Shield and Buckler

Psalm 91 - Study 14 - Shield and Buckler 

We read in Psalm 91:4, “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” (KJV) 

The shield and buckler are weapons that protect one from the attacks of the enemy. The adversary may attack us from afar or from close at hand. Whatever be the case, God’s children must realize that God’s protection is available to us nonetheless. It is the truth of God that serves as the shield and buckler which alone can protect our lives. If you are wondering as to how the truth of God can save us let us study this incident recorded in John 8. 

Jesus teaches at the temple 

We read in John 8:2, “Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them.” (GNB) 

The Lord Jesus was at the temple and a great number of people had gathered to listen to his teachings. If you notice the ministry of Jesus, regardless of where he taught, on the sea shore or at the temple or synagogue there were large crowds that thronged to hear his teaching. The reason was that Jesus taught the truth in a way that was easily understood by the multitudes, and His words were true life which transformed the lives of the people who heard Him. As Jesus taught the people that day at the temple, all of a sudden there was a commotion. 

A commotion at the temple

We read in John 8:3, “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all.” (GNB) 

As Jesus began to teach, perform miracles and wonders, large groups of people sought after Him and began to turn towards Him. Jesus’ popularity among the people was not received well by the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who were the religious leaders at that time. Their one intention was to trap Jesus and to hinder the work that He was doing. However, all their schemes and plots proved to be a total failure. 

Strangely we notice that the teachers of the Law and Pharisees who had difference of opinions, set them aside and conspired together to target Jesus, simply so they could find fault with him. In this incident the religious leaders brought to him a woman who was caught in adultery and presented her to Jesus. When this problem was brought into the temple, the sad consequence was that Jesus had to stop His teaching that was eagerly being received by so many. 

As children of God we must be cautious about the people we keep company with. Our friendships must be godly and if we are aware that some of these are detrimental to our walk with the Lord, we must let go of those relationships. Ungodly relationships will corrupt us and never build us up. 

Recently many countries have amended their laws and according to this amendment, adultery is no more a punishable offense. Mankind has the unique distinction of being created in the image and likeness of God, and by compromising on God’s standards, humanity has lost their true identity. Laws have been altered to suit man’s desires so that things that were once frowned upon have now become acceptable in society. However, for those who are children of God, the word of God is our guide that we should follow. It is only those who heed these commands of God and follow them, who are promised entry into the Kingdom of heaven. 

Problem brought into the Temple of God

When the Pharisees and Scribes brought into the Temple premises the woman caught in adultery, they actually disrupted the teaching of Jesus. 

Even today people bring problems that happen outside the church into the church, thereby affecting the ministry of the church. Today the churches have been shut, but soon the doors of the churches will be opened. At such a time we must be cautious to see that we do not bring the problems that are outside into the church into it. If we do so, the ministry and teaching that the church should be engaged in will certainly be hindered. 

The religious leaders sought to have the woman condemned

We read in John 8:4-5, "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?" (GNB) 

The group of religious leaders brought a band of people who had come ready with stones in their hands to stone the woman. Their premise was based on the fact that Moses had commanded them in the law that such a woman who was caught in adultery, should be stoned to death. They eagerly awaited the response that they would receive from Jesus. That group of people were not zealous for God or the truth, but their only intention was to trap Jesus and to find defect with His judgement. These religious leaders were using the Law of Moses as a tool in their hands to ensnare Jesus. 

Sadly, even today when someone dislikes another, they take every effort to slander their name. We can aptly call this the stone throwing of the present times. The people who indulge in this are those who have no regard for the truth or society, but are obsessed with making a name for themselves. In recent times you may have noticed that people use the social media to express their disfavor or dislike towards others. Many people resort to creating controversies deliberately in order to increase their viewership. 

At this juncture when we are petrified by things that are happening around us, we must realize that we are in this calamity because we have not been using what God has entrusted to us, for His glory, but our personal gratification. In the same way, if we continue to misuse the freedom of expression on the internet, we could lose that great opportunity too. 

This is form of stone-throwing happens in the family, at our work place, at church and in society at large. And if we have by any chance engaged in any such activity, this is the time to repent and let go of all the hatred and bitterness in our hearts against others. 

Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ days we should not use the word of God to settle personal scores we have with others. The word of God teaches us to go to the person who has offended us and to resolve the matter with them on a one on one basis. 

Here’s what the Law actually stated as was given by Moses to the people of Israel. 

We read in Leviticus 20:10, “"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife or with his neighbor's wife, both he and the woman must be put to death for their adultery.” (GW) 

The Law of Moses actually demanded that both the man and woman who were involved in the act should be put to death. However, in this incident, the religious leaders only brought the woman to Jesus. 

Every time we condemn others we must be reminded that we too are prone to make the same mistakes. Also when we judge others, we should keep in mind that we do not know everything about the other person and most often we end up with totally wrong judgements. 

No room to pass judgement on others

Here’s what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:1, “Stop judging so that you will not be judged.”(GW) 

Jesus was very categorical that we should judge no one and only then we too will not be judged. Let me explain this from an experience that many of us may be familiar with. If someone were to ignore or not notice us as we pass by on the road side, we may assume that they willfully avoided us. We wouldn’t stop with that. We will add that their new position or job is what has made them so lofty which resulted in such behavior. However, the fact of the matter may be that the person might have been so burdened with the problems from their new job, that they actually did not notice us. Let us not judge others by mere outward appearances for this does not please the Lord. Sometimes the reason for this kind of a judgmental attitude is that we esteem ourselves to be higher than others. We need to be humble, be the first one to take the initiative and not pass unnecessary judgements on others. 

The grace that Jesus extended to everyone

As the religious leaders continued to heap their accusations against the woman, this is what Jesus did in response. 

We read in John 8:6, “....But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger.” (GNB) 

Jesus did not lift up His head to look at the crowds that stood around Him and pretended not to hear them. He simply bent over and chose to write something on the ground with his finger. There has been much speculation as to what Jesus might have written. I tend to believe that Jesus was telling those who stood around accusing the woman with His silent reply, that they would be better off if they left His presence immediately rather than be exposed and put to shame in front of the large crowds. To these religious leaders, who were chosen to be the spiritual heads, Jesus was giving them one more chance to escape embarrassment before the people. 

Many people continue to slander and judge others only because they have forgotten the grace of God that has been lavished on them. The grace of God is taken for granted because He does not judge us instantaneously. The time when Jesus wrote on the ground, corresponds to that period of grace that we are enjoying, when the Lord does not wish to shame us for all our sins. 

There is something even more disheartening that is happening among the children of God. This is the fact that some people gather together to pray against others believers giving it a very religious attire. As we live among those who are unbelievers, may we make it our goal to not take the name of the Lord in vain, but to honor Him through our words, deeds, prayers and all of our lives. 

There was a time when the disciples asked Jesus if they could command that fire come down to consume those who did not accept them, and Jesus rebuked them for this attitude. 

No one could throw a stone

We read in John 8:7, “As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, "Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her."” (GNB) 

We have the right to throw a stone at someone else only if we are totally without fault. However, when Jesus questioned the crowd that stood before Him that day, there was none who was without blame. There are some who claim that they have never coveted or stolen from others, but, when we defame another person’s good name it is definitely a form of robbery. 

God does not approve of it for in His sight, He does not differentiate sins as little sins or big sins. There is nothing hidden from the sight of our Almighty God. We may justify ourselves saying that we are better off than others. This is like a student who secured ten marks in his exam who bragged to his father that he was far better than his classmate who got just one mark. The fact of the matter was that both of them had failed. God has not given us the authority as human beings with faults to judge our fellow humans. We are cautioned in Romans 3:10, “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;”” (NKJV) 

Sinned and caught for it /or/ Sinned but not found out  

There were two kinds of people who stood before Jesus that day at the temple. The woman who was caught in adultery and religious leaders. The former was caught in sin while the other group comprised of those who sinned, but were not caught, and hence had the boldness to stone others. So also there are those today whose sins have been found out, and are therefore penitent. There is however a majority of those who justify themselves, hide their sins and are eager to condemn others. 

