E1 - Heaven Land Devotions - Joanie & Brook Fellowship - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

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Welcome to our first ever broadcast of the "Joanie & Brook Fellowship" episode today. There was no better way than for us to start off with Psalm 46. Which historically had to do with a war of foreign invading armies that surrounded Jerusalem. Brook begins by sharing some very deeply touching church history surrounding this particular Psalm.

During Martin Luther's day, the Bubonic plague was quickly causing deaths in the little town of Wittenberg. At that time there was an order for him to flee with his son and pregnant wife. He defied the order and chose to stay. His son nearly died in his arms. Death and disease were taking a toll on him.

Those early November weeks of the plague were definitely a difficult and bittersweet time for the Luther household. In the midst of all this affliction, the tenth anniversary of the posting of the Ninety-five Theses also passed. Some scholars have argued that it was during these weeks of plague-ridden death, risk, stress, and heartache, that Luther penned this majestic and comforting hymn Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress is our God).

That beautiful song was written from Psalm 46. No doubt something that kept his faith alive, and strength to endure during the worst time in his life. There is a verse in this Psalm that says, "There is a river, the streams thereof shall make glad the city of God." So we see that though the most extreme things that can happen, God will see to it that you know "there is a river" and that river has streams. Those streams are His mercies that endure forever.

"The farmer does not sift his wheat because he dislikes it, but just the opposite; he sifts it because it is precious. And thou, child of God, thy trials and changes, and constant catastrophes, and afflictions, are no proofs of want of affection on the part of the Most High, but the very contrary." ~ Charles H. Spurgeon