by aubree davis | Apr 29, 2020 | Devotions
Psalm 91:14-16 “Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.”
In these verses the Lord described the benefits of a personal an intimate relationship with Him. When we set our love upon Him, He delivers us. To set our love on Him means more than possessing knowledge of Him; it speaks of an intimate personal relationship, of being fully devoted to him, of binding or knitting oneself to him. I envision a wedding ceremony where the bride and groom vow to forsake all others and commit complete devotion to each other. In response, the Lord promised to deliver us. In verse 10 the psalmist declared no evil would come near the one who draws near to the Lord and yet in verse 14 God promised to deliver us. There is no contradiction in these two verses. The evil and sorrow we are exposed to here on earth will not touch the core of our faith which is based on our personal and intimate relationship with the Lord.
In verses 14-16 He promised to set us on high, to answer when we call out to Him, deliver and honor us, to satisfy us with long life and show us his salvation. I see the emphasis on a satisfying life more than a long life. Abraham Lincoln is credited with the old maxim, “in the end, it’s not the years in your life, but the life in your years.” Well said. I envision sitting at the Lord’s table and enjoying the fellowship of His presence, refusing to leave the table to answer the door when trouble comes knocking.
My friend, a lifetime of formal and informal study of the Bible and all things related to God is no substitute for a personal and intimate relationship with the Lord. I am grateful for the many professors who poured into my life in college and seminary. I am grateful for the hundreds if not thousands of theological books and periodicals I have read through the years. But knowledge of God is no substitute for the relationship with God. A personal relationship with Him is as simple as ABC. First, admit you have sinned, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Then, believe on Jesus Christ as the one and only Son of God who died on the cross for your sin. Finally, confess Jesus Christ publicly. If you would like to talk with someone about this, please email me and we will talk and pray together.
by aubree davis | Apr 28, 2020 | Devotions
Psalm 91:9-13 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; 11 for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
When the Lord is your refuge and dwelling place, you are blessed. Some scholars view the two phrases “refuge” and “dwelling place” as interchangeable. The thought being, making the refuge a place of dwelling. The refuge is where you place all your treasures for safe keeping and nothing is more valuable than your soul. Our refuge is none other than the “Lord…the Most High.”
He is our refuge when we abide in His presence (see v.1). Because no evil nor plague can come near Him, we find protection in His presence. Our spirit draws near to him as we pray and worship, even while our body lives here on this earth that has been cursed by the effects of sin. The body is temporal but the spirit is eternal. While the body ages and deteriorates, the spirit thrives.
The psalmist wrote of angels having charge over us, keeping and protecting us. Scripture gives us a glimpse of God intervening on our behalf in times of great struggle. In Genesis 32, Jacob had an encounter with an angel and in the process was reminded how God had provided and protected him for more than 20 years. In Daniel 10, an angel told Daniel that there had been an intense battle with demons trying to prevent the angel from delivering a message to Daniel. The angels of Almighty God prevailed and the message from God was delivered. It is unwise for us to fixate on angels, as they are only messengers of God. Our full attention and devotion should be directed to Almighty God. But keep in mind, the angels of God are at His beck and call and are actively working on our behalf. With the Lord as our refuge, we are safe from the roaring and slithering demonic forces intent on doing us harm.
Let’s sing: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing…”
by aubree davis | Apr 27, 2020 | Devotions
Psalm 91:5-8 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. 8 Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.
In 1 Peter 5:8, the devil is described as our adversary. The phrases “terror by night…arrow that flies by day…pestilence that walks in darkness … destruction that lays waste at noonday” refer to attacks by the devil, and describe those assaults as acts of war. Some of his actions are on display in our culture, while others we deal with privately and daily.
But the child of God, sheltered in the presence of God (see 91:1-4) looks on at the events in our day with peace in his heart. I get the image of Jewish families looking from their homes on the Passover night, and seeing there is a God that judges evildoers and protects His own.
Consider the following passages:
Psalm 27:3-4 Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. 4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.
Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Proverbs 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ”
Let’s sing: “So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, they worry me for I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God…
by aubree davis | Apr 24, 2020 | Devotions
Psalm 91:1-4 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Words and names of meaning. Consider the names of God referenced in our text. He is the Most High [the Supreme], Almighty [One whose power no foe can withstand], Lord [the self-existent and eternal One] is MY God [the Supreme God].
I join with the psalmist today and proclaim God is not just a god, He is my GOD, the refuge and fortress in whom I trust to “deliver” (snatch away, defend or recover), and “cover” (fence in, cover over and hedge in) in times of trouble.
Let me give you one more verse to meditate on: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).
by aubree davis | Apr 23, 2020 | Devotions
Whatever things are lovely–especially to a Grammy!
Our plan (Jim & I) was to double team some blog posts about Cultivating Joy. Two special young ladies came aboard as surprise participants, illustrating (literally) joy in the midst of adverse circumstances. Yesterday’s post by Jim highlighted faithful perseverance that produces joy – the kind of joy that spills over onto others.
Just before I sat down to write my thoughts about the practicality of Philippians (a formula for joy), I received a photo of granddaughter Emilia creating some backyard art. Please indulge a little grandmotherly bragging and a side story. Some years ago, when Emi had drawn a particularly good picture, I said, “Emi, maybe you’ll be an artist when you grow up!” Her reply: “I’m an artist now!”
It’s the craziest of times and everyone is juggling so much. Families, like that of our daughter and son-in-law, are dealing with unique job stress, working from home, doing online school, taking turns on the household computers and managing all the responsibilities of a family of five plus pets! Both adults and kids are having to adapt to many challenges these days! Needing what her mom called a “brain break”, Emilia took paint brush and palette to the outdoors and used the wood pile as her canvas.
The Apostle Paul encouraged his friends at Philippi to take a brain break from their anxious thoughts, replacing them with positive meditations. His famous “Whatevers” map out a path to peace. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (4:8).
It takes some effort to discipline the mind in the middle of a crisis! A good exercise is to take pen and paper and list the specific “whatevers” that apply to the situation at hand. Regarding COVID-19, for example . . .
- True: Sickness is part of our fallen world, but healing is provided in the atonement.
- Noble: Self-sacrificing individuals, particularly those in health care, are working long, hard hours for the benefit of the entire community.
- Right: I have the ability to do good for my neighbors, “preferring one another” with the love of Christ.
- Pure: There are examples all around me of kindness that comes from compassionate, pure hearts. I am grateful for the kindness that has been shown to me.
- Lovely: The virus has not overcome the blossoming Spring. All around me are signs of life.
- Admirable: I admire the gifted minds that are researching this disease and developing strategies to overcome it. I pray for God to give them insight and understanding.
- Excellent: I am grateful for businesses that have adapted efficiently and are providing me with good service under difficult circumstances.
- Praiseworthy: Leaders at all levels of government are working hard at finding solutions to this pandemic. They are criticized and second guessed, and largely underappreciated, so I will acknowledge their efforts and pray for God to lead them.
Our wonderful Christa Mele, who fills so many ministry roles at Southwest Assembly of God, shared a video testimony of how God helps her in the struggle with anxiety. She, too, combats chaos with some “brain breaks”, specifically prayer, meditation and redirecting her attention to that which brings joy. You will find Christa’s message particularly inspiring for these times!
As he wrapped up his exhortation to the Philippians, Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
