Category: Uncategorized

Two-minute read.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 

Permanent dependence on God leads to fruitful living. In other words, no matter our circumstances, we must lean into the Lord, relying on Him to help us persevere. When people depend on others, they find themselves stunted, not growing, and easily toppled over when the storm winds blow. But planting our roots in the Creator will give us everything we need to survive the heat, stand firm in the hurricane, and remain well watered in the drought. 

We went camping to celebrate our twelfth wedding anniversary. Hurricane Debby graced us with her presence, so we had to find someplace outside her long reach. We discovered a campground on the outer edges of her bands, enduring wind and rain but not the main effects of her storm. Camping beside a large oak tree, I feared the winds might topple it onto our camper. 

When I voiced my concerns, Ron said, “That tree’s survived stronger winds than these; it has deep roots.”   

Because of the deep roots, the tree barely swayed. A few small limbs and leaves fell to the ground, but other than that, the storm didn’t affect it all. In the same way, choosing Jesus as our firm foundation gives us deep roots, helping us stand no matter how strong the winds. Our hair may get ruffled, and we might sway, but we won’t fall. Staying planted on the Rock gives us everything we need to persevere through the toughest of life’s tests.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us a firm foundation on which to plant our roots and grow strong. When the storm winds blow, give us Your peace that surpasses all understanding, knowing that we have all we need in You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Two-minute read.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. 

Numbers 6:24-26

Moses uses singular pronouns when speaking to the entire community. By blessing the individual, God blesses the whole. As Christ’s followers, when we receive the Lord’s blessing, He wants us to share it with those around us, blessing the entire community. “And keep you” refers to the Creator’s preservation of His followers as we devote our lives to Him. With the divine gifts we receive, we pass them along to our flock, sharing the Lord’s provision with all. 

When Moses spent time on Mt. Sinai with the Lord, it caused his face to shine so brightly that he had to cover it. By asking the Lord to make His face shine upon the people, Moses wants God’s people to know His presence. The Lord comes with grace, revealing mercy, which brings light into our lives as we receive His gifts. Mountaintop experiences connect us with the Creator in an energizing and exhilarating way that helps us survive the valleys we encounter. 

Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, means the positive state of rightness and fullness of well-being that comes only from the Lord. Only with a divine connection can we experience divine peace. By submitting our lives entirely to God, we will discover the peace that surpasses all understanding, carrying us through the storms we face. 

And so, as the Lord blesses and keeps us, making His face shine upon us with grace and giving us His peace, may we share our divine gifts with everyone we meet, becoming lights in the darkness to those who need them. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for blessing and preserving our lives as we strive to follow You. Please let Your face shine upon us, allowing Your light to shine brightly through us to the world around us. Let us become vessels of grace and mercy to all we meet as we receive Your divine gifts and share them with all. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

WITH LONG LIFE I WILL SATISFY HIM 
    AND SHOW HIM MY SALVATION.” 

PSALM 91:16 

We think of long life as growing old on Earth, with wrinkly skin, grey hair, and stiff bodies. But the Hebrew phrase used in today’s verse also means “forever,” pointing to life beyond our earthly lives. The emphasis in the closing line of Psalm 91 could refer to both long life on Earth and our eternal one with the Lord. Joining God’s family through faith gives us long life, no matter how many years we have on Earth.  

As the number of people waiting for me in heaven grows, I become more aware of our eternal connection. Even though the Lord called them home, I know He will reunite us when He sends for me one day. Even though their physical bodies no longer exist, our spiritual connection never ends. They have received their reward in heaven, leaving me here to do the work. Eventually, I will receive mine, as do all Christ’s followers, when they change their address to that of the heavenly realm.  

Through our long life, we serve the Lord, living out our salvation one day at a time. In Christ, we will have an abundant life, living in the Savior’s grace and mercy. Strengthened by God, we will fulfill our mission in this world, and then our heavenly Father will call us home to our eternal resting place with Him. Trust the Lord’s promise of a long life that never ends as we commune with our Maker, here, now, and eternally. 

Application: 

God gives us long life. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us a long life with You. Please help us pursue You with all our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls, loving You and others with every ounce of our being. In all things, may You receive the glory. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

I WILL BE WITH HIM IN TROUBLE; 
    I WILL RESCUE HIM AND HONOR HIM.  

PSALM 91:15B 

Wise living, following the Lord, and communing with Him through prayer will give you the rewards due.  God assures His children when they submit to Him, they will find life to the fullest on Earth and salvation in the next.  No matter our circumstances, our Rescuer walks with us, navigating us through troubled waters and honoring us with His presence.  

