A Mighty Fortress is Our God

I received this little bookmark (added to this photo) in the mail. I sensed God was saying those words to us: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my FORTRESS, my God, in Him I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2. Often, our physical AND spiritual eyes just can't see it.

I am certain that the key to our peace of mind and joy of spirit is making sure we’re staying in God’s refuge and fortress. I turned the bookmark over and it read: “God is My Refuge – In difficult times, you won’t understand everything God is doing. Trust He is in control, and stay close to Him in prayer and praise. He will carry you through.”

Need I say more? No, I don’t, but I’m sure you know I can’t help myself. I’ve got to put the jelly on the peanut butter! If ever we needed places of refuge, it is in these times. I just heard that a pastor and his wife of a mega-church in Frisco has the Covid. My prayers go out to them for divine healing and restoration. I know God will carry them through. This Covid is no respecter of persons. But, no matter what -- we go to our fortress.

My friend posted this photo of her two grandsons, who, for the first time ever in their lives, have their own bedrooms in the beautiful and comfortable home she has for them now. That is a miracle story I’ll save for another day. What blessed me so much was they didn’t stay in their individual bedrooms that first night. They have a fort – a fortress to sleep together under Josiah's bed. It was a “comfort” place. They’ve been together so long – of course, they couldn’t separate just yet.

And, isn’t that what we need – a place of absolute certainty that everything’s gonna’ be alright in that place of safety and refuge. I remember Robert Schuller’s book entitled “Tough times don’t last – but tough people do!” I've known some tough people that weathered some of the greatest storms of life and they did so because of their Anchor, their Rock, their Refuge Who was their Mighty Fortress.

Maybe you're feeling a little shaky today -- in your faith and in your emotions that are getting the best of you, and in truly believing that you will survive these storms that have prevailed for months now. In spite of the worst possible scenarios, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”. Through it all – the torrential downpours to the most solid and stable, our God remains steadfast and faithful. There is no earthquake, tornado or hurricane, whether natural, moral, physical, financial, or spiritual, that can shake us out of his loving arms!

I Found a Special on Storm Shelters!

Oh. My. Goodness. The verbal wrangling and bickering in politics are enough to want to find a storm shelter and stay there until Jesus comes or at least until the storm passes over. Recently, I’ve heard commentators and read articles that declared “America is Facing Another Civil War”. And, others warn “We’re Facing World War III”.

Maybe you're a 50s or 60s child and, like me, you remember the Duck and Cover drills we did for personal protection in case of a nuclear attack which could have come at any time without warning. We’d hear the alarm sounding and then we’d rush to get in the fetal position, face down and covered our heads with our hands. I look at this photo and I wonder how in the world would that position have protected us?

There has ALWAYS been verbal wrangling and bickering and there have always been wars and rumors of wars since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, that hasn't changed. Matthew 24:6, says “you will hear about wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you’re not alarmed….”

Thank God FOR GOD! In reality, there seems to be no certainty in anything anywhere, EXCEPT that our God is stable, secure, and is our ANCHOR that holds in spite of storms, wars and any other force that comes against us. Bottom line. We can live unafraid because God is our rock, our refuge, our shelter in the time of any storm or war or any force that can come against us.
The most dependable, unshakeable HOPE we have during peace times AND perilous times is GOD HAS NOT CHANGED!! As God's children, we do not have to live in fear or defeat. Instead, as His kids, we go to our War/Storm/Crisis Shelter and that place is found in a 9-1-1 call. I call this number regularly.

Psalm 91:1 (911) "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

If ever there was a time to find peace, security, and hope in our Father, it is now. He wants us to prepare and rise above these storms of life whether they are storms within our families, the storms of wars around our world or literal storms. It's time for us to pray passionately for the peace and presence of God in our lives. We need to pray for our world and the uncertainties that face mankind. We need to come back to our CENTER and find our peace in Him. Our peace is an incredible testimony in hard times and will help those around us to find Him as their Prince of Peace. He wants to make Himself known in the middle of the present shaking. I can't think of a better place to go to, and place to be than in God's shelter. This entire chapter is one I've prayed over my family for years. It is still relevant and precisely the "Word" for us today:

Psalm 91:1-16 -- "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

Indescribable, Uncontainable, Amazing God

Day 259 of Photo Inspirations -- Indescribable, Uncontainable, Amazing God
For the last three months, I've been privileged to be part of a retreat team that is working diligently on an October special women's retreat.  Weekly, we meet for prayer, study of God's Word, and then it's "all hands on deck" -- to diligently work and prepare for the event.  What a joy it is to know that we will be getting to take other women to a place of "green pastures" -- to get away from EVERYTHING -- families, work, electronics, schedules, routines and "to do" lists -- to enter into a new or deeper relationship with Christ..  That happens when we go to that "Secret Place".  Psalms 91:1-2 "The one who lives in the shelter of the Most High, who rests in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “You are my refuge, my fortress, and my God in whom I trust!"

I'm baffled when I think that THE GOD of the universe is my loving Father and He knows me by name.  His arms are outstretched to me/us 24/7.  Shouldn't we be the most excited people on the planet because His arms outstretched means PARTY TIME.  The party begins when He is invited into the innermost recesses of our hearts and lives.  

I want my passion for God getting stronger and stronger, and my light to burn brighter and brighter, and a sweet way of doing that is to REFRESH and RECHARGE at a retreat (a place of refuge and restoration).   Some things with God are so personal, so intimate, that they cannot be described with words -- they can only be felt with the heart. This is how true intimacy with God is; we feel that no one else can really understand the special bond that we share with Him because it's altogether personal.  But I assure you of this -- that intimate place of relationship -- removes doubt, worry, concern, and fear consciousness and replaces it with "Savior" consciousness.

This describes my relationship with Christ. He has comforted me as I have cried.  He has directed me, taught me, reproved me, guided me and loved me.  Only God knows us perfectly and intimately. He understands our desires, motives, and thoughts. Nothing about us escapes His notice. In fact, God knows infinitely more about us than we will ever know about ourselves.  He not only knows all about us, but He will never forget us. He even keeps an account of the number of hairs on our heads.   God promises in Isaiah 49:16 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands."

Perhaps it's not possible for you to go to a physical retreat location to find Him, but you can find a "hiding place" or a "secret place" where you come to know the indescribable, uncontainable, all powerful, untameable, uncomparable, unchangeable -- AMAZING God...for yourself RIGHT NOW -- wherever you are.  His arms are outstretched to you.....and in case you haven't been told 'you are loved today', through me...He is telling you now.....'YOU ARE LOVED'!

I love this song by Chris Tomlin.  Maybe, right there at your computer or cell phone or iPad, you can find that secret place right now.  Listen and know HE IS AMAZING GOD who loves you so much!           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpLqAUJcUbo