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VICTORY!

As I was waking up this morning I was thinking about a letter I am going to write, you know, composing it in my head. Over the years my closing signature has most always been preceded by something like this, “Victorious in Him” or “Victorious in Jesus”. I’ve been signing my letters like that for over thirty-five years.

Those of you who have read my blog for any length of time know that in the early part of my Christian life I went from one defeat to another. Disappointments and struggles were the norm but about thirty-seven years ago I began to hear teaching on the truth and power of God’s word. I learned from reading the Bible that God had designed a life of victory and blessings for us.

“We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow. 4 Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. 5 No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.” I John 5:3-5 CEV

Victory? Yes, victory.

Things began to change. The Lord put such a hunger in my heart to read His word and put it into practice. The Word became my final authority on every subject. God is infinitely greater than the wisest of men and He has promised to bring us through any situation in victory.

“But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory! 58 My dear friends, stand firm and don’t be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile.” I Corinthians 15:57-58 CEV

“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.” II Corinthians 2:14 CEV

The Bible is filled with stories of God intervening in the lives of every day people. But they aren’t just stories, they are examples of what God can and will do in the lives of those who put their trust in Him. I have seen true miracles and everyday blessings too numerous to count.

I have had my share of failures as I have learned to trust God’s word. The outcome hasn’t always been victorious but it’s not because God didn’t want it to be. Like Peter, who started to sink while walking on the water, I would get my eyes off the Lord and on my circumstances and fear would take over. But also like Peter, when he cried out the Lord lifted him above the waves and got him to safety, the Lord has been there to rescue me and bring me to safety. Victory has been flourishing and defeats have been diminished.

The Lord desires to do this for all of us. Did you notice in the verses from I John that it says “Every child of God can defeat the world”? Everyone! God has put all His blessings and power at our disposal when we put our trust in Him. Faith is believing that God will do what He says; trust is believing that He will do it for us.

I don’t know when or how this coronavirus will be contained but I do know that we can trust God to bring us through it victoriously!

These are the words of Jesus: “A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. ” John 10:10 CEV

Join me, will you? Let’s put our signature at the bottom of today’s letter –

Victorious in Him, Kristi

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Encourage Each Other

As I opened the template to begin writing this morning I was “Wow-ed” by what I saw. Today’s post is number 1001! Oh my. What a privilege I have had, being able to share my thoughts from God’s word with you each day.

This morning I want to talk to you about encouragement.

We are self-distancing and it’s the right thing to do. However, I miss my kids and my grandkids. Yesterday our youngest daughter contacted us for a Facebook video call. It was so sweet – we were able to have one-on-one time with her and each of our three littlest grandkids. The first words out of Sam’s mouth, he’s 4 1/2yr, was “thank you for sending the baby chick racecar supplies, Besta”.

It’s hard not being close to those we love in challenging times.

Making baby chick racecars is something we do together. It’s becoming an Easter tradition. We were supposed to take Sam camping next week and were going to make them at the campsite. Since we had to cancel those plans, I sent the supplies to his mom so they can make them at home. It really tugged on my heart – I miss them all.

As much as I miss not having my children close I know God misses it even more. He is our loving and gracious Father; He wants his kids close so He can reassure us and calm our fears. He wants to hold us close and dry our tears. His door is always open; we can enter His presence anytime, any hour of the day and He’ll be there waiting.

“Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:15-16 CEV

He understands and He is waiting for us to come!

Once we receive encouragement from our Father we should reach out to encourage others. A phone call, a text, a video chat or a note in the mail – all will be welcomed by the receiver. A friend of mine calls her grandkids and has a story time video chat. We all like to know we are being thought of – we all like to know that we are loved and missed! Send along a little prayer or simply say “I love you”. Those are words everyone likes to hear.

“When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say the good things that people need—whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you.” Ephesians 4:29 ERV

Sometimes when we are in the midst of a trying situation our thoughts turn inward. Our thinking might be something like this – “I wish someone would call me and say something kind. Why do I always have to be the one to reach out to others?”. Let’s be honest, there are times when we all have a pity party or think selfishly. Get rid of that kind of thinking, it will destroy you! It will spread like a cancer.

Go to the Father, hand those thoughts over to Him and then follow Jesus instruction.

“Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” Luke 6:38 MSG

Give some encouragement today; it will bless them and bring a blessing back to you too.

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Not A Good Waiter

Have you ever been to a restaurant and had a bad waiter? It’s one thing if the place is busy and the staff is overworked, that’s understandable but it’s entirely different when the staff is lazy and nonattentive.

