WELCOME
Good morning First Baptist. We welcome you to worship this morning. Be sure to remember your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the week as you pray for them, and as the Holy Spirit brings their faces to your mind. Be sure to also connect with them in the ways that are possible. And if you have any questions or would like to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to contact the church through the church telephone and leave a message. (519-733-4144)
Songs
Call to Worship
The Psalmist encourages us… Let us delight in our God, and gratefully receive the desires of our hearts. Let us commit our ways to God, because when we trust, God acts. Let us be still before God, and wait patiently. God illuminates the path of justice, So that we might follow in faith. God is our refuge in the time of trouble, our helper, our rescuer, our Saviour.
Welcome to worship this morning.
Even though it is summertime, our lives are crowded and rushed. Come into this time of peace and quiet.
We need to rest in God’s word.
God’s love is with you.
God will give you rest and refresh your souls.
Songs
Prayer
Prayer of Confession & Assurance
The act of confessing our sin is not simply a recitation of our faults and wrongs, but also an opportunity to receive God’s mercy and share in that abundant grace. Confident of God’s love for us, let us offer our prayers, first in silence.
SILENT PRAYER
Patient God, we wait all year for the summer months when we can rest and relax. Our schedules change from the demands of weekly living, to times which are supposed to be devoted to leisure. But we have redefined leisure to mean a flurry of activities. We need some time to rest, to sit quietly and listen to the beautiful sounds of the world. Forgive us when we are determined to crowd every moment of our lives with activity. Help us to find a quiet centre with you where we can just relax and not try to get everything done as though life was some sort of a contest. Give us peace for a little while. Refresh our souls so that we can truly serve you, not out of exhaustion but out of enthusiasm. Be with us this day, for we ask these things in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Assurance of Pardon:
God’s love awaits you. It has been lavished upon you as a gentle summer rain, refreshing your souls, opening your hearts, healing your wounds. Rest in God’s eternal love. AMEN.
Summer in the Psalms
When Trouble Comes - Psalm 46
Today's Message: Pastor Dave Page
Have you ever felt like you were surrounded by those that were out to get you….or maybe the circumstances of the day seem to be just to overwhelming to consider that there might actually be a way through them???
There’s a fellow I like to think about in the Old Testament. He’s one of David’s mighty men. (2 Sam. 23:20-23) He got up one morning and was going out to battle. Unfortunately, they had a snowstorm. We all know what happens when we have a snowstorm. If we want an excuse, we have a beautiful excuse when the snow storm comes – we cancel everything – especially in SW Ontario. Well, this man didn’t cancel anything, he kept going. As he was going along in his snowstorm suddenly, he fell into a pit. I can imagine him lying in the bottom of this pit, having struggled through the snowstorm, wondering how he would ever get out. Then he heard a noise behind him, and looked and there was a lion. He probably said to himself, “This just isn’t my day!” I start off with a snowstorm, I fall into a pit that I can’t get out of, and down in the bottom of this pit, there’s a lion. I quit! I give up!
What do you do when trouble comes with a fury of a storm from every angle – the snow, the storm, the pit, and the lion? The amazing thing that Scripture says about this mighty man of David is that he kills the lion, in the pit, on a stormy day, and lived to tell the tale. That’s what you do when trouble comes! You learn to cope with it, and you learn to overcome it when you apply the principles that we have here in Psalms 46. Right!?
Or perhaps as I recount this story, are some of you thinking – Some people seem to lead charmed lives … trouble rarely comes their way. When it does come, they’re the kind of people who can check it off quite easily. Well that might be true, but one thing that every human being needs to beware of is that real trouble will come one day! There is no way that any of us living in a troubled world, in troublesome times, can avoid real trouble. It’s very important that we be prepared when trouble comes.
Now for some of you, It may be that as I preach on the subject When Trouble Comes you will say to yourself, “I don’t have any trouble, everything is fine by me.” Don’t be so sure that what I say won’t be worth remembering one day. On the other hand, some of you are going through times of real stress and difficulty.
Just let me tell you at the outset, Psalm 46 will be a blessing to you. In this poetic language, the psalmist describes the way trouble can come. He talks about the earth being removed, and the mountains being carried into the midst of the sea. That is a picture of an earthquake. Sometimes trouble comes with the sheer finality of an earthquake.
All of a sudden it’s there, and there’s nothing you can do.
A lot of people are finding themselves dealing with this kind of thinking or experience – it’s very real to them…and there doesn’t seem to bee a lot help that we can access out there….
Commonwealth Fund survey, 2023
March 21, 2024 – The Commonwealth Fund’s 2023 International Health Policy Survey looked into the health care experiences of the general population age 18 and older in 10 high-income countries, including Canada.
It covered access to primary and mental health care, use of information technologies, prescription drug use, chronic illness care, behavioural factors affecting health, and social service needs.
March 21, 2024 – Canadians’ self-rated mental health has declined since 2015.
Reference
- The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to worsened anxiety and feelings of depression.
- Governments across Canada are working to improve equitable access to mental health services to address the growing need for care.
The results from the 2023 Commonwealth Fund (CMWF) survey of adults in 10 high-income countries highlight both Canadians’ increasing mental health needs and the economic stressors that create barriers to accessing mental health services.
Canadians’ worries about economic stressors:
Discussions about stressors with health care professionals:
Well, there is always a place that you can go. The Psalms as we have them today are actually a collection of poetry, hymns and laments – segmented into 5 books – Part two highlights the Lord’s ongoing protection of David that allows for the establishment of the Davidic covenant and its blessings for all of us.
As a group, Psalms 42–50 are characterized by the community’s desire to know and serve God.
Psalms 42–43 are a unified lament in which the psalmist is downcast over seeking the Lord and seemingly having no success.
Psalm 44 mourns national defeat despite the people’s faithfulness. Where is God?
Psalm 45 answers in part by stating that the Lord is still with the king, providing queen and throne for him.
Psalms 46–49 are statements of faith that God remains Israel’s help, and Psalm 50 contains God’s own promise to save those who honour him. The God who seems hidden during stressful times responds to seeking, penitent, remnant worshipers.
This psalm, Psalm 46, was written in a time of great historical turmoil. To truly appreciate the significance of Psalm 46, it is essential to understand the historical backdrop against which it was written. Scholars believe that this psalm was composed during the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20). The nation of Judah, God’s chosen people, faced imminent threats from the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and were now advancing towards Jerusalem. In this context of impending destruction, the psalmist cries out to God for deliverance – specifically we know that Jerusalem was actually surrounded by the Assyrian Armies and their commanders are taunting and mocking them. Telling them that their God was no match for the Armies of Assyria.
Scripture Reading: Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
God, Our Mighty Refuge:
Psalm 46 opens with a powerful declaration: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). In times of distress, we can find comfort in knowing that God is our unshakable refuge. This sentiment is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus assures us of His abiding presence:
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
As believers, we can take refuge in the knowledge that God is always by our side, providing strength and assistance in times of trouble.
“God is our refuge.” The word refuge means shelter. We used to sing an old hymn which spoke of Christ as a “shelter in the time of storm.” We need a refuge/shelter in which to find protection when trouble comes to attack us. The storms of life can be very cruel and can overwhelm us if we do not have a shelter to protect us. Pastor Marlee and Evelyn Wharram both talked to us recently about the storms of life and the need for us to be built on a strong foundation. Today, we must always remember that God has provided in Jesus Christ a shelter from all that comes at us.
The Strength in God’s Help
“God is our … strength.” It takes much strength, more than we have in ourselves, to live the Christian life. God provides that strength. It takes much strength to overcome the temptation of doubt and self reliance. Some of the temptations we experience are extremely strong but God will give us the strength to overcome those. Sometimes in the midst of our troubles we think we will faint and not be able to keep going, but God gives us the strength so we are able to keep going without missing a beat. Just like he did with David’s mighty man in that pit! If God does not keep a trouble from us, he will give us the strength to bear the trouble when it comes. The Apostle Paul spoke of this truth of Divine help to strengthen us when he said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me” (Philippians 4:13). Some folk think they have the strength in themselves to overcome, but too often what they discover is that they can’t go it alone for long, we were never meant to do that.
The Permanence from God: Psalm 46:5
“She will not fall.” The strength and stability of Jerusalem was in the fact the presence of God. This is true for us individually, too. Many events happen in our lives and these events can shake up our lives. But when God is in the midst of our life we shall not be moved. We shall not be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Our faith will stand strong. It may be battered by the storms of trials but with God in the midst of our life, our faith will survive. Stability comes from God being in our midst.
God is Our Protector (God’s Protection)
“God will help her at break of day.” God will protect Jerusalem against the attacks of the enemy. But when God was cast out of the city, Jerusalem lost its protection. The same is true individually and in our society. Our culture does not want God and when He leaves, we will have lost the most valuable of protection. Let me show you two things about the protection of God in our text.
The promise of protection.
- When God promises, He will fulfill, it is as good as done. God protected Jerusalem when it was besieged by the Assyrians in Hezekiah’s time. A grand total of 185,000 soldiers of the enemy were slain in one night by God. But when God was rejected, that great protection was a thing of he past.
The promptness of protection.
- “At break of day.” God is prompt. He is not late like a lot of us are. He may not operate on our schedule and we may become impatience but God is prompt in His own time. He will do what He has to do to fulfill His promise in due time. Notice the wording “At break of day”; If you have had a night of troubles, God will meet you in the morning with deliverance. Don’t give up. It is often darkest right before dawn.
Be Still & Know: Psalm 46:10
Verse 10 of Psalm 46 contains these timeless words “Be still, and know that I am God.” In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it can be challenging to find moments of stillness and silence. Yet, it is in these moments that we can truly encounter the divine presence. If we would commit to practicing this verse of Scripture it would transform your life and it would transform our society. Some of you know this from your own experience.
