Trusting the God of
Our Salvation
Psalms 14:1-7
Jim Davis
Living in faithless
times is challenging and demanding.
To convince others to follow God in
these times is difficult. The writer
of Psalms 14 is living in such
times. We are not sure when the
Psalm was written. The beauty of the
Bible is that it was written for all
times. As I read Psalms 14 I am
allowed to enter the innermost
sanctuary—into the very heart of the
writer to feel the heart throb of
one overwhelmed by an unbelieving
world.
Psalms 14:1-7
14:1 For the director
of music. Of David.
The fool says in his
heart,
"There is no God."
They are corrupt,
their deeds are vile;
there is no one who
does good.
2 The LORD looks down
from heaven
on the sons of men
to see if there are
any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned
aside,
they have together
become corrupt;
there is no one who
does good,
not even one.
4 Will evildoers
never learn —
those who devour my
people as men eat bread
and who do not call
on the LORD?
5 There they are,
overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in
the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers
frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their
refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation
for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD
restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and
Israel be glad! NIV
God’s people were
being devoured by the evil running
rampant throughout Israel.
There were those who were saying
there was no God, and then there
were those who believed in God. Yet
they were living evil lives living
in dread of God. They were like the
demons that believe in God and
tremble (James 2:19).
Isaiah lived in
similar times as God’s children
turned their backs on God.
Isaiah 1:1-4
1:1 The vision
concerning Judah and Jerusalem that
Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the
reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens!
Listen, O earth!
For the LORD has
spoken:
"I reared children
and brought them up,
but they have
rebelled against me.
3 The ox knows his
master,
the donkey his
owner's manger,
but Israel does not
know,
my people do not
understand."
4 Ah, sinful nation,
a people loaded with
guilt,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to
corruption!
They have forsaken
the LORD;
they have spurned the
Holy One of Israel
and turned their
backs on him. NIV
How do we live in
such times?
What do we do when the world denies
God? What do we do when God’s people
forsake him? What do we do when the
church is polarized between what we
want to be and what God wants us to
be? What do we do when we are
tempted to give up?
We take comfort that
God is in the company of the
righteous.
Isaiah 3:13-15
13 The LORD takes his
place in court;
he rises to judge the
people.
14 The LORD enters
into judgment
against the elders
and leaders of his people:
"It is you who have
ruined my vineyard;
the plunder from the
poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean
by crushing my people
and grinding the
faces of the poor?"
declares the Lord,
the LORD Almighty. NIV
It is daunting to
know God is in the company of the
righteous—yet, it is comforting.
God is not only judging the world.
He is sitting in judgment on his
people today. We often point to how
God is sitting in judgment on
unbelievers. Peter reminds us that
God’s judgment begins with the
family of God (1 Peter 4:17).
Salvation history reveals God
sitting in judgment on his people as
well as the world. There is no doubt
in my mind that God is sitting in
judgment of his people today as we
strive to reinvent the church for a
narcissistic world.
The history of Israel
is a potent reminder. It is not
those who do not believe God exist
that pose the greatest threat to
God’s cause or Christianity. The
greatest threat comes from those who
believe, but live as though God does
not exist. This was the condition of
Israel as Isaiah proclaimed the
message of God.
The psalmist writes,
"You evildoers frustrate the plans
of the poor, but the LORD is their
refuge"
(Psalms 14:6). Isaiah writes to
those whose enemies are raging
against them.
Isaiah 41:11-13
11 "All who rage
against you
will surely be
ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing
and perish.
12 Though you search
for your enemies,
you will not find
them.
Those who wage war
against you
will be as nothing at
all.
13 For I am the LORD,
your God,
who takes hold of
your right hand
and says to you, Do
not fear;
I will help you.
The biblical writers
seek to take us beyond simply
holding on to ideas about God.
Throughout salvation history the
lives of the faithful speak of their
experience of God. Joseph’s names
for his children spoke of God’s
presence with him in an evil world.
Genesis 41:51-52
51 Joseph named his
firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is
because God has made me forget all
my trouble and all my father's
household." 52 The second son he
named Ephraim and said, "It is
because God has made me fruitful in
the land of my suffering." NIV
These names leave a
lasting memorial to God’s
relationship with Joseph. Imagine
the impact these names had on the
faith of Israel as Manasseh’s and
Ephraim’s descendants inherit two
tribal areas in the land of Canaan.
The names of his sons are an
everlasting memorial to God’s glory
revealed through the life of Joseph.
Salvation history is
absolutely astounding as it
repeatedly reveals how one seemingly
defenseless soul can make a
difference.
Joseph’s life reveals how God can
take a single individual living in
the midst foreigners who have no
knowledge of God and make a
difference in the lives of tens of
thousands of his descendants. In
faithless times these are the
stories we must mediate on day and
night.