Most of us don’t wait well.

How do you spend your time when you have to wait? An expectant mother will plan and act. There’s a crib that needs to be purchased, the nursery needs paint. Booties and blankets need to be knitted or crocheted…there are so many things to do. School kids wait for summer vacation and they daydream of all the fun things they will experience – ball games, staying up late, fishing trips, swim parties, campouts in the backyard.

Wait!

Today is Friday. Friday used to be the most anticipated day of the work week. It meant the weekend was here. Some would go to work on Monday morning and announce “I can’t wait until Friday, I’ve got so much planned for the weekend”. But here we are and we wait.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NLT

The Bible has good examples of people who waited for the Lord and they were not disappointed. Abraham waited twenty-five years for the son God promised him to be born. Joseph waited thirteen years before the Lord placed him in leadership over his brothers and the Egyptians. Noah waited on the ark for the waters to subside. David waited, with Saul chasing him through the desert, to be crowned king. All of those in the nation of Israel waited for the Messiah to be born.

We can take two attitudes when it comes to waiting. Waiting can be tiring. Waiting can be discouraging. Or waiting can be filled with excitement and celebration. I get excited waiting for friends and family to come for a visit. A bride is filled with joy as she waits for her wedding day.

“The Lord gives strength to those who are weary. 30 Even young people get tired, then stumble and fall. 31 But those who trust (wait on) the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 CEV

The Lord will give us strength and purpose while we wait. Waiting is not a time for inactivity. Just remember that “bad waiter” in the restaurant – don’t be like her. She wasn’t attentive, she didn’t take care of the needs at hand. She didn’t fill our water glasses or coffee cups, take our order or refilled our appetizers. We were ignored – not good.

Our goal is to be actively waiting! What can we do while waiting?

If waiting is worrisome then apply these verses to your life.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Philippians 4:6-7 CEV

Be a good waiter!

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Hills Make A Difference

The weather has been perfect lately so Dave and I have been out walking. Monday we took a 3.1 mile walk out on BLM land. The dirt road had a few potholes in it from the rain but it was flat. Yesterday our walk was a bit more strenuous and a little bit shorter. It was 2.7 miles but went down into the canyon and back up three different times. It took a little longer than Monday’s walk and we were certainly more tired and sweaty when we got home. (Today’s image is our last descent into the canyon and the road out in is the background.)

The hills make a difference.

They make a difference in life as well. Just ask the cancer survivor or the one whose spouse has died. Talk to the parent who has lost their job or the business owner who has had to file bankruptcy. Their daily lives before these hills/mountains sprang up may have been tiring but it doesn’t compare to the struggle up this mountainside.

I think this was King David’s point of view when he wrote: “I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. 3-4 He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep. 5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. 7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.” Psalm 121 MSG

The mountains don’t provide our strength, they drain it. It is God, who walks beside us, that provides us with strength. Life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. It can be both exhilarating and exhausting but we keep going. We’re not in it alone. He guards us now, He guards us always.

The Apostle Paul said: “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” Philippians 3:12-14 MSG

These are good words – don’t turn back.

The last hill out of our canyon is always the toughest. It’s a long steady incline. I’ve walked it many times in the last six years. The only way home is up. One step at a time; muscles aching and breathing hard we make it to the top. Next time it won’t be as bad, we’ll be in better shape, we’ll be more prepared.

Little victories prepare us for bigger challenges. As we acknowledge God’s faithfulness in the smaller areas of our life we grow in faith and are able to face the larger circumstances with confidence.

The Bible is filled with examples of people who faced physical and spiritual trials. I think of a widow woman who was living through a three year famine. She only had a little oil and flour left, everything was gone including her hope. She decided to make one last cake for herself and her son to eat. Then she was prepared to die. BUT GOD…sent a prophet with a miracle. Here’s her mountain, the prophet asked her to give him the cake she made.

Her dilemma, her hill – give the cake to the prophet or her son. She gave it to the prophet and that’s when the miracle came – her oil jar never ran dry and her flour canister never went empty. These are the testimonies we can hold on to in difficult times.

“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:1-3 ERV

This is a mandate for us. Don’t quit, keep our eyes on Jesus. When the mountains and the hills are before us, God is beside us!

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Inhale Peace!

You may remember hearing me say that every morning when I talk with the Lord I thank Him for His love and mercy, goodness and grace. Focusing on these four characteristics of our loving, heavenly Father sets the tone for my whole day.

Subconsciously, after I thank Him I’ve noticed that I inhale a deep cleansing breath and as I exhale I am blanketed in peace.