No one could condemn her

We read in John 8:9, When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. (GNB) 

Jesus is truth and speaks words of truth. When the crowds heard His words of truth, there was not one from the oldest to the youngest who could take a single stone and throw it at that woman. Jesus was the Truth who was that woman’s shield and buckler. 

Jesus did not condemn but freed her

Jesus looked at her in John 8:10-11, He straightened up and said to her, "Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?" "No one, sir," she answered. "Well, then," Jesus said, "I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again. (GNB) 

Jesus sent her away with no condemnation and admonished her to leave her sinful life behind to start anew. 

The truth of God will be a shield and buckler only to those who choose to put their faith in Him. If there are those who are hurt emotionally because of the condemning words of others, the Lord wants such to trust in the Lord believing that He will be our shield and buckler. When this is so, it doesn’t really matter if the stones are flung at us from those near to us or those far away from us. God’s word is with us to protect us and keep us safe. 

We can come to the Lord however crushed or distressed we are knowing that He can change everything around, and give us a fresh start if we come to him in humility and repentance. May God help us to be associated with the right kind of people and stay away from ungodly relationships. If we have hurt anyone with our words of judgement may we ask forgiveness of the Lord and decide to live the way He want us to. It is good for us to turn to the Lord in repentance during this time of grace that He has extended to us and not wait for that day when we will stand to be condemned before everyone. Judgement belongs to God alone and none of us is worthy to take that place of judging others as we are all guilty and fall short of God’s standards. May the truth of God always be our shield and buckler.

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Your love for us.  We know that Your Truth alone can protect us as a shield and buckler from the attack of the enemy.  Thank you for helping us realise that every person born on earth is born in sin and we all need a Redeemer.  Thank You Lord for sending Your Son to earth and to die for our sins on the cross.  We are ever grateful.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Pastor Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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Feathers and Wings

Psalm 91 - Part 13 - Feathers and Wings

We read in Psalm 91:4, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth is your shield and armor.” (GW) 

There are two words that I wish to highlight from the above mentioned verse, feathers and wings. Often we don’t differentiate between feathers and wings, but in this study we will try to understand what the Lord would like to teach us through them. Feathers are generally soft and gentle and can be compared to the love of God. Wings on the other hand are tough and can be compared to the firmness that the Lord displays toward His children. While feathers give us the comfort, wings give us the strength that we are in need of. We will therefore, correlate feathers to the grace of God and wings to the truth of God. Just as wings without the feathers will be of no use, so also feathers without wings would be futile. In these last days there is much emphasis on the grace of God, but as children of God we must comprehend the fact that the grace and truth of God are inseparable. 

We will study a few incidents from the bible to understand how the grace and truth of God are connected to each other.

1. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit

We read in Genesis 3:23, “So the LORD God sent them out of the Garden of Eden and made them cultivate the soil from which they had been formed.” (GNB)

When Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s commands, and ate the forbidden fruit, God had to drive them out of the Garden of Eden. God’s heart must have grieved much as He did so, for the reason God created man was that He desired to have fellowship with Him. Only after God had completed all of creation did He create man, so that he could grant him the position to rule over all that He had created. Also while all other created things were varied in nature, man alone was made in the image and likeness of God Himself. This is a unique privilege that God has granted to us that we must be constantly aware of. 

The Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve were placed in was a glorious one and the presence of God filled the garden. Nonetheless, God had to cast them out of the garden when they disobeyed His command. 

We read in Genesis 3:21, “And the LORD God made clothes out of animal skins for Adam and his wife, and he clothed them.” (GNB)

The above mentioned verse is a most astounding one. God who is almighty, awesome, powerful, the One who created the heavens and the earth by the word of His mouth, though He punished man because He is a God of truth, He also made clothes out of animal skin and clothed them both. The fact that God cared enough to clothe both of them signifies the grace of God which is most evident through this loving act of His. God as one who is the epitome of truth could have left Adam and Eve to suffer for their rebellion, but instead He being a God of grace chose to lovingly clothe them. We discover how the truth of God and His grace were wonderfully displayed at the outset of creation itself. 

2. When Moses struck the rock

We read in Deuteronomy 3:25, “Let me cross the Jordan River, LORD, and see the fertile land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon Mountains.'” (GNB)

This was the request that Moses implored of the Lord, that He would grant him permission to cross the Jordan River to enter the promised land and behold it’s beauty.

Here’s God’s reply to Moses as recorded in Deuteronomy 3:26, “"But because of you people the LORD was angry with me and would not listen. Instead, he said, 'That's enough! Don't mention this again!” (GNB)

Moses was the chosen one whom God used to deliver the Israelites from their bondage under the cruel hands of Pharaoh. Oftentimes he interceded with God on various matters and God had favorably answered Moses. However, as Moses appealed to God that he should be granted permission to enter the Promised Land, the Lord was resolute that He did not want Moses to even discuss it with Him any further. 

There was a reason why the Lord responded to Moses this way. God is one of truth and He will not ignore the sins that we commit, as He is a God of justice. The reason why God forbade Moses to enter the Promised Land is explained to us in the passage mentioned below. 

We read in Numbers 20:11, “Moses raised his hand and hit the rock twice with the staff. Water came pouring out, and all the people and their animals drank.” (GW)

God had commanded Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water to quench the thirst of the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness. However, Moses disobeyed God’s instruction and in anger against the people struck the rock twice. Though God is a God of truth, He did not want Moses to be humiliated in the assembly of the Israelites. God therefore, allowed the water to gush out of the rock in abundance so that the people and livestock could drink from it. In spite of the fact that Moses dishonored God, the Lord did not permit Moses to be disgraced among the people. The truth of God however, did not allow Moses to enter the promise land. Here again this incident reveals to us that the God of truth, is also a God of grace. 

3. When God shut Noah’s Ark

We read in Genesis 7:16, “A male and a female of every animal went in as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD closed the door behind them.” (GW)

Noah had been directed by God to build an ark so that he and his family could be saved from the impending floods. The Lord had decided to destroy all the people of the earth as wickedness had greatly increased which He was unable to bear. Noah and his family alone found favor in the eyes of the Lord. After the ark was prepared, Noah and his family entered into it along with the animals as God had appointed. It is only logical for us to reason that if Noah could build such a huge ark, he would also be able to close the door to the ark. However, it was God who shut the door so that Noah could not open it. 

If you are wondering why God had to shut the door to the ark, this is because He is a God of truth. The heart rending wails of the people outside may have prompted Noah to open the door to let them in. God had decided to destroy the people and therefore, He shut the door so that no one could enter whom the Lord was displeased with. 

We read in 1 Peter 3:20, “Long ago they disobeyed while God kept waiting patiently, in the days of Noah as the ark was being built.” (TLV)

The God of truth shut the door, but before He did that the Lord waited patiently for a very long time hoping that the people in Noah’s days would repent. This portrays to us the gracious side of God who is constantly waiting for all men to repent and turn to Him. 

Jesus the manifestation of grace and truth

It was this God of grace and truth that revealed Himself in human form through our Lord Jesus. 

We read in John 1:14, “The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.” (GNB) 

We see that the grace and truth of God were both evident from the beginning of creation. However, man could behold this with his eyes only when the Lord Jesus came down to the earth in human form. We read therefore that Jesus was an embodiment of this grace and truth. 

Firstly, in the Garden of Eden man because of his disobedience became the object of God’s wrath, and an angel with a flaming sword stood at the entrance to forbid man from entering into that garden again. However, through Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, God made a way for sinful man to come back boldly to the throne of grace.

