A Word Of Encouragement – Part 5

Word of Encouragement: Part 5

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: You can be happy, while you are holy, as you remain rooted in Christ. 

• You can be Happy

• While you are Holy

• As you are Rooted in Christ

You can be Happy 

Know that you can be happy as you do things God’s way because God delights in blessing his people.   

Psalm 1:1-6

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

You can be happy in life.  

Among other things, blessed means happy. 

To walk in a happy state means that you have to embrace the world as it is and navigate it as God commands.  

What is the present state of the world at large?

1 John 5:19

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Because we live in a fallen world, with the majority of people living in rebellion to God, to not walk in the counsel of the wicked means you will have to proactively seek righteous counsel.  

Be careful of the trajectory of your life - whether in righteousness or wickedness.  

In all things, you first walk, then stand and then sit in convictions that you’ve developed - whether actively or passively (Romans 12:1-2).

This is why the apostle Paul exhorted the nascent church:

Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

To “be conformed” in this Scripture is a passive (tense +) activity - meaning if you are not resisting conformity, you will be subdued.  

*You begin to walk in the counsel of sinners when you lack discerning thought, filtered through the Word of God, to actively distinguish between right and wrong.  

*You are conformed to the pattern of this world by imbibing the ideologies that surround you without proactively filtering and rejecting what is incongruent with the Law of God. 

You begin to stand when you make it a habit to practice what they are doing.

“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.”  

― John Wesley

You begin to sit in the seat of a scoffer - judging, mocking and deriding the things of God - when you’ve stopped fighting the evil one and take the easier road of conformity.  

“The story of Daniel and his friends is a clarion call to our generation to be courageous; not to lose our nerve and allow the expression of our faith to be diluted and squeezed out of the public space and thus rendered spineless and ineffective. Their story will also tell us that this objective is not likely to be achieved without cost.”

John C. Lennox, Against the Flow: The inspiration of Daniel in an age of relativism

We treat God as if he is infringing upon our rights when he gives us commands that cut against our wills.  

However, we must remember that as Creator, this is God’s world and we are his tenants.  

God sets the rules and orders creation with inputs and consequences according to his grand design for good (Genesis 1). 

When things work according to that design, they are blessed and human flourishing is a result as we inhabit his world.  

“Men became scientific because they expected law in nature and they expected law in nature because they believed in a lawgiver.’ It was this conviction that led Francis Bacon (1561–1626), regarded by many as the father of modern science, to teach that God has provided us with two books – the book of Nature and the Bible –“

John C. Lennox, God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?

When we disobey God’s commands, things deteriorate, break down and ultimately die - whether it is your body, relationships or mental well-being.

Death is always the consequence of sin (Romans 3:23). 

Happiness can not dwell there.

Yet happiness abides in holiness (Hebrews 1:8,9).

While you are Holy 

Holiness is a prerequisite to true happiness because you enter into the backing of God.   

We’ve got to define what a good and holy life looks like.

“The word "good" has many meanings. For example, if a man were to shoot his grandmother at a range of five hundred yards, I should call him a good shot, but not necessarily a good man.”

G. K. Chesterton

Jesus came to restore and give life. 

Was Jesus concerned with righteousness (adherence to the Law of God) - or simply love and grace?

Matthew 5:17-20

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus was concerned with both.  

In fact, it was Christ’s perfect fulfillment of the law that enabled him to be an unblemished sacrifice for humanity at the cross, to bear the punishment for our sins and provide forgiveness for the repentant. 

We are now called and required to follow his example.  

We become holy and enter into Christ’s life by delighting in the law of the Lord - meditating on it day and night. 

By doing so, we begin to walk by the Holy Spirit.  

Galatians 5:16-26

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Pursuing the leading and submitting daily to the direction of the Holy Spirit allows us to lead a holy life.  

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”

G. K. Chesterton

It is the anchor of the word of God and direction of the Holy Spirit that plants our roots by streams of living water.  

In this way, we are forever connected to God, his desires and his Kingdom purposes to be a disciple and make disciples of the nations. 

It is in this context that we yield fruit in season, and our leaves do not wither.

Because God is at the helm, we hold to the promise that we will prosper in all that we do. 

But to be holy, we must not be a mixed bag.

The question is:

What are you feeding yourself? 

The music, types of news mediums, entertainment, inner musings and conversations in which we indulge all matter.  

They are shaping agents to our thoughts, attitudes, actions and ultimately, life. 

We need to wake up to that which is shaping us - that which is either enhancing or stealing our joy in the Lord.  

Romans 13:11-14

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

We must learn to clothe ourselves with Christ.  

As You are Rooted in Christ 

To remain rooted in Christ is to remain focused on the hope of eternal life and the happiness that springs from it.  

John 14:1-7

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

This was matrimonial language.  

Though the wicked will not stand in the judgement, God’s promise is that the faithful will enter into their master’s eternal happiness (Matthew 25:14-30). 

“this world is not going to be trampled and smashed by brutal, amoral regimes forever.  A day will come when God will bring to an end the state war-machines, the terrorist bombs, the consummate evil of totalitarian oppression, the gas chambers, death camps, killing fields, and countless other infamous instruments of death. There will be a judgment.”

John C. Lennox, Against the Flow: The inspiration of Daniel in an age of relativism

Through turning away from our rebellion and putting our trust in the finished work of Christ for us at the cross, not only do we have access to the forgiveness of our sins, but the blessings of God’s eternal bliss.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

A Word Of Encouragement – Psalm 37

A Word of Encouragement: Psalm 37

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: We can have daily joy as we learn to delight in Jesus in the midst of a fallen world.  

• Delighting in the Lord

• In the Midst of Suffering

• Until Jesus Restores All Things

Delighting in the Lord

The key to joy in a fallen world is delighting yourself in Jesus.  

Psalm 37:1-11

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

*Fretting steals your joy. 

Do not get yourself in a huff because of what evildoers do or be envious of them.  

Evildoers will not ultimately get away with anything. 

God will make sure they get what they deserve in the end.  

It’s our timetables of justice that cause us to become disillusioned.  

Yet think of how many of us wouldn’t be here today if God didn’t express patience towards us in the midst of our sin to lead us to repentance and forgiveness at the cross (Romans 5).

God commands that we trust him, do good and focus on our responsibility to faithfully serve him while we wait.  

God is ultimately saying, “Let me do me, while you focus on doing what I said to do.”

What does it mean to delight in the Lord?

*The key to walking in joy in a fallen world is to delight yourself in the Lord - joy is not getting all that your heart desires.  

We often put the cart before the horse. 

There will always be a tension between the good that we aspire to do in this life and the resolution that God brings to all things in the age to come. 

You earthly reward is not your only reward.  

Far too many people settle for what they can have now - in honor, in comforts, in wealth - not realizing that they are substituting these things for what could be theirs eternally in Christ.

Jesus’ sermon on the Mount speaks of these things (Matthew 5-7). 

We lose focus on could be ours forever in Christ because we are distracted by what others presently enjoy. 

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses

You must continually live in the hope of final justice at the judgment that allows you to persevere in well doing in the light of the rewards of the resurrection.  

When we fret, it tends to lead to evil because we take our lives into our own hands, fending for ourselves, doing what we think needs to be done for our benefit because somehow we think that God won’t come through.  

This is a tormenting place to live, where your mentality is you are on your own, outside of the reality of God caring for his faithful ones.  

In the Midst of Suffering

Joy can be found in the midst of suffering. 

*God’s care does not preclude suffering, because we live in a fallen world full of sin.  

Psalm 37:12-33

The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

*As long as we live in a fallen world, there will be sin and suffering.   

*Jesus came to alleviate these things presently and eradicate them permanently at the resurrection for those who’ve turned to him in repentance and faith.  

How do we know this?

This is how Jesus began his ministry:

Luke 4:16-21

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

This is how the apostle John summarized Jesus’ ministry:

1 John 3:8

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

The is is how God had John summarize what is to come:

Revelation 21:1-8

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

V. 23,24

*Temporary set-backs are not uncommon or your final destination in the Lord. 

God has a long-term view of your life and destiny in Christ - “I was young, and now I am old”.

Trust in God and let contentment free you to do good.  

What does doing good look like?

