God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. —Psalm 46:1
One of my new friends is a mom whose 21-year-old daughter died suddenly in 2009, which sent her reeling. She told me, “I feel like an outcast from the normal world. I feel crushed and my soul is in so much pain.”
Indeed the losses that visit us can knock us off our feet—whether a death in the family, a child who walks away from God and family, or a physical or mental setback.
Yet what I’ve discovered is something musician Jeremy Camp made clear in a song he wrote after the death of his wife in 2001: When you are knocked off your feet by life’s difficulties, remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). That’s reason enough to get back up again. Camp described his struggle in the song called “Understand.” He asked, “Why don’t I get back on my feet again?” And he recognized that he could because “I know You understand it all.”
When trouble knocks us down, we can look up. God is there. He understands and cares. It’s not easy, but we can trust Him to help us get back on our feet again. —Dave Branon
Lift up your eyes, despairing one, The Lord your help will be; You have a friend in heaven who cheers, And calms the troubled sea. —Anon.
There is no place where earth’s sorrows are felt more than in heaven.
May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!
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1-Samuel_2-2: There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17
Are you secure in God’s promise to never leave you or forsake you?
When we feel fear or uncertainty we should stand on God’s promises in His Word: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Is your testimony one of faith or of fear?
Lester Sumrall said, “Faith is to be a constant dominating experience in your life-not something that comes once in a while… continually test yourself… when you start to make a decision or do something ask, ‘Is this faith’s road I’m walking? Or is it unbelief’s?’ If it is unbelief’s, get off that road! You don’t belong there. ‘Is this faith’s choice? Or is it fear’s choice?’ I’m not making that choice. I don’t want fear dominating my life. That’s living by faith. That’s the eternal quest for faith. You must do it all the time. Don’t quit. Just pursue it.”
Put your trust in God and get a spirit of faith. He has never let anyone down and He won’t start with you.
May GOD bless Nigeria, America and Israel and take care of us; May GOD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the LORD lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!
Man is hopelessly lost until he receives God’s Word (2
Corinthians 4:3-4). The Word of God is the true light (John 1:9). This is the
light that you need to find your way through life. You see, the world is
pervaded by darkness and until you recognize the Word as the true Light, you’ll
continue to grope in life.
Fear, confusion, poverty, disease and death are all forms of
darkness. They all originated from the same source, the devil, who is himself
darkness. The reason many people fall by the way side in life is that they didn’t
have the light to go through the darkness of life and there was no light for
them to navigate, so they fell and plunged themselves deeper into darkness.
When you get a hold of the Word of God, your path becomes
illuminated and you’re able to find your way through life. If however you
neglect the Word and your choices are made in darkness, you’ll get yourself into
bigger trouble.
The Bible says, “He (God) sent His Word, and healed them,
and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalms 107:20). Therefore, it
makes no difference the type of darkness you’re going through today, all you
need is the Word of God; the Light of life; the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the
Word of God made flesh.
He said, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever
believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). He’ll lead you
through the darkness of confusion, frustration, disease, poverty, and fear. You
can walk out of that darkness a victor today for the Light is coming to you
today through this devotional. Therefore, open your heart and receive
direction. Hallelujah! Amen!
Father, I thank You
for You have commanded Your Light to shine out of my darkness and this Light is
shinning in my heart. Therefore, my life is illuminated with the glory of your
Word; prosperity, and God – ideas are coming to me now and I’m making the right
choices in life, in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!
God makes everything beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The pursuit of the vanities of this world has robbed many people of far greater and better blessings from God. It is not bad to want to achieve something great or pursue a good cause, but if you try to outrun God, you may never achieve that goal, and worse still, you may pay for it with something very precious to you. God knows your desires; in fact, it is likely that He is the one who put them there. He knows the best times and the best ways for those desires to be accomplished, so, don’t try to act smarter than the One who made your brain.
Years ago, I was duped by a man who promised to make me a commandant of a paramilitary group. This man had been sending messages to me through my secretary for a while, and so, one day, I gave him audience. He explained to me how a Boy-Scouts-like group had evolved into this new agency, and that he was sourcing for who would lead the group spiritually. Normally, I ask God before getting involved in anything at all, but this time, my love for the military in my younger days beclouded my best instincts, and I agreed to be their head. He told me that they needed some funding, which I gave as the prospective head. However, I later found out that the man was a fake. My desire to be part of a paramilitary group made me run ahead of God, but God had already purposed for Redemption City to have its own corps of chaplains as well as a local Police post. He knew the desire of my heart, and He had planned for it to be fulfilled in His own time. I thought that I could bring my desire to fulfilment at my own time, but I was wrong. What I lost in that experience was money, but for someone else, it might have been their life or a loved one.
The Bible makes it clear that God delights in our well-being and prosperity (Psalm 35:27), (3 John 1:2). Therefore, it is not wrong to desire wealth. He will definitely make you prosper, but in His own time. Beloved, follow God’s timing; don’t try to outrun Him.
