Honest Reflections

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.

One-minute read.

NO EVIL SHALL BE ALLOWED TO BEFALL YOU, 
    NO PLAGUE COME NEAR YOUR TENT.  

PSALM 91:10 

Everyone struggles; bad things happen to good people. Whoever you meet today and everyone you talk with in the next 24 hours has some battle in their life. Understanding that God protects us from evil, keeping the plagues away from us, challenges believers when they experience the storms of life. But the Lord does protect us; as bad as we think our problems, someone always has it worse.

A friend of mine likes to use the lake analogy. If we all put our problems into a lake and then drew out someone else’s issues, we would want our own back. Jesus never said we wouldn’t have problems, but He did tell us to take heart; He had already won the victory.

“𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕! 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅.” 𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏 16:33

Trusting in the Lord’s protection doesn’t mean He won’t allow things into our lives that will challenge us. Storms will come, but God’s umbrella will give us His peace during the hurricane and show us how to survive the waves. The Lord doesn’t give us all the answers at once; He gives us what we need for the day ahead. Our minds can take us places we shouldn’t go, but when we focus on the Lord, living in the moment, we will find His divine protection guiding us through the day.

Application: 

God protects us. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for protecting us from the evils of this world.  Please help us remember Your divine protection when the storms of life come upon us.  Let us walk boldly forward, knowing You guide and protect our path. 

IJNIP. Amen 

One-minute read.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge.

Psalm 91:9

Speaking out of experience, David encourages us to take refuge in the Lord, the Most High. Nothing happens on Earth without the Lord’s knowledge. I understand that fact can challenge our relationship with the Creator because of the terrible things that occur. When I think of the evil people do to each other, it makes me sick to my stomach. But God doesn’t do those things; people do them of their own free will and volition. Sin does exist, spiritual warfare rages around us, and if people don’t worship the Lord, they worship the things of this world, causing them to do unspeakable things.

Taking refuge in the Lord means we can have confidence in Him.  Trusting God’s promises, we know all things work for the good of those who believe and trust Him.  And we will remember, the things of this world will pass away, but the reward that awaits us in heaven never will. In God, we can find the tools to persevere in this fallen world, keeping the Son in our eyes and living for Him.

Bad things happen every day. Christ’s followers experience persecution and suffering. Jesus promised we would have tribulation in the world, but we should take heart because He overcame the world when He rose again, defeating death and sharing His victory with us. Seek refuge in the Most High’s arms, and you will find it. Let the Lord fight for you; find strength in Him.

Application:

God gives us refuge.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us a place to hide, allowing us to take refuge in You, and allowing us to find peace that surpasses all understanding. Please help us stand firm in our faith when trials rage around us. Please give us the tools to keep going when everything seems lost.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

You will only look with your eyes. And see the recompense of the wicked.

Psalm 91:8

Rasa, the Hebrew word for wicked, means “evil, guilty, in the wrong, ungodly”[1]. In our world, the heartbreaking reality of evil deeds done by humans to each other discourages anyone. But we find hope when we peer at the world through the Lord’s lens of salvation. Faith encourages us; not only will God protect and bless us, but one day, justice will come to those who do ungodly things.

When people choose to do evil things, it breaks my heart. They don’t have to answer me for their actions, but one day, they will stand before the Creator and give an account of their hateful deeds. Without Christ to defend them, they will suffer the Lord’s wrath and eternal separation from Him. My heart aches for anyone who chooses separation from God over an eternity filled with His glory and unconditional love.

Free will gives us the freedom to live any way we want. But faith in Jesus gives us direction on how to live a Godly life, experiencing His protection and blessing from the world’s hatred. Yes, we will suffer like Christ, but our reward lies in heaven. Until then, we serve the Lord, working towards Him and fulfilling His purpose for our lives. Peer through the lens of Jesus, fill your heart with hope, trusting in His justice.

Application:

God’s justice will prevail.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for providing justice in an evil world. Please help us view life from Your perspective, allowing our faith to encourage and uplift us as we strive to love people and share the good news of Christ with others.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91%3A8&version=NIV&tab=interlinear