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“When Your Concern For Your Nation Intensifies” was the title of a sermon I heard today. The sermon was presented by Pastor Mark Cain of Village Bible Church.
So what do we do about all of the things in our society that sadden us? Pastor Mark mentioned many of the issues that can make one wonder just where we are headed: lack of morality, abortion, ungodly living arrangements, euthanasia, etc.
The answer Pastor Cain gave was not surprising. It came from the Bible. Isn’t that where we are supposed to look for our answers? He found a great answer.
“When your concern for America intensifies, calm that concern through the theology of Psalm 46.” (I took the liberty to make two changes and add a link to Pastor’s statement. At the top of the link is a description of the comic strip that Pastor Mark shared. Click on the pic to enlarge it.)
Photo at http://www.christianlandmark.com
Here is your answer:
Psalm 46
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
God the Refuge of His People.
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, [a]set to Alamoth. A Song.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 46:1 Possibly for soprano voices
- Psalm 46:1 Or Abundantly available for help
- Psalm 46:1 Or tight places
- Psalm 46:2 Lit seas
- Psalm 46:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 46:5 Lit at the turning of the morning
- Psalm 46:6 Or Gentiles
- Psalm 46:6 Lit gave forth
- Psalm 46:8 Or Which He has wrought as desolations
- Psalm 46:10 Or Let go, relax
- Psalm 46:10 Or Gentiles (1)
Pastor Mark calls the Psalms “God’s Pharmacy.” This Psalm shows why.
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The Psalm is a song or poetry set in three stanzas. Each stanza ends with the word “Selah.” As the good pastor stated, no one knows for certain what the word means. Many feel that “Selah” is word that means pause. Pausing is always good for reflection.
Dr. Cain broke the Psalm into two sections.
1. (vv. 1-3) GOD IS (a way of saying “theology”) so personally present there is no reason to fear the cataclysmic chaos.
2. (vv. 4-11) God is so powerfully present He can overrule any national threat.
The conclusion:
“Peace and security are not the absence of threatening circumstances, but the close presence of our powerful, personally involved God.”
I appreciate men who are not afraid to dig for God’s nuggets. I am fortunate to know Christian leaders of integrity, men who are not afraid to talk about moral issues that enter the political arena, in my community. I must list a few: Pastor Doug Jones of The First Free Will Baptist Church (and head of The Watchmen of Garland County), Pastor Ken Carney of The First Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Bill Carter of Antioch Baptist Church, and Pastor Larry Spader of Living Faith Church. These are a few of the twenty or so pastors that I have met in my county who are men of God. Guys like this are getting harder to find. I am grateful to God for His faithful servants.
The sermon reminded me of THIS POST about a great man of faith who gave his life for his convictions.
Photo by snowlepard
Our nation’s celebration of Independence is not far off. God has richly blessed our nation in the past. Psalm 46 is a great scripture upon which to dwell in the present.
CR
(1) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2046&version=NASB
Wings of the Wind 
Very uplifting Chris. You are indeed fortunate to have so many princes of the pulpit near by. I like Dr.Cain’s description on theology. A verse pops up from my treasure chest holding the Word.
Paul in Acts 17:28. “For in Him we live and move and have our being”…
Another one comes to mind. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7.
Glad you found it uplifting, Manny. We need hope in the days in which we live. Where better to go than God’s Word?
You have shared two wonderful verses filled with encouragement. These are the types of scriptures we need to think of in this day of godlessness.
God’s blessings my friend…