Storm Shelter

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

the righteous run to it and are safe.”

     Proverbs 18:10

“For You have been a shelter to me,

a strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;

I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Selah.”

     Psalm 61:3-4

Spiritual storms come in all shapes and sizes, and none of us are immune from them. It’s been said that if you’re not in a storm right now, you’ve either just come out of one or one is heading your way.  That’s why it’s so helpful to know the many promises of refuge and shelter in the Bible, such as the two listed above.

A daily infusion of the word of God helps us prepare, so that when the storms start raging, we’ll know (or know where to find) pertinent verses to strengthen and encourage us.

I’m grateful that the Lord’s name is a strong tower and that when I run to it, I’m safe.  I’ve experienced God’s shelter under His wings and I know it brings rest and peace, even in the midst of a storm.

God doesn’t promise that we will avoid the storms, but He will be with us and help us through them.  Hide God’s word in your heart, run to Him when the dark clouds appear and know that He is a strong tower of protection for you. 

Thursday Devotional - Clearing up Confusion

At the tower of Babel (Genesis 11), God confused the people’s languages because of their disobedience. They had refused to scatter over the earth as He commanded, so He made it so they had to scatter because they couldn’t understand each other anymore. However, on the day of Pentecost, God united the different languages.

Acts 2:1-6, 11-12      When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken… ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Peter boldly answered their question by sharing the truths about Jesus.

Acts 2:32-33, 36       ³² God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear… ³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Peter then boldly called them to repent and turn to God for forgiveness and salvation. God brought all the different languages together. Jesus had died for all of them, no matter what their nationality or background. His plan of salvation is available to any who will accept it.  

Acts 2:21       And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Who do you and I know that is confused and needs clarity about God and His truths? Like Peter, we can clearly, lovingly and boldly share God’s plans with them by the Holy Spirit’s power.

Alice

God's Will

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

When faced with tough decisions, sometimes it can be hard to figure out what is God’s will, verses our own will.  This is especially hard if we conform to the pattern of this world, or their way of thinking.  If we look at the world and how they have twisted the command to love everyone to instead mean be accepting of everyone, we see just one example of how we can then no longer be able to clearly test and approve what God’s will is. 

Rather if we allow our minds to be transformed to how God wants us to live, we can clearly test and approve when something is or is not his will. 

I’m sure each of us has something in our lives that we are trying to figure out what the Lord’s will is with it.  I encourage you today to allow him to transform your mind so you will know.