Salvation belongs to
God
God has always
accompanied the righteous.
Remember
John’s vision of the seven churches
of Asia. The Lord is walking among
the believers. He has full knowledge
of what is transpiring.
Revelation 2:12-17
12 "To the angel of
the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words
of him who has the sharp,
double-edged sword. 13 I know where
you live — where Satan has his
throne. Yet you remain true to my
name. You did not renounce your
faith in me, even in the days of
Antipas, my faithful witness, who
was put to death in your city —
where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I
have a few things against you: You
have people there who hold to the
teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak
to entice the Israelites to sin by
eating food sacrificed to idols and
by committing sexual immorality. 15
Likewise you also have those who
hold to the teaching of the
Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore!
Otherwise, I will soon come to you
and will fight against them with the
sword of my mouth.
17 He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches. To him who overcomes,
I will give some of the hidden
manna. I will also give him a white
stone with a new name written on it,
known only to him who receives it.
NIV
John’s vision reveals
Christ’s intimate knowledge of the
spiritual condition of the seven
churches of Asia.
We see those all but overwhelmed by
an evil world. We see those in
troubled churches barely holding on
to their faith. Christ has not
forgotten them. They are reminded
that salvation belongs to our God.
Revelation 7:9-17
9 After this I looked
and there before me was a great
multitude that no one could count,
from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne
and in front of the Lamb. They were
wearing white robes and were holding
palm branches in their hands. 10 And
they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to
our God,
who sits on the
throne,
and to the Lamb."
11 All the angels
were standing around the throne and
around the elders and the four
living creatures. They fell down on
their faces before the throne and
worshiped God, 12 saying:
"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks
and honor
and power and
strength
be to our God for
ever and ever.
Amen!"
13 Then one of the
elders asked me, "These in white
robes — who are they, and where did
they come from?"
14 I answered, "Sir,
you know."
And he said, "These
are they who have come out of the
great tribulation; they have washed
their robes and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,
"they are before the
throne of God
and serve him day and
night in his temple;
and he who sits on
the throne will spread his tent over
them.
16 Never again will
they hunger;
never again will they
thirst.
The sun will not beat
upon them,
nor any scorching
heat.
17 For the Lamb at
the center of the throne will be
their shepherd;
he will lead them to
springs of living water.
And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes."
John reveals our God
sitting in the court of the
righteous. In the verses preceding
these verses John sees God judging
the world (Revelation 6). He reveals
the response of those living evil
lives that were living in dread of
God’s coming judgment.
Revelation 6:15-17
15 Then the kings of
the earth, the princes, the
generals, the rich, the mighty, and
every slave and every free man hid
in caves and among the rocks of the
mountains. 16 They called to the
mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us
and hide us from the face of him who
sits on the throne and from the
wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great
day of their wrath has come, and who
can stand?" NIV
John sees the havoc
evil brings upon the world, death,
famine, war, pestilence is all part
of his vision.
The world seeks to hide from the
destruction, but John cries out,
salvation belongs to our God.
In the difficult
times in which we are living today,
why should we not believe that God
is on his throne?
Why shouldn’t we believe he has an
intimate knowledge of the plight of
those seeking to live righteous
lives? Our lives must be grounded in
a knowledge that gives hope for our
future regardless of what is
transpiring around us.
Our God is the God of
our salvation.
We must allow these stories to get a
hold on us. We must feel the very
heart beat of those struggling to
believe. We must allow our hearts to
beat in tune with all those in our
past whom God chose to bless the
world through. We must recognize
their struggles as our own. They are
the struggles of every one who
chooses to believe in God.
Turning to God
requires doing unpopular things in
the eyes of the world.
Joseph spent seven years in prison
because he refused to be seduced by
the Pharaoh’s wife. Initially this
may make the message of salvation
seem harsh. Yet,
Joseph’s life was salvaged
by God. God made it possible for
Joseph to forget his father’s
troubled household and made him
fruitful in the land of his
suffering. In time God will make us
forget all our troubles as he makes
us fruitful in the place of our
suffering. Knowing salvation belongs
to our God makes turning to God much
easier. Salvation is
not just forgiveness for the past;
it is protection for the present; it
is hope for the future.
Salvaging the World
Demands a Personal Decision
Faith in God requires
turning from our evil ways no matter
how scary the world appears.
It should be more frightening to
have the mountains fall on us to
hide from God than it would be to
turn to God in repentance. It is the
only way God can become the God of
our salvation. Peter preached his
first sermon after Christ’s
resurrection on Pentecost. The
crucifixion of Jesus was fresh on
their minds as Peter preached. They
crucified Christ less the two months
prior to Pentecost.
Acts 2:40-41
40 With many other
words he warned them; and he pleaded
with them, "Save yourselves
from this corrupt generation."