I love that the Bible tells us God’s mercy is new every morning. Obviously, we need this on a daily basis. In myself, by myself, I fail to measure up on a daily basis. BUT God provides me with new mercy every morning. I start my day knowing that I have been accepted by Him. God’s mercy, not getting the punishment I deserve, frees me. I receive mercy not because of what I’ve done but in spite of it.

Inhale…peace.

Then there’s the grace of God, receiving from Him what I don’t deserve, which compels me to live a better life. God doesn’t love me because of the life I live, He loves me in spite of it. Because of that, I want my life to please my Father. I want to live a life that reflects the unconditional love that Jesus provided for me with His death.

When I see how great the mercy and grace of God are I find that I can live at peace. My soul can rest knowing that the Father’s promises provide for me in every situation. I can be free from worry, anxiety and thoughts of condemnation. I am accepted by my Father. I am loved!

I breathe in and am filled with His peace.

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. 6 And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves. 7 In Christ we are made free by his blood sacrifice. We have forgiveness of sins because of God’s rich grace.” Ephesians 1:2-7 ERV (emphasis mine)

Let me ask you this. How are you caring for your children during this time of crisis? Are you trying to alleviate their fears, helping them with things they need, looking out for their safety, giving them reassurance that we will all get through this? Our heavenly Father is wanting to do the same for us. It’s who He is and what He does!

May you realize that you have been given mercy, grace and peace! You are accepted by the Father. You are loved!

Breathe in. Inhale His Peace.

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Social Distancing

Yesterday morning Dave and I took a hike in the open land near our home. Social distancing at it’s finest!

We walked down the dirt road, enjoying the wild flowers that have started to bloom. The hillsides were covered with tender green grass which popped up after the Spring rains we had last week. We walked over three miles, visiting the whole way and thanking God for His beauty. Not bad for a couple of senior citizens.

Did you know that social distancing is a Biblical idea?

It started in the garden of Eden. God called to Adam and Eve to walk with Him each evening. Abraham met with God; they walked and talked on many occasions as the Lord told Abraham His plans. Moses practiced social distancing when he left the Israelites at the base of Mount Sinai and met God at the top.

Daniel used social distancing three times a day when he left all the activities of the king’s court and went to his room, where he opened the windows and prayed. His practice of self-isolation got him thrown into the lions den – now that really is social distancing. On and on it goes; one person after another separated themselves from the populous and they prayed.

Jesus patterned that activity for us. After being with people all day, facing ridicule, harassment and personal demands, He would separate Himself and spend most of the night praying. He needed to come away from the virus that surrounded Him, a virus of jealousy and hatred.

“While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.” Mark 1:35-37 MSG

“As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.” Matthew 14:22-23 MSG

Prayer is the epitome of social distancing. It’s the Lord and us talking, talking about our joys and our sorrows, our hopes and dreams. It’s ok to the tell the Lord about our disappointments and our anxieties. But we must never be the ones doing all the talking – we need to listen too.

Once we finish praying we need to be quiet enough to hear the Lord speak. To some that may be a new idea, the idea of God speaking to us. But He does and He wants to tell us more than what we sometimes want to listen to.

“Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” Jeremiah 33:3 MSG

When we get quiet and listen we might have something “just pop into our head” reminding us of something that happened before. Or, how many times have we heard someone say, “It just dawned on me” or “I knew I shouldn’t have done this or that”? What about the phrase “I just felt that on the inside” or “I had an intuition about that”?

The primary way that the Lord speaks to me is by reminding me of a verse I’ve read or a message I have heard preached. Not everything that pops into our head is from God; there have been times I’ve had thoughts that I should eat the whole bag of chips or finish off the last of the cake – unfortunately, that’s not God.

I am definitely into social distancing, even when it isn’t required, to prevent the spread of this virus. Every morning I self-isolate when I get up and have my quiet time. It’s my time to be alone; to pray, to read and to talk to the Lord. This type of social distancing will inoculate us from the infectious diseases of jealousy, bitterness, pride, anger and selfishness.

I hope you experience the joy of self-isolation as you and the Lord spend this time together.

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Big Hearts!

Bigger Buts – Bigger Boats – Bigger Hearts!

I’m developing a pattern here and I didn’t realize it. The crisis we are going through, and we are going to get through it, is causing some to lose their hope and their perspective. They have become short-sighted and self-centered.

We need to be big-hearted people.

I read about a tattoo parlor on the East Coast who took all their supply of masks and latex gloves to the local hospital and donated them. They said they felt there would be plenty of supply once they were able to start business again.

Locally, a resort restaurant had to close and they made food boxes for all their employees who were being laid off. A restaurant in Tucson donated all their food to the local food bank. Instead of thinking only about themselves they were thinking how they could benefit their communities, their neighbors.

Churches are creating teams to check on their members. First with phone calls and then with people to do odd-jobs and grocery shop.

They are thinking with big hearts.

We should be Christ-like in our actions. That is the true meaning of Christianity. Christ was selfless and we should be too. Let’s look around our neighborhood and ask “what can I do to help”. Maybe it’s something as simple as writing a note of encouragement and putting it in a mailbox. If someone can’t get out, ask if there’s something they need from the store and pick it up for them. A mother of small children may need some extra craft supplies, a plate of cookies or some game ideas. Thank a first responder, the mailman, the delivery truck driver and certainly those still working in the retail markets.

We mustn’t allow this situation to side line us. The Apostle Paul teaches us that we all have God-given talents and abilities that will benefit others. Let’s use them.

“I realize how kind God has been to me, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you. 4 A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. 5 That’s how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.

6 God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. 7 If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. 8 If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.

Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. 10 Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.” Romans 12:3-10 CEV

Let’s make it our goal to help someone today. Right now the world needs big-hearted people!

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We Need A Bigger Boat!

Do you remember that classic line from the movie Jaws? Roy Scheider had just seen the shark and he called to Robert Shaw, “We’re gonna need a bigger boat”. Great line.

Have you ever been on the water in a storm and felt your boat might now handle it? I have. We were out for ride on the Mississippi, in a pontoon boat about ten years back. We actually had two boats; it was a break from work. Picnic on the beach type day. But, as the clouds began to gather we knew we had to get back up stream to the docking area. Lightning was flashing, the wind was blowing, the water was choppy and the motors on the pontoons were running full speed and still they were struggling to get us to our desired end.

I was praying!

Don’t consider the boat or the waves!!!  It was a struggle but we finally got back safely. I felt like I was living a story from the Bible.

Jesus had just learned that his cousin and dear friend, John, had been beheaded. He wanted to go somewhere to be alone so he got in a boat with his disciples and crossed the Sea of Galilee. The people heard where Jesus was headed so they ran ahead on the shore and were waiting for Him when He got out of the boat.

Jesus didn’t consider his own sorrow but instead was moved with compassion for the people – He healed them and taught them God’s word. What a terrific way to handle a tragic situation! Satan had used Herod to kill John the Baptist and Jesus approach to the situation was to go out and heal people and set them free from Satan’s oppression. (That’s another lesson for another time).

The people stayed late into the day. The disciples told Jesus to send them away so that they could go eat. Jesus said, no you feed them and then we have the miracle of the five loaves and two fish feeding over five thousand men and their families. Another great miracle!!

After the meal, Jesus told his disciples to get in the boat and head home. He would come later. Jesus sent the people away and then He went up into the hills to pray. Out on the sea it was turning into a scene from Gilligan’s Island. What should have been a couple hours on the water had turned into an all night adventure and they still weren’t to shore. Now these disciples were seasoned fisherman and they knew how to handle a boat in a storm but they were having no success. The Bible says it was about the third watch of the night, between 3 and 6 am, and Jesus came walking to them on the water.

The disciples were very frightened when they saw Jesus and thought that He was a ghost. He said something to them that He repeated many times during his time with them, “Fear not”. Jesus knew that fear, considering things other than God’s word and God’s way, will overpower faith if it is allowed to run unchecked.

So Peter looking at Jesus, said “Peter said, “Lord, if that is really you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14: 28. Now what was Jesus to say – “No Peter it’s really not me but just your imagination” or “Peter, it’s me but you can’t handle this so don’t come.”  No, Jesus response was one of faith. “Peter, come.”

Peter “considered not” the boat, the other disciples, the wind or the waves and he got out of the boat and started walking to Jesus. WOW!  But wait, Peter keep looking at Jesus – don’t look at the waves!!!

 “Then Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. 30 But while Peter was walking on the water, he saw the wind and the waves. He was afraid and began sinking into the water. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”  31 Then Jesus caught Peter with his hand. He said, “Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?”  32 After Peter and Jesus were in the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the followers in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, “You really are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:29-32 ERV

I’ve heard one preached ask, “What did the wind and waves have to do with anything? Peter couldn’t have walked on water on a calm day if it wasn’t for Jesus.”  And the same is true for us!

We see a truth in God’s word, we get out of the boat of public opinion and the world’s way of thinking and start to walk by faith to Jesus. Then we see the winds and the waves of family criticism, a call from the bank or a doctor’s report and we start to sink.  Call out to Jesus – He’s there and He’ll lift you up.

Keep your eyes focused on Jesus today. Don’t let fear of cause you to sink. Consider them not but consider the One who told you to come, He truly is the Son of God.

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We Need Bigger Buts

We spent most of yesterday in the dermatologist’s office. I knew we would be a while so I took my Bible, a book and my ear buds. There were some video messages I want to catch up on. Two of my favorite Bible teachers, Andrew Wommack and Max Lucado, had sent out short teachings and I really wanted to hear what they had to say.

The one that Max Lucado sent reminded me of a message I have taught many times through the years and so this morning I am sharing it with you.

We need bigger buts!

Yes, you read that right. The word “But” is used to connect ideas that contrast. The world presents us with facts but God’s word gives us truth. Truth can and will alter the way we perceive the facts. That’s why we swear an oath in court to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Let’s look at what the Apostle Paul says about adverse circumstances:

“God once said, “Let light shine out of the darkness!” And this is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts to let us know that his own divine greatness is seen in the face of Christ.

7 We have this treasure from God, but we are only like clay jars that hold the treasure. This is to show that the amazing power we have is from God, not from us. 8 We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We often don’t know what to do, but we don’t give up. 9 We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed.” II Corinthians 4:6-9 ERV (emphasis mine)

Paul had some pretty big buts in those four verses. The circumstances he faced were life threatening – stoning, ship wreck, beatings, imprisonment, snake bites. BUT he knew God would never abandon him.

*Our world is in the midst of a viral crisis BUT God…heals all my diseases (Ps. 103:3 NLT)

*Finances may be effected BUT My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 ERV)

*Physical strength has come to an end and we don’t think we can go on BUT Christ gives me the strength to face anything. (Philippians 4:13 CEV)

*We’re scared and don’t know what to do BUT God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you. 4 So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord Yah you have a place of safety forever. (Isaiah 26:3-4 ERV)

There is absolutely nothing that we will face in this life that God hasn’t given us an answer for. This is one time when it’s appropriate to say “does this crisis make my but look big?”.

The bigger, the better!

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Monsters Under the Bed

Remember when we were little and thought there might be monsters under the bed? As a child, I was plagued with nightmares. The monsters seemed so real; I was afraid to go to sleep and would wake up crying. Mom would show me that I had nothing to be afraid of.

In this day of corona virus, social distancing, limited groceries and all the mayhem that is loose in our world, living in the power of God’s Word is such a comfort and place of safety. It exposes the monsters that are lurking in the shadows and brings them out into the light.

“For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:3-6 AMP

The way I see it, the Lord promises to protect us from hidden peril – from the things we cannot see. A bird doesn’t see the trap until it’s caught; plagues come without advance warning. He also protects from disasters that can be seen.

The picture in verse 4 is that of a mother hen or bird that sets herself down over the top of her chicks to protect them from danger. She risks her own life and cuddles her young under her wings. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He gave His own life to protect us from the ravages of sin and its effects.

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? ” Romans 8:31-35 MSG

No matter what time of day or night, the Lord promises to be there and be our protection. When our children were little, Dave and I would pray with them and over them each morning before they headed out to school. We would pray these verses over them then and we still do. Now we’ve added their spouses, our grandchildren and great grandchild.

We have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, literally, in our vehicle without ever having an accident. We’ve been in the presence of danger many times and not even known it until later and then we saw how God’s hand protected us.

We can take these verses as our own and use them to bring a covering of protection for our families as well. God’s word is true; He does not lie!

It doesn’t just come automatically though, we have to appropriate it – we have to believe it. Compare it to the electricity that comes into our homes; it’s there but we will sit in the dark and the cold unless we turn on the switch and put the power to work.

Turn on the switch in prayer and watch the power of God work in our lives!

Let me end with this. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours – His plan of protection is better than ours. As the rain is higher than the earth and comes down to cover the earth; God’s ways are higher than our thinking and He rains down His protection to cover us.

“Rain and snow fall from the sky and don’t return until they have watered the ground.
Then the ground causes the plants to sprout and grow, and they produce seeds for the farmer and food for people to eat. 11 In the same way, my words leave my mouth, and they don’t come back without results. My words make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do. 12 ‘So you will go out from there with joy. You will be led out in peace…'” Isaiah 55: 10-12 ERV

God’s word will cause our lives to bring in a crop of good fruit – it will cause us to prosper and our lives to be filled with joy and peace. God’s word will drive out fear – no more monsters under the bed!

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