WHO GOD IS TO ME—CAN I TRUST HIM  WITH MY FUTURE?

 

 “He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me” (Psalm 144:2).

 

   GOD, THE FATHER, RELATES TO EACH OF US PERSONALLY.

 

A recent Internet article read like this, “Paulson Braces Public for Tough Times---WASHINGTON (July 20) – Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson sought to reassure an anxious public Sunday that the banking system is sound, while also bracing people for more troubled times ahead.  ‘I think it’s going to be months that we’re working our way through this period—clearly months,’ he said.”  In this same article, “A recent GallupPoll asked Americans to name the most important financial problem facing their families today.  Here is what they said . . .”

 

>Energy costs/gas prices

>Inflation/high cost of living

>lack of money/low wages

>Cost of owning/renting a home

>Health care costs

 

These are issues that all of us face in America, or in India, but the real question is, as was asked in this recent article, “How worried are you about your financial future?”  Following is the response from the poll that was taken:

 

                                     VERY                           48%

                                     SOMEWHAT              41%

                                     NOT AT ALL              11%

 

If asked this question, What would your response be?  The real questions are these, however:  WHO IS GOD TO ME?  AND, CAN I TRUST HIM WITH MY FUTURE?

 

   On our currency in America is written, “In God we trust?” But do we really?”  Therefore, I ask you, is God a God you can trust, love, and live for with all your heart?  Can He be trusted to deliver you in time of trouble?  Can you  depend on Him to meet all your needs?  King David could answer all the above in the affirmative. As a warrior who constantly faced the enemy in battle, David had learned that He could depend on Yahweh to deliver him in every situation.  Thus his response to Yahweh for his deliverance in the past was that of praise.  In the language of a soldier, David praises Yahweh with these words . . .

 

“Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1).

 

Then in verse two, he goes on to reveal who Yahweh was to him.  Verse two is resplendent with the personal pronoun “my” as David reveals who God was to him . . . “my loving God,” “my fortress,” “my stronghold,” “my deliverer,” and “my shield.”

 

Well, it is obvious from this Psalm, and from other Scriptural writings about David, who God was to Him, but the question for you and me remains, “Who is God to me?” Again our questions - Is God a God you can trust, love, and live for with all your heart?  Can He be trusted to deliver me in time of trouble? Can I depend on Him to meet all my needs?  Who is God to me?

 

In the message this morning, I will attempt to answer these questions for us by prefacing each point with “God is . . . ,” and, hopefully, by the end of the message you will discover, as did David, who God is to you.

 

Who is God to me?

 

1.  GOD IS MY LOVING GOD.  The phrase, “ . . . my loving God,” speaks of friendship.  In fact, in the Contemporary Version of the Bible (CEV), this phrase in verse two is translated, “You are my friend.”  Thus in this prayer for  rescue and prosperity, David could say in reference to His relationship with Yahweh, “You are my friend.”

 

We, likewise, can have this same kind of relationship with God.  It was Jesus Himself, very God in the flesh, who said to His disciples, “You are my friends, if you do what I command you” (John 15:14).  That great old hymn we often sing says it all, “What a friend we have in Jesus . . .”

 

Who is God to me?  Can you say with David, “He is my loving God, i.e., You are my friend?”  As our friend, we can trust God, as did David, to deliver us.  Why?  Because He loves us.

 

Who is God to me?                  

 

2.  GOD IS MY FORTRESS.  God, as David’s fortress, speaks of a walled city.

 

“Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David. So David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David” (2 Samuel 5:7).

 

Although David built a fort and dwelled in his walled city, his dependence was not on these but on God.  David would say, “God is my fortress!”

 

David gives testimony to this fact in the following psalms:

 

“Incline Thine ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be Thou to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me.  For Thou art my rock and my fortress; For Thy name’s sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me” (Psalm 31:2-3).

 

“I will say to the LORD, My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”(91:2).

 

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD’S, loving-kindness shall surround him” (32:10).

 

“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken” (62:1-2).

 

“But the LORD has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge” (94:22).

 

It was the late, great reformer, Martin Luther, who wrote this hymn: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”  The text of which is based on Psalm 46:7, The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

 

“A Mighty Fortress . . .”

A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing.  For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe - His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

 

One writer said, “The divine attributes and promises are fortifications to a believer, far exceeding those either of nature or art.”

 

The psalmist spoke of Yahweh’s promise in the following psalm. . .

 

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name” (Psalm 91:14).

 

Is He “your fortress” and “mighty tower?”  A place where you can run and be safe from your enemies?

 

It was the Psalmist who said, “O my strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.  God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.” The mountains surrounding Jerusalem, served as Israel’s walled city.  The Psalmist said, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people both now and forever more” (Psalm 125:2).

 

Is He, “your fortress” and “mighty tower?”  A place where you can run and be safe?  Who is God to you?

 

Who is God to me?

 

3.  GOD IS MY STRONGHOLD.  God, as David’s stronghold, speaks of safety.  According to I Samuel, David had formerly sheltered himself at Engedi.

 

“And David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of Engedi”  (1 Samuel 23:29).

 

It was the writer of Proverbs who said . . .

 

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

 

“And God, furthermore, said to Moses, Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.  This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations”  (Exodus 3:15).

 

Our safety and security is not in our stocks and bonds, social security, insurance policies, alarms, etc., God is our stronghold.  He is the only real security there is.

 

Who is God to you?  Is He your stronghold?  If not, what are you depending on, or trusting in, for your safety and security?  Speaking of safety and security, as a believer, you can not be any more secure than this . . .

 

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

 

Do you have “soul-security?”  If not Jesus can give you that security today!

 

Who is God to me?

 

4.  GOD IS MY DELIVERER.   God, as David’s deliverer, speaks of rescue.  Time and time again, God delivered/rescued David from his powerful enemies.

 

The center piece of Psalm 144:2, is God’s deliverance.  The truth that is revealed here is this, God, as Savior, can deliver us from trouble, and He will deliver us from trouble because He loves us.

 

The psalmist was expressing trust in God to deliver him, when he said . . .

 

“Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation” (Psalm 38:22).

 

“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.  Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (62:1-2; 6,8).

 

Mary recognized the redemptive nature of God, and was praising Him in advance for the deliverance that He would bring when she said . . .

 

“And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (Luke 1:47).

 

Likewise, Paul spoke of God’s deliverance in I Timothy 1:1. . .

 

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope” (I Tim. 1:1).

 

The name “Jesus” means “The Lord saves.”  Can you say, “God is my deliverer?” 

 

Who is God to me?

 

5.  GOD IS MY SHIELD.  God, as David’s shield, speaks of God’s protection.  Not only was God, David’s fortress, when he was safe at home,  He was also His shield on the field of battle...

 

As warriors in a spiritual battle, we are admonished by the Apostle Paul to “take up the shield of faith.”  He writes, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).  It was God who said to Abram, “Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield.”

 

David said, “He is . . . my deliverer, and my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples (nations) under me” (v.2).

 

One writer said, “God is our refuge and salvation because He loves us.”

 

Who is God to you?  Can you say, “He is my shield?”

 

CONCLUSION: God can be all the above to you, as He was to David.  The question is, however, IS HE?  Is He trust worthy?

 

T – We are admonished in Scripture to TRUST God.

 

R -  We are admonished to trust Him as our REDEEMER.

 

U -  We can trust His UNCHANGEABLE nature.

 

S – We can trust Him to SUPPLY all our need (Philippians 4:19)

 

T -  The Bible admonishes us to TRUST Him not only for our salvation,

        but  for our daily needs as well.

 

Who are you trusting for your future?