We read in Colossians 1:21-22, “At one time you were far away from God and were his enemies because of the evil things you did and thought. But now, by means of the physical death of his Son, God has made you his friends, in order to bring you, holy, pure, and faultless, into his presence.” (GNB)

When God made the clothes out of animal skin for Adam and Eve, an animal sacrifice had to be made in order to clothe them. That sacrifice was the fore shadow of Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God who came down to sacrifice His life for the sins of all mankind. 

Secondly, you may be wondering, ‘What was the big deal about Moses striking the rock twice that he was given such a harsh punishment to not enter the Promised Land?’ Moses had previously struck the rock once, and this time the Lord clearly commanded him to only speak to it. The rock that Moses struck represented Christ and we read about this in the latter part of 1 Corinthians 10:4, “.... that rock was Christ.” That rock was supposed to have been struck once only as Jesus too was to be slain for the sins of the world only once. There therefore remains no more sacrifice that can be made for the redemption of mankind’s sins. 

We read in Hebrews 10:12, “Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right side of God.” 

By being offered as a sacrifice for sins once for all, there now remains no offering that can be made for the remission of our sins. 

Thirdly, though the ark that Noah made was huge, there was only one door to enter it. 

We read in John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved….” (ESV)

In those days when Noah was constructing the ark, the people would have watched and some may even have been part of the work force. Nonetheless, none of them were saved but only Noah and his family who chose to walk into that door into the safety of the ark, before God shut the door. Everyone else who refused to believe and enter, were totally destroyed in the floods.

Even today the door to the ark of salvation is wide open. Those who believe and enter in will be saved. Each one of us must be able to believe and confess that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We must believe that He alone is the only way to heaven and we must by faith enter into that door which is Jesus Himself. Yes, God is most certainly a God of grace and truth, and we will conclude with this verse from Psalm 91:4, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth is your shield and armor.” (GW) May each one of us find shelter under those feathers and wings of the Almighty God who is full of grace and truth.

Prayer :
Our loving Heavenly Father, we thank You for showing us that You are a God of grace and also a God of Truth.  We love grace and often are not so comfortable with the Truth.  Help us to accept the fact that our actions have consequences and so help us Lord to make the right choices in life.  We thank You for revealing this truth to us.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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The noisome pestilence

Psalm 91 - Study 12 - The Noisome Pestilence 

For this study we will look at Psalm 91:3, “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” (KJV)

The word of God assures us that He is able to save us from any kind of deadly disease. The thought that comes foremost to our mind when we hear the word pestilence, is an epidemic that results in death. The word ‘noisome’ can also be interpreted as words that are spoken. Recently, we might have noticed that the most discussed topic by everybody worldwide, is the outbreak of this pandemic that is caused by an unseen virus. The reason this has become such a central part of our conversation is because, we are constantly listening to information that is being shared through various sources. Our newspapers, news channels on television, social- media apps all of them are discussing the effects of this pandemic, and about the overhanging threat to our lives. What is so strange is that the entire world’s focus, and conversations are all about the same issue.

There are many people who have recovered totally from this deadly disease. However, if we observe the news, these numbers are downplayed, and the death rates are projected. The consequence is that a sense of fear has gripped the hearts of people. If we as God’s children wish to overcome these fears and anxieties, it is vital that we pay attention to the kind of messages we give heed to. The fact is that what we spend time listening to most, will adversely affect our mental state and our emotional being as well. The one emotion that has predominantly seized most people is that of fear. When the news of the pandemic was confined to China many of us were not concerned. It did not even bother us when it spread in North India, but now that is has come close to home, the majority of us are gripped with a fearful dread and worry.

Let me highlight some incidents from the bible that will help us realize how what we hear affects our life and behavior.

The reports that the people of Jericho heard

We read in Joshua 2:10, “We have heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea in front of you when you were leaving Egypt. We have also heard how you killed Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan” (GNB)

Jericho was a fortified city in which Rahab lived. The above mentioned words are those of Rahab. She mentioned two things that the people of Jericho had heard about God and the people of Israel. They had firstly, received accounts of how God parted the Red Sea to make a way for the people of Israel to cross over when they fled from the Egyptian bondage. They also had heard the news that though the Israelites wandered in the wilderness like nomads, the Lord had helped them to defeat the two Amorite kings Sihon and Og. Even though the modes of sharing information were different in those days and probably slower, this news had anyhow reached the people of Jericho.

We read in Joshua 2:11 a, “We were afraid as soon as we heard about it; we have all lost our courage because of you.” (GNB)

In Joshua 2:11 b, “The LORD your God is God in heaven above and here on earth.” (GNB)

When the reports of God’s dealings on behalf of the Israelites reached the people of Jericho, their hearts melted with fear and all of them lost courage. However, Rahab who also lived in Jericho had faith instead of fear, for she started to think about the God of Israel as God whom she could trust. In the second part of this verse Rahab acknowledged the fact that if the Lord can part the Red Sea, He is indeed God of heaven above for this was something no human on earth could do. So also, if the Lord had helped the wandering Israelites to defeat the kings of the earth, He was indeed the Lord of the earth as well. No wonder then that when God gave Israelites the victory and the walls of came crumbling down, Rahab and her family, whose house was on that very same wall were safe and secure.

This incident reinforces to us that everything we hear will most certainly have its effects on our mental and emotional state. A majority of people allow themselves to be bombarded with dreadful news all through the day, unaware of its adverse influence on them. All of us may have been familiar with score boards for games, but sadly today we have a score board on the number of people who are affected by the virus, and the number of deaths that happen daily. Like Rahab if we place our trust in the Lord, He is most certainly able to keep us safe and secure in the midst of all the calamities that surround us.

It is up to us to decide if the God we believe in is greater or the pandemic that is threatening us is bigger. For those who truly believe that our God is far greater, we will not spend all of our time listening to the woeful news that is being constantly shared. I am not in any way trying to downplay the effects of this pandemic. I believe that it is important for us to follow the precautions prescribed by the government and medical professionals with regards to hand washing, wearing mask and social distancing. Nonetheless, we must keep in mind that the one who keep us safe and secure is the Lord, the creator of heaven and earth.

The news that threatened Jacob

We read in Genesis 32:6-7, “When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you. He has four hundred men with him." Jacob was frightened and worried.” (GNB)

As Jacob was returning back to his home town with his family and herds, it was reported to him that his brother Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men. This news bothered Jacob a great deal as he had as a young man cheated his elder brother Esau of his birthright and all the blessings that were due to him. Esau was so angered with Jacob that he had threatened to kill Jacob at an opportune time. No wonder then that when Jacob heard that his brother Esau was coming to meet him with a band of four hundred men, he was filled with fear and anxiety.

This is what Jacob did as recorded in Genesis 32:9, “Then Jacob prayed, "God of my grandfather Abraham and God of my father Isaac, hear me! You told me, LORD, to go back to my land and to my relatives, and you would make everything go well for me.” (GNB)

We also read in Genesis 32:12,“Remember that you promised to make everything go well for me and to give me more descendants than anyone could count, as many as the grains of sand along the seashore."” (GNB)

The first thing that Jacob did was to turn to the Lord, and reminded Him of the promise that God had made to him. He was pleading with God to not forget the promises He had made not only to him but to his father and grandfather as well. This was the promise that God would make everything go well for him, and that He would give him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the sea shore. Jacob trusted God, and the Lord did save him and his entire family.

As we began this year, I am certain that the Lord gave each one of us His promise. God wants to assure us that He is our faithful God, and will without doubt fulfill the promises that He made thought the circumstances may not seem favorable. The storms may be fierce, the problems insurmountable, the calamities life threatening, but we have the confidence that the Lord is with us. Like Jacob, let us go to the Lord to claim His promises, believing that the one who promised is our unchanging and faithful God.

The order that threatened the Israelites

We read in Exodus 1:22, “Finally the king issued a command to all his people: "Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all the girls live."” (GNB)

This was the edict that was issued by Pharaoh, King of Egypt. The order demanded that all the new born Israelite baby boys be thrown into the river Nile and to let the girl babies live. This kind of a command by Pharaoh caused much turmoil and grief to all the people of Israel. It must have been a most excruciating experience for the women who had borne their babies for nine long months to obey the King’s command, and throw them into the river.

