Tag: protection

My Thoughts on a Potpourri of Verses

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

As I read my Bible and devotionals this morning, my mind kept returning to all of the chaos and evil in the world. I sought God’s help in understanding and the hope that only comes from knowing and believing His Word.

Fear tries to overtake my heart because of all of the rampant evil. But God continually reminds me that He is trustworthy and I need not be afraid.

God will always protect me from the evil that surrounds me. I can count on Him to be with me in the middle of the storm.

Our hope lies in the cross where Jesus stated, “It is finished.” He completed the sacrifice for me so that I can be with the Lord forever. Victory is assured…I just have to get through to the end of this present evil age.

It’s a scary thing to contemplate that the God of justice will judge our nations for their wickedness. Refusing to acknowledge God won’t end in anything good for those who turn their backs on Him. I’m blessed to be on the winning side but I am sad for those who flaunt their evil ways and taunt God with their worship of self.

God does not want to destroy nations or the wicked. He prefers that everyone join in accepting His free gift of salvation and come to Him as victorious servants, not continue to be seemingly free evil doers. The second death is the final and ultimate death, the one that determines whether we end up in the lake of fire with Satan or in Heaven with God for eternity. God prefers that we repent but He will not force us to do so.

God gets a lot of the blame for what happens on earth. My thoughts are that people get the consequences that they deserve for their foolish choices. Being angry with God is worthless because in the end, the one who is destroyed is the one who refuses to be wise and repent.

Out of all of my verses this morning, this is the one that stood out to me most and made my heart leap, not necessarily with joy, but with recognition of truth. One day, there will be justice. God’s final judgment will mete out justice to all. The godly will be rejoicing but the evil will be terrified. Sounds fitting to me…and a hope to look forward to. When I was growing up and didn’t know God as Lord, I was frequently bullied. Since I did believe in a higher power, I would pray that one day God would “give them what they had coming to them.” Little did I know that the final judgment is exactly what that will be…God has the final word, so fearing the Lord before judgment day is a must if you want to be in the group that is rejoicing.

Praise the Lord that the victory is already His!

The Present Tense

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

As a grammarian and a retired foreign language teacher, I am generally aware of the use of tenses in sentences. I notice present, past and future tenses and sometimes that makes all the difference in my thinking. Today in my devotional, it’s all about the present tense, where I am right now.

The Lord keeps me from all harm…right now. He is currently watching over me and all that I do. I consider that very comforting. God is not confined by the constraints of time as we know it because He is infinite, but He steps into my present and is carefully watching over me. Comforting, isn’t it?

The verb “is” means currently, present tense. God has been my refuge and strength in the past and will continue to be in the future. But for today, I can count on Him to be my refuge, to be my strength right now, right where I am and in the circumstances I am currently facing. Encouraging, isn’t it?

Every day, each of us faces new troubles, whether from our health, our family circumstances, our finances or whatever comes up. God is always present, right there with us, no matter what we face. He saves us, present tense, from whatever enemies may attack us. The promise is that He will protect us and the reality is in the present tense. His hand is already there, ready for us to grasp and be saved by His power and mercy and grace. Humbling, isn’t it?

Although my focus is on the present tense in this little blog today, I want to end with a view of the future. God is always trustworthy. He is a rock on which we can stand and take refuge. We can trust Him forever because He never changes and He never will. Powerful, isn’t it?

As you read your devotional today and spend time with the Lord, may He be ever present in your heart, mind and soul.

Covered

On By vickleaIn promises, Scripture4 Comments

Are you a fan of lots of blankets? Snuggling down into the warm comfort and resting securely? One of my children used to have a “security blanket” that he carried everywhere. Ragged and threadbare from so much laundering, it was barely a blanket, yet still he carried it, holding it up to his nose and wrapping it around his little neck. I don’t recall when he finally gave up “Blankie” but I do remember being sad at the passing of an innocent age when he thought that the blanket he carried and wore would surround him with security.

We can all have that security today if we just accept that God promises it. It’s not a totem we carry around or wear. It’s not a Bible verse that we memorize and cite each time we need God’s presence (although that is certainly helpful). It is just an awareness of how much God loves you and the feeling that He has His arms wrapped around you.

