The title or job of keeper is used frequently in scripture. It most often refers to someone watching sheep, doing house work, ones to look after the temple, fields, etc. It is someone tasked with watching out for someone or something of importance. Psalm 121 speaks of God as our keeper. The language and images of God doing this ‘job’-keeping us is beautiful.
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, The Lord as our keeper helps us. who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; He keeps us steadfast. he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel He is on the job 24/7! will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, He keeps us safe. nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep All our life He watches over us protecting us from evil. your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.His keeping is for eternity.
Which of these attributes of our Keeper are special to you? Today I resonated with the idea that God keeps me steadfast. Sometimes the world seems to be swirling around me, there are challenges right and left, and I take comfort in the fact that God is keeping me steadfast as I trust in Him. Perhaps you need to feel safe and protected or you need His help, be encouraged by knowing God is available 24/7 and will Keep you in perfect peace as God promises in Isaiah 26:3 “You keep him in perfectpeace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know and trust that God, my keeper, is on duty eternally and wants the very best for me. Claim Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise from your Keeper. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future“. Keep your mind on Him and He will give you peace, help, protection, love, hope and a future just as He promises. Your heart and soul are in perfect hands with God.
Has worry crept into your week? Are you frustrated by the state of the world and are things taking your focus off God? I totally understand how easy it is to get sidetracked and/or distracted. When I face times like that, I enjoy reading Psalm 37. In these first 6 verses we see the Lord’s answer to our worried and frustrated soul. As you read these verses, let your mind focus on what God is promising and telling you about the world. His truth is eternal and His will cannot be thwarted, trust in Him alone.
Psalm 37:1-6
Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass God’s perspective- evil will soon be gone. and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, God’s perspective-trust, do good, immerse yourself in Him. and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. God’s perspective-commit to Him and let Him be in control. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Remember God is Sovereign and always in control. He wants us to trust Him and leave the troubles to Him. By focusing on Him and His power, might and love. This week we saw God as Truth, Jehovah Shalom- Peace, our Hiding Place, Jehovah Nissi-our Banner, our Abba Father and Jehovah Jireh -the Lord who will Provide. God is bigger than anything or anyone we will face and sovereign over all the happenings in the world. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can live worry free by focusing on Sovereign God, our Savior.
The name of God for today is one that has been very precious to me ever since I first encountered it, Jehovah Jireh in Hebrew and The Lord Will Provide or Provider in English. This name of God first appeared in Genesis and comes at the end of the story of Abraham and Isaac. Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, the son promised to them by God. At this point in the story Isaac is a young man and goes with his father to sacrifice to the Lord. God told Abraham to go to Mt Moriah and sacrifice his son. So they took everything they needed but a lamb. When questioned about this, Abraham told Isaac that the Lord would provide. Abraham laid Isaac on the altar and was preparing to sacrifice him when this happened. Genesis 22:13-14. “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
For many years I did not like this story as I could not imagine God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son nor Abraham trusting God enough to go through with it. But, my thinking has changed as I grew to realize that Abraham trusted God completely and knew that Isaac was the son of promise. If Isaac was killed, God could surely bring him back to life as he provided his life when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was in her nineties. He was a miracle from the start. Abraham knew God was a promise keeper and did not go back on His Word. Next, I thought Abraham knew God and knew he did not condone human sacrifice so he trusted God to provide. Abraham’s faith was definitely greater than mine and as I’ve grown I’ve learned to trust in the Provider more and more.
We see repeatedly throughout scripture that God provides. God provided a son for barren Hannah as she prayed and asked God to favor her with a child. (1 Samuel 1) God provided for the widow and her son when Elijah came to live with them- the oil and flour did not run out. (1 Kings 17) He provided food and protection for David as he fled from King Saul for 14 years as he awaited to be king. Psalm 23, written by David, shows his dependance on the great Provider. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3He restores my soul.”
God provided for Paul and those shipwrecked sailors on the way to Rome. Acts 27 13 Now when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. 15 And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. …18 Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison the cargo. 19 And on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. 22 Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.” …..
39 Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef,they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. God provided a place for them to land, a way to get ashore and the kindheartedness of the governing soldiers. He is the great provider.
Throughout the ages God has shown Himself to be Jehovah Jireh, The God who Provides. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead,I can know the Lord Who Provides personally and walk each day trusting in His provision.
May He show Himself to you during this Lenten season and may your trust in Him grow.