The closer we grow to our Savior, the more we long for communion with Him.  Discovering the peace that surpasses all understanding, despite the worldly circumstances around us, makes Jesus’s followers want more.  Experiencing the miracles of the Creator builds our faith and draws us into a deeper relationship with our Sovereign Lord.  God lives outside the space-time continuum; He sees the beginning, middle, and end.  We only know the present moment, but the Lord knows the entire story.  One day, when our heavenly Father calls us home, we’ll know His secrets, but until then, we can trust His management of our lives.  

Wasting nothing, each of us has a purpose.  Jesus endures the sufferings we endure on Earth with us.  Through His death on the cross, Christ overcame the troubles of this world, saving us from the consequences of our sins and creating a connection with the Lord no one can break.  Faith in the Savior gives you new life, hope for eternity, and the knowledge that God has a rescue plan just for you.

Application: 

God rescues us. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue us from our sins, giving us new life in Him.  Please help us to remember that You never leave us, especially in life’s storms.  Let us keep moving forward, knowing You walk with us. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

When he calls to me, I will answer him; 
Psalm 91:15A 

Unanswered calls drive me up the wall. My husband has a habit of leaving his phone in the car. When he recently updated his ten-year-old phone to one of the new generations, it signed him out of all his apps. We share our Sam’s Club membership using the digital card that allows us to scan and pay for our shopping directly through the app. Going shopping one day, I realized I needed him to verify my sign-in from his phone. Unfortunately, he didn’t answer. Repeatedly, I called his number to no avail. Finally, I went to customer service and had them help me gain access to the app.

Unlike my husband, the Lord answers every call we make. When we usher prayers to Him, God hears them and answers. However, most of the time, the Creator doesn’t do it on our timetable. Waiting on the Lord’s answer to our prayers will help us grow and mature, allowing us to realize what we deem urgent; God may have a different opinion, just like I thought my lack of access to my app seemed like the most essential thing in the world at that time. But it had a low priority in the scheme of worldly things.

God promises to answer our prayers. He hears our pleas and has a plan for them. Waiting on the Lord, we can find strength in His promises and become more like Jesus as we trust our heavenly Father to lead the way.

Application: 

God answers our call. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers and answering them.  As we wait for Your response, help us learn the lessons You have for us to learn.  Let us become more like Jesus every day as we pursue You wholeheartedly. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

I WILL PROTECT HIM BECAUSE HE KNOWS MY NAME.

PSALM 91:14B

When we know the Lord, He protects us. Playing golf with my husband, I found myself off the green, lying in the rough. My best shot to the green required me to hit it between two trees about 10 feet in front of me, with only about 6 feet between them. Deciding to go for it, I lined my club up and whispered a prayer.

“Lord, protect me.”

Swinging the club, I hit the ball off the toe of it, causing the red dot to go spiraling to the right of me, not anywhere near the trees and further away from the green. Instantly, I thought, “Well, God protected me, but not how I thought He would.” Instead of a beautifully struck ball, I shanked the ball, but I didn’t cause myself any harm. How the Lord protects us may not align with how we want protection. Unhappy with my shot, I chuckled, thinking that God doesn’t work for us; we serve Him.

Submitting our lives to the Lord means we understand that He doesn’t do things the way we would. God’s plans differ from ours, and as my husband says, we must hold things loosely, knowing life can change at any moment. We can count on the Lord’s protection, but we might not like how He does it. I prefer a shanked shot to the right than a ball in the head causing me harm. Life, like golf, has many ups and downs. We will never master it, but we can trust the Master, who controls everything.

Application:

God protects us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your protection, even when it differs from what we expected.  Help us accept Your will over ours, knowing You have our best interest at heart.  Let us submit to You and allow You to lead the way.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

“BECAUSE HE HOLDS FAST TO ME IN LOVE, I WILL DELIVER HIM;  

PSALM 91:14A 

Hasaq, the Hebrew word for love, means to set one’s affection, desire, or attachment to. (1) David, the author of Psalm 91, sets his sights on the Lord, giving God his affection and attaching himself to the Creator. As a result, God delivers David from his foes. Hope rescues us from our troubles when we wait on the Lord, trusting His plan and knowing He will deliver us.  

Giving up control to God challenges me, as it does everyone at times. But things turn out so much better when I don’t try to do things on my own accord and wait for the Lord to work. The Lord wants us to participate in the journey, doing what we know to do and then allowing Him to do His part. Partnerships require action from both sides. Like in marriage, both people must work together to have a great union, but if one person does all the work, eventually resentment takes root, which leads to division.  

Holding fast to the Lord means seeking Him daily, asking for direction, and following the promptings from the Holy Spirit. Our relationship with the Creator takes effort as we strive to live intentionally for Him.  The more we work at our connection with God, the stronger our bond will become, and the better we will enjoy life on Earth as we trust fully in the Lord for His guidance and direction, knowing He will deliver us from the challenges we face. 