I had a scary incident happen last week. I was sitting in my recliner getting ready to read when the vision in my right eye went all wonky. It was blurry and wavy, and at the same time I got a tremendous sense of vertigo. I called for my husband, but he couldn’t hear me, so I carefully made my way to the bedroom, told him what was happening, and we prayed. I then proceeded to go to bed. I lay there in the dark for quite a while, with the room spinning around me and my vision in that one eye blurry. I fell asleep for a few hours and when I awakened and got up to go to the bathroom, I was still dizzy and my vision was still weirdly unfocused. So, back to bed I went and prayed and praised God as I drifted back to sleep. The next morning, I seemed fine. On Monday, I called my retina eye specialist, whom I had just seen the day before the incident. The triage team called me back, asked me a lot of questions and told me that if it happens again, I should call the on-call doctor and go to the ER. I also let my cardiologist know, in case there was some kind of reaction to my medication. And, finally, I alerted my neurologist in case the whole thing was a brain glitch. The neurologist called me a few days later and said he is concerned about my blood vessels in my brain so he wants me to have an MRA. I had already had an MRI, CT Scan, EEG and EMG, but apparently an MRA looks at only the blood vessels to see if there is something going on that shouldn’t be. The test is all scheduled now and I think the doctor must have put in an urgent request because it’s on June 12th, only a few weeks away. (I waited months for some of the other tests to be done.) Anyway, I wrote all of that so that you know that I know that I am covered. Is it scary each morning when I awaken and I don’t know whether my eyes will be focused and my head will be spinning? I would be lying if I said it isn’t a little tense for me. But I awaken each day as always, praising God that I slept and woke up again and I go through my day with the praise on my lips that God is taking care of me, regardless of what happens. Am I thrilled to undergo another test and have an unknown possibly happening in my brain? No, of course not! But I know that I cannot learn trust by having everything be nice and smooth in my life, so a few bumps are to be expected as I press in closer to God.

God is sheltering me and He has already provided my protection in His Word. I have to stand on it and believe that He is working it all out for His glory. So, I am covered, not with a security blanket that I can hold in my hands but with one that I hold close to my heart.

My Shield

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

Lately, I have been going on a “Doc Tour” (a phrase coined by my brother). That means that every week I have been to see at least one physician or to the hospital for a medical test as they ponder why I have been getting lightheaded and dizzy and sometimes even passing out. I must admit that this tour has been somewhat exhausting and discouraging, but God has been with me through it all.

My enemies are not the inhabitants of surrounding lands. Rather, it seems that my own body is in rebellion against me, but God is taking care of things for me, keeping me safe and secure in His loving arms.

I know that the victory is ultimately God’s and no matter what happens to me in this life, He has always held me close to Him and helped me to stay upright with His right hand…the Lord Jesus.

I remember being with young grandchildren and playing the classic game of “Hide and Seek.” It never failed to amuse me when the youngest would come to me and hide behind me, telling me I was their hiding place and I wouldn’t let their big brother or sister “get them.” God taught me through that simple game that He is and always has been my hiding place, the one place that I can count on for total safety and security when I am feeling anxious. Not only that, but He sings His songs of victory over me, giving me a feeling of calm that can only come from His presence.

It’s difficult to be thankful for these circumstances, but I am. I am thankful that God is teaching me to be more dependent on Him and to appreciate each new day as it comes. In the midst of all that has been going on in my life, a sweet friend online received a devastating diagnosis. Less than a month ago, Susan got pneumonia and was having real problems breathing. In the hospital, they did all kinds of tests and discovered that her breast cancer that had been in remission had spread to her lungs and other vital organs. Last week, when she was once again in the hospital, the doctors sent her home with hospice care and gave her less than two weeks to live. My faith cried out to God for more time for her to be with her beloved husband and daughter. However, on Tuesday evening, Susan went to be with the Lord. The odd thing is that I did not question or ask “why” as I am wont to do. Instead, I praised God that Susan is no longer suffering but is in the arms of our Lord and Savior. I prayed for comfort for her family as they grieve and for strength for them to get through these hard days. Susan knew the Lord and depended on Him to take her home when the time is right. That has been a lesson that I have needed to learn and that God is still teaching me. I am thankful that I am teachable and that He has patience with me, even as He shields me, protects me, delivers me and hides me. The doctors may never come up with an answer to this mystifying problem, but God already knows the number of my days and has them in His hand. Thus I don’t need to fret over the things that I cannot control; instead I choose to focus on God’s goodness, grace, mercy and love.

“Through It All”-Andrae Crouch

A Fortress

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

If you look carefully at the image of the fortress, you will see that it appears to be built among the rocks. That large structure is not moving! It isn’t going to go anywhere any time soon. That’s why when we call on God to be our fortress, we need to run to Him. Then He surrounds us with His protection, but first we have to go into the safety that He has provided for us. God rescues us when we run to him for the protection He already has available for us.

May your day be blessed with the knowledge that God will always be your fortress.

Love Without End

On By vickleaIn Scripture7 Comments

I know that my husband loves me even though he gets irritated with me sometimes. We are very different people. I am the one who wants everything in its place and calm, quiet times at home. He likes piles of things everywhere and to go and see new things. Nevertheless, we have managed to stay married for almost five decades, putting up with each other’s strange ways and loving each other in spite of it. Or maybe because of our differences? I have never been sure of that, but I am sure of his love for me.

I am equally convinced that God loves me and oftentimes, He does so in spite of me, my actions and my behavior. He loves me because He made me and knows exactly who I am and loves me anyway. That is something I can count on. I cannot see God, but I can feel His love for me each time He sends the Comforter to be with me and whisper the words from the Scripture that I need to hear at the right moment that I need it. I know that He loves me when I feel His protection all around me in scary situations. I feel His love surrounding me when I am feeling weak or tired, what I tell others is just “bone weary.” Yes, God loves me, but He also loves each of you and wants you to know it. He wants you to hold His love for you deep in your soul where it will always be with you, no matter the challenges you face in life. God is not a respecter of persons (no favoritism with Him), so His love is never-ending and unchanging for each of us. Good news! God loves me and you, sometimes in spite of us, but always because He is love!

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His eternal love shine in your life, reaching to others who need to know that they, too, are loved!

Watching

On By vickleaIn ScriptureLeave a comment

I am spending most of my days lately watching a toddler try very hard to discover new capabilities and doing some very scary and perhaps dangerous things in his quest. I am thankful that God watches over me as I try to discover new things and likely venture into dangerous areas, too. I am very thankful for the Holy Spirit who guards me from harm and leads me away from danger and towards the right way. God is there to protect you, if you invite Him to be there in your life.

Even in my sleep, God watches over me and gives me gentle rest. As I watch little Nathan sleep in total peace, it is a perfect picture of the rest that God gives each of us. We are so busy, so very active, moving from one thing to another, just like an inquisitive toddler. Then, when it is rest time, we fully relax into the arms of the One who loves us and watches over us while we sleep. I used to say the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer, and I must admit that I sometimes still do as I drift off to slumberland. The prayer comforts me, knowing that I can completely rest because God is still actively watching over me.

May you be blessed with the knowledge that God is always watching over you and leading you away from things that could harm you.

A Perfect Gift

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

When my children were younger, it was easy to find a gift that would please them because they wanted just about everything they saw on TV or that their friends had. So, from their lengthy wish list, I chose a gift or two and they were generally happy. As they got older, it became more of a challenge to find something to surprise and satisfy them. As a result, I had each child create a wish list on Amazon and I choose gifts from that list or similar to items on that list. I also always add a surprise that isn’t on the list since I listen carefully to our conversations all year long and try to glean from those the information I need to make informed and wise gift choices. The gifts I choose are not always perfect, but they are always appreciated. It makes my heart happy to see sweet smiles and hear a grateful “thank you.”

In my devotional this morning, I was reminded that I don’t have to present a wish list to God in order to receive gifts from Him. In fact, getting up this morning is a gift, seeing photos online of my grandchildren having weekend fun is a gift, meeting our son today to celebrate his birthday is a gift. Everything I have is a gift from God, especially my health and my attitude of gratitude. It was not always that way. I used to complain about everything, even after I became a Christian. Yes, that suit you chose for me is nice, but the color is all wrong. I like the cute socks you got, but they are a little too thick for me. Get the idea? Nowadays, and for the past two decades or so, I have been practicing being grateful, especially to God, for the little things and the big things that He does for me every day. God chastised me about my complaining spirit and that is a habit I have to consciously be aware of and flee from.

