Over the years here at GLF Seminary

Over the years here at GLF Seminary = “Cemetery” Truth in jest? It was NOT a great spiritual experience! Rigorous! Demanding! Academic! Pour as much truth into the students as is humanly possible: Trust the Holy Spirit to sort it all out for them later… There were “takeaway’s”

• • High View for the Word of God Church History Science of Hermeneutics Training in the original languages (Greek/Hebrew) • Sermon Prep Professor – Mike Bradaric Teaching the Word of God is very intimidating for any man! And then “The Assembly” CEO. Attorney. Engineer. Teacher. Accountant. Homemaker. Janitor. Truck driver. Carpenter.

“Look past the façade that those faces present, and see the people that are having to slug it out every day in a world cursed by sin and death, having to suffer loss, frustration, betrayal, toil… SPEAK TO THOSE HEARTS with the truth of God’s love and grace for them!” Over the last 26 years here at GLF, that is what I have sought to do each Lord’s Day as we have toured through Old and New Testaments * What I want to “emphatically” attempt to do today…

One of the most beloved of all the Psalms Ps. 91 Leupold “It is a noble psalm that has been the source of comfort and strength for believers in all sorts of trial and frightful situations. It has been committed to memory and used faithfully by generation after generation. ” Two-Fold Emphasis 1. Affirm to us the daily danger we face in fallen world 2. Affirm to us that the provision of God is more than up to the demand of those dangers

NOTE: It is so precious and so concise in it’s declaration of God’s care for us that we could legitimately just read it – Shout “Amen!” and be dismissed… (we are not going to do that) “MINE” the depths of God’s goodness in this Psalm with the goal: Triumphantly encourage our hearts… Radically increase our faith in Him… Dramatically transform our walk with Him…

Psalm 91 The very first thing one does when studying a passage in the Bible is “observation” Verb tense Key phrases Repetitions Vocabulary NOTE: Psalmist’s use of “pronouns”

v. 1 -2 – The Declaration of Personal Faith “I” Psalmist himself Reference to his own personal faith What he has come to know through personal experience in his walk with God! v. 3 -13 – The Call to Personal Faith “you” Addressed to the hearers of his Psalm He is calling all who read to place their faith in God as he has done so that they too can experience the goodness and greatness of God personally.

v. 14 -16 – The Person to be trusted. “I” God Himself is the speaker “STUNNING” declaration of what He longs to be and do for anyone who would place their faith in Him! 1. The Declaration of Personal Faith v. 1 -2 NOTE: The “mantra” of Real Estate Agent – LOCATION! Location!

The mantra of the Teacher – REPETITION! Repetition! Here, the Psalmist used both: He repeats his location! v. 1 -2 I live; I dwell; I abide; I take up residence; I have made my address God Himself! Shelter. “Secret Place” – Place of intimate communion…

Personal relationship with God, is where he is at home! NOTE: • v. 10 “tent” = earthly dwelling place NOTE: The Psalmist (Believer) has two addresses. One is earthy (filled with danger) Other is spiritual (place of shelter) MORE OBSERVATION = v. 1 -2 Four different metaphors to describe Who God is to him (proven experience)

Shelter Storms of life Shadow Relief from living in the desert Refuge Place of safety Fortress Protection FFT “If anyone is going to try and get to me, they are going to have to go through my Father first!” STILL MORE OBSERVATION – v. 1 -2 Four distinct names for God… Lend credibility and substantiate His ability to deliver on what He promises to be to us!

Most High Almighty Lord God Elyon = Exalted! Greater than any other! Shaddai = All sufficient one. Nurturer! Yahweh = Covenant Keeping God! Gen. 15 Elohim = Powerful! Mighty God! STILL MORE OBSERVATION v. 1 -2 “the” MY GOD! The Psalmist wants us to know, that he is writing not so much concerning doctrine about God, but professing personal, intimate relationship with God and the powerful, life-transforming experience of God!

His is not “book learning”… When it comes to writing about God he is sharing personal and powerful experience! 2. The Call to Personal Faith v. 3 -13 Psalmist is going to take a two-pronged approach in his appeal for faith Present the Danger! (To each presentation of danger) he will immediately Present the Deliverer! NOTE: This is sooooooo important!

The GREAT DANGER of trial, is that your eyes can become fixed on the trial! HORIZONTAL! (Rob you of your faith) Psalmist: “GO VERTICAL!” “Yes, there is trial and travail… But that is not the end of the story… There is One Who offers TRIUMPH in the trial!!! v. 3 “snares” – Traps = Hold you captive! Bondage! “deadly pestilence” – Rob you of health and life!

v. 3 “He WILL deliver (save) you… NOTE: This does not mean that those who trust God are NEVER going to succumb to the enemy or die by disease… (cf. Heb. 11) God is in the “habit” of delivering His kids… cf. II Cor. 11 Shipwreck. Robbers. Disease. Famine…. cf. Phil. 4: 12 -13 Sickness. Destitution. Loss. Hunger.

“The message is clear… that we who abide in Him are immortal until our work is done and we are called home!” v. 4 He will cover you with His feathers Under His wings you will find refuge cf. Mt 23 – “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem” “You would not come to Me. ” “You would not let Me shelter you. ” v. 4 His “truth” (FAITHFULNESS) shield; bulwark

He not only puts a shield around us… HE IS THE SHIELD! • At this point the psalmist almost cries out --“Do you hear what I am saying to you? ” “When you come to know and experience Him… v. 5 You will not fear!!! NOTE: There a LOT of things in this world that will cause you to fear…

v. 5 “terrors” of the NIGHT! “arrows” fly by DAY! v. 6 “pestilence” in the NIGHT! (stroke = sudden harm) “plague” strikes in the DAY! Day after day… Night after night… DANGER! You will not fear when you put your faith in Him! You will have come to know you are NEVER alone!