41 Those who accepted his message
were baptized, and about three
thousand were added to their number
that day. NIV
John the Baptist
preached the message of repentance
to a lost world.
He gets very personal
with those seeking God. He
challenges those trusting in their
Jewish genealogy for salvation. He
challenges those believing they can
get ahead through living corrupt
lives.
Luke 3:7-14
7 John said to the
crowds coming out to be baptized by
him, "You brood of vipers! Who
warned you to flee from the coming
wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping
with repentance. And do not begin to
say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham
as our father.' For I tell you that
out of these stones God can raise up
children for Abraham. 9 The ax is
already at the root of the trees,
and every tree that does not produce
good fruit will be cut down and
thrown into the fire."
10 "What should we do
then?" the crowd asked.
11 John answered,
"The man with two tunics should
share with him who has none, and the
one who has food should do the
same."
12 Tax collectors
also came to be baptized. "Teacher,"
they asked, "what should we do?"
13 "Don't collect any
more than you are required to," he
told them.
14 Then some soldiers
asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't
extort money and don't accuse people
falsely — be content with your pay."
NIV
In our sober moments
we must realize God’s ax is
attacking the very roots of evil in
each of our lives.
We see the darkness
overwhelming our world—death,
disease, wars, famine. To whom shall
we go? It is scary to live contrary
to the world’s way of thinking. It
may even be scary to challenge those
who profess faith and live as if
there is no God. It can be life
threatening. The pressure from our
world for things to remain the same
is tremendous. Just remember when
you turn to God your personal
security and salvation belongs to
God.
Psalms 37:39-40
39 The salvation of
the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their
stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps
them and delivers them;
he delivers them from
the wicked and saves them,
because they take
refuge in him. NIV
Psalms 62:1-2
My soul finds rest in
God alone;
my salvation comes
from him.
2 He alone is my rock
and my salvation ;
he is my fortress, I
will never be shaken. NIV
Our salvation is
beyond our ability to accomplish.
The
impossible circumstances we face
remind us of our need to rely on the
God of our salvation. This is
crucial when we find ourselves in
circumstances far beyond our ability
to endure.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11
8 We do not want you
to be uninformed, brothers, about
the hardships we suffered in the
province of Asia. We were
under great pressure, far beyond our
ability to endure, so that we
despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in
our hearts we felt the sentence of
death. But this
happened that we might not rely on
ourselves but on God, who raises the
dead. 10 He has delivered us from
such a deadly peril, and he will
deliver us. On him we have
set our hope that he will continue
to deliver us, 11 as you help us by
your prayers. Then many will give
thanks on our behalf for the
gracious favor granted us in answer
to the prayers of many. NIV
Those who turned to
Christ in Philippi were challenged
with this message from Paul.
Philippians 2:14-16
14 Do everything
without complaining or arguing, 15
so that you may become blameless and
pure, children of God without fault
in a crooked and depraved
generation, in which you shine like
stars in the universe 16 as you hold
out the word of life — in order that
I may boast on the day of Christ
that I did not run or labor for
nothing. NIV
Paul is challenging
each of us to live shining lives.
Think
for a moment of how Joseph’s life
shines today as he holds out the
word of life for each of us. Joseph
stood all alone with God in an evil
world. What a tremendous influence
he has had over innumerable lives.
It is up to Christians to hold out
the word of life to a lost world as
God reveals his glory through us. It
is amazing how God can hold my life
up for others to see his glory
through what he has done through me.
Isaiah 41:8-16
8 "But you, O Israel,
my servant,
Jacob, whom I have
chosen,
you descendants of
Abraham my friend,
9 I took you from the
ends of the earth,
from its farthest
corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my
servant';
I have chosen you and
have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear,
for I am with you;
do not be dismayed,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you
and help you;
I will uphold you
with my righteous right hand.
11 "All who rage
against you
will surely be
ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing
and perish.
12 Though you search
for your enemies,
you will not find
them.
Those who wage war
against you
will be as nothing at
all.
13 For I am the LORD,
your God,
who takes hold of
your right hand
and says to you, Do
not fear;
I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid,
O worm Jacob,
O little Israel,
for I myself will
help you," declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel.
15 "See, I will make
you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with
many teeth.
You will thresh the
mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills
to chaff.
16 You will winnow
them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale will blow
them away.
But you will rejoice
in the LORD
and glory in the Holy
One of Israel. NIV
The words were spoken
to Israel when she was in the midst
of her rebellion.
There was little
encouragement to remain faithful or
to turn to God in faith. To turn to
God in such times would be life
threatening. So God pleads with them
to trust him as the God of their
salvation. Isaiah points them to
what God was doing throughout the
ages for Abraham’s descendants. It
was a reminder of what God would do
for them; if only they would turn
back to God.
