Tag: fortress

Refuge / Rock / Shelter

“ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

“He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”

“For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.”

Psalms 61:1  Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer;  from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,  for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Psalms 5:1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.  Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.

Psalms 55:1  Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!  Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan,

Deuteronomy 4:29    But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Psalms 139:9  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalms 18:46   The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation

Psalms 62:2   He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

What keeps us from calling on God and seeing Him as a place of refuge and our fortress?  Could it be we don’t see a need for Him in our life?  I wonder if our need for God is a direct correlation to amount of time we spend in His word.   Scripture clearly tells us to seek Him, desire Him, obey Him, believe Him, trust Him, rely on Him, love Him, hope in Him, sing to Him, have peace in Him, praise Him, pray to Him, and listen to Him.   When we spend time in His word the more we hear His quiet voice leading us down paths that bring honor and glory to Him.  How can we call on someone we hardly know?  How can we hold on to His promises if we don’t know what they are?  How will we know sin in our life if we can’t compare our actions with what is expected in His word?  We become passive, complacent, lukewarm, and have an appearance of being close to God but in reality our substance is shallow words without action.  Action from the heart that leads us to repentance, action from the heart the leads us to give, action from the heart that allows us to forgive, action from the heart that leads us to praise, action from the heart that leads us to confess, action from the heart that allows us to be wronged, action from the heart that runs to God.  We would do well to spend time in His word, listen for His whispers of guidance, follow and obey Him.

Fortress of Faith

“Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

“I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.  Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

Psalms 59:16  But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalms 21:13   Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.

Psalms 106:8   Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power.

Psalms 145:11   They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,

Exodus 15:6    Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.

Psalms 31:7    I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul,

Psalms 86:13    For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Psalms 89:1    I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalms 30:5    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.

Psalms 61:2  from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,  for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

2 Corinthians 1:10     He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Psalms 77:2    In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.

Psalms 138:7   Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.

These verses just lift your soul don’t they?  It is very easy to be overcome with the trouble at hand.  Even if we have a relationship with God it seems the only way to know how strong our faith is, is when we have exhausted all of our personal power and strength, and have no where else to turn.  Things outside of our control can and do affect us.  Try as hard as we can we simply do not have power to control much of it.  However God has control of it all.  He has a purpose and plan for each of us.  His plan never fails.  His plan and purpose is perfect.  He can do all things.  And above all of this He loves us and will lead us.  It is easy to say all of this but in the time of trouble our heart and mind find it hard to let go and say “God is in control and I am content”.  These times will show the weakness of the fortress of our faith.  This is life and our walk with God.  Precept upon precept, line upon line, we grow in our faith, understanding, and knowledge of God.  Peter put it this way: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” We all have room to grow – let it start with praise and commitment to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God.

Why are you afraid?

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

“And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”

“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”

Psalms 46:10  “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress

Psalms 27:3    Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Hebrews 13:6   So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Luke 21:9  And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”  Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

Luke 21:25  “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,  people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Matthew 21:21   And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Luke 21:33   Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

2 Peter 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

There is much in the world that does not make any sense at all.  We hear the news all the time of things happening around the globe.  Some of this surely would bring fear if there is no God.  Surely we have right to be afraid.  But that is not what His word tells us.  He says there will be signs. In Hebrews it says “the Lord is my helper, I will not fear, what can man do to me.  In Psalms it says “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.” We are told to trust in Him alone who is our fortress, refuge, and hope.  My wife and I were listening to a pod cast the other night and the man speaking said what is the worst that can happen to you in trusting God?  You die and go to heave to be present with Him forever!!!  Though there are troubles around us we have nothing to fear – God is bigger than any of them.  He is sovereign and has purpose for each of our lives.  Nothing will thwart His purpose and plan.  Place your trust and faith in Him.  Do you want to grow your faith? Do you want to have confidence to face whatever may come?  Spend time in His word daily.  Pray to Him.  Humble serve, honor and obey Him.  Truly desire to know Him.

You were not willing

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

“So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Psalms 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,  though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Psalms 62:7  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.

Psalms 91:1  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.  You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,  nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.  Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—

Psalms 142:5   I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Proverbs 14:26    In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.

Proverbs 18:10   The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Hebrews 6:18    so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Deuteronomy 4:7   For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

2 Samuel 22:17  “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.  He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.  They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.  He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

It is easy to say that God is my strength, refuge, rock, and ever present in time of trouble but do we believe it with all of our heart, soul and mind?  In the heat of the terror, trial, issue, burden do we confidently say “God is my rock, my fortress, my strength, ever present, faithful, unchangeable, Almighty strong confidence?”  In Luke Jesus tells of gathering people into a place of comfort under the wings of God and those to whom this was intended it was rejected for they were not willing to accept it.  In Psalms it is just the opposite where David says “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.  Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge”.  There is a difference in the lives of those who humbly server, honor, follow, and obey God.  They are willing because they have stayed in His word, they choose to keep their focus on Him, they trust in, cling to, and rely on Him and His promises.  They seek to be lead by God.  Their ears are open to hear the quiet voice of His leading.  They fill their mind with His word.  Spend time in His word, think about it, and ask God to give you wisdom and understanding.  He wants your whole heart, mind, and soul everyday, every minute.  Choose to give it to Him.

Hope in weakness

“Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge”

“For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Psalms 31:1   In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me!  For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Romans 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Isaiah 49:23  Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

Proverbs 22:17  Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge,

2 Samuel 22:3  my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

Psalms 71:3  Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Jeremiah 14:7   “Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Timothy 2:24  And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

At the time we are asking God to be our refuge, fortress, strength, power, rock, savior, shield, and come speedily to our rescue we also have to know too that His power is made perfect in our weakness.  It is in this weakness we find hope.  This hope comes to us as we finally get to a place where we have exhausted all of our own efforts to see that what we are facing is much bigger and complex than we can have influence on.  I recently heard a person say “I finally turned it over to God, and when I did I had this peace come over me.  I am fine with whatever comes”.  Why is it we are slow to bringing it to God and quick to try to keep it in our own power?  We don’t find peace in our own power do we.  It is only when we have surrendered it fully to God do we find hope, peace and rest.

Joy comes in the morning

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

“The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

Psalms 30:5  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.

2 Corinthians 4:17   For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Isaiah 57:15-16   For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.  For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.

Isaiah 54:7-8   For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.  In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer.

Psalms 63:3   Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

Psalms 16:11  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Matthew 5:4   “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10   As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.  For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Psalms 59:16   But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

But joy comes in the morning.  It is not fun spending time grieving, in distress, weeping, and having heart deep hurt.  Yet in this life it seems as though it does find us when we do not expect it.  Where do we turn in these times for comfort?  Who is able to ease the burden in our heart?  It is God.  We have seen those who do not trust God and their grief and anger over the distress they are in never goes away.  We see others and possibly ourselves that have passed through this time of trouble and recognize it was God who carried us.  The night time of trials, grieving, distress, and heart deep hurt is followed by “joy in the morning”.  I am not sure how or what God is able to do that turns these heart hurts into joy but I know it happens.  We have all seen loved ones who are in times of hurting and our soul would do anything to remove it.  It is God who leads us through the valley of the shadow of death onto green pastures.  It is He alone who lifts us up out of the darkness into light.  No one likes going through these times alone and it surely seems like that at the time.  God is there.  We should be ever ready to be used by God to be an encouragement and help to those hurting.