The Father's Secret Place in Psalms 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalms 91: 1-2

Have you ever had one of those days where you wonder where the heavenly father is? Has He taken a vacation and abandoned you? Why on earth are these things happening to me? Where is my protector and confidant?

Well, He's still here! He never leaves us nor forsakes us. At times like this, I go to Psalms 91 and meditate on His wonderful promises of protection and safety. His Word has final authority over our lives. We must force ourselves to look past our circumstances and believe God's Word!

2015, the Year of Psalms 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalms 91:1-2.

Some of you may wonder why I have neglected this blog for the past several months.  No, it wasn't due to the Christmas and New Year's festivities, although that did keep me busy. Actually, I have purposely delayed this latest blog entry, because I have much to say.

Since June of 2014, the Lord has had me on a feverish study of the end times, particularly the prophecies outlined in the book of Daniel. I have read the Scriptures countless times, looked at the original language, and have scoured the Internet, reading scores of commentaries from academics, evangelists, so-called prophets, and a few crackpots. Bottom line - nobody has a clear answer as to how the last days will play out.

This is frustrating for me, because I can't understand why we, His church, shouldn't know and understand what is written there in the Word. Isn't there at least one believer who understands these passages? If we, His body, don't get it, then who will? And shouldn't we know what His plans are? Didn't He say He would guide us into all truth? Shouldn't we be sounding the alarm for others?

Ok, that's enough questions, but it gives you an idea of how diligently I have been digging in for answers. Daniel did the same thing, and he eventually got a visit from Gabriel and some answers to his questions regarding Israel's future--plus more! Over the next several months, I'll share some of the revelations and discoveries I've made. But there's still so much more I'd like to know.

For now, I will share a word He gave me for 2015. It is the year of Psalms 91, which is known as the Soldier's Psalm or the Protection Psalm. For the world, it will be a very rough, tumultuous, and traumatic year with many hard times, the purpose of which is to figuratively wake people up to the knowledge of Christ. Amazingly, we have seen evidence of this in just the first 2 weeks of January.

But for those Christians who are trusting the Lord and listening to Him, it will be a time of divine favor and supernatural deliverance. I don't know in what manner this will manifest, although I am reminded of one instance that happened just a few weeks ago--a young girl walked away from a plane crash that killed her entire family. Very, very unusual!

This year, as you watch the news or read the updates of what's going in in the world, don't be fearful but be thankful that you, the Believer, have been given the wonderful privilege to dwell in the secret place of the Most High, in the shadow of the Almighty. That's the mercy seat under the winged cherubim where the blood of Jesus cries out day and night, declaring our innocence because of what HE did on the cross. Sit back and ... REST!

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:8-9 KJV

God's Protection in Troubled Times

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalms 91:14-16.

All of Psalms 91 has been a comfort to me and my family over the years. There are many verses in this Psalms that I love, but lately, I have been drawn to the last two, especially during this day and times when wars and rumors of wars abound. As we remember 9/11 and the tragedies from the past, we are reminded by our president and the nations that future tragedies await the world. We even know this truth from reading Bible prophecy. And why is this part of the earth's future? Because the millennial/Messianic age is fast approaching, and the Lord is getting "His house in order," so to speak. Basically, a determination of who really believes and who doesn't is about to take place. Many of us don't truly know our own hearts or our strengths and weaknesses until they've been put to the test. When heat and the pressure of fear, pain, and worry come, we will either fall away and be consumed or we will bear up and believe God's promises in His Word, speaking them out of our mouths until we see manifestation. In these situations, our faith is growing and becoming strong. The Lord knows our heart, but sometimes it is good for us to see it for ourselves.

America, this time has come upon all of us. Church, now is the time to believe - truly believe and have no doubts - regarding the Holy Scriptures and what the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Abba has promised us in His Word. Claim the promises - they are yours! Lottery winners claim their prizes, employees claim their salaries, bonuses, and stock options, heirs and widows claim their inheritance. If all that is true (and it is), then Christian, claim what the Lord has given you through His death and resurrection! Don't let the enemy talk you out of what is yours! God has given you the blessing of Abraham which includes His Holy Spirit! Galatians 3:14. And what is the blessing of Abraham? It is God Himself. He is our shield, our exceeding great reward! Genesis 15:1. Selah! Think upon that!

If God be for us, then who can be against us? Romans 8:31.  Many of us believers will see great things done by the Lord in these last days, and it will be exciting! We will be a part of it all, and that will be a thrill! But some will not. Some will shrink back in fear and will not have the joy and pleasure of fulfilling their assignments and taking part in this last great ingathering of souls! If you are reading this, then don't shrink back in fear. Meditate on how much you are loved and fear will dissipate, for perfect love casts out fear! 1 John 4:18.