“Abba” is the precious name we have for our beloved heavenly Father. It is like daddy, familiar and endearing to both father and son/daughter. Jesus used the term when praying to God at his hour of deepest need in the garden of Gethsemane. Mark 14:36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Later in Romans and Galatian the Apostle Paul uses the term “Abba, Father” for God in reference to our relationship with Him. Because we are believers and adopted into His family through our faith in Jesus, we can claim God as our Abba Father. Romans 8:14-16 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” He also references this in Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
So what difference does this name of God make to you and me? It establishes a close family tie between us and our heavenly father. He is our loving, eternal father who has provided for us in Jesus a way to be reconciled and redeemed. He has indwelt us with His Holy Spirit and provided for us freedom from the slavery of sin and a perfect and protected inheritance kept in heaven for us. Ephesians 1:13 tells us we are sealed by His Holy Spirit, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” He has provided eternal protection for us and I claim the truth of John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and noone will snatch them out of my hand.” whenever I am in doubt about my salvation. He has me and won’t let me go!
Whatever you earthly father was like- good, bad, indifferent or even cruel, your heavenly father is totally, pure, holy, just, righteous, open, and filled with steadfast eternal love for you! Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can claim God as my Abba Father along with Jesus as we are family! Lean into God with Jesus and claim Him as your loving heavenly father, too!
Jehovah Nissi means The Lord is My Banner. I came across this recently in my Bible reading in Exodus 17:15. Here is the scene: the Israelites were journeying from captivity in Egypt to the promised land, Canaan, and the Amalekites decided to attack them. Moses give directions to Joshua, Aaron and Hur. “So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.“13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. They prevailed and won the battle with God’s help.
Then in verse 15 “And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner,”. God was their banner or standard for victory. When they upheld Moses’ hands as God had required- they prevailed. When Moses let his hands fall to rest- they succumbed to the enemy. So Moses enlisted some help. He knew that God would win the battle if they remained faithful to their part in the battle- hands up dependent upon God! He did not attempt to go it alone but had support so that the victory could be accomplished. There is a lesson for us in this. Doing God’s work is important but it needs not to be done alone. Keeping your eye on God, you can ask others to come alongside and help. We are meant to do things in community. Hebrews 10:24-25 speaks to this point. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” As we live and work for Jesus, we need to think of how to involve others in God’s work. How to encourage them in the work they are doing for God and ask if you can help. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can do God’s work with others and work in community. I do not have to be alone.
Consider that time is short and all hands need to be on deck. The work of the Lord needs to be done by everyone. There is no retirement for Christians, everyone is needed every day to spread the good news about Jesus! Whom can you tell, encourage, or support with your help today?
Do you think of God as your hiding place? God’s Word describes God as our hiding place. It is a name of comfort for us as we strive to exist in this hostile world filled with sin and all its temptations. When does one need a hiding place? It is not a place where you bury your head in the sand and ignore the world. It is not a place to dwell constantly as if secreting yourself away from the world and its temptations. No, a hiding place in my mind is a place of refuge where I can go in times of need or trouble. God does not want me living there permanently, but He is there if and whenever I need it. Someday we will be with him always and His hiding place will be our home residence in heaven.
Psalm 32:7 describes the hiding place of God when in troubled times “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” What a comfort to know we have this place with God available 24/7.
Psalm 119:114 describes the hiding place God provides in His Word, “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.” We can always go to God’s Word for encouragement and solace and He will provide us with cover, compassion, grace and mercy.
Isaiah 32:1-2 speaks of a time in the future that Jesus will be reign. “Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. 2 Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. This assures us that being with Jesus in His kingdom will be the perfect hiding place for eternity!
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured of a hiding place with God that is available to me 24/7, is filled with His grace and mercy and awaiting me as my final home in heaven.
Be sure to encourage someone else today with the knowledge of God as our hiding place! There is Hope in Him always.
Peace is something we all strive for as we think, if we achieve it all will be good and calm. However, the only one who can truly grant us peace is God. Gideon was called of God to rescue the Israelites during the time of the Judges. Judges 6:22-24a “Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace,” Jehovah Shalom in Hebrew was Gideon’s name for God, The Lord of Peace, and describes how he felt after this encounter with God. Many other writers in scripture use God’s name, Lord of Peace, as a form of blessing or to describe the quality of peace that God can bestow upon the believer! Gideon felt God’s peace and was ready to move into action. God’s peace motivates us to live for Him and surrounds us with His comfort too.
Paul used the name, Lord of Peace, as a sign off in Romans and 1 Thessalonians. Romans 15:33 “May the Godofpeace be with you all. Amen.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the Godofpeace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When they were departing by ship, walking or with a letter, they wanted the receiver to know that God was with them always and that He is the granter of peace in our lives. Paul wanted them to look to Jesus for their peace.
Another aspect of God’s peace is action oriented and we can depend upon this peace to produce action or results in our lives. In Romans 16:19-20 Paul wants his readers to know that the God who gives peace also will take care of evil. He will crush Satan as he has promised. “For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” Action also involves focus on Him. You can’t get peace without keeping your mind on Him as we are told in Isaiah 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” I love this action as it is a promise that we are assured peace if we remain focused upon God.
