The Protection of God

 Our ladies Power of Twelve group has the word "protects" as our word of encouragement this month.  The word is from the scripture in Daniel 12:1 which says, 

At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.

This part of Daniel is speaking a prophesy of the end times for the people on earth.  There is a great war taking place between the kingdoms on earth.  The very opening of that scripture tells us the Father will send the arch angel Michael to protect the chosen people of God.  How amazing is that?  Michael is the Chief Prince of all the angels in God's Angel Army.  We have no idea how many angels are in this army of God but in Luke 12:13 there was "a great company of heavenly host" which appeared to the shepherds in the fields when they announced the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  In 2 Kings 12:17 the Lord protected Elisha by filling "the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire."  Riding the horses and driving the chariots was the Angel Army of God.  When scripture speaks of a heavenly host this is referring to an army of angels who are messengers, protectors, fighters, those who come to the aid of God's chosen people.  These angels have over and over helped the people God chose to do His work on earth.  From the time of Adam and Eve until the time when the Apostle John is held captive on an island and prophesies about the end times, God has sent angels to minister to people.  Mary, Joseph, King David, Balaam, Paul, Elisha, Ezekiel, and so many others have seen and or heard from a Messenger of God.  These Messengers are angels of the Lord, sent by Him to relay a message or to protect and guide.  In Matthew 26:53, Jesus tell the disciples, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"  In King David's time, each legion held 24,000 soldiers.  Twelve legions would be 288,000 soldiers.  In the Roman army, a legion could be anywhere from 3,000 (plus auxiliary soldiers, plus garrisons, plus guards, plus cavalry) to 6,000 soldiers putting the army count anywhere from 40,000 to over 100,000.  Jesus is saying in this scripture that He can call out hundreds of thousands of angels to assist Him with whatever He needs done!  In the end of times for earth, Revelation19:1 tells us; 

"After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!  

We have no idea how great a "great multitude" is, but with our Lord you can believe it is numerous, powerful, extraordinary, and beyond our wildest imagination.

Over and over throughout scripture and throughout our lives our Father God has protected us from harm.  He tells us repeatedly, He wants no harm to come to us.  He stands ready to guard us and keep us safe.  He will provide security for us in all ways.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Do you have faith in the word of God to His people?  

Have you seen times in your life that could have gone one way and caused you great harm but instead something happened to change the outcome of that instance?  

Have you ever had someone show up at just the right time to help you out of something that could have altered the course of your life?

Do you believe in miracles?

A true believer will be able to say yes to many of these questions and maybe yes to all of them.  People with faith and belief in a Father, a Creator, Almighty God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords know in their mind, their heart, their soul that He is real and really loves His children,  His people, those who are called by His Name!  They don't doubt His protection or His love.

When God sends a messenger, or a heavenly host, or an army of angels to His people He is making a way where there seems to be no way.  He is providing what is necessary for the times.  He is caringly and lovingly surrounding us with whatever is necessary to keep us safe.  Since the beginning of mankind the Father has used his angels in the lives of His people and He will not stop doing this for us until the end of times for this earth.  In the new heaven and earth the angels and the people will worship, praise and live joyfully for there will be no sorrow, no pain, no tears and no need for protection from the evil one.  We will be home with the Lord for ever and ever. 

Amen.

Doors (Revelation 3:20)

November 8, 2020 

Doors 

Revelation 3:20 (ESV) -  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

The word “Doors” can mean different things.  Doors are meant to keep things out and they are meant to keep things in.  Some are actual real doors with hinges and door knobs.  Others are not physical doors, but doors to our emotions and feelings.  

We fling open physical doors to our family and our friends and invite them in.  We carefully open those same doors to strangers standing on the porch to see what they want or need.  We lock our doors when there is a possibility of trouble or at night to get a peaceful sleep.  

Each one of us have individual emotional and mindful doors. Often times we close doors when do not want to deal with an issue or a problem.  It’s easier to leave it on the other side of the door and not deal with it.  When we lose someone through relationship issues, have financial trouble, have health issues, or when we deal with actual death, we sometimes close those doors because the pain is too bearable to face. 

We have both physical and emotional doors that we hide things behind.  I have closet doors that hide stuff I have accumulated for decades.  I am ashamed for anyone to see all the stuff in those closets.  I have emotional doors that I am ashamed of.  The Lord knows the things hidden behind my emotional doors.

Many times in scripture we hear verses about Jesus knocking on the door and our response to open the door to Him is up to us.  We hear about the Bridegroom coming to the wedding, someone opens the door to Him and after he has entered, the door is then closed. Those who were invited to the wedding are on the inside while many others are left on the outside.  Those on the outside either did not respond to the RSVP for the wedding invitation or they decided the wedding was not important enough to attend. Regardless, they are on the outside of the closed door.

We also have scripture where the Lord asks us to go into our prayer closet to pray and to close the door.  These are the times when the Lord wants our undivided attention.   He wants to have a private one-on–one with us.  Many times as a parent I had to take a child aside and have a heart-to-heart chat about one thing or another.  The conversation was not for all ears to hear.  It was meant for a specific set of ears.  This is the same with the Lord.  He is our father, we are His child.  We can cast everything, both the good and the bad, before Him and know that He hears and understands it all.  He walks with us no matter what situation we are in. 

Jesus is not the kind of God who forces anyone to do anything.  He is filled with love for each one but allows us the free will to choose His way or not.  When we acknowledge Him as Christ our Savior we only need to trust Him with the physical doors of our lives and the emotional doors of our lives.  We just need to hold onto faith that He is for us, not against us.  That He is molding us into a better person.  That He will always love us no matter what.