"His Truth Shall Be Your Shield"

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty....His truth shall be your shield and buckler." (Psalm 91:1 &4c)

Notice that, "He who dwells (sits, remains)...shall abide...."  There is no separation between, "dwells," and, abide."  This is continual, moment by moment everywhere, at all times, 24/7/366, "....in the secret place of the Most High...."  For me, "the secret place..," is Jesus Christ. 

I have had this Psalm memorized ever since my Bible "smuggling" days.  What I saw this morning was that the armor of, "He who dwells..," is, "His truth...."  Furthermore, the Interlinear tells us that a, "buckler," is "something which surrounds a person."  The word for, "shield," is the word for "something like a fishing spear."  Sort of reminds me of, "the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God."  Indeed, the NLT says, "His faithful promises are your armor and protection."  The idea here is that dwelling, "in the secret place," in Jesus Christ, you and I are completely covered, surrounded in the Living Triune God by, "His faithful promises."  It would be very good to be familiar with, "His faithful promises"!

It is, "His truth," or, "His faithful promises," which is our, "shield and buckler (surrounding)."  If I consider my, "shield and buckler," as anything other than His "Truth/promises", I am defenseless.  If, however, I take the "fishing spear," viz., "the sword of the Spirit," I have the only weapon which can deliver me from, "....the destruction that lays waste at noonday," or, "rescue you from every trap...," again, "His truth/faithful promises."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You for the surrounding protection of, "[Your truth,..faithful promises."  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

"And They Overcame...."

"So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up....So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were fill with wrath...."  (Luke 4:16 & 28)

If you are a follower of Jesus, you have enemies, just as Jesus did/does, and if I don't have enemies, I can doubt my "following" status.  Enemies do not always have a "specific case" against us; some are just stooges of Satan.  Such was the case with some of those "home town boys."

Our King Jesus tells us, "And you will be hated by all for My Name's sake."  But can I tell you that even though there are those who out right hate us for the Name of Jesus, there are others who are just tools of the supreme Enemy of mankind?  They do evil, destructive things to us, not because of any particular thing they know about us, but because we are Bearers of Jesus' Presence in the earth.  Demonic forces in them are doing battle with Jesus in us.  The, "roaring lion," still stalks, and even though His "doom is sure", for now, the battle rages.

Perhaps it is the, "Why-did-this-happen?" which is the most confusing, but it shouldn't be. From that moment we "heard" Jesus knock on our heart's door (Rev. 3), and we opened that door, we became, "Children of God," members of, "the household of faith"; we became Citizens of, "the Kingdom of Heaven."  And that, my friend, is when the citizens of, "the dominion (kingdom) of darkness," became our enemies.  This is war.  All the Bible reading, the "declaring," all the praying, all the worship will not stop this war.  What all of the aforementioned will do, however, is enable you and me to walk in victory in Jesus.  "Walk on."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am so privileged to be Your Child.  Amen.
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* We were able to secure our train tickets from Berlin to Wittenberge/Lutherstadt
* Two new articles at: jhs58.blogspot.com

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

"Footprints, Footsteps"

"Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps (footprints) were not known." (Psalm 77:19)

It's always the, "not known," part which bewilders.

In one place the word for, "footprints," or, "footsteps," is translated, "trail."  The word in Arabic means, "mark, sign, trace."  Interesting that, "footprints," are what we see; "footsteps," are what we hear.  Some people act and talk as though they always see the, "footprints," always see the, "trail;" marks, signs, and traces abound.  There have been times when I neither saw nor heard anything.

There was a time in my life when all I saw was blackness, void, nothingness.  But I learned that even when you do not see the, "footprints," or hear, "the footsteps," Jesus is, "a Very (not 'maybe') Present Help in trouble."  The pathway may not be clear, even visible at all, no "signs" of His Presence, not even a "trace," but, "very present," always, in everything is Jesus.  Yes, it's a cute story about the two sets of footprints in the sand, and then only one set.  But the lesson of that story was learned only after the season when there was no ability to go on, just a basket case.

"Footprints," or no, "footsteps," sensing His Presence or not, every Follower of Jesus Christ is a 24/7/366, ever-present child in our Ever-Present Jesus.  My whole life is a testimony to this "Amazing Grace," when I "saw" His, "footprints," or didn't "see" them.  So I say to you today, my friend, that whatever you are going through in this moment, the Bible tells us, "Fret not yourselves."  His, "way," is still, "in the great waters," those waters which may seem as though they are overwhelming you.  You may feel as those who were, "in the sea,..in the great waters," that terrifying time, walking, pulling, carrying through the sea bottom, walls of water on both sides, the other side not even visible.  But the time came when they were "safe on the other side."  Storms don't last forever, even though some may feel as though their whole life has been one storm after another. 

The promise of Jesus that, "I am with you always," further assures us that even when we cannot see the, "footprints," or hear the, "footsteps," our, "ever present help," Jesus the Christ, is, "ever present." 

Father, in Jesus' Name, what more can I say?  Thank You.  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

Bible Prayers For---- Whomever

"In You, Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame....For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth.  (Psalm 71:1 & 5)

I prayed Psalm 71 this morning for President, Donald Trump. 

I did something which I have not done for quite a while; I actually watched a humanist news show, and saw pure evil, hyenas doing all they could to bring down the US President.  Now we know that President Trump is far from "perfect," whatever any more that word may mean.  But I can tell you that I prayed for Presidents, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, even though they were opposed to Jesus Christ, His Words, and His Kingdom.  The Bible does not tell us to just pray for family and people we like.  The Bible commands us, "Therefore I exhort first of all that...prayers...be made...for all mankind...."  I want to share the verses which particularly stood out to me this morning to pray for the US President.  See if they don't also apply to a lot of other situations.

* I ask that President Trump puts his trust totally in You, Lord Jesus. (v. 1)
* I pray that he finds only in You, Lord Jesus, "a Rock of habitation to which [he] may continually come. (v.3, NASB)
* "Deliver [him]...from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel." (v.4, NIV)
* "Bring disgrace and destruction on [his] accusers.  Humiliate and shame those who want to harm [him]." (v. 13, NLT)
* Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that President Trump, "....will tell of Your righteous acts all day long...." And I pray that those, "....who want[] to harm [him will be] put to shame and confusion." (v.24, NIV)
Amen.
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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