The Lord Our Sanctuary

Temple Baptist Church - 2-15-2009

Psalms 91:1-16

Introduction:

A. One of the most notable and quotable of all Psalms is the 91st. I remember, during the last days of Bro. Merrill Smith’s life, I read this Psalm to him over and over again. He would close his eyes and listen as I read and the peace of God was in his heart as I finished. The wonder of this Psalm never grew old to him.

B. It is a Psalm that describes the life of the believer from the moment of his salvation until he finally reaches home. In these verses we find:

1. Jesus Christ Is The Place Of Our Dwelling
2. Jesus Christ Is The Person Of Our Distress
3. Jesus Christ Is The Promise Of Our Defense
4. Jesus Christ Is The Peace Of Our Deliverance
5. Jesus Christ Is The Pleasures Of Our Days

C. The child of God is not exempt from all problems but is given the blessed assurance that God will be there with us and for us through them all and in verse 16 says, “With long life will I satisfy him.” Long life is not necessarily satisfying in itself. Many people live a long, regrettable life. They either destroy their lives or end up in an old folks home or nursing home for years with little or no visits. I had rather go on to Heaven personally.

D. Here we find the promise of being satisfied with a long life! Life is not made up of what you have here.

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

E. Satisfaction of life consists of who and what you are. It consists of what you have done with and for Christ. It consists of contentment with what you have and not what you do not have.

1. You cannot find your satisfaction in the things of the world because they are subject to change.

2. You cannot find your satisfaction in monetary things because they can take wings and fly.

3. You cannot find your satisfaction in people alone because they can turn on you.

F. You can be saved and know it and, yet, dissatisfied and remorseful when you come to old age. God wants us to prosper.

3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

G. Here are a few things that we need to find our satisfaction in.

1. We Can Find Satisfaction In Our Conversion – Our Dwelling

a. Contentment In His Salvation - Psalms 90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. (Where would I be without Christ?)

b. Contentment In His Sanctuary - Psalms 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

Psalms 65:4 Blessed [is the man whom] thou choosest, and causest to approach [unto thee, that] he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, [even] of thy holy temple. (Where would I be without the Church?)

2. We Can Find Satisfaction In Our Circumstances – Our Dilemmas

a. Contentment With His Goodness In Problems - Psalms 37:19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. (I am not always spiritual enough to like problems but His hand still satisfies in them.)

b. Contentment With His Guidance In Problems - Isaiah 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (When I do not know what to do I just learn to “let her drive” and God controls through His sovereign providence and protection.)

3. We Can Find Satisfaction In Our Contentment – Our Desires

a. Contentment With His Provisions - Psalms 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. (I have enough!)

Proverbs 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding.

Proverbs 12:14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of [his] mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

Jeremiah 31:14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

b. Contentment With His Protection, Promises, and Person - Hebrews 13:5 [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content. (I am His and I am in His hand!)

4. We Can Find Satisfaction In Our Commitment – Our Dependence

a. Content With My Preservation - 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (I have eternal, everlasting, forever and ever life!!! Eternally secure and safe!)

b. Content With My Prospect - Psalms 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (One day soon, it will be over. I will be in Heaven with Him. I will have a new body. I will have a new home. I will have all that He has. I know that I shall be eternally satisfied!)