“If you asked twenty good men to-day what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old he would have replied, Love - You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive, and this is of more than philological importance. 

The negative ideal of Unselfishness carries with it the suggestion not primarily of securing good things for others, but of going without them ourselves, as if our abstinence and not their happiness was the important point.”

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

“He is ever lending generously”

“Better the little the righteous have…”

Without contentment, we withhold from God what he commands and begin to find pursuits void of Christ or the leading of the Holy Spirit to fulfill our desires.  

This leads to frustration, lack of lasting satisfaction, ungodly practices and strife.  

Contentment is the key to generosity and great joy in our souls.  

Without contentment, we are stingy, hoarding and miserable because we always fear our own poverty while God says that even in famine, he will give you more than enough if you obey him. 

“At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendours we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in.”

C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Until Jesus Restores All Things

Christ’s work at the cross paved the way for eternal joy In a new world, where he would bring the restoration of all redeemed things at the resurrection.  

Psalm 37:34-40

Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

**God is concerned with ultimate outcomes, not simply the benefits of this present world.  

John 18:36-37

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Therein is where we find our present and lasting joy.  

How do we enter this new world?

We do so through ongoing repentance and faith in Christ’s finished work at the cross followed by his victorious resurrection. 

“If you had a perfect excuse, you would not need forgiveness; if the whole of your action needs forgiveness, then there was no excuse for it. But the trouble is that what we call “asking God’s forgiveness” very often really consists in asking God to accept our excuses.

What leads us into this mistake is the fact that there usually is some amount of excuse, some “extenuating circumstances.” We are so very anxious to point these out to God (and to ourselves) that we are apt to forget the really important thing; that is, the bit left over, the bit which the excuses don’t cover, the bit which is inexcusable but not, thank God, unforgivable. And if we forget this, we shall go away imagining that we have repented and been forgiven when all that has really happened is that we have satisfied ourselves with our own excuses. They may be very bad excuses; we are all too easily satisfied about ourselves.

There are two remedies for this danger. One is to remember that God knows all the real excuses very much better than we do. If there are real “extenuating circumstances,” there is no fear that he will overlook them. Often he must know many excuses that we have never thought of, and therefore, humble souls will, after death, have the delightful surprise of discovering that on certain occasions they sinned much less than they had thought. All the real excusing he will do.

What we have got to take to him is the inexcusable bit, the sin.”

– C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, 178-81

1 Peter 5:6-11

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

A Word Of Encouragement – Psalm 62

A Word of Encouragement: Psalm 62

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

War. Inflation. Political Turmoil.  Persecution.  Anxiety. Greed.  Fear. 

How would God have us respond in such an environment?   

Focus: God has your peace in mind in the midst of a chaotic world as we become people of prayer. 

• The Present

• The Future

• Waiting on Jesus 

The Present

We find our present peace by waiting on Jesus.  

Psalm 62:1-4

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah

Peace, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, is what we need in troubling times. 

We find it by waiting on God. 

David begins his Psalm by declaring that when we look to God, we will not be greatly shaken, while intimating that in the beginning most trials are somewhat unexpected and startle us.  

In our busy worlds, you will not find true peace until you slow down enough to get quiet.  

“The most difficult problem is not finding time but convincing myself that this is important enough to set aside the time.”

― Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

Waiting on God means that sometimes you have nothing to say, but rather know that you need to hear from God - from his Word and from the Holy Spirit, our comforter.  

This should be our prioritized posture.  

God is called David’s fortress in the middle of the verbal attacks of his enemies.  

Both Christians and non-Christians alike are in the midst of a spiritual war, whether they realize it or not.  

Jesus came to give life, while there is a real devil who works with demons to steal, kill and destroy people’s lives (John 10:10).  

This is the canvas on which the gospel is played out and why Christ’s redemption is an imperative for this fallen world.  

In the spiritual warfare in which we find ourselves on a daily basis, going up to the place of worship must be our response against the lies, accusations and discouragements of the enemy.   

There we find God as our fortress.  

In OT times, worship was centered in Jerusalem, a city set on a hill.  

This meant that it was highly defensible and gave greater visibility to the attacks of the enemy.  

