I don’t know about you, but next time I am under attack, I will first seek the warmth and
protection of my loving Father. It sure beats running like a madwoman any day!
All in Protection
I don’t know about you, but next time I am under attack, I will first seek the warmth and
protection of my loving Father. It sure beats running like a madwoman any day!
This responsibility to protect the Word of God is not only for us, but for the generations that follow. We need the next generation to fear the Lord, which was Isaiah’s message all along. And one way we can do that well is by protecting and honoring His Word.
Jesus comes to help with my struggles just as He came to Joshua. Because He is with me, I will never face a battle alone. He is still the Commander of the hosts and has given me His promise, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5b).
Forty years had passed, A second census was ordered by the LORD (26:2), only this time it was for a new generation to enter the Promised Land (plus Caleb and Joshua, 26:65). The gravity of unbelief had been enormous.
How many giants are you facing right now? Can you name one as you think back over the past year? Did several giants pop up? Maybe you fear the next one that will arise unexpectedly.
Has God ever given you an assignment that you were so excited about you shared it with others so they could be excited too? Maybe they would join in on the work of the assignment? Did it go so smoothly and problem-free? Or did you hit some snags?
I have learned why my soul blesses the Lord.
David understood this too and says…
What battles have you faced recently? A dispute with a friend or co-worker? A fight with a family member? A health fear?
Walking the paved dam between two small lakes, I noticed a family of ducks paddling toward shore. Noticeably, the mother duck led the family while the father duck anchored the end of the line. Several ducklings swam effortlessly between the two.
“Don’t blink,” cautioned the technician at the ophthalmologist’s office, all the while flashing a light directly in my eyes, making it almost impossible not to blink. I could not stop thinking, “Just how much longer will this misery last?”
My ten-year-old loves playing the game Battleship with her dad. They both have quite different approaches to trying and mastering the game.
I have friends who like to scuba dive. They put on their equipment and plunge into a different world under the sea. The sea isn’t an environment suited to man naturally. However, with the right equipment, it is possible to breathe and explore fascinating things God has created.
The thought of God charging angels to “keep watch over you” comforts me, especially since I mostly think of angels watching over children. When my young son fell out of a tree, his sister ran into the kitchen screaming for help. As I headed out the door, he passed me on his way in.
I noticed it in the inner courtyard of a home in North Africa’s Atlas Mountains. Its intricacy reminded me of a Tinker Toy creation. What a surprise to discover it was a handmade stick trap for snaring small birds—a common pastime for local boys while tending their goats.
Do you sometimes feel alone in your Christian faith while the world around you takes great pleasure in criticizing your beliefs? It is challenging to stand firm during these days of turmoil in our world…
In Psalm 11:3, David asks, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” and these days of upheaval and outrageousness in the most foundational of our country’s institutions, a lot of Christians are asking the same question.
Historical scholars would tell you that our present turmoil is nothing exceptional. What is truly unusual is the era of peace and prosperity that most of us have experienced as our norm.
Too many men: God, what are you thinking? The enemy are 135,000 strong (Judges 8:10) and Israel has a mere 32,000 (7:3). You want all who are afraid to turn back? And guess what—22,000 did just that. Oh Lord!
Do you journal? Write?
I use writing to process my thoughts.
God can use it to show you something that He wants you to see.
God told Jeremiah to write down His message for a purpose… for change…
Driving through Oklahoma, I glimpsed an adult bald eagle perched prominently atop an evergreen tree. The sight flashed by as we sped on, but he was forever etched in my mind. I haven’t seen one in nature, only in captivity. His “bald” head of vibrant white feathers radiated authority and power. Unmoved by his surroundings, weighty in presence, he portrayed unrivaled protection and peace—what my fearful heart most craves. Secured. Defended. Watched over. Sustained. Sheltered.
On December 26, 2015, an EF-4 tornado hit Garland and Rowlett, TX. Several died. Many homes and businesses were destroyed.
I was in Garland almost two months later and drove by an astonishing site I will never forget. It was a massive heap of rubble collected from the path of the tornado. Several other piles just like that one existed. Those piles were composed of what had once been the treasured possessions of many people. Those possessions were snatched away in a moment!