Category: Month

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Washed by Love

I was reminded this morning of something that happened when our son was little. We had friends who owned a dairy. We took the kids down to see the new calves and were helping bottle feed the ones that couldn’t be fed by their mothers. Our son was running down the lane between the pens when he stumbled and fell.

When he stood up he was sobbing. I was concerned that he had hurt himself and I ran to see what was wrong. I got to him and he was looking at his hands saying “get it off”. His tears still flowing, I was trying not to laugh. He wasn’t hurt but he was distraught because his hands were dirty; they were covered with mud and other such things as you find in a calf yard.

Of course, we got him to the nearest water spigot and washed him up.

That’s the way it is when we come to Jesus.

I only washed our son’s hands but Jesus cleanses us completely.

“But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.” I John 1:7 CEV

“The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth.” John 1:17 CEV

Both these verses were written by the same person, John. He wanted everyone to know that Jesus had washed ALL our sins away; we are cleansed because of what He did. He brought us undeserved kindness, or in other words Jesus brought us grace.

Every once in a while I find myself looking at my “dirty hands” and bursting in to tears. In fact, I used to let the dirt of my sins overwhelm me! But the more I studied God’s word, the more I learned about grace. And the more I learned about grace the more insight I got into the Father’s love.

I’ve been cleansed! God gave me His word to cleanse my thoughts of guilt.

“Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. 23 We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:22-23 ERV

The cleansing agent that removes our sin is the blood of Jesus and grace is the washing that applies it to our hearts. We don’t have the power to clean our own lives but by grace we have been cleansed.

“I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. ” Ephesians 2:8-9 ERV

Thank you Father for washing me with grace!

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Twenty-Three and Me

I think it all started with Ancestry.com. You know the search of where we came from, what is our heritage and who we are related too. It all helps to answer the question “Who am I”.

I have a strong Norwegian heritage and I’m very proud of that. I’ve never really done a lot of research on my family tree nor do I feel compelled too. It’s enough knowing that my ancestors came from Norway.

However, I do spend considerable amounts of time researching my DNA. But the DNA I refer cannot be run for chemical analysis; instead it is revealed in the pages of Scripture. I know I’ve told you this before but the DNA I am speaking of stands for my Divine Nature Ability.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” II Corinthians 5:17 NLT

A completely new life has begun.

This morning I was reading in I John and once again evidence of my DNA jumped off the pages of my Bible.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” I John 5:1-5 NLT

Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Then these verses are referring to you. First off, the Christ, means that Jesus is the Anointed One. Not just a man, but one who has been selected as perfect and set apart by God, the Father, to bring new life to us. He gave us the right to be a child of God.

Then our DNA gives us the power to obtain victory in this life through faith. Our DNA causes us to love. Just as naturally as a duck floats on water because it’s his nature, we keep God’s commandment to love. It’s been programmed into us – it’s what we have inherited from our Father, who is love.

Do we ever act unloving? Of course, we do! But…God, through His word, reminds us that we have been given His nature and His ability to life that reflects his character. These are His words to us.

“God has also said that he gave us eternal life and that this life comes to us from his Son. 12 And so, if we have God’s Son, we have this life. But if we don’t have the Son, we don’t have this life. 13 All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know that you have eternal life. 14 We are certain that God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him. 15 And if we know that God listens when we pray, we are sure that our prayers have already been answered.” I John 5:11-15 CEV

He has given us life; He has placed within us His ability, His character. We receive our natural DNA from our earthly parents and we receive our spiritual DNA from our heavenly Father and our life that comes through His Son.

“All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman.” Galatians 3:26-28 CEV

Father, thank you for making us your children and filling us with your power. We have victory in this life because of our faith in what You have done for us and in us!

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Travel Carefree Hwy

There is a town in Arizona named Carefree. Stop and think about that for a moment. People don’t think about the meaning in names or words much anymore but words are containers filled with meaning.

Care free. Free from worry, anxiety or care.

I woke up to a beautiful morning. Last night’s rain has left the air clean and fresh. In fact, I slept in. I think it may have been the soothing sound of the rain gently falling on the sky light in the next room. It was and is so refreshing.

However, I do not delude myself; some of you woke this morning weighed down with cares that seem overwhelming. Worries that plagued your sleep. Anxieties that gripped your heart and left you unsure that you even wanted to face the day.

“Please hurry, Lord, and answer my prayer. I feel hopeless. Don’t turn away and leave me here to die. 8 Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you. I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance. 9 Please rescue me from my enemies, Lord! I come to you for safety. 10 You are my God. Show me what you want me to do and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path. 11 Be true to your name, Lord, and keep my life safe. Use your saving power to protect me from trouble. 12 I am your servant. Show how much you love me by destroying my enemies.” Psalm 143:7-12 CEV

The best way to live in Carefree is to let the Lord guide you, He will give you hope, safety and peace. He is always there to protect us.