Jesus told us in John 14:27 that He was leaving peace for us, from God, and it will keep your troubles from becoming overwhelming and keep away fear! “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Paul expanded on how to access this peace of God in Philippians 4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Do you want to know the peace of God or the Lord of Peace? Scripture tells us it is ours as a gift from God. Nothing is required other than faith in Jesus and trusting Him. He will give us the peace that passes all understanding, and He will see that our hearts and minds are guarded in Him. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know, feel and live in God’s peace as the Lord of Peace is always with me! Be assured that God is the God of peace, but Jesus himself is known as the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince ofPeace.” Jesus is our prince always bringing us peace! Thank you Jesus.
One of the qualities we can always depend upon from God or about God is that He is TRUTH. God is truthful as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I love John 15:26 which describes God as the Spirit of Truth. “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit oftruth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” Jesus wanted to reassure the disciples that he was not leaving them alone, but that His Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, would remain with them after he was gone. As believers we too can take heart in this as once we believe, God’s Holy Spirit comes to indwell us. Romans 8:9a reassures us of His presences with us, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwellsin you.” This indwelt state is where all believers find themselves! Praise God!
God the Father is filled with truth, as we see in John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Any worship of God must be done truthfully, God does not honor insincerity. He questioned the returning Israelites as to their sincerity of their worship practices in Zechariah 7:5-6 “Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? 6 And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat for yourselves and drink for yourselves?” God did not want them worshipping Him without their whole hearts being involved. Rote worship is not really worship and God sees it as untruthful.
Jesus is associated with truth in so many passages. John 1:14 describes him, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus was the embodiment of God’s truth which He came to earth to show us. In John 14:6 Jesus describes himself, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus was and is the truthful way to God, only in Him can we be reconciled to the Father. In John 17:17 Jesus prays for us that God would sanctify or consecrate us in His truth, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
Jesus is also referred to as the Word in many passages. His Word stands for truth and is without error. Psalm 119:160 “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Not only was Jesus the way and truth but by believing in Him and His Word, He promises that we would be set free, John 8:31-32“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The truth of the freedom of believing in Jesus speaks of our freedom from the burden of guilt brought on by sin, freedom from God’s wrath over sin and freedom of Spirit when we have His Spirit within us! Paul tells us in Galatians 5:1 “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” We need to guard our freedom and stay steadfastly connected to Jesus, walking with Him, studying the Word and fellowshipping with other believers.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I am pure from sin in Christ, filled with His Holy Spirit and free to live for Him, a life that will glorify Him each day. Knowing this, how does this motivate you to live pure and holy lives? We can take direction many places in scripture about godliness but I love this passage from Romans 12:9-13. It gives us a lot to aim for in our daily walk. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.“
Have a blessed day as you seek to walk in His truth.
We have seen such wonderful names of God this first full week of Lent. Rewarder, Forgiver, Promise Keeper, Light, Righteousness and Everlasting, each of these give us hope, thoughts to bring to God in prayer and repentance. Here is a continuation of the Psalm we started last Sunday, 103:11-19.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; How big is your God’s love? 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. Do you trust Him to thoroughly remove your sins? 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. Do you allow God to show you compassion? 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.Do you trust Him to number your days justly?
15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, God knows were are fleeting. and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, God covers us with his Love and righteousness. 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, God wins and has an eternal home for us. and his kingdom rules over all.
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know all things are Yes in Jesus and I can trust Him with all my questions. May your prayers be rich today and lead you to a deeper relationship with Him.
Today’s name for God is a big one and used often in the Old Testament, El OLAM (Hebrew) or in English The Everlasting God. This name is used often in the Bible as it specifically refers to the eternal quality of God. He is unending. He has no beginning and has no end. He has always existed and no one or nothing created God. It is a name filled with wonder and assurance.
Isaiah 40:28-31 describes this Everlasting God. “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He is indefatigable and deep. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. He strengthens his people. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; He renews. they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; He gives power to continue on. they shall walk and not faint.
We are recipients of our Everlasting Father’s power and it changes the quality and durability of our lives.
In Genesis 21:32-33 Abraham made a covenant agreement with the Philistine commander. He planted a tree of remembrance. “So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. He asked God to bless the agreement by calling upon Him by name.
Most of the time, scriptures uses the everlasting part to describe the etnality of God and yet, praises His name too.
Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This was the description given to Jesus by Isaiah as he prophesied his coming and the majesty of His name and power.
Jeremiah 10:10 “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.” God’s kingdom is eternal for our Everlasting God!
What does this name of God, Everlasting God, means to you? Do you look forward to the eternity to come with our Everlasting God? Are you awed by the everlasting qualities God gives to us when you are out of energy and He uplifts you or when you lack courage and strength and He provides? Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can accept the everlasting love, energy and strength provided by my Everlasting God. When your own well has run dry, lean into Jesus and He will provide as your everlasting God, as He never runs dry or gives up. Thank you Jesus.
Fearless Living 