In this state, we are reminded daily that God is our fortress and can vanquish all of our enemies.  

“You cannot know what prayer is for, until you know that life is war.”

-John Piper

“Life is war. That's not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief.”

-John Piper

*The problem is that we run to substitutes, rather than God, in the midst of life’s chaos to find our peace.  

What are the things in our lives that we substitute as a fortress instead of God? 

It can be entertainment, alcohol, drugs, your wealth, your career, your looks, a new environment, a romantic relationship or hopes for your children - anything that you think will protect you from the harsh realities of this life.  

When we pursue these things without a Christ-centered devotion that defines our interactions, they ultimately enslave us and steal our peace.  

When we stop to wait on God, all things are put in their proper perspective - our past failures, our present struggles and our future hopes, all in light of the cross and resurrection of Christ.  

The Future

We have future security because God rules over that which is out of our control. 

Psalm 62:5-8

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

For God alone we must learn to wait in silence, for from him comes our hope for the future.  

Though people may encourage you, you must learn to look to God alone as your rock.

This will bless your marriages, your relationships with your children and friends because you will not put an inordinate pressure on them that truly only belongs to God.  

God alone is your true source of salvation, rescue and deliverance.  

God alone can help you in ALL THINGS, and is to whom we must cry out in prayer. 

When we put our hope in earthly resources, we are shaken; when Christ and his Word are our rock, we will not be. 

Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

When we do this, it allows us to live as Jesus identified us - the salt of the earth, the light of the world.   

God is a refuge for us, which means that we run to him for safety in the midst of an uncertain future.  

God wants you to pour out your heart to him, that he might strengthen it.  

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

One of the men at the conference spoke about his father who wrote a song after surviving a several mile long tornado….

“Freedom from anxiety is characterized by three inner attitudes. If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety. This is the inward reality of simplicity. However, if what we have we believe we have gotten, and if what we have we believe we must hold onto, and if what we have is not available to others, then we will live in anxiety. Such persons will never know simplicity regardless of the outward contortions they may put themselves through in order to live “the simple life.” 

― Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

Waiting on Jesus

Look to Jesus who will ultimately redeem and restore all things at the resurrection for those who are waiting for him.  

Psalm 62:9-12

Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

To be kept in perfect peace, we must align ourselves with Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).  

This means that we must value what God values and see the world as he sees it, for he designed it as such.  

We will be kept in perfect peace when we have a realistic, eternal perspective towards that for which people strive.  

“Because we lack a divine Center our need for security has led us into an insane attachment to things. We really must understand that the lust for affluence in contemporary society is psychotic. It is psychotic because it has completely lost touch with reality. We crave things we neither need nor enjoy. 'We buy things we do not want to impress people we do not like'. Where planned obsolescence leaves off, psychological obsolescence takes over. We are made to feel ashamed to wear clothes or drive cars until they are worn out. The mass media have convinced us that to be out of step with fashion is to be out of step with reality. It is time we awaken to the fact that conformity to a sick society is to be sick. Until we see how unbalanced our culture has become at this point, we will not be able to deal with the mammon spirit within ourselves nor will we desire Christian simplicity.” 

― Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

What ultimately steals our peace, inwardly and with God, is the misalignment of life’s priorities, otherwise known as sin. 

As we meditate on God’s Word, prayer enables us to realign our thinking to have the mind of Christ.  

If we’ve lived according to the ways of this fallen world, this Psalm is a call to come to repentance, entering into the peace of Christ through the forgiveness of your sins.  

“The demand that God should forgive such a man [one bent on evil] while he remains what he is, is based on a confusion between condoning and forgiving. To condone an evil is simply to ignore it, to treat it as if it were good. But forgiveness needs to be accepted as well as offered if it is to be complete: and a man who admits no guilt can accept no forgiveness.”

-C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Acknowledgement of sin and renunciation of sin are the prerequisites for forgiveness from God, lest there be no repentance - the required turning away from sin. 

The power of the Lord breaks us free from that sin, the lesser things that never satisfy.  

The steadfast love of the Lord keeps us in his peace and turns our hearts to live for him in thankfulness for his great sacrifice for us at the cross. 

