Posted on

Before You Turn On the News; A Reminder!

With all the coverage about the Corona Virus, there must be people cowering in fear in China, Italy and various places in between. They like the rest of the world need prayer. Prayer for the knowledge to get past this, prayer for those suffering, prayer for those who are helping and prayer for the anxious.

The disciples asked Jesus “What will be the signs of your return? He told them several signs of his pending return.  

See Luke 21:25-26

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
Note carefully that previously in verse 21, He said:  ‘In your patience possess ye your souls‘ [KJV].   Even with the worldwide audience anxious about the Corona virus, the household of faith cannot allow itself to be thrown off balance by signs in the sky or sea.  We are not to be anxious about anything. [Phil. 4:6] as God has made exceedingly great and precious promises for us to hold on to.  For such a moment as this, I place before you dear reader, Psalm 91: verses 1-10 from The Passion Translation:

1 When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.

2 He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me the only God for me, and my great confidence.

3 He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse.

4 His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.

5 You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.

6 Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you, nor will the powers of evil launched against you.

7 Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed, you will remain unscathed and unharmed.

8 you will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment, for they will be paid back for what they have done!

9–10 When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High, our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm. How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?

Posted on

Another View of Psalm Ninety-One

Although some question remains on who the author of this psalm is, Moses as author of Psalm 91 rings most true to me.  Moses wrote several of the psalms but this one has inspired me since my bible reading became vital and the Word, a life priority.  

The vision of this psalm describes the camp that the Lord God described to Moses on the mount over 40 sleepless days and nights. Moses was taught how to prepare the camp according to the pattern he was given. The detail he was given showed which tribes were to be placed where, and where the Levites were also to be placed. The protocol for the camp’s movement was also given priority.   

The Israelite tribes wandered in the heat of the desert wilderness but they were under a cloud of divine protection.  A cloud representing the glory of the Lord covered the tent of meeting and quite literally the entire camp.  When the cloud was taken up, that was the signal for them to prepare to travel, the camp was to be dis-assembled and packed for movement.  The uplifting of the cloud then provided shade, [shadow] a covering for those below as they followed it to the next campsite.   Abiding in the secret place under the shadow of the Almighty is a very secure place and clear metaphor for what Moses experienced.

Moses had to learn from experience how to trust God in the midst of his own unbelief including the many trips to the Pharoah’s palace, so many times he left there empty-handed. I can’t imagine how frustrated he must have been to have seen the masses of Egyptians suffer plagues of frogs and locusts, sores and more knowing that the Pharoah’s stubbornness was totally to blame. 

He clearly witnessed the noisome [rank and noxious] pestilence of flies, locusts, dead livestock and water turned blood, he was assured not to fear these things.  


In the moment of great angst, Moses saw the people trapped before the Red Sea and had to learn the hard way that God is a refuge and fortress – when He wraps his arms [wings] around you, you are safe.  As verse eight says “only with your eyes will you behold the reward of the wicked”, he witnessed the Egyptian chariots and horses swallowed in the depth of the Red Sea.  The old song claimed “Mary don’t you weep, Pharoah’s army got drowned” 

The psalmist says that you won’t be afraid of night terrors or any weapons (rendered evil plots and slanders in the Amplified Version). Neither the destruction or sudden death that could happen in broad daylight.  A thousand or even ten thousand  can die before you but you will be safe.  
The psalmist places a conditional promise as does occur frequently throughout the bible. The promise can be considered true as long as the premise is completed. The premise states, “Because he has set his love upon me . . . then sets forth a number of promises but the most striking and amazing to me is I will satisfy him with long life. That is, as a result of loving Him, I will be satisfied with the length of my life, or even,  ” . . .  when I depart this life, I will be satisfied.

The second part of this promise is: ” . . . show him my salvation”.  I Thessalonians 5:23 describes salvation more clearly than most by describing salvation as a whole.  Salvation of the spirit, soul and body as a process incomplete until the Day of the Lord.  Yet the Lord promises to show this salvation process to those who love Him.