You have your very own personal security system that goes with you wherever you go… v. 9 -11 A thousand may fall at your side, Ten thousand at your right hand, But it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes, and see the punishment of the wicked. If “you” will make the Most High “your” dwelling, Even the Lord who is “my refuge”

Then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent, For He will command His angels concerning you To guard you in all your ways. What? That is some kind of promise!!! Trust God and you will NEVER have ANY harm come upon you! WHAT?

1. Literal – protection in battle (godly men die; John 9) 2. Excited Eloquence Literary Hyperbole – Poetic greatness of God 3. God’s Judgement in Last Days – (wicked fall, we don’t) 4. Historical / Grammatical Context View “Jews” “Angels” “JEWS” “ANGELS” Provide Deliverance! KEY: Not saying no harm will ever come to us…

Cf. v. 3 God is in the HABIT of preserving His kids with His angels… (v. 11) Cf. v. 9 “Observe with your eyes…” (Angelic Deliverance) CONNECT THE DOTS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR HISTORY WITH HIM! Exodus 12 – Angel slew the firstborn of Egypt (passed over believing Jews) Exodus 14 – Angel protected Jews Pharaoh army Red Sea

II Kings 6 – Elisha’s Servant – Those that are with us more II Kings 19 – Angel slew 185, 000 Assyrians KJV “And behold, when they woke up, they were dead!” Connect the dots of God’s faithfulness to you in your history with Him and “BELIEVE” v. 11 -13 For He will command His angels concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their hands so you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Jude 24 -25)

You will tread on the lion and the cobra, You will trample the great lion and the serpent! Lion? Serpent? Both names of Satan! We will trample him? Cf. Gen 3 The seed of Eve (Jesus) will crush his head. We are “in Him” When he crushed the serpent’s head, we in Him…

The victory of Jesus over Satan is our victory over Satan if we are “in Him” by faith! 3. The Person to Place Our Faith In v. 14 -16 “I” God now speaks for Himself He affirms what the Psalmist said about Him (and MORE) • There is nothing difficult here • There is nothing we have to “study” to uncover • This is straightforward declaration God speaks the way we would expect God to speak!

v. 14 Cause and Effect “Because you have set your LOVE on Me” NOTE: This is NOT the normal Hebrew word for “love” “To cling” DO NOT READ THE BIBLE CASUALLY! PUT THIS WORD “to cling” IN ITS CONTEXT! Danger! Fear! (Throughout the context) Faith! My God! Child of God! (Throughout context)

GREAT WORD PICTURE! What does a child do when they are afraid? They put a death grip on their parent’s neck! What does that parent do when that child puts that death grip on their neck? They do all they can to reassure the child that all is well and that the parent will protect them! v. 14 I will rescue you! I will protect you! Because you know My name ?

All those “names” of God CHARACTER FATHER! (John 17) v. 15 He will call on me (cry = when in trouble, you cry) And I will “hear? ” him… And I will ANSWER him… “I will be with him IN trouble…” NOTE: God does not necessarily deliver from trouble but “in” the trouble… Providing Himself (Phil. 4)

I will be WITH him in trouble Great Contemporary Theologian James Taylor When you’re down and troubled, And you need a helping hand And nothin’, woah nothin’ is going right! Close your eyes and think of Me, And soon I will be there. To brighten up, even your darkest night!

You just call out My name, and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running, to see you again. YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND! Jesus: THE FRIEND OF SINNERS! * Hey, ain’t it good to know, that you’ve got a friend. Cause people can be so cold! They’ll hurt you and desert you, Well, they’ll take your soul if you let them… Ah now, but don’t you let them… Cause YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND!

Psalm 73 Who do I have in heaven, but you Oh Lord? Who do I have on earth, but you Oh Lord? WHAT A FRIEND! v. 15 I will deliver you… I WILL HONOR YOU! Cf. I Sam 2: 30 “I will honor those who honor Me!”

I Peter 1: 3 -9 (v. 7) On the day of Jesus return… Trumpet will sound! Angels will shout! Lord and His mighty army arrive in the clouds! His feet will touch down on Mount of Olives! EVERY KNEE WILL BOW! EVERY TONGUE CONFESS! JESUS IS LORD! THIS IS HIS DAY! v. 7 He will PRAISE US for our faith…

v. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation! • Long Life (Ex. 20: 12; Deut. 30: 20) Old age was viewed as favor and blessing of God • Full Life – Fulfilled Life You will see my salvation (deliverances) in your life I will show you so many proofs of My care for you I will give you so many dots to connect of My goodness You will KNOW (experience) of My great love for you

“Medical science has been able to add years to our lives, but only God can add LIFE to our years!” Appropriation: 1. Come to Him and Trust Him to be YOUR God! He will be with you and deliver you and give your own “dots” of His goodness to connect 2. You will “DWELL” in Him. He will be your house! Pashtunwali – “Lone Survivor” – Marcus Lutrell Afghan culture influenced by Jewish culture When you dwell in His house, He will protect you even at the cost of his own life Jesus

` 3. As a believer, connect the dots of God’s love and faithfulness to you! Especially when those scary desert terrors come! Habakkuk Spurgeon