reigns above all. He's the supreme commander. And ultimately it says wars will cease. It says he will bring peace.

[31:22] Ultimately we know he's the prince of peace. For the meantime, there's a bit of shaking. There's a bit of commotion. Who knows what will happen next in the stage of history. I couldn't tell you in a definite way, but I can tell you what the book says.

[31:38] It's going to get challenging. There's going to be perilous times it says. And later in Psalm 46, just as we're coming to the close of the chapter, Psalm 46, it says this, be still and know that I'm God.

[31:55] All that commotion and he says, be still. Know that I'm God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts says, what does it say? With us.

[32:06] With us. The God of Jacob is our refuge. Friends, how do we realise this refuge? You know, I like to try to bring it back down to how can I apply what we're hearing today?

[32:21] Just not this kind of concept that you can't apply. But how can he be my refuge? How can I make him mine? Reach out to him today.

[32:33] Touch the hem of his garment. Reach out and touch the Lord. Fall upon him. Trust in him. There's many phrases we could use and we don't mean to use Christianese that you can't understand what you're saying.

[32:50] Just talk to God. Find your peace in him. And this is not to discount. There's people going through some testing things.

[33:01] As I've said, there's people who have phoned me and said they're losing their job. There's people in dire straits. There's people that are losing income. And this is rocking people's worlds.

[33:13] And this is not to... And I'm not meaning to downplay that or to deny that. This is the reality.

[33:25] People are going to be suffering. We've got to hold together, church. We've got to help one another. I don't know how we can. There's only so much we can do in tangible ways.

[33:37] But let's be there for each other. Brothers and sisters, know this. If you're in that situation, we want to be here for you as a church. For one another. To love one another.

[33:48] And most of all, that we can find our comfort and strength in him, in Christ. Find our peace in him. How? Yield to him. Maybe it's just a way of him just saying, maybe just put some other things to one side for now.

[34:05] Maybe it's time just... Maybe it's time to dig a bit deeper about how can I... How can my faith get stronger through this time?

[34:17] How can I find my rest in him? Give him your concerns. Cast them, it says. All of them. You might say, well, I've got some concerns I'll keep to myself.

[34:30] No, it says cast all your cares. All your cares. All your anxieties. All your fears. All of them upon him. Trust is overshadowing. Friends, I can't fully comprehend what it would be like to be in the shoes of some of our brothers and sisters right now.

[34:52] And the whole world is in this state. But when it's personal, it's hard, isn't it? And so, friends here today, I urge you to know his comfort.

[35:07] Know his comfort. His strength. His uplifting. Now, Rock of Ages, we know a song about our Lord being the rock that we can take our refuge in, that we can take our shelter in the cover of his safekeeping.

[35:25] Rock of Ages was written by a preacher called Top Lady and this great preacher was afflicted with sickness most of his life and he died at the age of 38 and his final words were this.

[35:37] We talked about final words on Thursday night. He says, My heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory. Sickness is no affliction, pain no cause, death itself no dissolution.

[35:51] My prayers are now all converted into praise. Here he was on his deathbed, his heart beating stronger and stronger for glory, knowing that his prayers will be converted into praise.

[36:07] Friends, when it all boils down to it, what is your refuge? Psalm 62, in closing it says, My soul, wait thou upon God.

[36:18] Wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him. This is Psalm 62, from verse 5 through 8. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defence.

[36:30] I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory. The rock of my strength and my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, you people.

[36:41] Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. How is your soul? Wait thou only upon God.

[36:53] Are you in trouble today? Or is your heart troubled? Pour out your heart before him. Friends, pour out your heart. Know he is there in the midst.

[37:05] Pour it out today. He promises you peace. Peace that passes all understanding. That shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Peace is promised.

[37:17] And will he lie? Cannot lie. It's impossible for him to lie. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defence. I shall not be moved.

[37:28] I urge you today as we know testing troubling times, knowing the hope that we have is everlasting hope. It's life-giving hope.

[37:42] It's a lively hope. And remember that God is in trouble with you. The question is, have you fled to him for refuge? Maybe it's ever more the case, ever more pressing the time to take your refuge in God, to settle things with him, to do business with God.

[38:03] He is the shelter for you in the time of storm. It tells us God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

[38:16] Therefore, will not we fear? Let's pray. Our Lord God, we thank you that you are our sure saviour. Lord, we can trust and know you're keeping, you're saving.

[38:29] Lord, we pray if any yet hearer yet to trust that today will be the day they will say, Lord, I'm pouring out my heart, I'm trusting in you, I'm laying it all down, I'm saying, take me, I yield to you, I surrender, have me, take me, fill me, save me, use me, lead me, guide me, lift me, help me, Lord God.

[38:54] Lord, that each one can know as your word says we believe in our heart that Jesus died on the cross, he rose again, he's coming back, we believe your saving work, everything was done to save us there and we confess with our mouth, Lord, Lord Jesus, Jesus our Lord, Master, I'm your servant, I come, I yield and give my heart, my life, my worries, my future, my family, leave it in your everlasting arms, in your hands, in Jesus' precious and wonderful name, Amen.