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[0:00] as the Lord may be pleased to help me I seek to draw your attention to the first chapter of Nahum and reading verse 7 Nahum chapter 1 verse 7 The Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him The Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him

[1:03] What a full verse this is of love and instruction of the Lord And oh may God in his mercy lead us into this verse tonight that we too might be able to say Amen So let it be and then thus to testify that the Lord is good and a stronghold in the day of trouble He knoweth them that trust in him Why to trust in the Lord is a blessed and wonderful thing We cannot trust in the Lord but by his grace because trusting involves faith and this we are certain that our faith is given to us by the grace of God to believe in God

[2:18] So Nahum records it here The Lord is good and how good the Lord is unto his people Yea, that in their times of trouble he is still good to them that they can be brought indeed to trust in him Often there are many debts and hindrances to trusting in people We might say they cannot be trusted or they have let them down in times past They cannot trust in them because they haven't got the resources necessary to help you and to support you But with the Lord there is nothing nothing in short everything is perfectly provided

[3:21] Why? The world is his The contents of the world are his Yea, heaven is his And do you know what?

[3:34] Why? Poor, wretched sinners' souls are his Because he has redeemed them by his own blood He paid that price for them which nobody else could pay the price for And that soul that knows himself undone lost and ruined in the fall Why?

[4:01] They are brought to trust in him Yea, and his great salvation They are brought to trust in him in their approaches unto him My friend he sees the poor sinner coming and he knows indeed what they are coming for He knows their name and he knows their nature too So when we come before him we do not take him by surprise When he answers us he doesn't answer us in such a way whereby he has to change his mind afterwards Oh no There's no second thoughts with the Almighty The Lord is good and therefore what are approaches to him and his answers to us they are perfect

[5:05] No wonder one said of old As for God his way is perfect and that's what he is good We look at this verse here tonight from this one point of view and that is Why is the Lord good?

[5:27] That is because there's no sin in him whatsoever There's no need of any revision on his part but we can trust in him yea that his promises he makes to us are for ever and ever We may change but he never never changes but be sure of this if we change you have still a yet a change in hand to come because the Lord will heal the backsliding sinner and cause him to approach unto him for sure it is sin that brings us into trouble why the Lord is good and that is comforting to us that we may approach unto him with all our sin and with all our shame when conviction comes upon us you have brought all these troubles upon yourselves though we may vow and declare it was not our fault but the

[6:52] Lord is good in dealing with us our pride he's good in dealing with us indeed in our idolatry in that he does not cut us off though he may cut off our idol from us how compassionate it is he never never will have a competitor in his relationship with his people never never friend the Lord is good and though so unreliable we may have proved to be he carries on his work in love yea to clear us from our idols yea and to worship only him friend what a mercy it is and therefore Nahum can surely say he is a stronghold in the day of trouble a stronghold how good it is that he is a stronghold and what do we know about the meaning of a stronghold a safe place to be it is as simple as that a safe place to be we talk about strongholds in this life where precious things are preserved and kept away from the theft away from the moss and away from the thief often the combs that cannot be overcome by fire or by water no that's what we have a stronghold for that when the fire is over when the floods are passed that those it has the key to open the stronghold and to find that these precious things are all intact but friends what is that to be compared with the

[9:10] Lord Jesus Christ he is the keeper of his saints he's a stronghold in the day of trouble not the things we have but friends but what we are does he not put his people under his care and under his protection that which he seemeth to take away might often prove to be before our God the Lord of stronghold in the day of trouble that he brings the poor sinner to his desired haven he brings them there and they are without spot or blemish because because no sin indeed can come where the Lord does work by his free and sovereign grace the

[10:13] Lord is God he put them there under the shoulder and his protection how often it would seem that Satan would love to come and point out all our sinful imperfections and I say we've got nothing to protect ourselves and I say it is a day of trouble but what does he tell the Lord's people they might as well give up their God because they're lost and there's no hope for them whatsoever what a stronghold it is in the day of trouble he holds the poor sinner up where the enemy would cast them down he put the poor sinner out of

[11:14] Satan's rage that they might be brought to believe in him alone yet as their stronghold but often it must be said and can be said the Lord is good he pardons and he forgives all my sin has washed me and cleansed me without price yea he cleansed his gift of our salvation yea which is eternal life through Jesus Christ forever and ever the Lord the Lord is good when we look at our sins and the troubles that our sins do bring us in we might certainly wish we had never done those things but my friends the seed is sown the deed is done and it is down to us