Your greatest joy will be found when you are on mission with Christ, forged in the fire of life’s circumstances to bring his Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  

Our rest is found in relationship with Christ and our great satisfaction is found in participating in that which Jesus is doing - going into all the world to make disciples of the nations who will also know his peace.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

We are called to forever grow in peace as we orient our lives around the reward of Christ - that which can not be stolen, taken, or shaken because God himself preserves our eternal reward.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

A Word Of Encouragement – Psalm 46

Word of Encouragement — Psalm 46

Anthony Connington Intern

Focus: We can have a holy confidence when we trust God and run to Him for safety, strength, and protection.

• God is our Helper (ezer)

• God is our Sustainer

• God is our Protector (Adonai Tzevaot)

History of Psalm 46

The great reformer Martin Luther wrote his popular hymn ("A Mighty Fortress Is Our God") using Psalm 46 as a starting point. For many this hymn was known as the song of the reformation. 

Later, Johann Sebastian Bach composed a chorale cantata based off of Luther’s hymn.

Mozart also composed a short motet to the text of the first verse of Psalm 46. 

Charles Spurgeon famously called Psalm 46 a "song of holy confidence".

Who were the Sons of Korah?

Moses had a cousin named Korah. This is the man who led a rebellion and revolt against Moses in numbers 16. This didn’t turn out too good for him and his friends. 

“The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s people, and all their possessions. They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.” Numbers 16:32-33

However, Korah’s sons were spared, and they went about serving the LORD as song writers, singers, and filled the many roles required to care for the tabernacle and the temple. 

According to the genealogy records in the bible it is important to point out that the prophet Samuel descended from Korah and his sons. 

This family is infamously known for that single act of rebellion against God which stained their name. But at the same time, the sons of Korah are quite the redemption story in that God showed mercy and allowed Korah’s family line to continue to serve Him. 

So, as we venture into this psalm, just know that the very writers of this amazing song have experienced what they are writing about firsthand. 

Psalm 46

God Our Refuge

For the choir director. A song of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a helper who is always found
in times of trouble.
2 Therefore we will not be afraid,
though the earth trembles
and the mountains topple
into the depths of the seas,
3 though its water roars and foams
and the mountains quake with its turmoil. Selah

4 There is a river—
its streams delight the city of God,
the holy dwelling place of the Most High.
5 God is within her; she will not be toppled.
God will help her when the morning dawns.
6 Nations rage, kingdoms topple;
the earth melts when he lifts his voice.
7 The Lord of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

8 Come, see the works of the Lord,
who brings devastation on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease throughout the earth.
He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces;
he sets wagons ablaze.
10 “Stop fighting, and know that I am God,
exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”
11 The Lord of Armies is with us;
the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah

God is our Helper ( עֵ֫זֶר / ezer) vs. 1-3

It is God alone who is our place of safety, and it is Him alone who gives us strength to endure our trials and tribulations. 

The Hebrew word for Helper here is (ezer). This is not the simple type of help, like giving someone a hand after they fall and picking them up again. This type of Helper can do far more than that. It is during the direst of situations where a miracle needs to happen, where no other hope can be found, where there are no more options left on the table. This type of help describes God who has the power to come through at the last moment. 

Scripture attributes this name to God and in most cases this word is referring to the type of help that is beyond human intervention, it is a type of help that only God can provide.

It is also important to note that in this verse, the Hebrew gives it an emphatic sense. In other words, God is not just a Helper found in times of trouble, but He can ALWAYS be found in times of trouble. 

God is trustworthy and reliable, and we can be confident that when we call out in distress, we will always find Him. 

This means that God promises to be present when you call out to Him. He promises to be the source of Help that you will need in that moment or season. God is creative and his solutions are often beyond what we expect. His ways are higher than our ways and his understanding is beyond our understanding. God promises to always be our help, but how He shows up is entirely up to God. 

One of the greatest prayers you can pray is “LORD please Help me”. God takes great delight when we call out to Him for Help. He is ready, able, and willing to respond to you every time. 

Therefore, we have nothing to fear. No matter what type of trouble comes against us, we can still have confident trust in God to come through for us. 