It was under those circumstances that Moses was born. When Moses’ parents saw their baby, they realized that he was God’s gift to them. They therefore believed that God was able to preserve the life of their baby boy.

We read in Exodus 2:2, “The woman became pregnant and had a son. She saw how beautiful he was and hid him for three months.” (GW)

Moses’ parents did all they could to protect their baby, and his mother managed to keep him hidden for three months. What made them do it by risking their very lives?

It is recorded in Hebrews 11:23, “It was faith that made the parents of Moses hide him for three months after he was born. They saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's order.” (GNB)

In the above mentioned verse, we see that is was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months defying the king’s orders. When they could no longer hide the baby, they placed him in a basket made of reeds coated it with tar and pitch, and placed it in the river among the reeds. The baby was noticed by the princess who was Pharaoh’s daughter, who took pity on the baby and decided to bring him up as her own. Moses grew up as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter in the very same palace of the king who had ordered the death of all male babies in Israel. Moses received all the training in the king’s palace, and the Lord called and brought Moses back to Egypt, to deliver the people of Israel from the cruel bondage to the Egyptians.

Many parents are worried and anxious about their children’s safety today, as there is statistics that predicts that children and elderly are more vulnerable to the attacks of this virus. There is a declaration of economic crisis. Instead of allowing these messages to overwhelm us, we must tune our ears to listen to the voice of God who assures us that we are safe in the shelter of the Almighty and that we will certainly enjoy the fruit of our labor. It is only when our thinking gets transformed will our behavior change as well.

The fear of the pandemic has swept across the globe, leaving none exempt. In such circumstances we are called to trust implicitly in the Lord and His word. We will choose to dull the noises of this world, and tune our ears to listen, read and believe the words that come from the Lord Himself so that our faith will grow, and this is the faith that will overcome the world. Like Moses’ mother when we have done all that we can, the Lord will take over to do that which is beyond our control.

May I encourage us as children of God to not feel discouraged or anxious, but to be confident that in the midst of all these trials that the Lord is in charge. We looked at three people in this study. Rahab who trusted the Lord in spite of the reports that she received and the Lord saved her and her family. Jacob stood firm on the promises of God when challenged with the threat to his own life and he was protected. Moses’ parents did all that they could and when they left the rest to God, He took over to raise Moses up to be a mighty deliverer for the Israelites. No matter what happens, may we never lose heart, because our God promised to be with us and He is able to lead us on till the very end of our lives.

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, we have learnt that there is a great danger in listening constantly to the bad news of this world.  Help us to keep our ears open to the Word of God so that we will have enough faith to overcome all situations and never to have fear.  Thank you for the lives of Rahab, Jacob and the parents of Moses.  Help us to put into practice what we have learnt today. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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Keep me safe from secret traps

Psalm 91 - Study 11- Keep me Safe from Secret Traps 

We read in Psalm 91:3, “The Lord will keep you safe from secret traps and deadly diseases.” (CEV)

In this study we will meditate on this part of the verse mentioned above, where the Lord assures us that He is able to keep us safe from falling into secret traps. If we were to define ‘traps’ they are positions or situations that are covertly set up with the intention to catch one unawares. These traps which are nets or enclosures, are used by hunters, usually hidden from view and with the motive to catch a bird or an animal. The word of God assures us from Psalm 91:3 that the Lord is able to deliver us from such a snare of the evil one, whose goal is to set a trap to ensnare our souls.

We will explore from the bible as to how we can identify these cunning or subtle traps that the enemy sets up for us, so that we can with God’s help be safe, and not fall prey to them.

The trap that King Saul fell into

We read in 1 Samuel 18:7, “They sang: Saul has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand enemies!”(CEV)

As Saul and David were returning home after an astounding victory, the crowds were present to give them a rousing welcome. Saul as the King of Israel and David as a warrior who had won a great victory over the Philistines, came together peaceably. The Psalmist describes it this way in Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (ESV) As these two men entered the town the women came singing and dancing to greet them with these words, ‘Saul killed a thousand and David has killed ten thousands.’ When Saul heard this refrain, he was disturbed and the song bothered him greatly.

It is recorded in 1 Samuel 18:8, And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” (ESV)

Saul was displeased when he heard this song and it also made him very angry. He began to deliberate the thought that now that the people had attributed ten thousands to David, and ascribed only thousands to him that the kingdom too would soon be passed on to David. Saul and David were unified when they came from battle, but a simple song that was sung by the women, proved to be a trap for King Saul and he not being aware of it, got entangled in it. Saul and David could have accomplished much together, and David did not have the vicious thought or desire to secure the throne from King Saul.

Satan will usually set a trap for people when they are living together is unity, just as it happened between Saul and David. There have been many who have been in harmonious friendship for many long years, which was pleasing to those around, and most certainly to the Lord. However, some have fallen into the snare set by the enemy, and their love for each other has been replaced with hatred. These divisions take place in the family, in the church, work place, in the political scenario and the reasons for these are that people are unaware of these pitfalls that Satan has cunningly devised. If we are not wary of these ploys, we will most certainly be caught in them.

Saul was jealous and suspicious of David

We read in 1 Samuel 18:9, “And so he was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on.” (GNB)

From that onwards Saul began to eye David with intense envy and suspicion. After this incident, if we study the life of Saul, the rest of it was spent entirely on him trying to harm or kill David. God had chosen Saul who was an ordinary man to be the King of Israel, but wistfully Saul fell into the trap of hatred and jealousy. He lost his zeal for the Lord and for the kingdom, when his mind was diverted solely towards destroying David.

If we observe any kind of break in relationships, often they are related to jealousy and suspicion. There are many people who like Saul are constantly devising schemes for the downfall of those whom they hate. They will gossip, speaking ill of the one they hate and spread rumors to malign their reputation. We may not like Saul connive to physically kill those we dislike, but if we deliberately plan to slander them, we too have fallen into the trap of the evil one. If a bird or animal is caught in a hunter’s net, they are left to his mercy, and he will choose to do what he wishes to his prey. Many believers too have sadly fallen into this snare of hatred, jealousy, irritation or anger towards others. When this happens, we become tools in the hands of the devil for his wicked schemes, instead of being useful vessels in the hands of the Lord to build His kingdom.

David too had a trap set up for him

We read in 1 Samuel 24:4, “They said to him, "This is your chance! The LORD has told you that he would put your enemy in your power and you could do to him whatever you wanted to."” (GNB)

As Saul relentlessly pursued after David to take his life, David along with his men hid in a cave. Interestingly, when Saul entered that very same cave, David’s men advised him that this was his chance to get even with Saul. They also encourage David that it was the Lord Himself who had handed over Saul into his hands, and that he could therefore do to Saul whatever he wished to do.

This was David’s response in 1 Samuel 24:6-7, “and he said to his men, "May the LORD keep me from doing any harm to my master, whom the LORD chose as king! I must not harm him in the least, because he is the king chosen by the LORD!" So David convinced his men that they should not attack Saul. Saul got up, left the cave, and started away.” (GNB)

David was categorical that he would do no harm to Saul, for David realized that this was a trap that the enemy had set for him. Circumstances were extremely favorable to David if he wished to take revenge on Saul, but David chose to dissuade his men from doing any wrong to Saul. It was this amazing character of David that I believe God approved of, and also the reason why Jesus was pleased to be called the ‘Son of David’. David chose to not take revenge and honored the anointing that King Saul had received from God.

We must be aware that we too will may find opportunities to get even with those who have wronged us. When there is enmity between brothers, the thought that is foremost on their mind is how they can put the other one down, and defame them in any possible way. Instead like David we must be willing to be silent, and let the Lord vindicate us in His time.

