Where Is Our Shelter?

-READ Psalm 46

-Where is our shelter, our protection?

-The people of Greensburg, KS looked for protection last week and found none

-Our soldiers in Iraq have looked for protection – Kevlar helmets, body armor, extra armor for their Hummvee – and have come back w/o limbs or in a body bag

-Recently at Whiteman we had a memorial service for a young tech sergeant who apparently had beaten cancer and then it came back with a vengeance, taking her life

-The prophet Jeremiah was promised protection – but was later thrown into jail and a cistern

-God promises to take care of every one of our needs yet we still suffer

-I watched a TV show two nights ago about women abducted in third world countries and sold as sex slaves

-Why doesn’t God do something?

-Is our God, a God that does not keep His promises – it would appear so

-We put our trust in Him to protect us and He lets us down

-You know, everyone looks for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in THIS life

-But that’s not enough

-The Apostle Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

-God gives to us greater gifts than what we ask for or expect

-In our text it says, “Come and see the works of the Lord”

-Yes, Come and see

-Come and see the baby born in a manger

-Come and see the young boy discussing with the religious leaders

-Come and see the young rabbi betrayed, arrested, mocked, beaten, tortured and finally hung on a cross

-Come and see our Savior who pleads for our forgiveness

-Come and see Jesus who takes our punishment so that we might be freed

-Come and see the empty tomb

-Come and see the resurrected Lord

-God gives to us greater gifts than what we ask for or deserve

-We ask for lamb chops and He gives us the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

-We ask for bread and He gives us the bread of life

-We ask for water and He turns it into wine and gives the bread and wine to us in the Lord’s Supper along with His body and blood for our forgiveness and our spiritual health

-We ask for clothes and He gives us a robe of righteousness

-We ask for shoes and He bends down to wash our feet and then fits us with feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace

-We ask for peace and He gives us the peace that passes all understanding

-We ask for shelter and He goes to prepare a place for us in His Father’s mansion

-We ask for life and He gives us eternal life

-Christians get toilet paper roll syndrome

-Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

-People have struggled with the question why do bad things happen to good people

-First of all, wrong question – nobody is good

-But Jesus explains why in Luke 13:1-5

-God is ultimately more interested not in how comfortable your life on earth is but where you and others spend eternity

-Sometimes people need a wake up call and He uses who He wills to get that accomplished for us and for others

-SING LAST TWO VERSES OF A MIGHTY FORTRESS