First – Be Still
“Be still.” This is the key to the entire text. If we are not still we will not learn rest of the text. The command is a rebuke to the way we live. We are not still, we won’t sit long enough to permit stillness of our mind so we can mediate on spiritual things. So many folk are on a merry-go-round of endless activity and never stop to get off long enough to ponder where they are going, and what they are doing. People run hither and yon and if they do sit down, it is to watch TV or scroll on their phone and its endless non-stop distraction, so often. No wonder we are burning out, having nervous breakdowns in record numbers, struggling mentally and confused as to what is what – we simply are not still long enough to get it all together, so God commands us to be still. Try today to be still for awhile, it may be hard, you may not have done it for awhile – but try anyway – it will work a tonic on your soul and mind that medicine cannot do.
Second – Be Smart
“And know.” God does not place a premium on ignorance, we are to know some things and especially are we to be in the know in the area of spiritual things. Of course, the devil tries to tell us we cannot know anything for sure spiritually. Yet the Scriptures tell us otherwise, Job said,
“I KNOW that my Redeemer lives”
Job 19:25
Paul said
“I KNOW whom I have believed”
2 Timothy 1:12
John said we can
“KNOW we have passed from death to life
1 John 3:13)
and again Paul said,
“We KNOW that all things work together…
Romans 8:28
There are some things we can know. and should know. Our text said we need to “Be still” to “KNOW … God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” How few really know God and that the day is coming when He will be exalted in the earth. God is so dishonoured in our society. You can use the name of God in as profanity with less criticism than if you spoke disparagingly of many other things today.
Third – Be Submissive
“That I am God.” We try to play God so often in our lives.
We want to run our life, we don’t want anybody, including God, telling us what we should do or not do. We want to be the Sovereign of our life. But out text says to let God be God, submit to His authority, yield to His way for your life. Be submissive to His commands, for He is God not we ourselves. Many troubles in people’s lives have come as a result of ditching God and playing God themselves. If you want a meaningful life, let God be God and submit to Him. Be still and learn how God wants you to order your life.
To conclude, I want to go back to verse 4.
The River of God’s Joy: Psalm 46:4
In verse 4 of Psalm 46, we encounter a beautiful imagery:
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”
This river symbolizes the life-giving presence of God, which brings joy and refreshment to His people. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to Himself as the source of living water:
“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38).
Just as the river in Psalm 46 brings gladness to the city, Jesus brings abundant joy and satisfaction to our souls.
Psalm 46 reminds us of the unwavering presence and power of God in our lives. It reassures us that no matter what challenges or trials we may face, God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help us in times of need.
Application Points
The first application point is to trust in God’s sovereignty.
We are called to surrender our worries and fears to Him, knowing that He is in control of every situation. As the psalmist says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). When we trust in God’s sovereignty, we can find peace and rest in His presence.
The second application point is to seek God’s presence in the midst of chaos.
Just as the psalmist describes the raging waters and trembling mountains, you are going to face tumultuous circumstances in your lives.
Where are you going to turn first?? This text encourages to draw near to God and seek His refuge. He is our ever-present help, a stronghold in times of trouble.
When you apply this to the storms of life, just as He delivered the people of Judah from the Assyrian threat, He continues to deliver us from the challenges we face today.
Recall the words of the apostle Paul:
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 4:7
Amen
Reflect
Take a moment right now to pause and consider: What is it that you miss the most about coming together on Sunday morning?
* Does your answer surprise you?
* Are you confident it will come back some day? What if it doesn’t?
Reflect
Take a moment right now to pause and consider: What is it that you miss the most about coming together on Sunday morning?
* Does your answer surprise you?
* Are you confident it will come back some day? What if it doesn’t?
Question
If we are to embrace our emotions rather than suppress them, what might be the benefits of an Emotional fullness in our lives as Jesus followers?
Three barriers
- We tolerate emotional immaturity.
- We emphasize doing for God over being with God.
- We define success wrongly.
A person who practices “being” before “doing” operates from a place of emotional and spiritual fullness, deeply aware of themselves and others. As a result, their being with God is sufficient to sustain their doing for God.
Prayer
God of peace and hope, we are a culture focused on activity. From every source of media we have opportunities to go and see and do a host of activities. They beckon us to come and have fun, there are activities for all ages. But one of the most necessary activities we neglect is our need for rest. We crowd each day, that has been given by you as a blessing, with busyness. We forget what it is like to sit and listen, to rest, to take time to reflect. Help us to find the quiet moments in which our souls can be made whole again. We know that there will always be much for us to do to serve you in this world, but if we keep up this hectic pace, we will be unable to accomplish anything. We have lifted before you this day names of dear ones for whom we have concern. We feel helpless to lift their burdens and their sorrows. Let us turn these concerns over to you, for you are the Master Healer who restores our souls. Help us to place our trust and our lives in your unending care. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Song
Benediction
You are God’s beloved people, refreshed, restored, forgiven and healed. Go now into this world confident in the gifts God has given you. Go to serve God’s people, bringing words of peace and hope to all whom you meet. AMEN.