Shadows In The Room
Psalms 91: 1-9 "He that dwelleth
in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the
Almighty. [2] I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:
my God; in him will I trust. [3] Surely he shall deliver thee from
the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. [4] He
shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:
his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. [5] Thou shalt not be
afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; [6]
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction
that wasteth at noonday. [7] A thousand shall fall at thy side, and
ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. [8] Only
with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
[9] Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most
High, thy habitation"
| There are at least Seven Dynamic Principles for the effective Christian Living. This sermon examines the first of these dynamics, which is: "Be certain of your relationship with God". |
Shadows. Every child has laid awake at night, huddled under the covers, scared by the shadows in the far corners of the room. What monsters lurked in these shadows - what monsters hid under the bed? I remember, as I'm sure you do, hiding my head under the covers as my imagination ran wild, imagining the evil that lurked in these shadows. Did you cry out in fear and ask momma or daddy to quickly turn on the light, for you knew when the light came on the shadows would run away, and with them the monsters that scared us? Or did you cover your head with the bed sheets, hiding from the shadows, blocking them out, and feel safe?
As children we asked that the bathroom light be left on, or a night light be placed in our room, for that Light chased out the shadows that frightened us. As we grew older we may have stopped using the light, but as shadows approached us we used other means to run them away. When the shadow of poverty threatened we worked harder, earned more money, and ran that shadow away. When the shadow of crime entered our neighborhood we put stronger locks on our doors, started neighborhood watch groups, hired bigger police forces. When the shadow of war scared us, we poured money into government and the military. Surely if we insulate ourselves from other nations with a strong bureaucracy the Hitlers and Saddams of this world would be kept at bay. Yet the Hitlers keep rising up, and though we keep turning to brighter and brighter man made lights the shadows grow greater and darker.
Here's an idea: Instead of running from the shadows that this world produces, instead of fearing the various ogres of the dark that are all around us, let's hide under the One shadow that will bring us peace. Today is the day you must hide your life in Christ.
The Secret Place
Psalms 91: 1 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
The secret place, CITHRAH, of God is not secret because God has hidden it from you. The secret place of God that can bring you peace is secret because we often, as foolish children, seek out other solutions, man made solutions, when we should be focusing our attention on God's solution. We would rather substitute our own form of Light for God's Light. Can we not save ourselves? Can't we protect ourselves from the things of this world? Can't I take my solution and, by my own power, defeat the shadows that surround me in my life?
When Jesus was false accused and dragged before the High Priest to be tried He was asked about the things He taught. Jesus told him:
John 18:20-23 "Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. [21] Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. [22] And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? [23] Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?"
Jesus spoke the Truth of God openly, not in secret, but because of the blindness of the hearts the Scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites substituted His words for their own. When Jesus said:
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Man took His words and hid them
by saying, "But there are other ways to God. I am good enough, I can work
my way to Heaven, I can find God through religion, I can be strong on my
own". But Jesus tell us, "Don't fool yourself. You cannot chase the shadows
away on your own. Hide yourself under the shadow of my Grace, my Provision
in Christ. Otherwise you have hidden yourself from the source of all
real Power, the Power of God - His Grace".
| A young boy was taken to the principal's office for fighting. As
he stood before the principal for what seemed to be the millionth time,
he looked up defiantly and said "Go ahead, give it to me."
The principal looked down at the young rebel. "How many times have you been here?" The child sneered rebelliously, "Apparently not enough." The principal gave the boy a strange look. "And you have been punished each time have you not?" "Yeah, I been punished, if that's what you want to call it." He threw out his small chest, "Go ahead I can take whatever you dish out. I always have." "And no thought of your punishment enters your head the next time you decide to break the rules does it?" "Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain't nothin' you people gonna do to stop me either." The principal contemplated the child for a moment and then quietly said, "Today my young student, is the day you learn about Grace." "Grace? Isn't that what you old people do before you sit down to eat? I don't need none of your stinkin' grace." "Oh but you do." The principal studied the young mans face and whispered. "Oh yes, you truly do..." The boy continued to glare as the principal continued, "Grace means that you will not be getting what you so richly deserve." The boy looked puzzled. "Your not gonna whup me? You just gonna let me walk?" The principal looked down at the unyielding child. "Yes, I am going to let you walk." The boy studied the face of the principal, "No punishment at all?" "Oh, there has to be punishment. What you did was wrong and there are always consequences to our actions. There will be punishment. Grace is not an excuse for doing wrong." "I knew it," Sneered the boy as he held out his hands. "Lets get on with it." The principal nodded toward the teacher. "Bring me the belt." The teacher presented the belt to the principal. He carefully folded it in two and then handed it back to the teacher. He looked at the child and said. "I want you to count the blows." He slid out from behind his desk and walked over to stand directly in front of the young man. He gently reached out and folded the child's outstretched, expectant hands together and then turned to face the teacher with his own hands outstretched. One quiet word came forth from his mouth. "Begin." The belt whipped down on the outstretched hands of the principal. Crack! The young man jumped ten feet in the air. Shock registered across his face, "One" he whispered. Crack! "Two." His voice raised an octave. Crack! "Three..." He couldn't believe this. Crack! "Four." Big tears welled up in the eyes of the rebel. "OK stop! That's enough. Stop!" Crack! Came the belt down on the callused hands of the principal. Crack! The child flinched with each blow, tears beginning to stream down his face. Crack! "No please", the former rebel begged, "Stop, I did it, I'm the one who deserves it. Stop! Please. Stop..." Still the blows came, Crack! Crack! One after another. Finally it was over. The principal stood with sweat glistening across his forehead and beads trickling down his face. Slowly he knelt down. He studied the young man for a second and then his swollen hands reached out to cradle the face of the weeping child. "Grace..." |
When you comprehend the magnitude of God's Grace, when you allow it unreservedly into your life, the shadows of this world seem to shrink and fade away. Jesus stretched out His hands over my hands when He hung on the Cross and, as God lashed out in punishment, He bore each stripe for me. I deserved to have my hands lashed, I deserved to spend an eternity in Hell, I deserved that punishment - but He bore it for me, and for you.
