The LORD's Day March 9, 2008

Our Tower of Strength

Proverbs 18.1-10


The Proverbs speak about life. Last week we spoke about fiery trials. This morning we are looking at a promise that gives us hope and comfort in all kinds of trials and trouble. Part of life includes times when we have trouble.

It is interesting that often a response to trouble is to run. As a pastor for over 28 years now I have watched people encounter difficulty and say things like “I got to get out of here,” or “I need to get away from this.” The natural reaction to trouble is to run from it.

The real question of life is not running from it. I love that Keith Green song “You Can Run To The End of the Highway”.

Well you can run to the end of the highway and not find what you're looking for,
No, it won't make your troubles disappear.
And you can search to the end of the highway and come back no better than before.
To find yourself you've got to start right here.

Well I came running when I got the news that you were leaving.
I've gotta talk some sense to you, cause I'm your friend.
You say you want to hit the road cause life is so deceiving.
Do you think it's different at the other end?

Oh I came running when I got the news that you were crying.
Oh my friend has life been so unkind to you?
You say you want to find a place where people are not lying.
If you find a place like that I'll go there too.

The real question of life is what are you running to?
The righteous run to the Tower of the Name of the LORD.

1. What does this mean “The Name of the LORD is a strong Tower?”

The character of God is in all His Names. The things we call the LORD, “Jesus, Father, Almighty God...” all reflect wonderfully Who He is. His Name reveals His Character.

His name bring us strength. Psalm 46.1 God is our refuge and strength- an ever present help in times of trouble. One time when I was just a kid I remember looking in my mother’s Bible and seeing this verse underlined.

His name bring us protection.
Jesus’ prayer for our protection. John 17.11 Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name—the name you gave Me—so that they may be one as We are one.

His name brings us peace. He is our peace. He is called the Prince of Peace. He will keep us in perfect peace. His peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

2. The righteous run to this tower.
Look at the next verse. The rich trust in their wealth. The righteous trust in their God Proverbs 11.4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

One of the many deceitful things about wealth is that people think it will bring them happiness and peace. Another thing that the rich think is that it will help them when disaster strikes. Just the opposite is true. The only security is eternal security and that is found in abiding in Christ.

*Those who know Jesus have fled to Him in times of trouble for their refuge.
What more can He say than to you He has said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

*The righteous run to it because they know Jesus will never let them down.
Jesus never fails. Jesus promised that He would always be with us. He is with us

*The righteous run to it because it is the only place where they find what they need.
The world is not going to give you what you need when trouble comes. I have overheard some of the most foolish, godless advice coming from people in a very feeble attempt to give a person help in their time of need. Get your direction from the Word of God

*The righteous run to it because there will be others there who are in need.
There is a fellowship of sharing in Jesus’s sufferings. The picture He draws for us when He told us to pick up our crosses and follow Him is one of a group of believers. We all share in His sufferings. We share in each others. Find a mature believer when you are going through some deep waters who have gone through similar things in their life and there you will find help, direction and sound counsel. Go to some one who is a fly by night, unstable and that is the type of advice you will get.

The righteous run to it because they know Jesus waits for them there.
This is the place of prayer. What a Friend We Have in Jesus

The righteous run to it because there is safety there
More about that in a moment.


3. The action of running.

I have done some things in my yard and have created some problems.
Leaf mulch, more worms, shrews have come, Eastern Shriek Owl has come for the shrews.

Bird feeder, brings birds...Pigeons and the Cooper’s Hawk in the yard. They flee like crazy These Rock Doves know that if they don’t cut through the air as rapidly as they can there is no hope. The hawk will devour them.

The righteous run to it and they are safe. They don’t see if they can handle the evil or the enemy. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he fled. He didn’t hang around to see if he was strong enough to resist her. And when you are in a situation like that get out of there Don’t wait to see how strong you are.

Peter thought he was strong. Jesus told him, “Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you.”

It is a lot harder to run than it is to stay. I think of the kids in college today. I know it has to be tough. The great pressure on kids today. I know things were wicked back in my day. But the pressure, the wickedness is greater today. Words that we heard from time to time have become part of “normal” conversation today among young people. God help us. God help them God help you flee.

Flee the evil desires of youth, Paul wrote to Timothy. Flee sexual immorality Paul wrote to the Corinthians (I Corinthians 6.18) (10.14) Flee from idolatry.


4. The result of this running is that they are safe.
Safely set on high/ Securely set on high

To be high, inaccessibly high Psalm 18.33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights.

To be too high for capture Psalm 91

To be high of prosperity. Our souls can prosper in the worst of times. When we are on the run to our Tower of Strength.

To be exalted (of God) Psalm 78.69 He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that He established forever.

If we humble ourselves by running to the LORD, our Tower of Strength we will be safe. He will bring us to Himself, He will set us securely on high places, heavenly places in Christ Jesus. No harm can come to us there. This is the place of prayer, the place of hiding in Christ, the place where we are dwelling in His Word and His Word is dwelling in us.
We see these things in John 15.

So when we find ourselves in distress, in tight spots, in temptation, we run to the LORD our Tower of Strength. We dare not lean on our own understanding. We dare not trust in our strength or wisdom. We need Jesus.



We will leave here in a moment. We’ll fellowship for a while then we are heading back out into the world. We will find ourselves in the spiritual battle. We’ll find ourselves needing to flee to Jesus. Don’t let the enemy trick you into thinking that you can do it on your own.
That is a sure way to fall.


Get up on the heights, the high place with the LORD.


Stay close to Jesus.