Isaiah’s statement
about trusting God was made over a
thousand years after Abraham’s
death.
Yet, his faith is grounded in what
God had done in the lives of
Abraham’s descendants. Their lives
are the stars by which we navigate
life’s treacherous storms. Through
the historical records of God’s
dealing with his people we come to
know God through their personal
experience of him. We are as much a
part of the story as they were for
these verses were written as a
reminder to us as well as to those
who first heard Isaiah over 2500
years ago.
God’s Salvation is
ongoing and Personal
God is very personal
as he brings his work to fruition in
each of us.
God is not only
judging the world; he is working out
his plan in my innermost being.
Philippians 1:3-6
3 I thank my God
every time I remember you. 4 In all
my prayers for all of you, I always
pray with joy 5 because of your
partnership in the gospel from the
first day until now, 6 being
confident of this, that he who
began a good work in you will carry
it on to completion until the day of
Christ Jesus. NIV
It is reassuring to
know God is at work in the world at
large—it is more reassuring to know
he is at work in my heart to bring
his plans to fruition in me.
Paul was writing to a troubled
assembly of God’s people in
Philippi. Yet God was at work in
each heart to bring out the best in
each person. God isn’t just
interested in giving us a new
spiritual birth—he desires to
sustain the newly conceived life he
has given to each of us.
We must remind
ourselves that God desires to carry
out his work in us and through us.
In
impossible times it is difficult to
know what to do or pray for.
However, we can pray for God to
intercede for us in ways we will
never be able to comprehend.
Romans 8:22-39
22 We know that the
whole creation has been groaning as
in the pains of childbirth right up
to the present time. 23 Not only so,
but we ourselves, who have the
firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for our
adoption as sons, the redemption of
our bodies. 24 For in this hope we
were saved. But hope that is seen is
no hope at all. Who hopes for what
he already has? 25 But if we hope
for what we do not yet have, we wait
for it patiently.
26 In the same way,
the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray
for, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groans that
words cannot express. 27 And he who
searches our hearts knows the mind
of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints in
accordance with God's will.
28 And we know that
in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been
called according to his purpose. 29
For those God foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the
likeness of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many
brothers. 30 And those he
predestined, he also called; those
he called, he also justified; those
he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall
we say in response to this? If God
is for us, who can be against us? 32
He who did not spare his own Son,
but gave him up for us all — how
will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things? 33
Who will bring any charge against
those whom God has chosen? It is God
who justifies. 34 Who is he that
condemns? Christ Jesus, who died —
more than that, who was raised to
life — is at the right hand of God
and is also interceding for us. 35
Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship
or persecution or famine or
nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As
it is written:
"For your sake we
face death all day long;
we are considered as
sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these
things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us. 38 For I
am convinced that neither death nor
life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers, 39 neither height
nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord. NIV
These verses remind
us of God’s eager willingness to
move heaven and earth as he works
out our salvation.
All of heaven is
involved in salvaging our lives.
Whom shall we fear—our God is our
salvation.
Conclusion:
Throughout the Bible
the lives of the faithful are
galvanizing and empowering God’s
people.
Isaiah was writing to the nation of
Israel as they drifted away from
God. They were going through tough
times as a result of God’s judgment.
Isaiah reminds them of God’s
faithfulness despite their
rebellion—despite those who rage
against them.
The following verses
are a ray of hope for those trying
to hold on to their faith.
Isaiah 46:3-4
3 "Listen to me, O
house of Jacob,
all you who remain of
the house of Israel,
you whom I have
upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried
since your birth.
4 Even to your old
age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who
will sustain you.
I have made you and I
will carry you;
I will sustain you
and I will rescue you. NIV
In faithless times
God not only encourages the
faithful; he also invites us to come
to him despite our rebellion and
sinful ways. God says:
Isaiah 41:14
14 Do not be afraid,
O worm Jacob,
O little Israel,
for I myself will
help you," declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 45:4-7
4 For the sake of
Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a
title of honor,
though you do not
acknowledge me.
5 I am the LORD, and
there is no other;
apart from me there
is no God.
I will strengthen
you,
though you have not
acknowledged me,
6 so that from the
rising of the sun
to the place of its
setting
men may know there is
none besides me.
I am the LORD, and
there is no other.
7 I form the light
and create darkness,
I bring prosperity
and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all
these things. NIV
We must allow these
stories to get a hold on us.
We must feel the very heart beat of
those living in faithless times. We
must allow our hearts to beat in
tune with their hearts. We must
recognize their struggles as our own
for they are the struggles of every
person choosing to turn to God in
faithless times.
Salvation history
seeks to move us beyond holding on
to ideas about God to living with
God as he seeks to salvage our
lives.