No matter the trouble you may be facing today, just know that God is the Help that you need. You can trust Him with everything, and He will give you peace to endure any and all trials you may face.

Even if you feel like right now that your life is toppling over and it feels like the ground under you has begun to sink, and you feel hopeless and desperate. Let me tell you something, that situation is God’s specialty. Run to Him with it, what every trouble you are facing, just surrender it over to God. 

Whenever we give control over our situations to God, we will experience confidence and peace even if the mountains quake and fall into the seas around us.

God is our Sustainer vs. 4-7

We need to understand that for the Israelites, Jerusalem was the most important place in the world. This is where the temple was at that time which is the place where God’s presence dwelled. When Scripture talks about Jerusalem, it is synonymous with the idea of God’s presence. This city is the central place of worship and religious practice for the Jewish people. This is the city where the Israelites went to worship and spend time with God. 

Notice that the streams gladden or delight the city of God. Unlike the torrent of raging waters which we find in verse 3, this river is gentle and soft. This river is peaceful and flows from the holy dwelling place of the Most High. This river gives life. 

For Further Study: read Ezekiel 47 and Revelation 22 about the river

The Pool of Siloam

Water flows through the site where archaeologists believe they have uncovered the remains of the Siloam Pool in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem on Thursday. The pool was used by Jews for ritual immersions from about 50 B.C. to A.D. 70, when the Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple. Kevin Frayer / AP 2004

Isa. 8:6-7—the waters of Siloam went softly by Jerusalem

Isa. 22:10-11—waters made serviceable to the defense of Jerusalem

During King Hezekiah’s reign, Assyria besieged Jerusalem and attempted to capture the city. In preparation for the long siege ahead, King Hezekiah wisely built up and made the springs of water at the pool of Siloam serviceable to the people in the city. Since the pool of Siloam was located just outside of the city walls, the king barricaded the normal access to the water source and instead built an underground tunnel that secretly gave access to the water from behind the safety of the city walls. This prevented the enemy from having access to the water and ensured the survival of Jerusalem no matter how long the siege would last. When the massive Assyrian army showed up at the gates of Jerusalem, king Hezekiah cried out to God and asked for Him to save him and his people. The Bible then records that in response to his prayer that God sent an angel to annihilate the armies of Assyria. In a single night the angel the LORD killed 185,000 men. A single angel wiped out an entire army. Wow!!! That is just astonishing. 

So, the point here is that when the king of Assyria attacked Jerusalem, the Israelites had access to a water source that sustained them throughout the entire siege until God showed up. 

When you are cut off from normal access to the provision and sustainment you are accustomed to using, do not be afraid. Know that God is channeling a tunnel from underground and secretly setting the stage for your provision in ways you had not seen or expected. 

Do not give up hope because amidst the turmoil and the raging battles and troubles of this world, God promises to be your nourishment and sustain you through it all. He can fill you with His peace and give you great joy no matter what is happening around you. 

God is our Protector vs. 8-11 

Vs. 9—bows are used at a distance by the enemy to kill you

Represents combat from afar

Those things that come at you from a distance, those troubles that appear out of nowhere and are often outside of your control but affect you to the core. Those trials that you are unable to struggle against but just hope end. Yes, our God is victorious over those and protects. God promises to break the bow.

Spears used in close combat trying to pierce the life out of you

Represents close quarters combat/up close and personal

Those things that you are wrestling with for dear life, the tug of war in the heart is gut wrenching. Those troubles that pierce your heart and cause you to become greatly discouraged and it’s those troubles where you want to stop fighting. You realize you cannot do it anymore, it is those troubles, trials, pains, that God will see you through. He will protect you.

Wagons and chariots—the reinforcements of the enemy are burned up completely

Represents combat yet to arrive, battles won, victories set before they even begin

Those things that are yet to come, the ammo and supplies of the enemy is on its way to cause you more and more trouble. More arrows and more spears to come, The LORD burns them away. In His mercy, goodness, and grace, God protects us from so many troubles we don’t even know about, and it is only on occasion we hear about God’s marvelous protection after the fact. Has God spared you of some trouble you could have been deep into?

