“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies” (Psalm 18:2-3).

David knew his strength came from God and that the Lord would never fail to protect him from enemy attack. Christians have that same assurance. God protects us. He is our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer. We may face human enemies, but the enemy may also be from entities in the supernatural realm. Satan and his minions lurk everywhere and will try to stumble us, but with God protecting us, we have nothing to fear.

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be with us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

The enemy may strike fear into our hearts, and he may even harm our mortal body, but for those of us who have chosen Christ for salvation, our eternal soul is safe.

A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD by Martin Luther

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

People have always faced troubles. Plagues, famine, and war are all part of living in this fallen world. Lately, the perils of the age in which we live seem overwhelming. God cannot be blamed for any of the frightening things we face. There is an ancient foe who is a liar and will stop at nothing to destroy humanity.

Adam and Eve were safe in the Garden of Eden and would have remained that way if they hadn’t broken God’s one rule: don’t eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Satan lied to Eve and convinced her to disobey God. Instead of believing God, she ate the fruit then convinced Adam to join in her disobedience. In so doing, God’s protection was breached.

All sin has consequences. When we choose to disobey God’s ways, we always pay a price for our sin. Satan has no love for mankind and will lead us into a life of destruction if we listen to his lies.

Satan again tried to destroy mankind using genetic manipulation to destroy the human genome, but Noah’s bloodline was pure because his family obeyed God, and they found protection through the judgment of the flood.

Job was a victim of Satan’s hatred of humans. He accused God of protecting Job. “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side: thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” (Job 1:10).

Satan knew God’s protection was around Job. Satan could not touch Him until God allowed it. Job suffered loss of fortune, loss of children, and loss of health, but he never lost faith in God. Today, we need to stay strong in our faith and not allow fear of disease, war, or famine to tear down our bulwark of protection. Indeed, God is a mighty fortress and a bulwark which never fails.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.

We like to feel as if we’re in control of everything. Many problems have come from people trying to “play God.” When we start to rely on ourselves or any human for truth, we won’t find it. Only God can arm us with spiritual weapons to fight the spiritual battle we face daily.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

It’s God’s armor and His strength we need. When you put on the armor of God, you need to follow Christ’s lead in battle. It’s no good to put on the helmet of salvation or wield the sword of the Spirit if you don’t follow Christ as your Commander in Chief. Obey God.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Don’t trust yourself in battles, whether spiritual or non-spiritual, but arm yourself with Scripture. Scriptural truth doesn’t change. The same God who created all things is the same God who shed His blood on the cross.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). He never changes.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

Satan is known by many names, and one of those names is the “god of this world.” That isn’t a compliment. This evil entity has nothing but contempt for us. He isn’t all-powerful but has managed to blind many people to the Gospel through lies and fear.

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine into them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Christians must share the Gospel with everyone we meet because the darkness of Satan can only be dispelled by the Light of God. Satan cannot stand against Jesus.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

The name of Jesus is powerful, and Satan cannot take possession of anyone who belongs to Christ. Many miracles are recorded in the Book of Acts which the Apostles did in the name of Jesus. The lame walked, the dead were raised, and demons were cast out of people, all in the name of Jesus. Jesus is the name above all names, and only through Him will the darkness of the evil one flee. Share the Gospel. Unless Christians share God’s truth, there will be many souls lost. Follow the example of the Apostles in Scripture on how to share the Gospel.

Peter and the other Apostles were arrested, beaten, and warned not to teach in the name of Jesus. When they were let out of prison, what did they do? They went right back to preaching in the name of Jesus. That’s the Scriptural way to spread the Gospel and come against Satan.

That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!

The power of the Holy Spirit is available to all Christians. When we truly accept Christ as our Saviour, the Holy Spirit is sealed within us.

Before His crucifixion, Jesus told of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17).

When a person hears the Gospel and believes, they are then sealed with the Holy Spirit. “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12-14).