[12:17] I say the liability of it we cannot blame anyone else we certainly can't blame the almighty but I say who can make rough places plain and crooked bars straight friends the Lord is good he listens to the cry of the poor sinner in the time of his trouble it is he that speaks peace pardon and forgiveness yet of all our sins the Lord is good my friends he brings the repenting sinner unto him and that is good we're out before we have chosen the way that is not right and acceptable in God's sight the way of ruin that leads down down like easy stairs oh yes and how it proves indeed for our undoing as sorrow yea does he not punish us yea he does indeed but the

[13:38] Lord is still good that he lays his rod upon us yes indeed no chastening for the present seems to be joyous but grievous oh the Lord is Lord a stronghold in the day of trouble how good he is to the repentant soul yes what a need there is for repentance repentance and what is repentance why it is a change of heart a change of outlook a change of desires as I often have put it at home it's a change of direction I say though we may reluctantly be for any change of direction but determined to pursue the things that have brought us down reluctant indeed to give them up my friend well you might well say but what can you do with them my friend the Lord is God he is a stronghold in the day of trouble he puts us in that stronghold where he alone can come where he alone can teach and he alone can instruct us and I say in looking back in retrospect we have to say

[15:20] I would not now have any different it has taught me the way of eternal life in such a way as I could not learn and understand in any other way in dealing with me how good the Lord is that he understands us through and through that is a wonderful thing to me that he understands the poor sinners cry often we might say to a child will stop crying and tell me what the trouble is that I can't understand what you're saying when you're crying so but my friend the Lord can he knows why you're crying he can in day oh I say he heareth the cry does he know not of the poor and often needy he hears their cries and their desires when they are a long long way off when by his grace he turns their heart and renews their will and turns their feet to the

[16:45] Zion's hill oh how good the Lord is do you know what it is to be caught up in some mold of false professors and so to be influenced by them and their ways may have shown great enthusiasm to it whereby we we could say I can go along with them and all but thus be wrapped up in something which is erroneous and contrary to his mind and will my friend the Lord is God a stronghold in the time of trouble but there we are trusting in ourselves trusting in what man can do trusting indeed what we have revised of the word of God my friend and we live to prove it or never do so he shuts us up in his stronghold to teach us and to lead us that he alone can show to us what is

[17:58] God I say what a merciful and pardoning God we have that he puts his people in that stronghold and whereby Satan can no more have the victory over them whereby they are able to resist the devil and he will flee from them the Lord is God only in his stronghold can we resist the devil some might think resisting the devil is quite an easy matter but how often we have proved it to be to the contrary it causes us to cry out before him and thus we may feel to be in Satan's prison and shut up on every side destitute and poor and needy fearing it can only be a matter of time for which we cast out his sight forever the Lord is God my friend it is he that sets the poor sinner at liberty and Satan cannot say anything about it when Jesus says loose him and let him go there can be no opposition to his word not even

[19:38] Satan oh I say how good the Lord is what should he want that a vile sinner as me for to loose him and let him go it can only be that we might be a trophy of his grace and of his mercy that I say all the honour and glory might be to his great and holy name that this is once a sinner that died in sin and iniquity who has been freed and released by the precious atoning blood of Jesus Christ I say what he needs a stronghold for friends what do you need a stronghold for and what it is the same for you it is for me I tell you what it is for me that he might keep me and preserve me from backsliding again from doing the same things over and over again a stronghold he is a stronghold in his teaching with us friends it is not always with strokes of punishment as such it may be with the stroke of love upon us which crushes us humbles us under his almighty hand when we have to come before him sorrowful and weeping that we have been such wretched unreliable sinners why the

[21:23] Lord is God a stronghold in the day of trouble has the Lord given to you some sweet promise some sweet hope concerning yourself or concerning your family and so on hope oh we might like Abraham might have said oh that Ishmael might live before thee friends Ishmael to never never be Isaac can't hate the Lord is God but Isaac is not born the very thought of one being born is beyond reality but my friends the time came at the old age of Abraham being 99 years old and 100 years old when he was born and I believe that

