#dontbeafraid

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#DailyDevotion A Mighty Fortress Is Our God 46 God is our Refuge and Strength, our very great Help in time of trouble. 2We're not afraid even when the earth quakes, the mountains topple into the sea; 3even when its waters roar and foam, and the mountains shake in the middle of it. Martin Luther wrote the hymn, “A Mighty Fortress” based on this psalm. It is a good meditation for it. The psalm by itself is a great one to pray in times of distress and trouble for it reminds us of God's character for those who put their trust in Him. Three terms, Refuge, Strength, and Help are titles for our God for in these three terms we find for ourselves, as Luther describes both God and an Idol in his Large Catechism under the first commandment: “A god means that from which we are to expect all good and to which we are to take refuge in all distress, so that to have a God is nothing else than to trust and believe Him from the heart; as I have often said that the confidence and faith of the heart alone make both God and an idol.” Idols, while they may provide some temporary relief at times, will ultimately fail us and turn on us. Our dependence on them ruins our lives in many ways. Just think about the number of addictions there are out there. Whatever the object of that addiction is, that is that person's god. When the LORD Jesus Christ is our God, then our lives turn for the better as far as how we behave and act for others and ourselves. Make sure you put your hope and trust in the One true God. He is our Refuge. He is somewhere we can go to in times of trouble to escape. When it feels like everything is flying at us, we can turn to Him as a place where those things cannot touch us. He is like a mountain fortress which gives us the high ground. In Him we can put up a fight. He is our Strength. When it feels like we have nothing left to give, it is His strength that we continue on in. One problem we often have is that we have not made Jesus our Strength from the beginning so we peter out quickly. It is too difficult to fight spiritual battles with our own power and strength. We will do better if we rely on Jesus being our strength from the beginning of the fight. Sometimes we may not know we've been engaged in a fight which wears us down. When we do realize it, we turn to Him for strength to bear up under it. It is as Paul says in Ephesians 6, “10Finally, let the Lord and His mighty power make you strong. 11Put on God's whole armor, and you will be able to stand against the devil's tricky ways. 12You're not fighting against flesh and blood but against the rulers, authorities, and lords of this dark world, against the evil spirits that are above. 13This is why you should take God's whole armor; then you can resist when things are at their worst and having done everything, you can hold your ground.” He is our Help. In Hebrews 2 it is written, “18Because He Himself suffered when He was tested, He can help others when they're tested.” In chapter 4 of the same it says, “15We have a High Priest Who can sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way just as we are, only without sin. 16So let us come boldly to God's throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help us when we need it.” When you make Jesus your Refuge, Strength and Hope, then verse 2 and 3 will come to pass. You will not be afraid when life around you topples and falls into the sea. When all of life boils all around you with trouble, it will not cause you to fear because you know in whom you have put your trust, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. With them in you and for you, you can face and stand up underneath their weight because God is your Refuge, Strength and Hope. Heavenly Father, give us Your Holy Spirit, so we may at all times look to You and Your Son Jesus Christ to be our Refuge, Strength and Hope at all times, that You may be the God of our hearts, so we may not be afraid no matter the trial, tribulation or trouble. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Read the full article