Thursday, September 20, 2007
Blessings For Your Life - Protection 祝福您 – 保护平安
Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a]
2 I will say [b] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
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Most of us are very concerned that we will be protected against unforeseen circumstances, be it materialistic (via insurance cover, security alarm, etc) or spiritual (via carrying a cross, amulet, etc). Yet how much can these things protect us?
God is the ultimate source of protection for us! It is 100% guaranteed.
God WANTS to protect us... but HOW can we enjoy God's protection in our lives?
1. Choose To Come Under GOD'S COVER
" 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
"9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge."
What is a dwelling place?? It is where we find our security, our comfort. It's a place where we spend the most time at! Is the Lord your dwelling place? Do you look to Him to find comfort and security? Do you run to Him when you need a time a retreat?
Our God is... (4 names of God)
I. "The Most High" ----- (Possession)
II. "The Almighty"------- (Provision)
III. " The Lord" ----------( Promise)
IV. "My God" ------------ (Power)
The God that we believe and trust in... is He ALL of the above in our lives?
Before Jesus died on the cross... He prayed for us: (John 17:11)
"Holy Father... protect them by the power of your name."
The protection of God is CONDITIONAL: It is for those who CHOOSE to come under God's cover.
To choose to come under God's cover means:
- To trust in the Lord in all circumstances.
- To love God
- To acknowledge that you are my God.
Have you stepped OUT of God's protection?
Yet being in God's protection is not immunisation from diseases and problems. We also don't test God by purposely stepping into trouble. But being in God's protection is the promise of God that He will be with us and will rescue us in times of trouble.
The Lord says to you: "Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be discouraged for I am your God. I will help you I will strengthen you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. If you walk through the water you will not be drown, if you walk through the fire you will not be burnt, for I am with you."
2. Choose To Live In GOD'S COMMUNITY
If you are a Christian without a church, it is like a child without a family, an organ without a body, a sheep without a flock.
When we believe in God, we don't just believe...we belong.
While our relationship with God is personal, it is not private!
Therefore we are to live in God's family!
a. Connected!
- We are connected to each other as a church.
Romans 12:4-5
When you say you are part of the church/cell... is it just on paper only?
b. Commitment!
1 John 3:16: "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brother."
Move from giving your life to Jesus (John 3:16) to giving your life to your brothers/sisters (1 John 3:16)
Other verses from the bible in regards to being in a community of God:
Hebrews 3:13
James 5:19
The greatest protection of God comes from the family of God... comes from the church.
If you have not truly received God's protection and love... maybe you have not been living in His community.
....
Do you want to enjoy God's protection?
Will you choose to come into God's covering?
Are you in God's community?
Labels: 12 blessings
Posted by aeronautisis at 7:12 pm
Monday, September 10, 2007
Health and Healing are on the Heart of God
Psalm 103:2-3"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases"
3 John 2 ; Exodus 15:26
God wants to bless us with GOOD HEALTH!
so How can We Receive The Blessing of Health?
1. Lead a Healthy Lifestyle - Be a Disciplined Steward
- Watch your diet!
- Leviticus 7:23
- Even the bible tells us to keep away from fats!
- Hygiene
- Deuteronomy 25:12-13
- Interestingly if u are to read the whole passage of Deuteronomy 25, the Lord actually gives us instructions to maintain our hygiene (e.g. removing our shoes before entering our house!)
- Infection
- Leviticus 12-14
- Thinking that quarantine people during SARS is bad? It is also biblical! In those times where leprosy is around (a real deadly disease), the Lord gave specific instructions on what to do with those with this infectious disease.
- Rest
- Exodus 20:8-11
- Even God knows that we simply can't stop working. Thus He even gave us a Commandment that we are to rest on the 7th day! The body that God created is one that needs rest!
a. Possession - Know that the body does not belong to you.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
- Our physical body are on 'loan' to us by the Lord, so that our spirit may live in it and to do God's work!
- What is your purpose in life? If you know that it is living for God, than you would want to take care of the physical body that He had given to you.
- Lack the will to push yourself to exercise? Get someone to go with you and to make sure that you do! We are to be each others' keepers!
- Exodus 15:26a --> Do what is right in His eyes.
- Proverbs 3:7-8
- The bible often links sickness to sin.
- Deuteronomy 28:58-61
- Numbers 11:4-34
- John 9:1
- John 5:14
- Mark 5:2
- James 5: 14-16
- Some Sinful Attitudes, Emotions and Habits are:
- Worry and Anxiety
- Matthew 6:25-34 ; Philippians 4:6-7
- Greed and Envy
- Galatians 5:20-21 ; Colossians 3:5-6
- Anger, Bitterness, Rage and Unforgiveness
- Ephesians 4:26-32
- EXAMINE YOURSELF!
- Are you worried and fearful?
- Are you given to anger and rage?
- Is there bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart?
- Is there a breach in relationship with others?
- Exodus 15:26 ---> The Lord is Jehova Rapha... "I am the Lord who heals"
- Mark 1:40-42
- God is not just able. He is willing!
- Numbers 21:4-9
- Isaiah 53:4-5
- Exodus 23:25
The bible is just incredible. It is really like a 'life manual'... to the extend that it has so much on how we are to live so that we may have good health! If you do not have a bible to refer the verses, you can always go to http://www.biblegateway.com/
May the Lord bless you with good health!
Look out for the next blessing.. Protection.
Labels: 12 blessings