Application: 

Hold fast to God, and He will deliver you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for delivering us from our troubles when we hold fast to You, trusting Your guidance and direction. Please give us hope when the storm winds blow, binding us to You and keeping us safe, giving You all the glory. 

IJNIP. Amen 

(1) NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan.

One-minute read.

YOU WILL TREAD ON THE LION AND THE ADDER; 
    THE YOUNG LION AND THE SERPENT YOU WILL TRAMPLE UNDERFOOT.  

PSALM 91:13 

Darak, the Hebrew word for “tread,” means to set out, march on, walk upon. (1) By applying this verse to our lives, we can gain confidence to follow the Lord’s leading boldly. God doesn’t want us hiding in fear but assertively setting out to gain ground for the Kingdom, knowing He has our back and Jesus won the victory. Whatever mountains we face, we can boldly climb them, knowing we have divine resources helping us over the rough spots.

Without risk, we can’t enjoy the reward. In golf, when facing a water hole, meaning you must hit your ball over the water to reach the green, many players change their ball for a “water ball.” Because they lack confidence in getting the ball across the pond, they don’t use their regular ball, afraid they will hit in the water. Essentially, they’ve already admitted defeat and put a negative thought in their mind, subconsciously telling themselves, “I’m going to hit it into the water.” I don’t switch balls. Instead, I ignore the water, focus on the target, and swing away, confident in my ability to make the shot.

The Lord doesn’t want us to use water balls when facing the enemy. He wants us to boldly swing the club, knowing with his assistance, we’ll hit our target. Feeding our fears causes us to lose sight of Who has our back. Staying focused on God and His divine presence in our lives can give us the ability to take risks, knowing the reward waits for us. Trample your enemies underfoot, knowing the Creator gives you victory.

Application: 

God gives us the confidence to trample the enemy. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us divine help to trample our enemies underfoot, giving us victory over their attacks. Please help us walk confidently today, knowing the risk will lead to the reward. In You, we can do all things.

IJNIP. Amen

(1)  NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary. Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan.

One-minute read.

ON THEIR HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, 
    LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.  

PSALM 91:12 

Have you ever felt like you can’t take another step?  Life’s problems overwhelm you, and getting out of bed seems like the hardest thing to do.  I have.  My darkest moments have found me on the floor of my prayer closet, unable to stand.  At those times, I cry out to the Lord, asking Him for the strength to keep going, and He always answers.  God’s angels pick me up and help me to persevere despite all the odds.  And they will do the same for you. 

Our summer began with the tragic loss of the flower girl from our wedding in an accident.  Only twenty, her bright light now shines from heaven.  Moving through the grief, we’ve needed angels to lift us up and keep us from stumbling.  Knowing she now lives in heaven, wrapped in the arms of Jesus, comforts us, but the reality of her loss requires divine assistance.  And God gives it, sending His angels to bear us up in their hands. 

God never intended for us to live life without His assistance.  In the Lord’s divine plan, He designed angels to help us when needed.  Trusting in the Creator’s plan means relying on His support, leaning into Him for strength, and not trying to do things on our own steam.  God provides our needs, supports our efforts, and helps us persevere, sometimes with His angels carrying us. 

Application: 

Angels bear us up in their hands. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for Your celestial beings that watch over us, protect us, and carry us when needed.  Please help us lean into You more, trusting You with our every need, knowing You will provide.  In all things, let us honor and serve You well. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

FOR HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU 
    TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS.  

PSALM 91:11 

Malak, the Hebrew word for angel, means messenger, human representative, angel, a supernatural representative of God, sometimes delivering messages, sometimes protecting God’s people; the “angel of the LORD” sometimes shares divine characteristics and is sometimes thought to be a manifestation of God himself, or of the pre-incarnate Christ. (1) Angels exist in the world, having different purposes. The Lord commands His angels to watch over us, guarding us in all our ways.

“This Present Darkness,” a fictional novel about spiritual warfare by Frank Perretti, helped me understand the battle that rages around us between good and evil. Set in a small town in the USA, the young praying pastor unwittingly stops the devil’s ploys with his persistent faith. God’s angels reveal themselves and their divine majesty when all seems lost. Throughout the Bible, the Lord’s angels help propel His story forward, which He still does today.

We never know when we may entertain an angel, but we can count on God using them to protect and watch over us. Often, I ask the Lord to watch over my loved ones, surrounding them with His angels, trusting their protection. Not only does God give us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, He commands His angels to guard us.

Relying on the Creator’s promises, trust that He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. His word says He does; believe it.

Application: 

God commands His angels concerning you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for commanding Your angels concerning us to watch over and protect us.  Please help believe Your promise, relying on Your protection and that of Your heavenly army.  Let us live boldly for Christ, knowing You have our backs. 

IJNIP. Amen 

(1)  NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary. Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan.