Psalms 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.”

Psalms 46:4-6 Psalms 46:4-6 “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.”

Psalms 46:7-9 “The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.”

Psalms 46:10-11 Psalms 46:10-11 “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 of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.”

God Our Refuge and Strength _________________, 2012

God Our Refuge and Strength We live in a world that is beset with conflict, wars, calamities, and despair. The battles that we face are not only physical, but also sociological, financial, psychological, geographical, ideological, and spiritual!

God Our Refuge and Strength What we are seeing in this present day is not unparalleled, but these things can make our lives more stressful if we have nowhere to turn! To whom do you turn when things get difficult? Where do you go when you need to get away?

God Our Refuge and Strength Do you seek support from…  Family or friends?  Neighbors or co-workers?  Brethren from church? Do you turn to…  Food or drink?  Television or entertainment?  The Bible or God in prayer?

God Our Refuge and Strength To truly understand the meaning of Psalm 46…consider the authors.  Inspired by God and commissioned by David as poets and musicians, the sons of Korah wrote about 25 of the Psalms. Do you know who they were?  Numbers 16

Numbers 16:1-2 “Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.”

Numbers 16:3-4 Numbers 16:3-4 “They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, ‘You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?’ 4 So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face”

Acts 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”

Numbers 16:5-7 “and he spoke to Korah and all his company, saying, ‘Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him. 6 Do this: Take censers, Korah and all your company; 7 put fire in them and put incense in them before the Lord tomorrow, and it shall be that the man whom the Lord chooses is the holy one.’”

Numbers 16:23-26 Numbers 16:23-26 “So the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 ‘Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’ ” 25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, ‘Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.’”

Numbers 16:27-29 “So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children. 28 And Moses said: ‘By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.’”

Numbers 16:30-32 Numbers 16:30-32 “But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.’ 31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.”

Numbers 16:33-35 “So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. 34 Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also!” 35 And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.”

Numbers 26:9-11 “The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord; 10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a sign. 11 Nevertheless the children of Korah did not die.”

God Our Refuge and Strength What would be your attitude toward God if you knew that He had dealt with your family the same way that He dealt with Korah? The children of Israel blamed Moses and Aaron for the death of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram!

Numbers 16:41-42 “On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” 42 Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.”

God Our Refuge and Strength Yet…the sons of Korah expressed gratitude and showed humility toward God in what they wrote and how they worshipped! Psalm 42:1 – “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.”

God Our Refuge and Strength Yet…the sons of Korah expressed gratitude and showed humility toward God in what they wrote and how they worshipped! Psalm 84:1 – “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of Hosts!”

Psalms 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.”

God Our Refuge and Strength Is God your refuge and strength today and every day? The way to God is through Christ, our Rock and Redeemer. Romans 8:31-35

Romans 8:31-33 “If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns?”

Romans 8:34-35 “It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

God Our Refuge and Strength