Joseph escaped the trap that was set for him

It is recorded in Genesis 39:20, “And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.” (Webster)

Joseph was a young man who landed up in prison in Egypt. This was not the place that Joseph should have been in. He was the favorite son of his father Jacob, and back home he should have led a comfortable life. When Joseph was at home with father and brothers, he had dreams. In his dreams it was revealed to him that his brothers who were elder to him would submit to him with reverence. When his brothers heard of these dreams they were filled with hatred towards Joseph. I believe that this too was a subtle trap of Satan that Joseph’s brothers were not conscious about. Instead of being united, they allowed the evil one to bring division amongst themselves.

The hatred that Joseph’s brothers had for him was so intense, that they sold him as a slave. Not only did they sell him, they even lied to their father that some wild animal had mauled Joseph to death. Joseph ended up as a slave in the house of Potiphar in Egypt, where Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him, which was why he landed up in prison. As Joseph languished in prison, he had every reason to turn bitter. He could have contemplated on the cruelty of his brothers, his father’s love and the false accusation that was framed against him. This was a situation where a trap was laid for Joseph to harbor bitterness in his heart against his brothers, against his master and his master’s wife, and even against God.

For instance, let us say there are two ladies who sing melodiously in a choir, and they are good friends too. All that a divisive person needs to do is to praise one over the other. They have by so doing created ill-feelings between both the women. If we allow hatred to grow in our hearts, it will like it did to Joseph’s brothers lead us into numerous sins. We must be watchful and understand the will of God if we desire to escape these snares that the devil sets up for us.

There are so many entanglements today that could cause husbands to hate their wives or vice versa, parents to dislike their children or children to be antagonistic toward their parents and we must be alert to escape these schemes of Satan.

God raised up Joseph and He forgave his brothers

In due course God raised up Joseph right there in Egypt to be the ruler next only to Pharaoh. The God who gave Joseph the dreams as a young man, also fulfilled those dreams. When the land where Joseph’s father and brothers dwelt in was struck with famine, they had to go to Egypt as there was food available there. The brothers of Joseph who reached Egypt were unable to recognize that the Egyptian ruler who stood before them was their own brother and they bowed down to pay obeisance to him. When Joseph revealed to his brothers on their second visit that he was indeed their own brother, they were filled with dread that Joseph would be angry with them and would take revenge on them.

Here are the words of Joseph to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-21, “And Joseph said to them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.” (Webster)

We may wonder as to how it was possible for Joseph to speak kindly to his brothers who had done so much of evil to him. Joseph knew that the trap set for him by the devil was to be bitter, to hate, take revenge and he was also endowed with the authority to do so. However, Joseph perceived that the hand of God was with Him, and that God had in His wisdom turned the evil done to him for the good of his entire family.

As children of God let us get rid of all bitterness, hate and anger from our hearts. Let us not give Satan a foothold in our lives to trick us into the snares that he sets for us. There is much division today, in families, amongst siblings and even in the church. There may be real hurts that we carry that people have meted out to us, false accusations, slander or treacherous plots to ruin us. It is time to seek God who is able to change all the evil that is aimed at us so that it will eventually work out for our own good.

When Saul harbored hatred towards David, an evil spirit tormented him and the Spirit of the Lord left him. David and Joseph on the other hand, were willing to let go of all their hurts and bitterness to allow the Lord to vindicate, and turn things for the good of many. Let us therefore like them decide to forgive everyone who has hurt us in any way, and be set free from all the snares of the evil one, with the help and strength of the Lord Jesus for only then the peace of God will rule our hearts and minds.

Prayer :

Heavenly Father we thank You for the Word of God where You have taught us about the traps that Satan lays for our souls.  Help us to be alert and never to get caught in Satan's evil traps.  Help us to trust in You like David and Joseph who refused to take offense and thereby avoided the traps.  Give us the wisdom and knowledge that we need everyday to escape such traps.  We give You all the glory and honour and praise. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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My God in whom I trust

Psalm 91 - Study 10  - My God in Whom I Trust

The Psalmist says in Psalm 91:2, “I will say to the LORD, "You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."” (GW)

For those of us who were born and brought up in Christian homes, Psalm 91 is a familiar one, which many of us may have read or even memorized as a child. Nonetheless, in this study we will explore as to what it means to trust in God as the Psalmist declared about God in the above mentioned verse.

We will truly trust a person only when we get to know him or her. It is the same with God, we can trust Him only when we know who He is, and only when we are able to comprehend His divine attributes. When Jesus lived here on earth he chose twelve men to be His disciples. A closer look at their lives will help us understand why they decided to follow Jesus.

1. Peter, the fisherman

Peter was a fisherman by profession, but the day he met Jesus who filled his empty nets with a miraculous and bountiful catch, Peter chose to follow Jesus immediately without any hesitation. The reason Peter gave up his livelihood which included his boat and nets to follow after Jesus, was because Peter trusted Jesus. Peter believed that if he made Jesus his Master, He would take care of him, and provide him with all that he ever needed.

2. Matthew, the tax collector

Matthew who was another disciple, was a tax collector for the Roman government. Matthew always sought to align himself with the powerful and when he heard the call of Jesus, he understood that Jesus was much greater than the Roman Government that he was working for. So at the call of Jesus, he too left everything as it was, and followed after Jesus.

Every disciple of Jesus who followed Him did so because they trusted Him, and as a result heeded His call to follow Him. We too have at some point in our life made a decision to follow Jesus and to be His disciples. The point that each of us need to ponder is whether we have learnt to completely trust Him in all circumstances.

Trust Jesus through the storms

We read in Matthew 8:23-24, “Then He went on board a fishing-boat, and His disciples followed Him. But suddenly there arose a great storm on the Lake, so that the waves threatened to engulf the boat; but He was asleep.” (WNT)

Some of the disciples of Jesus who accompanied Him on the boat that day were seasoned fishermen who had probably encountered many fierce storms in the very same sea. Strangely, the storm that challenged them that day seemed to be unlike any they had seen before. The winds were so fierce and the waves so boisterous that they were gripped with the fear of death. In the midst of such a raging storm, Jesus was fast asleep in that same boat.

When the disciples set out with Jesus, they got into the boat following Jesus. We read in Matthew 8:23 that the disciples simply did so because Jesus went on board a fishing boat. When the storm raged on with intensity, and threatened their very lives, they might have wondered if they did the right thing to follow Jesus into that boat. They had probably decided to follow Jesus with hope that they would have absolute safety, no storms whatsoever. But the storm they encountered, proved to be contradictory to their belief.

There may be those who are stressed out with such hardships, and are wondering as to why the Lord has not intervened or revealed Himself, to ease your situation. Do keep in mind that we have a God who is altogether trustworthy. Our many difficulties might make us speculate if we made the right decision to follow Jesus. The Lord wants to assure such people that there is no need to be perturbed, for the Lord is with us all the time. For others who might deliberate that they are weak in their faith, let us be comforted that even the disciples of Jesus, who were with Him, and saw all the wonders He performed, were perplexed in the midst of that storm.

We read in Matthew 8:25, “So they came and woke Him, crying, "Master, save us, we are drowning!"” (WNT)

Jesus and the disciples were in the same boat, but the way they addressed Jesus was as if He were somewhere else, and not with them in their crisis. That is why they said to Jesus, “Master, save us, we are drowning!” What they failed to realize was that Jesus was in their boat, and as long as He was there, there would be no way that their boat would drown, and they would all die. Jesus got up and ordered the winds and the waves to be still and they immediately calmed down.

In the midst of our fears, let us say along with the Psalmist, ‘my God, in whom I trust’ for when we affirm this over and over again, our faith will grow and our hearts will be filled with courage.

Trust Jesus to be the provider

The disciples want to disperse the crowd

We read in Matthew 14:14-15, Jesus got out of the boat, and when he saw the large crowd, his heart was filled with pity for them, and he healed their sick. That evening his disciples came to him and said, "It is already very late, and this is a lonely place. Send the people away and let them go to the villages to buy food for themselves." (GNB)

A large crowd had come to meet Jesus and when it was evening the disciples suggested to Jesus that He should disperse the crowd, so they could go and find food in some of the villages nearby.

A lot of people have a similar attitude that the disciples had to those in need. For those who served in our homes and were stopped either by us or because of their situation for fear of the virus, it is our duty to enquire about their welfare and help them financially in whatever way possible. So also, let us not turn aside those who come to us seeking for any sort of help or assistance during these days. If we trust God to be our provider, we will never shun those who come to us looking to us to help them through their difficulties. If we are generous and willing to pay those who were serving us, even when they are unable to come, that is an evidence that we truly trust in the Lord to take care of our needs.

We find it easy to sing praises to God and worship Him. When we claim that He is our ‘Jehovah Jireh’ we must believe that He will provide for us, and not put us to shame when we are faced with a great need in our life.

Jesus planned to satisfy their hunger

We read in Matthew 14:16,"They don't have to leave," answered Jesus. "You yourselves give them something to eat!" (GNB)

While the disciples proposed that Jesus send the crowds away, Jesus was filled with compassion and asked that they be given something to eat before they left. All that was there was only five loaves and two small fish. However, when they were given into the hands of Jesus, he blessed it to feed more than five thousand people who were gathered there that day.

If the Lord is with us, the little that we have will be sufficient for us, and the Lord will bless it to help us bless others as well. Let us pray to the Lord to take whatever is in our hands, however meager it may be, to make it a blessing to those around us, who are in want. Some people are wrongly interpreting the five loaves and two fish to mean five thousand rupees and two thousand rupees and this is not so. It is about trusting God to bless what we have, so we can in turn bless others who are in far greater need than we are in.

We read in Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the LORD and do good; live in the land and be safe.” (GNB)

This is the word of encouragement from the Lord that we should trust Him completely, and do all the good we can for others.

Accept those who are serving the Lord

We read in Luke 9:49, John spoke up, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group." (GNB)

In this incident Jesus’ disciple John brought a complaint to Jesus that there was a man who was not part of their group, but that he was driving out demons using Jesus’ name. John also informed Jesus that they had asked the man to stop using the name of Jesus to cast out demons as he was not a follower of Jesus like they were. The reason for this was that the disciples believed that they were that exclusive group whom Jesus had chosen and called. The disciples did not rejoice that a man who was demon possessed was set free, but rather sought to deter the man from ministering, simply because he did not belong to their group and didn’t do things their way.

Jesus’ response astounded the disciples

Jesus responded this way in Luke 9:50,"Do not try to stop him," Jesus said to him and to the other disciples, "because whoever is not against you is for you." (GNB)

When John complained to Jesus, he might have assumed that Jesus would commend him for what he did. Adversely Jesus told John and the other disciples, not to stop him, for whoever was not against them was for them.

Many ministries have been hindered, because there is this sense of competition and exclusivity among those who serve the Lord. God has called and gifted everyone to serve Him differently, using their varied gifts and methodologies. We should as fellow workers never demean or despise what others are doing for the kingdom of God. There are false teachings and worship patterns which should most certainly be avoided, but when the foundational doctrines are based on the word of God, we should be willing to accept, love and support each other. There is to a large extent this sense of contention that has become an obstacle to the growth of God’s work. Ministry does not belong to any one individual, and we must be willing to give up our ego and work together to build the Kingdom of God. As those who trust in the Lord, let us avoid every form of disunity and come together to serve the Lord unitedly.

The disciples of John the Baptist had a similar issue

After Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist, many of the disciples of John the Baptist left him to follow after Jesus. The disciples of John the Baptist were upset and brought a complaint to him about this.

John the Baptist gave this response to his disciples this way in John 3:27, “John answered, "No one can have anything unless God gives it.”(GNB)

As children of God we must firstly stop fretting over everything. There are many reasons to worry at present, things like our inability to go to work, our salaries not being paid, financial uncertainties for children’s education and various other needs, all of which are valid. However, let us choose to lay them all aside, and declare with faith that we have placed our trust in the Lord who will never let us down or allow us to be put to shame. So also, we will not withhold from those who come to us for help, only because we have trusted in the Lord to be our provider.

These are hard times for everyone, but this is also an exceptional season where our trust in God is being tested. We are tested to see if we will trust in God instead of fretting, if we withhold from those in need or be willing to share with others, if we are hindering the work of God or are those who are willing to support those who serve the Lord. We will declare by faith that the Lord is in our boat and though the storms may seem to overwhelm us, we will not be discouraged for the one who is with us is able to calm all these storms. The Lord is over all and He is able to strengthen us, and the one who began this journey with us, will remain faithful to the very end.

May we be able to say along with the Psalmist, in Psalm 91:2, “I will say to the LORD, "You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."”(GW) Just like Peter, Matthew and all the disciples of Jesus who left their all to follow Jesus, let us place our complete trust in God and say with all our heart, ‘My God in whom I trust.’

Prayer :

Our loving Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the opportunity to know You and follow You.  Still when we are faced with certain storms in our life, we do doubt and falter.  Please do help us at times of our weakness.  Help us to help those who come to us seeking help in their time of need.  Give us the Kingdom mindset and understand that You, O Lord are building Your Church in ever so many ways that we cannot comprehend.  All praise and glory to Your name.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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My God

Psalm 91 - Study 9 – My God 

We read in Psalm 91:1-2, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."” (ESV)

The Psalmist had a personal relationship with God, and therefore could say of Him, ‘My refuge and my fortress and my God.’ It would be good for us to evaluate ourselves, to see if we and our children can make this declaration of the Psalmist our testimony as well.

The song of praise the children of Israel sang unto the Lord

It is recorded in Exodus 15:1-2, “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.” (ESV)

If we study the above mentioned verses carefully, we will realize that personal pronouns ‘I’ and ‘me’ are mentioned repeatedly. This was the song Moses and the people of Israel sang after the amazing deliverance the Lord wrought for them by parting the Red Sea to bring them to safety. This was an anthem of praise to God who triumphed over Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt, who drowned in the sea.

As they crossed the Red Sea the Israelites must have been gripped with fear as they gazed at the huge walls of water on either side of them, as they walked on the dry ground that God had paved for them. The same waters which parted to save them, was also the waters that the Lord used to destroy the armies of the Egyptians who were in pursuit of them. Their hearts were therefore filled with praise to God as they referred to Him as ‘my God’, ‘my strength’, ‘my salvation’, ‘my God and my Father’s God.’

Let us look at some incidents that preceded this event

Moses encountered God at the burning bush

Moses fled from Egypt to escape Pharaoh’s anger and ended up in Midian. In the land of Midian, Moses tended his father in law’s sheep for forty years. His life as a prince in Egypt must have almost been forgotten in those forty years when Moses led the life of an ordinary shepherd. One day as Moses went about the mundane job of watching his sheep, his attention was drawn to a spectacular sight. He noticed a bush was on fire that was not consumed by the flames. Being familiar with the surrounding and realizing that this was something strange, he approached it, to discover that it was God trying to get his attention.

This was the word of the Lord to Moses in Exodus 3:6, “And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (ESV)

We might have read or heard this verse many times, but we are going to try and understand as to why God introduced Himself this way to Moses. God did not introduce Himself as Adam’s God, though Adam was the first created man. Neither did God say, He was the God of Noah, though Noah obeyed God to build the ark, and was saved from the floods that destroyed the entire world. Enoch was a righteous man who ‘walked with God’ and yet God did not choose to say, ‘He was the God of Enoch’. However, God chose to reveal Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

Why did God reveal Himself the way He did to Moses?

It was only in the call of Abraham that God’s redemptive plan for mankind was initiated. The call of God to Abraham was different from that of Noah or Enoch in that God wanted Abraham to come out of his country and from his people, to be one separated unto God. God chose Abraham to be the one through whom God began the process of redemption and restoration of the intimate fellowship between God and man that broke down at the Garden of Eden. This was why God referred to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the burning bush.

Firstly, God wanted Moses to recognize that He was continuing through him that redemptive act that He had already begun with Abraham. Secondly, God wanted Moses to recognize God as his own God who would use him to bring about a mighty deliverance. That is why, God spoke to Moses and told him that He was the one who was sending him to Pharaoh.

There are many who are depending on the faith that was in their parents or grand-parents, and the Lord is not pleased with this. God desires to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us. As individuals we should be able to acknowledge that God is our personal God. Our faith cannot stand on the prayer life of our grand-parents or on the fact that they labored hard to establish churches in many places. Our personal prayer life, our faith in God and our labor for the Kingdom of God is what will count, and none of us can stand on the faith or works of our ancestors.

For too long we have been running after worldly pursuits and possessions, but now when the entire world is challenged with this huge crisis, let this be a time when we turn to the Lord. The more time we spend with the Lord the closer we will get in our relationship with Him. We often think that if we spend an hour in church on Sunday we have done our duty for the week. There are many who make excuse that they have to work all seven days to keep their business going, and are therefore unable to attend church on Sundays. Today however, we are all confined to our homes with no way to go out to carry out any of our work or business. We must never forget that God is our provider, He is the one who feeds us and we must learn to look to Him and depend on Him fully.

The Lord calls to each one of us to have a personal relationship with Him and spend much time in fellowship with Him. Children cannot piggyback on their parent’s faith nor can believers hang on to the faith of their pastors. Instead may each one of us seek the Lord ardently, and yearn to have that personal relationship with Him.

What happens when we live in the past?

We read in John 8:39, “They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did,” (ESV)

The Jews who gathered to hear Jesus gloated over the fact that Abraham was their Father or that they were descendants of Abraham. Abraham was the father of faith, but these Jews were far removed from the faith that Abraham had. Jesus was helping them understand that their actions were in complete contradiction to those of Abraham. They had become so bound with traditions that they could not have a meaningful relationship with God.

There are some who take pride in the fact that they have been Christians for over five generations. There are others who may rejoice that they were born into a Christian family. However, true Christian are those who are truly born of the Holy Spirit, because they are the ones who can know the Lord genuinely.

When Nicodemus, a ruler of the Sanhedrin came to Jesus by night, Jesus had to explain to him the need to be born again. Each one of us must have this experience of being born again, where we can be certain that we have this vibrant relationship with the Lord on a daily basis. Many of us claim to be believers in the Lord Jesus, but our faith does not exhibit itself in the way we live and through our actions. The Lord is not pleased with this discrepancy.

John the Baptist preached a similar message

We read in Matthew 3:9, “And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” (ESV)

As John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, a great multitude gathered to listen to his message. Many of them who heard these messages repented of their sins and were baptized by John the Baptist. In one of those sermons John mentioned to them the above mentioned words as recorded in Matthew 3:9. He admonished the crowds that they should not be content with the thought that Abraham was their father and that they were his children. He further cautioned them that God was well able to raise up children for Abraham from stones that were there.

John the Baptist had to warn the ones who gathered to hear him, that if they did not feel sorry for their sins and repent, the Lord would take lifeless stones that probably were strewn near the river, and bring new life into them. These lifeless stones referred to those who the Jews thought were outsiders, who were not children of Abraham, and hence unfit to enter the Kingdom of God. However, these outsiders by placing their faith in Jesus, are being made alive and entering into the Kingdom of God, to become His children.

There is no point in boasting about our ancestors who are Christian, but rather we must rejoice that we know the Lord or rather are known by Him, for only then we are real Christians. As we are locked down, this is the time for us to in sincerity turn to God and repent of all our sins, to renew our relationship with Him. If we did not seek the Lord when we had the freedom to do so, this may be God’s opportune time when we are shut in to turn our attention towards God.

In the past we may have in our times of crisis run to our family members, friends or our pastors. Now, this is the time to pursue after God and desire His intervention in our life situations. We might have noticed that there is a gradual decline in the way people seek after God. Parents might have been zealous for the Lord, praying fervently, reading the word, worshipping the Lord and attending all services on Sundays. Their children who are not so keen may just be mediocre in their faith and attend a couple of services. Sadly, their children will be indifferent to God, and will have no time for God with no desire to attend church or be in fellowship with other believers. This is the time to get back to God every one of us from the eldest to the youngest. We live in a world that has great advancements in technology, but sadly, we have used most of these for our selfish pursuits, instead of bringing glory to the Lord.

Let us not be content to think of God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but let us experience a personal faith in God that would be as firm as the faith that was found in Abraham. God truly longs to have a close communion with us, if we are willing to spend time in His presence.

We read in Mark 13:1, “And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!"” (ESV)

When we read the above mentioned verse, it is quite evident that the disciples of Jesus did not have a proper understanding or revelation of who Jesus really was. They showed Jesus the temple and wanted Jesus to marvel at magnificence of the stones and the structure of the building. Jesus was not impressed by what the disciples tried to exhibit to Him, neither was He captivated by it.

There are many today who exult in the fact that their churches have celebrated their centenary and that the building is a heritage structure. Some of these ancient churches have fantastic and artistic interiors too, but the question is ‘Do those of us who worship there have the faith that the Lord is looking for?’ The word of God reminds us that God does not consider things the way man does. While man looks at the outward appearance, God looks deep down into our hearts. God is not bothered about how old our church buildings are, but He is definitely concerned about how deep is our faith in Him.

If we are parents whose children have not been saved, let us cry out to the Lord on their behalf and so also as children, if our parents have not committed their lives to Jesus, it is our obligation to plead with the Lord for them. May we grow strong in our faith in the Lord for we are reminded in 1 John 5:4, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (ESV)

Let us recap what God said to Moses in Exodus 3:6, And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” God was pleased with Abraham because he stood firm in His faith in God. Even when God commanded him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, who was the child of promise, Abraham did not hesitate.

When Moses obeyed God and went back to Egypt, the people of Israel questioned him as to who was the God who sent him to deliver them. Moses told them that it was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who had sent him. The people could connect with God as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but not as their own God.

However the people of Israel after witnessing the parting of the Red Sea and the mighty deliverance of God from the hands of the Egyptians by God for them, they were able to say those words that were recorded in Exodus 15:1-2, “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.” (ESV)

God will not be contented for us to claim that He is the God of our fathers or our ancestors, but God would delight in our testimonies that say, we have a personal relationship with God and our faith in Him is growing deeper day by day. Like the Psalmist said in Psalm 91:2, we too can say of the Lord, “I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."”

Prayer :

Our Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the great privilege to come close to You and have a personal relationship with You.  We acknowledge that there is nothing more precious or valuable in this world than being able to call You, My God and My Father because of what was done on the cross.  Help us to value this relationship and always be thankful for this.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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You are my fortress

Psalm 91 - Study 7 – You are my Fortress

We read in Psalm 91:2, “I will say to the LORD, "You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."” (GW)

When do we need a fortress?

In Nahum 1:7, we read, “The LORD is good. He is a fortress in the day of trouble. He knows those who seek shelter in him.” (GW)

The prophet Nahum beautifully portrays to us that the Lord is good, that He is our fortress when we are faced with troubles, and most importantly He knows those of us who take shelter in Him. God is good does not imply that we would face no trouble, but it does reassure us that the Lord has promised to be our fortress, and our shelter in the midst of these hardships.

A fortress is a place of total safety, and kings in ancient times found refuge in them. Everyone who has decided to enter into this fortress to seek refuge in the Lord, are known by Him.

In every situation no matter how hard it seems, we should still be able to say, that the Lord is good because that is what God is always. We read about Job, who was challenged with unimaginable trials but in the midst of all of it Job never once cursed God. He lost everything on one day, but Job was still able to say in Job 1:21, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (ESV). Job had the right perspective that every good thing came from God alone.