If you are a Christian, God lives in you. He has given spiritual gifts that each of us needs to use for His glory. You may offend friends and family if you give your life to Christ and live for Him, but Jesus Christ needs to be honored by every Christian. It’s possible that you will be mocked, disowned, or even martyred for sharing the Gospel with others, but for a Christian, the death of this mortal body is the beginning of life in the presence of Christ.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). That’s a truth we can live with.

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

The Psalmist knew of God’s strength and power. Our Lord has been there to help humanity through troubles since Adam was created. God’s truth is written in Scripture, and if we learn the lessons recorded there, we will always trust God. Unfortunately, we humans tend to try to handle troubles all on our own instead of turning to God first. This error leads to a multitude of problems because we disobey God. The troubles we bring on ourselves can put fear into our hearts. Trusting in God is the way to prevent fear from overcoming us.

“Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah” (Psalm 46:2-3).

When God is our strength, we have nothing to fear.

We live in a turbulent time that was prophesied by prophets of God. The end of days is upon us, and Christians will soon be taken Home in the Rapture. Then the time of Jacob’s trouble will begin, and there will be seven years of horror followed by God’s judgment on Satan and his followers. Satan’s time is running out, and he’s doing all he can to strike fear into Christians and silence us. We need to remember that Christ Jesus is our Mighty Fortress and serve Him.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

David knew his Shepherd and wrote psalms of praise to Him. “[A Psalm of David]. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). David loved and trusted the Lord in good times and in bad times, and so should we.

Before David was king of Israel, he had been a shepherd and understood how dependent the sheep are upon their shepherd. It’s the duty of the shepherd to be sure the sheep are safe, protected, and well-fed. Storms may rage, and wolves may lurk nearby, but the shepherd is always vigilant. If the sheep don’t listen to their shepherd, they’ll fall into trouble. Christians also have a Shepherd, and if we don’t listen to His voice, we will also find much trouble. Of course, our Shepherd isn’t a mortal man. Our Shepherd is Jesus Christ. We need to hear His voice and follow Him. Jesus has enlisted men to be shepherds over the flock, and those men need to fear God and honor Him as they lead the congregation. We need men today who fear God and lead the flock in the ways of the Lord.

When Jesus walked and talked with His disciples, He taught them many things. He taught them the love of God, and He showed them how to share the Good News. Jesus led by example. He was a carpenter by trade, but He didn’t use that as a gimmick, hoping that by repairing a roof or building something for a lost soul, they would come to salvation. He shared the Good News that the Messiah had come.

After the resurrection, and before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus met with the disciples on the shores of Galilee. It was important that the disciples understood what they needed to do. Peter was very troubled. He had denied knowing Jesus and was ashamed. In spite of this, Jesus had a special calling for Peter. He was to care for the flock. Jesus said, “…Feed my lambs” (John 21:15b). Lambs are the little ones. They are believers who aren’t ready for solid food but need milk to help them grow. Then Jesus told Peter twice to “…Feed my sheep” (John 21:16b & John 21:17b). If the sheep aren’t fed properly, the flock will die. If they aren’t given proper food, there’ll be no lambs to feed.

We see this tragedy happening in congregations today. Instead of teaching the pure word of God, pastors tickle ears and preach agendas rather than the Gospel. Books are taught that are written by humans instead of Scripture, which is God-breathed. Today we live in the very end of days, and this period of time is described in a letter that Jesus dictated to John.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

When Scripture is a secondary teaching, Jesus is excluded. Brothers and sisters, today Jesus is on the outside of many congregations. The shepherds are neglecting the sheep.

In speaking of the end times, Paul gave this warning, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1). Paul listed some things that would be accepted in the end, not only accepted by the world but within congregations. Some of these end-of-days evils are blasphemers, people with no natural affection, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, and people who have a form of godliness but deny His power. “…from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5b).

Does your pastor encourage you to turn away from such things, or does he teach from human books instead of teaching verse by verse through Scripture? You cannot know all of God’s truth if you pick and choose what verses you study and take them out of context or twist their meaning. Don’t wait for your pastor to teach you. Scripture is there for you to study.