When you dwell in the secret place of God's Grace through Christ, the shadows of this world have no power over you. I would rather abide in the shadow of God's protective wings than in the feebleness of my own power.
What Are You Trusting In?
Psalm 91: 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
My friends, when you profess faith in God but place your trust in the things of this world, the only thing you get out of this compromise is doublevision and a headache! God will be your refuge and my fortress if you will give your life to Him. But you must give your live wholly unto Him, not in bits and pieces. Trusting in God for our salvation is only the beginning of the Christian experience. We must strive to turn all things in our life over to our Master.
The Apostle Simon Peter, that wonderful fisherman, stands as an example for each one of us. Simon came to Christ readily when He called. Simon left his boats, a lucrative commercial fishing business, and followed the Saviour without looking back. Yet when Peter came to Christ he still brought the I with him. Brothers and sisters, you cannot fully serve God if you focus on the I, the me, the mine. This principle is clear throughout Scripture: You cannot hide yourself in a fortress that you have built, and expect to hide yourself in God's fortress.
Jesus was walking and talking with His disciples one day when He began to tell them of His impending death.
Matthew 16:21-24 "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. [22] Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. [23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. [24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
When we allow the "I" to come into our lives, we walk outside of the Fortress of God and into a fortress of our own making. When you dilute your life with the "I", you dilute the very operational power of God in your life.
If you want power as a believer, abundant power for living, power against the shadows of this world, make God's will first in your life and your will of no concern. As the Apostle Paul said, "I die daily".
If God had willed it, we could have entered Heaven immediately at the point of our conversion to Christ. Our sins were purged, the Cross paid the penalty. Yet this is not God's Will. It is His Will that we operate within the abundant power of our salvation, that we abide in the Fortress that is His Grace, and that we win others to the Cross of Christ. We are not left on this earth to be Theological geniuses. We are not left here to pompously serve our own will. We are here to be the "salt of the earth", to show others the Way to perfect peace. As Spurgeon said:
"We are here as the "salt of the earth," to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for him, and as "workers together with him."
His Way Is Mighty
Psalm 91: 3-7 "Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. [4] He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. [5] Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; [6] Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. [7] A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."
When we fully give ourselves over to God the shadows of
this world have no power over us. Do you fear death today? Give yourself
wholly to our Creator, and this shadow will pass away under the shadow
of His wings.
|
A young soldier found himself in a terrible battle during the Scottish Reformation between 1200 and 1400 AD. The enemy was soundly defeating this young man's army. He and his comrades found themselves hastily retreating from the battle field in defeat, running away in fear of their very lives. The enemy gave chase. This young man ran hard and fast, full of fear and desperation, soon found himself cut off from his comrades in arms. He eventually came upon a rocky ledge containing a cave. Knowing the enemy was close behind, and that he was exhausted from the chase, chose to hide there. After he crawled in, he feel to his face in the darkness, desperately crying to God to save him and protect him from his enemies. He also made a bargain with God, one which I (and perhaps you too?) have made before. He promised that if God saved him, he would serve Him for the remainder of his days. When he looked up from his despairing plea for help, he saw a spider beginning to weave its web at the entrance to the cave. As he watched the delicate threads being slowly drawn across the mouth of the cave, the young soldier pondered its irony. He thought, "I asked God for protection and deliverance, and he sent me a spider instead. How can a spider save me?" His heart was hardened, knowing the enemy would soon discover his hiding place and kill him. And soon he did hear the sound of his enemies, who were now scouring the area looking for those in hiding. One soldier with a gun slowly walked up to the cave's entrance. As the young man crouched in the darkness, hoping to surprise the enemy in a last minute desperate attempt to save his own life, he felt his heart pounding wildly out of control. As the enemy cautiously moved forward to enter the cave, he came upon the spider's web, which by now was completely strung across the opening. He backed away and called out to a comrade, "There can't be anyone in here. They would have had to break this spider's web to enter the cave. Let's move on." Years later, this young man, who made good his promise by becoming a preacher and evangelist, wrote about that ordeal. What he observed has stood by me in times of trouble, especially during those times when everything seemed impossible. He wrote: "Where God is, a spider's web is as a stone wall. Where God is not, a stone wall is as a spider's web." |
Where God is, a spider's web is like a stone wall, and where God is not, a stone wall is no more than a spider's web. Where is your heart today? Are you trusting in the God who created all things, the God who can dispel the shadows of this world? Or are you trusting in the shadows and hoping that they don't overwhelm you? Unless you are living your life fully, unreservedly in Christ today, you are cheating yourself. The Psalmist said:
Psalm 91: 8-9 "Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. [9] Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation"
Jesus said it another way. He said:
John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
If you have not hidden your life in Christ, now is the
time to do it. Give your will over to God's Will. Accept Christ as your
Saviour, then begin living inside of His Grace. Be certain of your relationship
with God: this is the first dynamic of Christian living. We will
explore others in future sermons.
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