This is what God says to all of that, to our very enemy, to the world system set against his rule and reign and to the flesh and sinful nature that constantly wages war upon our soul, this is what God Almighty says to it all…BE STILL (STOP FIGHTING/LET GO) and know that I am God. 

He literally steps in on our behalf and declares Himself to be fighting for His people, none can stand against the Almighty, our great protector. He is the LORD of Armies.

Adonai Tzevaot יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֣וֹת 

The LORD of Armies/Hosts

This is a powerful name for God. The LORD is the ultimate God of war. He always wins. He is mighty in battle; He is the ultimate warrior who fights for His people. We can be secure knowing that God Almighty will protect us, sustain us, and help us whenever we call upon His name. 

Do you remember the Pool of Siloam that I showed you a picture of earlier? This is the same place that Jesus sent a blind man to wash and be healed. Right now, Jesus is asking you a question. Do you want to be healed? Do you need help? Are you in need of nourishment and in need of someone to sustain you? Do you want to know The LORD of Armies and have Him come to your rescue? Then go to God, run to Him and you will find Him. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

A Word Of Encouragement – Psalm 90

A Word Of Encouragement – Psalm 90

Associate Pastor Cole Parleir

Focus: The eternal God will eternally establish you and your work as you gain his wisdom by learning to number your days in light of him.

• Moses The Man of God

• Psalm 90

• Eternal Wisdom in Christ

Context

What are the Psalms

• A collection over many years of poems, prayers and laments meant to be sung or spoken to God as listener by His people individually and in groups.

• Psalms is Israel’s book of worship to guide them from generation to generation.

Psalm 90 is the beginning of “Book Four” (Psalm 90-106) 

• Our modern Bible group the collections in several ways with the main way being five ‘books’. This is a reminder of the five books of the Torah.

• Psalm 90 is a corporate lament psalm 

Who wrote it?

• Attributed to “…Moses, the man of God”

When was it written?

• Most likely during the wilderness experience and maybe around the time of Numbers 14. Some commentators believe Moses could have written it for the Israelites to use daily as a devotional.

Different titles in each translation (not scriptures, but added later)

• “From Everlasting to Everlasting” ESV

• “God’s Eternity and Man’s Transitoriness” AMP

• “God’s Eternity and Human Frailty” LEB

Scripture calls it “A prayer of Moses, the man of God”

• The only Psalm attributed to Moses

• This makes it the oldest Psalm

• Why is Moses called “the man of God”?

  • Moses was known as God’s servant, God’s prophet, and as one who spoke with God ‘face to face’

  • Submission led to intimacy

It’s a prayer, a lament, petition and also wisdom literature

• Why a prayer? Because it’s addressed to God.

  • ‘O LORD, you…’

• Why a lament?

  • Expression of sorrow and regret of their sinfulness that is just cause for God’s wrath

• Why petition?

  • Vs 12-17 are requests according to God’s character and promises.

• Why wisdom literature?

  • It teaches us how to live in obedience to God stewarding his favor.

Moses the Man of God

• Raised for 3 months in his fathers house

• At 3 months old he was “exposed”, abandoned to die due to royal edict.

• The kings daughter found him and adopted him.

• He was raised and educated as Egyptian royalty.

• At age 40 he revisited his Israelite heritage, killed an Egyptian who mistreated an Israelite in his sight. The next day he was accused of murder and ran away.

• 0-3 months infant in earthy fathers house

• 3 months - 40 years young man in adopted house

• 40-80 years old middle aged man in father in laws house

• 80-120 years old Man of God in his Heavenly Fathers presence…yet this was the wilderness

• Home is where God’s manifest presence is: bush, staff, cloud, fire, mountain, tabernacle, temple, church, heart, heaven

Moses’ had been “exposed” his whole life. He felt vulnerable and rejected by people. He learned by necessity to not hope in what is seen. 

Faith

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

Hebrews‬ 11:1-3‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.11.1-3.ESV

God’s dwelling 

““Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?’”

Acts‬ 7:44-50‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/act.7.44-50.ESV

Psalm 90

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!”

Psalm‬ 90:1-17‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.90.1-17.ESV

 Verse by verse

• God is man’s Help, dwelling place, den, refuge for all generations.

• den (1), dwelling (3), dwelling place (4), habitation (6), haunt (4).

