Summary: Though life may often be filled with problems and trials,the Christian should take courage in the following three biblical truths: I. God Is Our Salvation, II. God Is Our Strength, and III. God Is Our Safety.

HEAVENLY HOPE AND HELP

Text: Ps.62: 7, 8

Intro: There is no denying the fact that our world has become an increasingly distressing place to live. The troubles of this old world seem to be without end. With every new day the news media greets us with myriads of tragedies that took place even as we slept; all the latest accounts of murders, rapes, starving children, fighting nations, and catastrophes of earthquakes, tidal waves and tornadoes.

Some have tried to get us to believe that man and his environment are getting better; that man will eventually create a utopian society, where there will be no hunger, crime, or catastrophic disasters. But if that is so, why haven’t we seen any signs of it?

Man has had such thoughts since the Tower of Babel, yet there is no indication that we are any closer to attaining utopia. As a matter of fact, everything would seem to indicate the very opposite.

No my friends, there will be no utopia; no worldwide peace and tranquility, until the Prince of Peace comes to set up His kingdom upon the earth. There can be no real peace apart from He who is the very source of peace. Let man scheme and plan as he will, he cannot produce a lasting peace and goodwill among mankind, apart from God.

However, in spite of all the unrest, unconcern, and ungodliness of our world today, the Christian is not without hope and help. Over and over again, the Bible reminds us of this comforting truth. In Ps.71: 5 we are told, “For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.” Ps.121: 2 says, “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” These are but a couple of passages that assure us of hope and help from the Lord. Many others could be sited.

The passage that we used as our text today, gives us three very good reasons why we are assured of heavenly hope and help from the Lord in the midst of life’s trials. Consider these with me today.

Theme: Christians are assured of heavenly hope and help because:

I. GOD IS OUR SALVATION

Ps.62: 7a “In God is my salvation and glory…”

A. We Have Been Delivered From The Condemnation Of Sin.

1. This is because the Redeemer paid the cost.

I Pet.2: 24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye are healed.”

2. This is because the repentant procure cleansing.

I John 1: 7b “…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Rev.1: 5b “…Unto him (Jesus) that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

3. This is because the redeemed possess no condemnation.

Rom.8: 1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

B. We Have Been Delivered From The Control Of Satan.

Col.1: 12 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

II Tim.2: 25 “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

NOTE: Once we were in bondage Satan and sin. But Jesus set us free.

A story told by Paul Lee Tan illustrates the meaning of redemption. He said that when A.J. Gordon was pastor of a church in Boston, he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, “Son, where did you get those birds?” The boy replied, “I trapped them out in the field.” “What are you going to do with them?” “I’m going to play with them, and then I guess I’ll just feed them to an old cat we have at home.” When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, “Mister, you don’t want them, they’re just little old wild birds and can’t sing very well.” Gordon replied, “I’ll give you $2 for the cage and the birds.” “Okay, it’s a deal, but you’re making a bad bargain.”

The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.

The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ’s coming to seek and to save the lost—paying for them with His own precious blood. “That boy told me the birds were not songsters,” said Gordon, “but when I released them and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, ‘Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!’”

You and I have been held captive to sin, but Christ has purchased our pardon and set us at liberty. When a person has this life-changing experience, he will want to sing, “Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!”

Our Daily Bread.

C. We Have Been Delivered From The Calamity Of Sinners.

Phil.3: 18 “(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19a Whose end is destruction…”

Rev.20: 15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

NOTE: It’s amazing these days how many people seem to view Hell as something to joke about. Believe me, Hell will be no joking matter to the person who dies without Christ. An Englishman once remarked:

You need not tell me there is no hell, for I already feel my soul slipping into its fires! Wretches, cease your idle talk about there being hope for me! I know I am lost forever.

Sir Francis Newport, head of an English infidel club, on his deathbed.

II. GOD IS OUR STRENGTH

Ps.62: 7b “…the rock of my strength…”

NOTE: “The greatest single distinguishing feature of the omnipotence of God is that our imagination gets lost when thinking about it.”

Blaise Pascal, Pensees.

A. He Is Our Strength For Spiritual Warfare.

II Cor.10: 4 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Rom.8: 35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

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37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

B. He Is Our Strength For Spiritual Weariness.

Isa.40: 29 “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

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31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faith.”

Isa.41: 10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

C. He Is Our Strength For Physical Weakness.

II Cor.12: 8 “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10b …for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

III. GOD IS OUR SAFETY

Ps.62: 7c “…my refuge, is in God.”

NOTE: [1] The meaning of the word “refuge” is basically, “a place of safety; shelter; safe retreat” (Russell E. Spray, Scriptural Sermon Outlines, published by Baker Book House Company, pg. 25).

[2] We can always count on the Lord. He never get weary or worn out. You can’t say that about anything else.

The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on a 3,000 foot cliff and accessible only by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men, perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket.

One American tourist who visited the site got nervous halfway up the cliff when he noticed that the rope was old and frayed. Hoping to relieve his fear he asked, “How often do you change the rope?” The monk in charge replied, “Whenever it breaks!”

Daily Walk, March 30, 1992

A. He Is Our Safety From Satan.

I John 4: 4b “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

Col.1: 12 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

B. He Is Our Safety From The Storms.

I Cor.10: 13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

NOTE: The word “temptation,” as used here, does not refer only to the temptation to sin, but also to a trial or testing. This word refers to trials of varying character, which would also include the dilemmas of life in which we often find ourselves.

Ps.27: 5 “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.”

Ps.46: 1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Theme: Christians are assured of heavenly hope and help because:

I. GOD IS OUR SALVATION

II. GOD IS OUR STRENGTH

III. GOD IS OUR SAFETY