We have protection in the name of Jesus, deliverance, favor, blessings, and a long, satisfactory life in this Church Age. And then when He returns, the best that God has to offer will be waiting for us! What a glorious day that will be!

God's Angels Are Watching Over You! - My Testimony

Psalm 91:10–11
¹⁰No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; ¹¹for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

Joseph Prince's daily devotion for today is on Psalm 91 and how the Lord protects His children by commanding His angels to take charge over us and rescue us from calamities. Many of us have heard stories on TV about angels helping people during natural disasters, car wrecks, and the like, but many of us aren't given an opportunity to share our own stories with others. Well, I do have my own story, which is dramatic and spectacular, even though I did not see a physical angel or hear an angelic voice.

When my son was in second grade, he slammed his bicycle (going downhill at full speed) into a moving vehicle, flipped off the front of the bike, and bashed his head on the curb. I was not there when it happened, but there was one eye witness and several neighbors immediately on the scene, and they all thought he was dead. When I received the phone call and heard the sirens outside, I heard a voice in my head say, "I did not do this." I knew it was the Lord, because instantly this Scripture came to my memory: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Ephesians 6:11-12. I knew this was the work of the enemy and that I had to trust the Lord. 

As I raced to the scene, I was completely calm and had no fear. I thought of Abraham after he took his only beloved son up to Mount Moriah, preparing to sacrifice him to the Lord. According to the Book of Hebrews, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son],Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Hebrews 11:17-19. Like Abraham, I chose to believe that whatever I found - even if it was brains on the pavement  - that God could scoop those brains up, shove them inside my son's head, and make things right!

Long story short - the ambulance took us to the hospital with my son screaming (that sound was music to my ears!) and me praying to Jesus. An MRI revealed no concussion, but that he would have a nasty bruise on the left side of his face. We took him home, and after 24 hours, there was absolutely no bruise or swelling, and after 36 hours, he was on his feet (a bit wobbly), but ready to play. The accident happened on a Thursday. He could've gone to school on Monday, but I kept him home, because I wanted to stare at him all day - I had almost lost him, but the Lord had intervened!

There was no mark on his body or evidence of the accident, other than a tiny round abrasion on his right ear, smaller than a dime, and only one small spot of blood on his jacket. His clothes were not torn and his bike was still rideable. The next day, several neighbors called to tell me they had seen him out and about on his bike, riding without a helmet. Fortunately, I had obeyed the prompting of the Lord and had asked my son the day before the accident why his helmet was on the garage floor. "The strap is broken," was the response. 

And so I stayed up late Wednesday night threading the strap through the helmet and securing it to its place on his bike handle. He was wearing the helmet when the accident occurred. When I retrieved it later that afternoon, I saw a dent on the top that was large enough for two fingers to rest! We certainly would've had a different outcome had I not listen to the Lord's promptings!

The next morning, as he sat in the recliner resting, we watched a pastor on TV who taught on Psalm 91 and the protection of angels. This pastor told how he was divinely protected from a horrific car accident that should have taken his life, but he walked away without a scratch. My son and I looked at each other, and even as a youth of seven, he knew what I had come to realize: God's angels had protected him. The repaired helmet aside, he walked away a bit wobbly and tired, with only a small mark on his ear and one little spot of blood on his clothes. Everyone thought he was dead or brain damaged, but God had intervened and protected him. And what's even more wonderful is that Lord spoke to me during this time, bringing Scripture to memory, comforting me and ministering to me with their truths, giving me the faith to believe boldly and radically, and giving me the Shalom peace that all would be well.

I never shed a tear over the incident, because I knew Satan and the forces of darkness were watching me, seeing if they could get me in fear. Instead, I laughed. The enemy tried to inflict damage on us, but our faith in the Lord worked as a shield, protecting us from his deadly schemes. 

I don't know why some Christians have lost their children in similar situations and mine was delivered. All I can say is, continue to believe in God and His Word, despite the circumstances. Even if there are brains on the pavement, limbs dismembered, and even the pall of death that goes beyond the abilities of medical science, get radical about your faith in the Lord's protection and claim His promises. 

I didn't see those angels that day, but I know in my heart an angel was there and delivered my son. Perhaps he grabbed him by that place on the ear and cushioned his fall - I don't know, and I don't care. All I have to do is believe in God, have faith in His promises, declare them, and He does the work!