• habitation (noun) ·habitations (plural noun) the state or process of living in a particular place:

• God is creator and supersedes all you see. He was before creation and will remain after creation.

• God made man and ends man. He gives life and there is no life apart from him. Without his life we are “dirt bags”. Hebrew word ‘dakka’ means ‘something crushed’ and is not the same as Genesis 2.

• How long is a watch in the night? 3 hours for 4 watches make a night watch: 6pm to 6am. God is outside of time as he is eternal. This attribute makes him a place of refuge for mortal temporal man.

• Contrasting the eternity of God and the brevity or frailty of man. Noah and the flood as judgement on sinful humanity. Active destruction and wrath.

• Contrasting the eternity of God and the brevity or frailty of man. the

• Human death is a result of God’s anger and wrath on sin. This is terrifying because there is no human solution to sin which is an eternal problem. Humanity is frail yet accountable to God.

• God will not and cannot overlook sin. This life is a wilderness that exposes our hearts. It is ever before his face which means it defines our relationship with him. It’s always in the middle. Nothing is hidden. Judgement on sin is the main cause of mortality rather than natural order.

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Hebrews‬ 4:13‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.4.13.ESV

• Sin causes us to live lives of futility rather than fruitfulness. God’s wrath is not only reserved for the final judgement, but is ongoing toward the rebellious and building up until the final day of judgement.

• Even in our strongest attempts to extend human life it will fall short of the eternal life God intended us for. The Pride of life will not submit to God as the giver and taker of life. This pride does not recognize his holiness nor the reality of sin. This is the first mention in Psalms of a purely natural life span.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

1 John‬ 2:15-17‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.2.15-17.ESV

1. Until we recognize and surrender to God as holy we will not have the fear due him and cannot except the life he has for us.

2. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Learning to number our days as one who is under his wrath because of sin is the beginning of wisdom that leads to eternal life.

3. Fear of the Lord leads to cries for help to him alone for only he can deliver us from himself.

4. The fear of the everlasting God will lead us to his everlasting love (chessed - Hebrew for loyal love) for found in the cross of Jesus Christ. God incarnate who took his own wrath on sin by taking our sin on himself. The cross is our refuge and dwelling place this side of eternity.

“who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we may die to sins and live to righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but you have turned back now to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.”

1 Peter‬ 2:24-25‬ LEB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/90/1pe.2.24-25.LEB

Those who know this ‘chessed’ love of God in Jesus Christ do not wither like the grass, but sing praise and are glad being able to face the troubles of the day. 

1. God’s anger is for a moment because he has provided help for sin. 

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Psalm‬ 30:5‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.30.5.ESV

1. This is a prayer for the next generation, their children to know God’s mercy and love.

2. As you walk with God invite your children into it. As you learn God’s word teach it to your children.

3. This is a petition for God to do what he said he would do when they do what he commands: that he will bless their obedience to his commands.

“I know everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken from it, for God so acts that humans might stand in awe before him. What is—it already was, and what will be—it already is, for God will do what he has done.”

Ecclesiastes‬ 3:14-15‬ LEB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/90/ecc.3.14-15.LEB

Eternal Wisdom In Christ

We must learn to number our days in view of spending eternity with the holy and living God.  When we do we  will be in awe of God and will recognize his power along with our frailty and sinfulness.  He becomes to us Jehovah-Jireh, meaning “the Lord will provide.”

“So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.””

Genesis‬ 22:14‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.22.14.ESV

God in his eternal wisdom, power, and love for humanity has provided for us.  He sent his one and only Son Jesus Christ to the cross on the hill of Calvary to satisfy his wrath on sin. By repentance and faith in Christ we are reconciled to God and walk with him again. 

“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.””

1 Corinthians‬ 1:30-31‬ ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.1.30-31.ESV

By repentance from dead works and faith in God’s wisdom of the cross of Christ for our forgiveness and new life, we can begin to number our days.  By the power of the Holy Spirit we can lead a life of wisdom obeying God that he may establish the work of our hands because it is His work in us and through us. 

Life on earth is short.  Eternity is long.  Live for eternity by trusting in Jesus Christ.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher