Tag: God protects

Redemption, Encouragement and Comfort, Psalm 34 Has it All!

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Psalm 34 has some of the most encouraging verses David ever penned, my opinion. He was under stress and seeking God’s deliverance from Abimelech the Philistine king. He even pretended to be insane to escape his clutches. David is pouring out his heart and troubles to God and I find great encouragement in his words.

Verse 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears. How many of us have been so fearful at times that we needed God’s deliverance? David knew His God would answer if he cried out to him both physically and mentally. Do you have the same assurance?

Verses 7-10 The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. I love the visual of God’s protection in verse 7. We know God has angels to watch over us. One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament of God’s power and protection is found in 2 Kings 6 where the king of Aram is pursuing Elisha. He tells his servant to not be afraid “as those who are with us are more than those who are with them” ” O LORD open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariot of of fire all around Elisha.” The servant saw they were surrounded by an army of angels. God watches over us just as He did his servant Elisha.

The command in verse 8 is to taste and see that the Lord is good! Knowing Him is something we can feel within our souls like we were tasting a good food. Verses 9 and 10 talk about fearing the Lord. The promise is if we fear the Lord we will have no lack. Fear here is not trepidation but awe, admiration, trust, faith and commitment too. Putting our trust in God removes all else from consideration and we do not need to be afraid of worldly things.

Verse 17-18 are very reassuring. ” When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears  and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.” These verse bring hope and comfort to our souls. When we are disheartened or brokenhearted God knows our pain and brings us comfort.

Lastly, verse 22 is David’s crowning conclusion. “The Lord redeems the life of his servants;  none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” What a wonderful promise to those who love the Lord.

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are assured of redemption and a declaration by Jesus that we are NOT GUILTY when we stand before Him. Thank you Jesus that the promise of redemption and refuge can always be found in Jesus for those who love Him.

Linda

Entire Psalm 34 below

I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Direction for God Needs Heart

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My friend Greg is a thoughtful and dedicated believer who seeks to continually examine his walk and relationship with the Lord. It does not surprise me that one of his favorite passages in Isaiah 58:6-12. Take a close look at these verses with me and see why Greg receives insight, challenges and reassurance for his walk with Christ. I have chosen the NLT as it makes it easier to understand.

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
    lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
    and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
    and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
    and do not hide from relatives who need your help. God was speaking to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah. They were fasting and proclaiming their ‘religiosity’ before men without having their hearts dedicated to the Lord. God is telling them, and us, that He desires true dedication and devotion that is evident in our lives by the things we do. Do we see to the needs of others? Seek to help the less fortunate? When was the last time you worked at a soup kitchen, gave to the homeless or sought to uplift a suffering friend? Food for thought and action.

What a wonderful promise from God!

God told them if they did these things and had a right heart for others then they would be truly rewarded. 8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
    and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
    and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
    ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. Seeing to the needs of others leads to blessings and a deeper walk with God. Here Isaiah mentions- salvation, godliness, protection and answered prayer as benefits of being a humble servant.

I love this is a promise from God of His continual care.

“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
    Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
    and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
    and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
    giving you water when you are dry
    and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like an ever-flowing spring.
12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
    Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
    and a restorer of homes.

In this last section, Isaiah continues with instructions for not gossiping or putting down others but challenges us to be about feeding the hungry and seeing to the needs of others. Then we will find that the Lord guides, restores and strengthens us like a well-watered garden! Verse 12 reminds us that all of us are not called to do the same thing. God has many ways for us to show ourselves to be His humble servants. It is a challenge with confirmation. Pray and seek God’s guidance of where He has for you to serve and to whom He has for you to give a helping hand.

Thanks Greg for challenging us with this wonderful passage. May we all be more open and receptive to His guidance and may we receive the benefits of His blessings with praise and thanksgiving in our hearts.

Linda

Our Real Life is Protected in Christ

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Have you ever thought of your life being hidden in Christ or protected by Him? Paul tells us in Colossians 3:3-4 that our new life that comes through faith in Jesus is hidden with Him. This real life, our new nature, is guarded by Christ. “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory”.

This idea of our life in Christ being protected by God was written about many times in the New Testament when the Apostles explained the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit seals and guarantees our new life and inheritance in Him. 2 Timothy 2:14 “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” The indwelling Spirit of God testifies with our Spirit so we are assured that He is with us and that we have a new life in Him. Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” Ephesians 1:13-15 also explains this relationship between our new life in Christ and the 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, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” We can think of this protection of the Holy Spirit as hiding our new or real life in Christ. Paul wanted to give encouragement to the believers at Colossae. They were struggling with warring ideas and ideologies and this assurance of their life in Christ being protected by the Holy Spirt and hidden by Christ would have been very welcome. I can identify with that also, as I find Paul’s assurances bring hope and comfort to me in a world that is filled with doubt, uncertainty and chaos.

The idea in verse 4 that Christ will return and all truth will be revealed, would have been of great comfort to these believers, also. We, too, can gain comfort from knowing Christ will return and will be victorious over Satan. Christ’s return is a sure thing. In Matthew 24:35-37 Jesus spoke of His return. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my ,words will not pass away. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Later the Apostles spoke of Jesus’ return in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace 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 Jesus does return many things will take place but we do know that Jesus will rule and all will bow before Him. Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” As an added bonus, because of our faith in Jesus we will share in the glory as we stand amazed. Romans 8:17 “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” and Ephesians 2:6 “and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I have a life with Christ that is assured, protected and expectant as I await His return! Praise God! Thank you Jesus!

Linda