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Help is never noticed until I need it, NOW! It is usually a word cried out in desperation. The word escapes my lips with a helpless and often hopeless feeling. It is a cry never sure unless it is spoken to my God. Help comes in various forms but it is always welcomed. It brings relief, respit, comfort, hope. God is my help. Am I reflecting Him to others? The word Shield pictures protection in battle. A shield is a part of the believer's armor mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 6:16. The "Shield of Faith" is for extinguishing all the fiery darts that Satan can fling; faith in God my shield. In the word "shield" is tied together two vitally important truths. My faith in God will protect me from Satan's wicked darts. God is my shield! My faith in Him protects me and even when my faith is weak God protects me. I'm never not protected. What comforting truths!

Psalm 104 God reigns in creation from the smallest detail to the greatest; He reigns! Food for billions on a daily basis is enough to prove His goodness but, we so often forget His perfect temperatures and lovely spring and summer breezes. The fragrance and beautiful colors of flowers, the taste of food, salt, sugar, are all signs that our creative Father has made this world to be experienced and enjoyed by all of our senses. I'll never forget the words of pastor George Stiekes, uttered years ago while visiting Camp CoBeAc in northern Michigan one Fall day. The colors were spectacular and the air crisp. He said, "...and this world is under the curse!" Imagine (impossible to do) what it will be like under the blessed rule of our sovereign Creator Lord Jesus Christ. I can't wait! Can you?

In the last three verses of Psalm 91, a lovely psalm of Godly protection and comfort, there are six "I will(s)" spoken by Jehovah to me. He begins, "Because he ( Mike ) hath set his love upon me (I love Him because He first loved me [1 John 4:19]) therefore will I: Deliever Mike (rescue) Set Mike on high (protect) Answer Mike Be with Mike in trouble Deliver Mike , and Honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show Mike my salvation. (the Mikes are added to personalize the promises, you can substitute your own name too!) I need ask no more than these precious promises as I rest peacefully in His arms and will. The only requirements on my part are prayer , obedience , and confident trust .

I often think of Biblical characters as being on a much higher plane than I am. Men and women like Moses, Paul, Deborah, Mary were real people with real triumphs and tragedies. They weren't even always willing to be used by God. Though I'm not exactly sure what a "normal" person looks like, they were normal people that God prepared and used in an above normal way. In my reading of the Psalms this morning I discovered a very dismal one. Psalm 88. It was written by, of all people, Heman . His first phrase is the solitary positive note in this very sad song. "O LORD God of my salvation...". When in situations like Heman's, is God enough? It depends on your up-look. Saul, king of Israel, when in depression sought the advice of a witch. God had abandoned him. King Saul never thought of repentance. He looked to the underworld for hope. Saul of Tarsus (Paul), when he was being afflicted by his thorn in the flesh, sought God. His answer was not, I'm sure, wh...

Israel had it all. God was theirs, the scriptures were theirs, the Promised Land was theirs. Their future was bright beyond belief. But they had a problem, they were stubborn and wouldn't listen to God (11). Because of this mutiny God let them have their own way, which led to their destruction. We usually don't meditate on Israel's devestation and what tremendous suffering took place in their children's and their children's children's lives because of it; innumerable tragedies which could have been avoided (13-16) "if only" they would have listened to and obeyed God. How often do I forget God's blessing and best because of my stubborn and hard heart? Help me Father to look to, and listen to, and learn to, obey You.

Meditating on Psalm 73's phrase "...thou hast holden me by my right hand." "I never felt secure when I took Jesus by the hand." An older gentleman at church approached me with these words Sunday night. This gentleman is always giving out mystical "theological" riddles to which he wants some type of reaction or response. When he threw this one at me I almost tried to avoid him, but this time what he said made more sense than normal. He proceeded to give the following illustration: "A child never takes a mothers hand without being asked to do so. The mother has to take the child's hand when trouble comes. "If we are holding Jesus' hand", he continued, "...we will let go when approaching difficulties. But, if He is holding our hand we can be sure that He is walking with us through the trials! We can face anyone and anything with our hand securely in His." I think that Asaph had this in mind when he penned the words of Psa...

... or Dia dos Namorados as we call it here in Brazil. We have twice the fun being Americans in Brazil because we can celebrate on February 14 and June 12. My wife reminds me that both are legitimate holidays and should be commemorated in proper fashion. I agreed this year and bought flowers (a dozen pink roses) for both days. We also celebrated at a local Mineiro (food typical of the state of Minas Gerais, or the state just north of Sao Paulo) restaurant. Yum yum! Our Teen banquet Saturday night was also a lot of fun. We commemorated the Love holiday with good food, fun, fellowship, and a challenge from 1 Corinthians 13.

What are the Golden Years? They sound so glorious don't they. I'm only 51 (52 in 19 days) but already my gnarly fingers barely grip the pen without trembling. If my tri-focals are not just right I don't recognize dear friends at fifty paces. I walk into a room with no clue as to why I'm there. I being a task only to be sidetracked six times before I forget what started out to do. My legs wobble and my knees feel as if they will explode if I jump of a chair. I grunt and groan as I stoop to pick something up from the floor. And each day brings a new wrinkle to my ever uglier face. So, where's the Gold in the Golden Years? I believe that the gold is in an ever deepening understanding that my Savior can love one such as I. It comes as I am able to be used by Him to lead another to Him. Gold is rare, precious, and very expensive. Old is not rare, not precious but it too can be expensive. But, only as I allow the Master Goldsmith to craft my "Old" can He turn it...

Reflecting on the Psalms helps me to ponder what a privilege I have. God hears my cry and leads me. I cannot be shaken because He is my Rock. He will never reject my prayers nor withold His love from me! Thus I know that He has shown His love for me by listening to me and answering me. I have an audience with the God of creation! He listens, thinks about, and responds to what I say. However, what I say and do are a part of what He has "ordered" for me. Am I "hiding" in Him? Am I taking advantage of a daily, moment by moment, audience with the sovereign God? If not, why not?

"Thank You Father for Your mercy, goodness, and provision!" were the beginning words of my prayer this morning. God had just answered a very important prayer request as only He can. Ben and Dani were married in March. As a results Dani needs to officially join Baptist Mid-Missions. However, she has had no Bible college training, which is one of the requirements for all missionaries. Thus creating their, and our, prayer request. The mission wants her to study at the Bible college that we visited in Curitiba, which is six hours south of Sorocaba. Thus presenting a transportation problem or requiring a move. I'm joking of course. Naturally they would be moving. With us leaving in mid July for furlough and Celso's recent move to another city, Ben and Dani's move would have virtually crippled the team. We were very concerned to say the least. However, in answer to our prayers, the mission has consented to allow Dani, for the time being, to study via correspondence cour...

One of the biggest days in Annie's life is rapidly approaching. Why does it always seem that when those BIG days loom time seems to go faster, with that endless list of things to do hanging over your head like the sword of Damocles? I know that there are no scientific laws to prove this "shifting speed" hypothesis, but doesn't it seem that way to you? It plods when you're waiting in line at the store. It flies as you have fun at the amusement park. It is light speed as you near your fifty-second birthday and never ending as you wait to get married! "Time flies" is a common expression that we all are familiar with. Yet in reality time just ticks, ceaselessly, monotonously. One day, however, time will stop ! To us, who are locked into our "time oriented" lifestyles, that is impossible to comprehend. No time, and no need for it! How will we measure our existence? It will be endless worship, perfect satisfaction, and no evil. Wow! Even so, come...

The question was raised after my message last night on Psalm 1, "Pastor, how can we avoid sinners" (like the psalm mentions v.1)? Of course the answer is, "We can't, nor are we suppose to". We must avoid intimate relationships with them, like marriage, exclusive friendships, joint business ventures, however, we are in the world. We are to walk that very distinct line between shunning sinners and "loving our neighbor". How can we do this? Just like Jesus did. He was accused of hanging with the wrong crowd, yet His purpose in that behavior was, in His own words, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13b). Jesus purpose in life was to accomplish the will of the Father and through that will glorify Him. By spending time with "sinners" and demonstrating God's love, He was able to affect them. Our goal must be the same. We are to live for God's glory while affecting others by doing God's...

Psalm 33:13, 14, 15 say "The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth... He considereth all their works." He watches everyone and considers all that they do. I often wonder how He does that without crying! I know virtually nothing about the problems of "the world", but I see the difficulties that many in our small flock have and am broken hearted. Imagine knowing everything about everyone in the history of the world! How does He do it? He is God. Father, help and direct me to help those that I can to know your unfailing love.

The New Testament Greek word αγω means "bring, drive, be lead away" and is used 71 times in the KJV. Jesus was αγω from the city of Nazareth to the brow of the cliff to be cast to His death. He was also αγω (though I know that I've not gotten the proper tenses in any of these texts) by the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil. The chief priests and scribes αγω Jesus to judgment just before His crucifixion. What is αγω me? Is it fear of the unknown, guilt, money, position? Or that same Holy Spirit that drove Jesus Christ? How can I be sure that I am driven by Him? I must put into practice what Philippians 2:12,13 says "W herefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." I work, He works. Like one of my college professors, Doctor Ainsworth, used to say "You can...

Psalm 13 When faced with insurmountable difficulties call on God. Tell Him how you feel. State your case. Trust His unfailing love, His salvation, and His goodness. When you do your faith will grow, your heart will rejoice, and you will have a song on your lips! What better way to douse the flames of adversity?