We can trust Him to be our strength and our peace. And when we hear the Lord speak to us from His word we need to be obedient. He will not lead us astray. He is faithful!

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow. 7 Don’t ever think that you are wise enough, but respect the Lord  and stay away from evil. 8 This will make you healthy, and you will feel strong.” Proverbs 3:5-8 CEV

Trust the Lord today; He will direct you down the road to “carefree”.

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Forgiven

This morning my Bible reading took me to two distinct places in Scripture; both of them dealt with forgiveness.

Not our forgiveness to others, however, the Bible is filled with teachings on forgiving but these two dealt with the forgiveness that we have received from God, our Father.

Forgiven!

I don’t have to ask you to remember because I’m sure, like me, you remember the most awful thing you have ever done. But it’s forgiven…Jesus died to pay the price for our sin and the Father has forgiven us!

He’s even forgotten our sins – He chose too. He wants us to forget too so that we can become the powerful person He has designed us to be.

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven,  whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,  whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin,  my body wasted away,  and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. 7 For you are my hiding place;  you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule  that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” 10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. 11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
    Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!” Psalm 32 NLT

Forgiven – we should tattoo that on our hearts!

This Psalm, which was written by King David, should be one we read often. The devil will work to remind us of our sin. He wants us to feel unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness; if we buy into that thinking we stay focused on ourselves and not on God and we become useless when it comes to telling others about the Father’s wonderful forgiveness and amazing grace.

“My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” I John 2:1-2 NLT

Jesus IS the sacrifice that atones for ALL sin! He is the only one who could be the perfect offering for our salvation. In Him, we are not only forgiven but we are made completely new. Our past, present and future transgressions are blotted out and we are restored to relationship with the Father.

If you are struggling with your past re-read Psalm 32 and then shout for joy because your heart has been made pure by God’s forgiveness!

Now share the message of forgiveness with those around you, I just did.

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Watch Your Step

Yesterday we were with our youngest grandkids, ages 2 and 4. We got into the swimming pool before it got too hot and had fun splashing and playing. But they both needed a helping hand getting in and out of the pool. They needed someone stronger they could depend on.

“Watch Your Step”

We were with them the whole way. Getting into their life jacket or floating pool toy, they were never alone. We were always right beside them!

It’s nice to have someone there beside you when you steps are uncertain.

When we visit Mom she enjoys taking our arm just to steady her. I remember holding her hand when I was a child and we would go places. Then when I was in high school we would find ourselves walking down the street hand in hand. (I didn’t need her assistance then but I liked the feeling of her hand in mine.)

That’s what God does for us! He takes our hand and steadies our step.

“Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people. 131 I honestly want to know everything you teach. 132 Think about me and be kind, just as you are to everyone who loves your name. 133 Keep your promise and don’t let me stumble or let sin control my life. 134 Protect me from abuse, so I can obey your laws.”
Psalm 119:130-134 CEV

Father, today my path may be uncertain. I’m not sure where You will lead and what the terrain may be but I am certain that if you are with me You will tell me to “watch my step” and You won’t let me stumble. Thank you for keeping Your promise. I love walking hand in hand with You!

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Puppy Love

Last night we were talking with friends about the obvious devotion that our little dog has for me. Dave loves to tell the story of when we brought her home. Her previous owners had put her in a crate and had her flown from Iowa to Montana. It was the middle of the night when she arrived. She was nervous, hungry and a little cold.

I took her from the crate and held her in my arms for the entire two hour trip home. The whole way Glory looked up into my face and I spoke to her softly telling her how glad we were to have her and that we would give her a good and loving home…and we have.

This morning the Lord reminded me again of how this loyal pup is an example for me to learn from.

“Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who believes in me will ever be thirsty.” John 6:35 ERV

My morning starts by letting Glory out, starting the coffee, feeding her and then coming to my chair where Glory joins me as soon as she’s eaten. Each morning she knows I will feed her and she waits for me to get up. But it’s what happens after she eats that means so much. Glory comes as close as she can, lays at my feet and waits for me to rub her head. She comes to be loved on. After a few minutes she moves away a bit but still stays close.

The Father has shown me that this is what He wants our routine to be like. Coming to Him for nourishment, feeding from His word and staying close so that He can love on me.

He doesn’t want my Bible reading to be “drudgery”. I should be excited to come, eat and then stay to be loved on. God’s word is a wonderful love letter but it’s also a banquet, a meal, that will strengthen me and provide all I need for each day.

I shouldn’t eat and run. It’s not fast food. He wants me to stay, visit and develop a loving relationship. Make it a routine! I need to be ready to spend time, loving time, with my Father. (I can learn a lot from Glory.)

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are? 27 You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. 29 But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. 30 If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? It’s just grass—one day it’s alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small!

31 “Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.” Matthew 6:25-33 ERV

Jesus said to learn from the birds and the flowers. This morning I’m learning from a little miniature Aussie. If she can trust me to provide everything that she needs, I can certainly trust the Father to do the same!

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Not Without Hope

Today we will attend the memorial service of a long time friend. Don was a wonderful man. He had a generous heart and he never met a stranger. He loved the Lord and was committed to telling people how much Jesus loved them. His wife is a dear lady with the same love of Jesus and together they shared their faith by singing country gospel music.

As Christians, when we lose a friend or loved one to death it’s only a brief separation. We have God’s promise that we will see them again once we get to heaven.

“Jesus said to her, “I am the One Who raises the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies. 26 Anyone who lives and has put his trust in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 NLV

It’s hard to say good bye because our hearts are wanting to keep that person close. We don’t want to lose that touch of a hug or the sound of their voice. But for them, death is like standing in a doorway. At one moment they are on this side and then with one step they cross over to the heavenly side. Although life on earth ceases, as Jesus said, they never die. They simply walk into life in heaven.

In heaven there is no sorrow, no tears, no pain! What a glorious thought.

We have hope – hope of heaven, hope of the Lord’s return, hope of eternal life.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.” I Thessalonians 4:13-14 NLV

We grieve certainly but not like those who have no hope! We put our hope in God and in Him we find comfort, joy and peace.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLV

Thank you Father for filling us with hope!

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To-Do List

What’s on your schedule? Do you have a calendar on the wall with a To-Do list or maybe it’s all in your smart phone or on your I-pad? Or you could be old fashioned like me and just have a list on a sheet of paper on the kitchen counter. Whatever it is, does it give you a sense of accomplishment to check things off when they are done?

I was reading about the Apostle Paul. He had a checklist.

“I don’t know what will happen to me in Jerusalem, but I must obey God’s Spirit and go there. 23 In every city I visit, I am told by the Holy Spirit that I will be put in jail and will be in trouble in Jerusalem. 24 But I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God’s great kindness.” Acts 20:22-24 CEV

Paul had been out preaching all over Asia. He was preaching to Jews and non Jews alike. Telling everyone, everywhere he went about Jesus. That was all he had on his list.

One thing!

“I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. 13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. 14 I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven.” Philippians 3:12-14 ERV

One very important thing. Now I’m sure he had other things to do each day. After all, he would go into new towns and needed to find a place to stay, food to eat. He would have people to look for, etc. but the one thing at the top of his list was to tell folks about God’s great kindness and the good news of Jesus.

He definitely knew how to prioritize. We do know that Paul wasn’t one to sit idle when he went to a new town. He would work and work hard. By trade, he was a tent maker. Now I’m not sure how difficult tent making was but I had an idea.

Dave used to make saddles and do leather work for a living. He had the advantage of modern equipment but there were a several times when he built a saddle completely by hand. No machine stitching, no pre-cut pieces. It was a labor of love and very time consuming. So it must have been for Paul.

I can see Paul sitting there will all of the pieces of a tent laid out before him, awl, needle, sinew in hand and with each stitch I imagine him telling people about Jesus. His one thing was to keep moving forward in telling the world about the amazing grace and saving power of Jesus.

Mary and Martha were two sisters who regularly had Jesus come to dinner in their home. Their brother Lazarus and Jesus were good friends. One day Jesus was in their living room teaching and Martha was in the kitchen preparing for the meal. She looked around for her sister and Mary was no where to be found. When Martha did find Mary she was sitting, listening to Jesus teach. Martha complained to the Lord.

“The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. 40 Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!”

41 The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, 42 but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-32 CEV

This morning I woke up tired. I didn’t sleep well last night and as I came to my chair my mind began racing with all the things I need to get done before 11 am. I was going over my list and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart – “choose the ONE THING, choose what’s best”.

I will focus my thoughts on Jesus; I will center on His word and I will walk in His strength today.

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Breath Taking

Dave and I have been watching a travel log on the islands of Greece. The host has been visiting many of the little islands and introducing the watchers to towns, food, history and the beaches of Greece. There had been many beautiful sunrises, olive orchards and shots of the gorgeous water and beaches.

Yesterday one of the episodes we were watching showed an aerial view of the sea and beach – it was breath taking. Literally! When I saw the beauty, I instinctively drew a breath and held it, not wanting to exhale. The scene was awe-inspiring and I didn’t want to move. I wanted to soak it in.

What God has created is marvelous!

This morning I was still thinking about the scenery and the beauty. I wondered if the word “breath-taking” had been used in Scripture. I searched and as far I can tell it never was but the word “awesome” is. Awesome: to be in awe. Synonyms: breathtaking · amazing · stunning · astounding · astonishing · awe-inspiring · stupendous · staggering · extraordinary · incredible · unbelievable · magnificent

There are times when I am reading the Bible that I am awe-struck, breath-taken, by the experience of God’s amazing love.

“Everyone, clap your hands. Shout with joy to God! 2 The Lord Most High is awesome.  He is the great King over all the earth.” Psalm 47:1-2 ERV

“Everything he does is good and fair. All his commands can be trusted. 8 His commands will continue forever. They must be done with truth and honesty. 9 He rescued his people and made his agreement with them forever. His name is awesome and holy. 10 Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord. Those who obey him are very wise. Praises will be sung to him forever.” Psalm 111:7-10 ERV

God’s word is the written expression of His love. God’s word will never fail; love never fails. He has chosen to share His heart with us in the pages of His word.

Have you ever received a love letter? I bet you read it more than once! It’s possible that you read it so many times that you nearly had it memorized before the next one came. I don’t think love letters have quite the impact they did years ago. Letter writing was the communication of the day.

God loves us so much that He took the time to write the most amazing love letter! Reading it over and over again we find new things that we didn’t see the first time and reading it long enough we are impacted by His great love. It tells us of the awesome God who loves us so deeply.

“I will confess and praise You [O God] with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praises to You. 2 I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!” Psalm 138:1-2 AMP

I hope that as you read God’s word today you are overwhelmed, awe-struck, breath-taken by the depth of the Father’s love.

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Sheltered From Danger

Have you ever been to a farm and seen a mother hen with her chicks? Perhaps, like us, you live in the desert and have seen the mother quail and her little ones. When danger is near they begin to cluck and call. The little chicks scurry quickly to the shelter of their moms. The hens raise up and all the chicks run under, then she settles down and becomes their protection.

That’s the picture that is painted for us in the Psalms. It’s a picture of the Father’s protection and His love.

Each day I am thankful that God has allowed me to share His word with you. I don’t know where I would be without the Father’s love or His wonderful love letter, His Word! In fact, I don’t even want to think about what my life would be like without Him.

God’s Word has brought me forgiveness of sins, health to my body, peace to my soul, healing for my children, enriched my marriage, provided wisdom when my human intellect was lacking, protection in physical and emotional storms and safety in the face of danger. God’s promises have let me know that He would always supply and He always has.

But I do have to tell you, it hasn’t always been this way. I lived a defeated life for a long time until I saw in God’s word that He had made provision for more than just eternal life and that He wanted me to live victoriously while I was here on earth.

All of God’s promises are the same. His Word is for everyone but we don’t all see the same results. Why? We must appropriate what God has given us; simply put, we must believe it regardless of how we feel or what circumstances tell us we should believe. There have been days that I wake up and don’t feel very saved; but my salvation isn’t founded on my feelings, it’s based on God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice. There are days that I wake up and may not feel healed but I am because it’s based on God’s promise and Jesus’ sacrifice.

The circumstances said there wasn’t enough lunch to feed 5000 men with five loaves and two fish but the blessing of God flowed and there was more than enough. The circumstances said the apostles should lock themselves away and hide after the crucifixion but the power of God was released through His Word and resurrection came! The medical world said nothing could be done for the woman with the issue of blood but just one touch of Jesus garment brought healing to her body. Yes, the word of God changes our circumstances when we believe; it’s called faith! Not faith in ourselves, but faith in God’s unchanging, unfailing love.

Let the words of David’s Psalm be real in your life today.

“You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my place of safety, my fortress, My God, I trust in you.”
3 God will save you from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases. 4 You can go to him for protection. He will cover you like a bird spreading its wings over its babies. You can trust him to surround and protect you like a shield. 5 You will have nothing to fear at night and no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day.
6 You will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark or terrible suffering that comes at noon. 7 A thousand people may fall dead at your side or ten thousand right beside you, but nothing bad will happen to you! 8 All you will have to do is watch, and you will see that the wicked are punished. 9 You trust in the LORD for protection. You have made God Most High your place of safety. 10 So nothing bad will happen to you. No diseases will come near your home.
11 He will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot on a rock. 13 You will have power to trample on lions and poisonous snakes.
14 The Lord says, “If someone trusts me, I will save them. I will protect my followers who call to me for help. 15 When my followers call to me, I will answer them. I will be with them when they are in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. 16 I will give my followers a long life and show them my power to save.” Psalm 91 ERV

Are you in a place of danger? Run to the Father, there’s safety under His wings!

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