SALIENT POINTS:
Waiting on God’s Timing
Don’t Outrun God
Trust in God’s Plan
Waiting for God’s Best
Additional Bible Passages:
Waiting on God:
1. Psalm 27:14 (Wait on the Lord)
2. Isaiah 40:31 (Those who wait on the Lord)
3. Psalm 37:7 (Rest in the Lord, wait patiently)
God’s Sovereignty and Timing:
1. Romans 8:28 (All things work together for good)
2. Psalm 104:24 (God’s wisdom in creation)
3. 1 Corinthians 3:6 (God gives the increase)
Trusting God’s Plan:
1. Proverbs 19:21 (Many plans, but God’s counsel stands)
2. Jeremiah 29:11 (God’s plans for prosperity)
3. Psalm 138:8 (God will fulfill His purpose)
Consequences of Impatience:
1. Psalm 106:13-15 (Israel’s impatience)
2. Numbers 20:2-12 (Moses’ impatience)
3. 2 Samuel 6:1-7 (Uzzah’s impatience)
God’s Prosperity and Well-being:
1. Psalm 1:3 (Prosperity and blessing)
2. Deuteronomy 8:18 (God gives power to prosper)
3. 3 John 1:2 (Prosperity and good health)
More Verses To Explore:
Ecclesiastes 8:6 (Time and chance happen to all)
Isaiah 50:10 (Fear and trust in God)
Psalm 33:11 (God’s counsel stands forever)
May this devotion inspire believers to trust God’s timing and plan.
May God bless you and guide you as you share His Word. May your message bring hope, encouragement, and wisdom to those who hear it, Amen!
Thank You Jesus,
Salvation Prayers
If you don’t Know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour and would like to accept him into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, Please say this prayer:
Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from You. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward You. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your Will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Support Our Ministry,
Good Morning Dear,
It cost a lot of money to maintain a website, Nonetheless a non-profit Christian website,
Please if you have been blessed by this ministry and you are led to support and bless this ministry in return,
Please make your donation to this account,
Chukwuemeka Obiorah Ogwo,
Account Number,0139438409,
Guaranty Trust Bank Plc Nigeria,
To help us continue in the spreading of The GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST to every corner of this world,
Thank You Very Much For Your Support,
May GOD, we Serve Bless You A Million Times in return, Amen,
May God Bless Israel, Nigeria, And America And Take Care Of Us; May God Make His Face Shine Upon Us, And Be Gracious To Us; May The Lord Lift Up His Countenance Upon Us, And Give Us Peace, In Jesus Christ Name, We Pray! Amen!
May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!
Church Security. God protects His Church. God is deeply interested in the spiritual and physical safety of His Church
INTRODUCTION:
The Almighty God is deeply interested in the spiritual and physical safety of His Church. God protects His Church. We should be prepared to do what needs to be done to protect ourselves, but our overall safety is of the Lord. See Proverbs 21:31; Psalm 127:1.
It will therefore be foolish not to take the measures that are within our purview to protect ourselves.
There is a general misconception that since our security is in the hands of God, we do not need to bother ourselves much about security issues.
Indeed Psalm 91 and Psalm 127:1 and many others offer solid assurances to us about God’s protective shield over His children. But we will also note that David who wrote Psalm 91, 46, 23 and many others had body guards. See 2Chronicles 11: 24 – 26; 2 Samuel 23:22-24.
David chose the best among the warriors as his own personal security guards. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was one of David’s “mighty men”, a collection of the very best, the toughest military men.
The Bible describes Benaiah as a fearless warrior noted for his heroic exploits. 1 Chronicles 11:22. Throughout his reign David maintained a very powerful standing army. 2 Samuel 8:18; 20:23; 23:23; 1Chronicles 18:17.
God expects us to be mindful of our physical security.
GOD IS INTERESTED IN SECURITY
Security as a concept originated from God. God takes security very seriously; He neither sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121:4). See also Genesis 3:24; Isaiah 14:12-20; Revelation 12:7-9. God is actually the Commander of the host of heaven – He is charge of the security of the world. God is Jehovah Sabaoth. Psalm 46:7. God watches after the world. Psalm 127:1.
There are biblical references which support the view that God is invested and interested in security.
In Genesis 3:24, we see a cherubim guarding the Garden of Eden with a flaming sword.
The Bible describes Angel Michael in terms that reflect his status as a warrior leading an uncountable number of very powerful fighting angels who excel in strength. Psalms 103:20.
Michael the Archangel is in a sense, Heaven’s 5-star General. See Daniel 10:1321; 12:1; Revelation 12:7-8.
Believers must therefore note the following facts:
1. It is God, not humans that invented security. Genesis 3:24, Isaiah 14:12-20; Revelation 12:7-9.
2. God has emplaced security in the present heaven. Isaiah 14:12-20; Revelation 12:7-9.
3. God deployed security to guard the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:23-24.
4. God has designed a security architecture for the coming New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21:12. The gates of the New Heaven and New Earth will be guarded by angels. Revelation 21:27.
5. Our protection is God’s duty, and this is guaranteed. See Psalm 121:4. 6. God deploys chariots for the protection and defence of His choice vessels whose destinies and ministries are tied to destinies of nations. See 2Kings 6:16-18. 7. We must fulfil our part in God’s security architecture for the Church. Do not take chances with Church security. See Ephesians 4:27, 1Peter 5:8.
PYSICAL SECURITY IN THE BIBLE
There are many instances in the Bible to support the view that God wants us to be proactive concerning our physical safety.
Moses defended the daughters of Jethro when other shepherds drove them and their flocks away from the watering place. See Exodus 2:16-17.
The ancient congregations of Israel had gatekeepers who watched out for danger. Let us not be “in the spirit” such that we neglect to do the things that God requires us to do for our safety. See 1 Chron 9:21-24, Nehemiah 4:10-23. But more critically, see Luke 22:36.
The Church must protect itself from enemies that will easily harm us if we are not watching.
God expects us to be wise. See also, Numbers 1:53, 2Kings 11:7, 11, Esther 8:10-11, Exodus 2:16-17, Judges 2:16, Psalm 94:16, Ezekiel 33:1-9, Luke 22:36-38 and Psalm 144:1, 6.
The Bible has a lot to say about not ignoring physical safety.
In Luke 22:36, the Lord directed His disciples to carry a sword for protection.
Paul the Apostle was kept from those who would have harmed him on many occasions. See Acts 9:25; 17:10; 19:30; and 23:10.
Nehemiah trusted God for the safety of the children of Israel but they held swords in one hand for their protection as they built the broken-down walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 4:18.
Father Abraham had trained security guards. Genesis 14:14.
The Lord told us to turn the other cheek in Matt 5:39, but this was within the framework of self-control in personal interactions. He commanded the disciples to be armed for their protection in perilous times or situations. See Luke 22:36-38.
Consider this:
1. The Levites were not only to help the priests in their service and administration, but also to be guards for the Tabernacle, and later for the Temple. See Numbers 1:53.
2. Benaiah who was a member of King David’s team tagged his mighty men, was the son of Jehoiada, a priest. See 1Chron 11:21-23; 12:27.
3. After the usurper, Queen Athaliah had reigned for eight years, the High Priest Jehoiada had Levites who were Temple guards to serve as the personal bodyguards for Prince Joash as he was crowned the King. See 2 Kings 11:17-11.
4. God always raised men and women in the mould of military leaders to rescue Israel from their oppressors. See Judges 2:16.
5. When Mordecai became the Prime Minister of Persia, he authorized the Jews to defend themselves if attacked. See Esther 8:9-11.
6. In the Old Testament, God promised the Israelites that they would dwell in the land in safety if they obeyed His commandments. He was guaranteeing their safety. Deuteronomy 12:10. See Leviticus 25:18–19; 26:37. The Israelites defended themselves against the Amalekites after leaving Egypt. See Exodus 17:8-16. 8. The Lord Jesus taught His disciples the importance of self-defence. See Luke 22:35-36.
CONCLUSION
Children of God must be actively involved in designing physical security measures to keep worshippers safe. There were angels all around baby Jesus, but Joseph played his part.
Matthew 2:12-15. Believers must proactively prepare for unforeseen security challenges.
Proverbs 22:3. We must responsibly protect our worship places and homes.
Luke 11:2. Saints of God must be security conscious at all times, but not out of fear.
Matthew 24:43. It is Biblical to defend ourselves against attackers, in concert with state security agents.
Esther 8:10-11. We are to watch and pray.
Mathew 26:4. Vigilance must precede our prayers. Vigilance should and must be our watchword at all times. The fact is security begins with you the individual. You are in reality the best security officer for your life and personal property. It is true that as children of God, we are encompassed with a network of angelic guards (Psalm 91:1, 11-12) and in some cases, human security operatives, but we must take charge of our personal and collective safety. This has to remain our personal nonexchangeable responsibility (Nehemiah 4:9).
Thank You Jesus,
Salvation Prayers
If you don’t Know Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour and would like to accept him into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, Please say this prayer:
Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from You. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward You. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that Your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your Will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Support Our Ministry,
Good Morning Dear,
It cost a lot of money to maintain a website, Nonetheless a non-profit Christian website,
Please if you have been blessed by this ministry and you are led to support and bless this ministry in return,
Please make your donation to this account,
Chukwuemeka Obiorah Ogwo,
Account Number,0139438409,
Guaranty Trust Bank Plc Nigeria,
To help us continue in the spreading of The GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST to every corner of this world,
Thank You Very Much For Your Support,
May GOD, we Serve Bless You A Million Times in return, Amen,
May God Bless Israel, Nigeria, And America And Take Care Of Us; May God Make His Face Shine Upon Us, And Be Gracious To Us; May The Lord Lift Up His Countenance Upon Us, And Give Us Peace, In Jesus Christ Name, We Pray! Amen!
May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!
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