"I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in Whom I will trust; my shield and...my salvation, my stronghold....The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid....The snares of death confronted me....By You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall....He is a shield to all who trust in Him." (From Psalm 18)
And some still insist that the Bible is irrelevant.
"The Practice of the Presence of God." Are you? I need this more than anything. If you and I are to survive in this evil and wicked generation, there is just no other way than to "Practice the Presence of God." Our text today reveals the steadfast peace of the person who is continually aware of, "The Lord...my Shepherd," as in Jesus, "I am the Good Shepherd." David's continual strength was in his Shepherd, Jesus. "For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." (Psalm 18:28)
If I am continually aware of The Presence, then I am secure in Jesus Christ, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." No, this does not mean I will not die, nor be killed by some terrorist act, etc. It does mean, however, that there is no weapon in Satan's arsenal nor that of his servants which can destroy you and me. "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you." The word for, "near," can also be translated, "overtake." Could it mean, "catch up with us to capture and destroy us?" Never, ever forget the Word of Jesus that while others may die, you and I will not, "Whoever lives and believes (obeys)...Me shall never die." He then asked, "Do you believe this?" What so many in American Christendom quote and "believe" so glibly may some day be discovered as their very "life or death."
As I have shared before, I told our children when they were still fairly young that "some day the world will come home." On September 11, 2001, it did. And it continues to "come home." I can also tell you that they will not leave; they are here to stay. Now perhaps what so many other Followers of Jesus have deeply relied upon through the centuries, The American Church will have to do a "reality check." Do we? Nothing brings home the "wonderful words of life," the Words of Jesus, than suffering, fear, uncertainty of the future. Abiding in Jesus, aka, "The Practice of the Presence of God," is the cure, the sustenance of the one in whom Jesus Christ lives. "As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." (v. 30)
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You just continue to "prove" Yourself to me. Amen.
And some still insist that the Bible is irrelevant.
"The Practice of the Presence of God." Are you? I need this more than anything. If you and I are to survive in this evil and wicked generation, there is just no other way than to "Practice the Presence of God." Our text today reveals the steadfast peace of the person who is continually aware of, "The Lord...my Shepherd," as in Jesus, "I am the Good Shepherd." David's continual strength was in his Shepherd, Jesus. "For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness." (Psalm 18:28)
If I am continually aware of The Presence, then I am secure in Jesus Christ, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper." No, this does not mean I will not die, nor be killed by some terrorist act, etc. It does mean, however, that there is no weapon in Satan's arsenal nor that of his servants which can destroy you and me. "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you." The word for, "near," can also be translated, "overtake." Could it mean, "catch up with us to capture and destroy us?" Never, ever forget the Word of Jesus that while others may die, you and I will not, "Whoever lives and believes (obeys)...Me shall never die." He then asked, "Do you believe this?" What so many in American Christendom quote and "believe" so glibly may some day be discovered as their very "life or death."
As I have shared before, I told our children when they were still fairly young that "some day the world will come home." On September 11, 2001, it did. And it continues to "come home." I can also tell you that they will not leave; they are here to stay. Now perhaps what so many other Followers of Jesus have deeply relied upon through the centuries, The American Church will have to do a "reality check." Do we? Nothing brings home the "wonderful words of life," the Words of Jesus, than suffering, fear, uncertainty of the future. Abiding in Jesus, aka, "The Practice of the Presence of God," is the cure, the sustenance of the one in whom Jesus Christ lives. "As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." (v. 30)
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You just continue to "prove" Yourself to me. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