[22:31] Sarah she was 90 years old it will make people laugh would it not but friends we shouldn't work laugh let God's work I will work and who shall let it my friend the Lord is God his promise his covenant will stand and no do we not look and remember how at the age of I think 16 God told him to take the lad and offer him up as a sacrifice upon Mount Moriah oh the Lord is good oh the child he brought the question to him we often have the question brought to us well we've got part of what we need for sacrifice but the most vital thing is missing is missing oh

[23:35] I say something missing there's never there will be anything missing when God calls us to make a sacrifice God will himself provide a love and I say what teaching there is in that and how we would bless him for the same oh that nothing is missing all was found in Jesus Christ on Calvary what was needed for the sacrifice it must be a beast without spot and without blemish it must be indeed nothing no one else than the Lord Jesus Christ with no other soul was born into this world yes that without spot or without blemish and that very person that very one that to die and suffer for sin but not his own oh can we say oh but for mine also

[24:56] I say and can we not say the Lord is good that he should suffer in the sinner's place and stairs why have thy sins brought thee into trouble to wrestle and to groan before God oh dost thou pray to him Lord shut me up in thy pavilion shut me up in thy stronghold that I may be kept from the strife and power of tongues has a great effect upon us doesn't it the power of tongues how we find that our younger friends today they have much to endure don't don't you have this don't you do that don't you know the value of these things and the advantages you will have if you do these things friends the

[26:00] Lord is a stronghold in the time of trouble yea he has more to give and can yield more than all the modern instruments of man which may not only yield profit but they also yield condemnation and sin and iniquity oh I say the Lord is God a stronghold in the day of trouble oh do you cry with Solomon sorry do you cry with Solomon turn off mine eyes from beholding vanity vanity oh what is vanity things that are not real things indeed that are unprofitable things that promise much but do not give anything and will take away more than they give

[27:01] I say the Lord is good he takes away those things and the desire of those things that we may not be robbed of our better joys in other words they may not come between us and Jesus Christ who he is brought to know and to love yes to know my Jesus crucified by far excels all else beside is that really so with you are the Lord is Lord does he not teach us this that we need him more and more it's not a one off thing but rather it is a continual thing many things we can't live without but there's one thing we cannot live without and that's what dear

[28:05] Mary knew and felt when she sat at the feet of Jesus her sister didn't seem to understand what was involved in Mary's heart but judged and assessed her as being somebody that was idle and lazy oh I say see the way Jesus teaches Martha I believe she was a good soul yes she was but my friends even people who are good are apt to make mistakes God forbid that we should judge and assess them the Lord is a stronghold in the day of trouble Martha Martha they were careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful one thing not two one thing how many things have you got on your mind and where do you know it is needful

[29:17] I must see to that I must do that and so they have priority over the one thing that is needful we don't we don't know how soon we shall be taken from the scene of life yes and therefore all not to have that one thing that is needful must bring about a solemn destination but I say to be found in that stronghold in Jesus Christ how blessed and great is that person the Lord is good as stronghold in the day of trouble to lead and to teach and to profit us oh it does he not speak unto one of the churches in Asia he said be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life you think of it oh be strong faithful unto death we need to have him as our stronghold faithful unto death keeping us in the right direction involved in the right thing yea teaching us how to pray and pray aright not to pray as before men and to please the tinkling ears no but

[31:00] God be faithful unto death that is indeed exalting Jesus Christ on him alone oh Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful oh that one thing is Jesus that might be our strong hold to give us a full protection a church we often read don't we on some insurance policies especially car insurance that this policy is comprehensive.

[31:49] You're protected in every way until you read the small print where it speaks of the things you will not be protected for.

[32:02] Many things think that it will be your liability and therefore it's not comprehensive at all. But friends, with the Lord Jesus Christ, I say when we are insured by him, we have to say my life's minutest circumstance is subject to his eye.

[32:29] The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. Everything is accounted for.

[32:39] What wonderful indeed. For we have to say, we don't know what's going to go next, what will be wrong. Why, my friend, how true that is.

[32:54] We begin the day with sorrow and grief. We may well end the day with joy and happiness because the Lord is good.

[33:08] Or it may be the complete reverse. We begin the day with sorrow. We begin the day with joy.

[33:18] And oh, many things have not come up to our expectation. And more things have been laid as our liability.