All of us have been about our daily chores without even realizing that all that we were able to do, mundane things like going out or shopping were all privileges from God. Suddenly when faced with a lockdown, we realize how many things we have taken for granted. We must acknowledge that God is good and be thankful for everything in our lives.

There are some people who ascribe that when they decide to draw near to God, the trials in their lives seem to increase. They therefore are in doubt if they are on the right path in seeking God more intently. Let us never analyze who God is based on our circumstances, for we can be certain that God is good all the time. The hardships we encounter are only temporary and the Lord is able to remove all of these difficulties from our way to keep us secure in Him. We must have faith to believe that the Lord is more than able to remove these hurdles ahead of us, and clear the way for us.

The Israelites were in deep trouble in Egypt

We read in Exodus 5:19, “The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "Don't make fewer bricks each day than you're supposed to."” (GW)

The Israelites were in bondage to the Egyptians for many long years. As the intensity of these troubles increased they cried out to God. God sent Moses and Aaron to deliver the Israelites from the cruel hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and sought that he send the Israelites to go out of Egypt to the wilderness to worship the Lord, Pharaoh was angered. In his wrath Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters to withhold from the Israelites the straw that was provided to make the bricks. The Israelites were now in deeper trouble as they had no resources but were still required to make the exact number of bricks that they made earlier.

Pharaoh also scorned Moses and Aaron and questioned them this way in Exodus 5:2, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?” (ESV)

The Israelites thought that Moses and Aaron would bring them immediate relief and deliverance, but instead their troubles increased manifold after they met with Pharaoh. When Pharaoh questioned the authority of God, the consequence was that God sent plagues upon the Egyptians.

In general, people call out to God only when they come to the end of the rope as it were. It is far better to seek the Lord when things are going good. That is why we read in Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.” (GW) This means that if we do not seek God when things are fine, there will come a time when things will be bad, and we will not be able to call on Him.

There are those who question God, just like Pharaoh did, but today when we are struck with a malady, mankind stands dumbfounded with no solution to a major crisis. Science may advance a great deal but we must remember that there is a God who is sovereign and almighty above all human power and wisdom. Whenever human beings becomes rebellious against God there will always be severe consequences that we will have to face. A world that was going at full speed with hectic schedules, could have never imagined that we would have to discard all our schedules to be locked down within the confines of our homes to keep ourselves safe. The reason for this predicament is that we forgotten God who is the most important person in our lives, and have been running after positions, possessions and worldly pleasures. This is the time for us to turn back to the God who created us, and to realize that He is an awesome and mighty God.

The distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians

1. The flies did no harm to the people of Israel who dwelt in Goshen

We read in Exodus 8:22-23, “But I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live, so that there will be no flies there. I will do this so that you will know that I, the LORD, am at work in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miracle will take place tomorrow.' "”(GNB)

When Pharaoh challenged God, the Lord replied him that He would do something miraculous to distinguish between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The difference would be that while flies would infest the land of Egypt, the region of Goshen where the Israelites dwelt, which was also in Egypt would be protected from these flies. This miracle the Lord said He would perform so that Pharaoh would realize that it was the Lord who was at work. The Lord did send the flies that caused much destruction to the land of Egypt, but the land of Goshen where God’s people stayed was kept safe from all harm. The Lord was a fortress around the homes of all those who believed in Him and were His children.

When faced with troubles, often we pass them off as some natural phenomenon that are common to all human beings, because many people are unable to accept the fact that there is a sovereign God above. In the midst of trying circumstances, it is vital that we take time to ponder on the reasons for these calamities.

God will always make a clear difference between those who are His children, and those who are not. If you are wondering who the children of God are, they are those who believe in the Lord Jesus irrespective of who they are. Jesus came as a Saviour for all of mankind, and that is why the good news of His birth was announced to all.

2. The livestock of the Israelites was spared from death

We read in Exodus 9:4, “I will make a distinction between the animals of the Israelites and those of the Egyptians, and no animal that belongs to the Israelites will die.” (GNB)

We also read in Exodus 9:26, “The region of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was the only place where there was no hail.”(GNB)

When the Egyptians were struck with the plague of the death of the livestock, the Lord again intervened to make a clear discrimination. The animals that belonged to the Israelites were all spared from death and destruction. So also, when all of Egypt was struck with severe hail stones, the Israelites were safe and secure in the region of Goshen.

As those who believe in the Lord Jesus, we are assured of protection for our lives. Also God will be a fortress around us to keep safe all that belongs to us. This protection of God extends to all those who are part of our immediate and extended family.

Rahab was protected

We read of Rahab who had her house built on the wall of Jericho. When the Israelites proceeded to the land of Canaan, the city of Jericho was a hindrance to their progress. The Lord fought for the Israelites and brought down the mighty walls of Jericho with just the shouts of praise of the armies of Israel. However, in the midst of those unbelieving people, Rahab believed in the God of Israel. The outcome was that while the entire city was destroyed, the mighty walls of Jericho came crumbling down, but Rahab and her entire family who resided on top of that same wall were kept safe.

As children of God we need to believe and affirm that God alone is our fortress. Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever and we must be sure that He will make a distinction between those who are His people and those who are not. The ones who are His are assured of being protected in the midst of all these pestilences.

The words of Elipaz, the friend of Job

We read in Job 5:19, “He will keep you safe from six troubles, and when the seventh one comes, no harm will touch you:” (GW)

The six troubles refers to the problems that come one after the other. However, the seventh one refers to wholeness. We may be challenged with myriads of challenges, but the Lord will deliver us out of them all. We should never become discouraged or disheartened, but constantly thank the Lord trusting Him to be our fortress.

The Psalmist says in Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyous songs of salvation. Selah” (GW)

The Psalmist realized that the Lord would protect him, as He alone was his hiding place. He further declared that the Lord will encompass him with joyous songs of salvation.

As we stay inside our homes, may the praises of the Lord alone fill our residence, and may everything that displeases the Lord be cast aside. Let us keep singing the songs of victory and deliverance, for the enemy has no entry into our fortress, for God has hidden us from his view.

We also read in Psalm 107:28, “In their distress they cried out to the LORD. He led them from their troubles.” (GW)

The Lord protects us from all our troubles when we sincerely call out to Him. This is not a time to relax, but a time for us to call out to the Lord to have mercy on us, and liberate us. The grace of God is not only needed for us, but for all those who are around us. We must seek the Lord and pray most fervently if we desire that the Lord should intervene in our present situation.

We read in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, “I may shut the sky so that there is no rain, or command grasshoppers to devour the countryside, or send an epidemic among my people. However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.” (GW)

The Lord is speaking to His people and the first thing that God expects of us is humility. As believers we have sadly conformed ourselves to the patterns of the world around us. We must set aside our careless attitudes, sincerely pray and seek after the Lord. The evil ways that the Lord wants us to turn away from are our indifference to Him and our unwillingness to give to Him the honor and time that is duly His. If we do so the Lord promises that He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and bring healing to our land.

We read in 2 Chronicles 7:13 that the Lord will shut up the sky so that there will be no rain. We began 2020 with severe wild fires in Australia that could not be put out because they had no rains. We also read of grasshoppers that came in large numbers and caused great devastation in the continent of Africa. Finally the word speaks about an epidemic, which we now call a pandemic that has swept over all the world.

The call of God to us is to humble ourselves, and seek the Lord to restore to us all that we have lost. We have spent all of our time for our own come back to the Him with true repentance and humility. selfish pursuits and have forgotten to seek the face of God. Let us turn back to God, give Him the top priority in our lives, spending more time in reading the word of God, and walking in obedience to His word.

Prayer:

Our loving Father, we thank You for being such a fortress that cannot be broken. Thank You, Lord for the privilege given to me to be inside that fortress. Thank you, Lord that through this torment this world is going through, You are keeping me safe. And I know that when Your time for me on earth is fulfilled, I will be there with You for ever and ever. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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