If you say you have no time to study Scripture but make time to watch television, shame on you. Television doesn’t lead to a God-honoring life. Do you watch preachers on TV and think you’ve found a good shepherd? Name it and claim it, prosperity gospel, “send me money and I’ll pray for you” preaching are all false teachings. What about reading? Do you read self-help books, purpose-driven books, new age books, or “yoga and you” books? If so, you’re following the wrong shepherd. They may sound good, but Paul warns, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5). Instead of wasting time with such things, study Scripture. It’s God’s word.

Peter took the instructions from Jesus to heart. He allowed himself to be led by the Holy Spirit, and because of that, he was a wonderful shepherd to his flock, and we can learn from him. Peter wrote two letters filled with nourishing food for the sheep. He tells us that in the last days, there will be people who don’t take God’s word seriously.

“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour” (2 Peter 3:1-2).

Peter wanted his flock to avoid false teaching, so he encouraged them to study Scripture. That’s where truth is found.

Many pastors avoid prophecy, and Sunday school material is very shallow, so the flock is starving. The Old Testament is as important to study as the New Testament, and both need to be taught rather than books written by humans. In the verse above, Peter said to pay attention to “…words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.” That isn’t hard to understand.

Peter did indeed feed the lambs and the sheep on Scripture, but false shepherds have infiltrated the flock. We live in the last days, and as Paul said, we live in perilous times. The sheep need to be alert because the shepherds are failing. Paul commended the people of Berea because they didn’t just believe what someone told them, but “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). Christians today would be wise to be like the Bereans in order to avoid false teachings.

Paul warned of perilous times, and so did Peter. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

Is that the way you see it? Is everything today the same as it was five years ago? Ten years ago? If you think all’s well, then you haven’t been paying attention. You’re one of the scoffers…a malnourished sheep.

The prophets of old spoke many prophecies that are being fulfilled today. Israel is back in their God-given land; the stage is being set for the wars to come about as described by the prophets of old; technology has advanced to the point where the whole world can look at their cell phone and see what’s happening across the globe; and genetic manipulation is ushering in the “days of Noe” (Noah) as foretold by Jesus. If you don’t understand what was happening during the days of Noah, then you need to do an honest study of Genesis chapter 6 and be sure that you don’t allow your genes to be altered in any way. The Rapture is on the very near horizon. Shepherds don’t teach truth, and the flock doesn’t care.

“For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:5-7).

Willingly ignorant? How? Instead of the shepherds teaching God’s word as fact, Darwin becomes the authority. When God’s truth is compromised, many false teachings ease their way in, and New Age lies are taught, Yoga is practiced, contemplative prayer and many false teachings are followed rather than Scripture. Many shepherds don’t respect God and Scripture. We need God-fearing shepherds who don’t lead the flock astray.

Jesus warned of false teachers who will try to steal the flock from the Shepherd. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber, but he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:1-2).

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, so if you aren’t being fed on His word, then you’re being fed by a thief and a robber. Too often, the false doctrines are very close to Scripture, but close isn’t good enough. If you don’t know Scripture, then you will be easily duped. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and it’s His voice we need to follow.

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep” (John 10:11-13).

Be careful of the hirelings who preach and teach things not found in Scripture. Jesus gave His life for us, so honor Him by following Him.

There is only one Gospel that will bring salvation. The Gospel of Jesus Christ…His death, burial, and resurrection. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

That’s a blessing. Christians are one in the Lord…one in our Good Shepherd. We need to feed on His word. He directed His sheep to spread the Gospel to the lost. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

It’s a shame that what passes for evangelism and missionary work today are gimmicks, and the Gospel is a secondary thought. That’s not what Jesus taught. That’s not following the Great Commission.

We need God-fearing shepherds who aren’t ashamed to speak God’s truth. We need God-fearing shepherds who use the pulpit to teach God’s word even if it makes the flock uncomfortable or jeopardizes the tax-exempt status. If the man in the pulpit where you worship is a God-fearing shepherd who feeds the flock healthy and nourishing food of Scripture, thank God for him. These men are few and far between.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.