[33:30] I say, what is more, that I have got nothing to pie with because the Lord declares that the punishment of sin is death.

[33:48] Yes, the death of the wicked, friends, a solemn death, is it not? Fear indeed, oh, to be in lack of him.

[34:01] But no, the truth is this, the Lord is good. We are brought to that one and only one place. And that is to the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer.

[34:18] The Lord is good. He is a great high priest forever. After the order of Melchizedek, he will not have to be replaced.

[34:31] But he is forever the same. Yes, all sweet truth is, isn't it? Jesus Christ. The same.

[34:42] I like that. The same. Yesterday. And to die. And forever. My friends, thou didst cheer the soul that sunk so long.

[34:58] As of the sweetness as they need may surround. And that lastly turns our eyes to the right, in the right direction.

[35:10] Are your eyes looking in the right direction tonight? Are you looking in the right direction in the time of your trouble? Whatever that trouble might be, brought to the Lord Jesus Christ.

[35:27] Oh, that hymn, not in our hymn book, is it? But take it to the Lord in prayer. Yes, it's big again and again.

[35:40] Take it to the Lord in prayer. That's a good note to be honest and dear. it is a note of praise to him who's ever ready to listen and to answer prayer.

[35:56] But the worst goes on, does it not, to say, and he knoweth them that trust in him, and he knoweth them that trust in him.

[36:11] Just briefly, first then, he knows them that trust in him because he's given the grace to trust in him. He will not be offended that.

[36:24] He will not look down upon us in disdain because we trust in him and what we are. But he welcomes that sinner whom he causes by his grace.

[36:38] He knows them. What a wonderful thing that is. We might tremble at this point and say, well, what makes me tremble when the Lord knoweth all about me?

[36:54] I believe he knows all about the sinner's prayers. When they pour out their soul before him, nothing is kept back.

[37:06] All is revealed and all is told to him, but he already knows it that he waits to hear and answer prayer. Now, some souls may be bound like this with regard to the ordinances of his house.

[37:27] They say, I am not good enough, I am not ready for such a thing as this. My friend, if we tarry till we are ready, we will never come at all.

[37:44] But the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. He makes us ready by trusting in him. And what can the poor sinner trust in Jesus Christ for, by that precious blood, he did shed upon Calvary to pardon and put away the sins of his people, that he might redeem them from the bondage that they were once in, to redeem them that they might be his forever and ever.

[38:25] We are told that not one of them shall be lost, not a hope shall be left behind. My friend, oh, the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble.

[38:40] He knoweth them that trust in him. That word of the scripture was often upon my mind. he knoweth our frame, he remembers that we are dust.

[38:58] We may often forget that truth, that we are dust. He made us from the dust. But in each one, I say, there's a living soul that is a spirit within him.

[39:15] He knoweth our frame, and our disposition. Just a word here. It's not an uncommon thing for people to say when their thoughts and failures are pointed out to them.

[39:33] Well, that is my disposition, and therefore they'll have to put up with it. I can't alter it, I can't change it, and nor can they. Friend, he knoweth our frame when we say that, that we are haughty and proud and arrogant.

[39:53] He knows exactly how to change our frame, our disposition, that instead of lifting ourselves, he'll humble us under his almighty hand.

[40:09] Yes, how true that is, and he knoweth them that trust in him, whereby brought, delivered from self, and I say, transfers in thought and spirit to trust in Jesus Christ.

[40:34] Oh, where I've failed in the past, this dear Jesus can never fail. How unable I am to pledge my cause before God the Father, gain access to him that he will liberate me, and oh, save me, on the count of my excellent speech, not so, and brought to trust in Jesus Christ on him alone.

[41:06] the apostle Paul, right into the Philippians, expresses his desire that I might be found in him.

[41:18] Friends, what a beautiful expression that is, be found in him, in him as being our representative, leaving indeed all to him to save us and to deliver us from the judgment of our own sin and transgression.

[41:40] He knoweth them that trust in him. Oh, we may in the past have sought to hide ourselves from him, but through the grace of God we're now brought to hide ourselves in him as a sure hiding place, a stronghold and a refuge, from the judgment which is to come, to hide ourselves in his love and faithfulness, but he said, I'll never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

[42:18]  Amen.