Of course, the best gift God ever gave is His salvation to us by sending Jesus to die for us on the cross. But God didn’t stop there. He also sent His Holy Spirit who guides and comforts us. He sends us promises in His word, promises that He fulfills daily. In addition to the verse about God’s perfect gifts, I read a verse this morning that spoke to my heart about one of the gifts that I hold most dear.

This is a promise that I cling to when I am afraid, and there is a lot that makes me fear sometimes. I don’t like to be alone at night, but sometimes my husband has to go see his brother who is about five hours away and he spends several days and nights there. But I hold tightly to Psalm 91 and the verse above goes right along with it. The Book of Psalms is filled with God’s promises. In fact, if you follow David Ettinger’s posts, he wrote about Psalm 67 this morning and the glorious promise that Jesus will return.

We are meeting our son today and celebrating. I hope that he will enjoy his gifts, but mostly I pray for him to have a good year, one filled with hope in God’s promises and confidence that God is in control. Having a God-centered life is the best gift of all!

May you have a blessed day with time to reflect on God’s gifts to you and how perfect each one is, especially the timing when He gives them.

My Shelter

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song4 Comments

There are storms all around each of us daily, the storms of life and change and just surviving sometimes. How we react to those storms tells the world a lot about us as a person.

I have had two huge storms circling around me for months. The first was our grandson’s enlistment in the USN and leaving for boot camp. As my husband and I visited with him weekly, the fact that he would depart at the end of April was always at the back of my mind. Then, it happened. Our last lunch. Our final outing with Isaac, and the next day, he left. I have a deep ache in my heart because I miss him, but his leaving moved me closer to my Father in Heaven, the One who knows how deep the pain is and also how change is a part of life.

The other storm is raging around me as the sister who has lived near me for the last two plus decades prepares to move away. Her daughter, my niece, says that she will come to Virginia to get me for visits, but I know it won’t, but I know it won’t be the same. I’m just praying that different will be better. She leaves the end of this month, another departure of someone I’m close to. Again, I run to my shelter, the Lord who never leaves me no matter what changes the storms may bring.

I am hurrying to my shelter each day, many times a day, actually as the grief of separation overwhelms me. I am trusting God to take care of each of them, both Isaac and Ann, in their new places in life. I already know that He has me hidden in His hand, holding me close. When tears threaten to fall, He is comforting me with the promise that He will always be there for me and I will indeed see my loved ones again. I’m sad for those who don’t have this hope, the shelter on whom I depend so much when the storm is raging all around me.

He protects me from the worst of the storm, saves me from its power that could upend my life and grants me the safety and security of being in His presence, calming down my storm-tossed emotions.

My prayer for each of my readers is to know the safety and refuge that comes from being with the Lord. He is dependable and always ready to hold out His hand to help and comfort. His Word is a shelter, too, a tower and shield against all of the depressing thoughts that could come if it were not for His presence. Seek His love, His comfort and His presence and you will find it. He is just there, next to you, waiting for you to call upon Him.

God Is Our Refuge and Strength by Steve Kuban

God bless you today as you seek Him and His solace and strength. For we all face storms, and God is always our shelter from them or through them.

A Promise for the New Year

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized5 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/psa.121.7-8.mev

This is the Scripture that I have held on to many times when I was facing hardship. Much like Psalm 91, protection is promised. This is specifically protection from evil. Is there evil in today’s world? Yes. There is division and hatred and so much sin that is disguised as pleasure. May God protect me and all of His believers from the evil that is rampant in the world. I am blessed to know that God is protecting us. No matter what happens in the world, God is there. He has always been there; it’s just a matter of accepting His love and protection for us. So much evil, but God….You complete the sentence. I complete it this way: But God is there to stand in front of and beside and behind me, protecting me in every way because I put on His full armor every day and then I go out to face the world. Whatever you are facing today, remember, but God….

Blessings, my friends, for a day that is filled with the knowledge of His love and protection over your heart and life.