Always Abounding - Fall 2019

A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE
by Pastor Jerry Ross
“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
I
love the King
James Bible. I love
the wording; so, to
those determined
to change it, I say,
“Leave it alone!”
It does not need
revised or rewritten.
Just preach it! Then,
watch it produce repentance, rebirth, and
revival.
I have also watched this wonderful
Holy Book get people through some pretty
tough times. In the forty-sixth Psalm, God
reminds us that He is our refuge and our
strength. Then he makes us a promise.
God promises to be a very present help
during times of trouble.
Notice the English grammar: “very
present help” (adverb, adjective, noun).
“Very” carries the meaning of being
vehemently, wholly, speedily, especially,
quickly, and exceedingly while the
adjective, “present” means to come forth,
to appear and exist, to be present or found.
What is God trying to communicate to
us through this verse? God is saying that
in life you will face trouble, but during
those times, He will be your refuge and
your strength. He then adds these three
wonderful words: very present help.
During trials and testings, He is there—
but not just there, very there! And not
just very there, but there for a specific
purpose—very there to bring aid and to
bring help. What this verse is teaching us
is that God’s presence intensifies during
times of trouble. God’s power amplifies
during times of trouble. Whenever one of
His children faces a Satanic attack, God has
promised to wholly, speedily, exceedingly,
especially, quickly, and mightily appear
and exist to help and aid you in your time
of trouble.
When you face tribulation, you have a
great opportunity to see God as you have
never seen Him before and to learn things
about God that you have never learned
before. During times of trouble, you have
an opportunity to become an eyewitness
to the intensified presence of God and
amplified power of God.
All through the Bible, we find stories
of God’s children facing trouble and then
experiencing the very present help of their
Father.
Moses’ newly freed children of Israel
faced the fickle fury of Pharaoh as he
changed his mind and pursued them,
pinning them against the Red Sea. In
this time of trouble, God became their
very present help! Soon, water stood at
attention while God’s people kicked up
dust as they crossed over on dry ground.
God was always there, but when they were
in trouble, God became very there.
Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel 3, decided
that three of God’s children should be
thrown into a furnace of fire because they
refused to worship his idol. Sometimes,
doing the right thing can get you into
trouble, but don’t worry about it. In that
furnace of fire, the Son of God became
their very present help.
I do not like trouble, but I like the
opportunity it gives me. When I face
14 | ALWAYS ABOUNDING