Wonderful Promises

Psalm 91: ⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake 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 on 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 on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

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“Believe” is what people told me, so I did. I walked down the aisle of the church professing my belief in CHRIST. One month later I was baptized in front of the whole church. I was now part of something great! I went to school with a new outlook. When I arrived, the same bullies picked on me. “No big deal, I am graduating soon anyway”, I thought to myself.

When I arrived in high school, I was faced with a new set of trials, new thugs, this time armed and dangerous on my route to and from school. The years crept by, but I made it! “Whew” that’s behind me, smooth sailing from here on out. I faced financial, spiritual and growing challenges in college. Wait a minute, I thought that when I “believed” I wouldn’t have any problems! They seem to be getting bigger!

• My immature view of GOD thought there would be no challenges when I sided with HIM.
• My immature view of GOD thought I instantly would get what I wanted when I believed in HIM.
• My immature view of GOD thought all my troubles would go away and I would now be able to sit and do nothing while food was placed in my mouth.

I wanted to “fit in” and I thought it was cool that JESUS would accept me just as I was. I did get a little discouraged when HE could simply speak my troubles away, yet HE wouldn’t. Then I read these words “I will be with him in trouble” meaning I will have trouble and GOD will be there. My view of GOD had to change.

• GOD said to me “I will be with you always” meaning HE feels my troubles even more than I do.
• GOD said to me “I will be with you in trouble” meaning I have to go through problems in order to grow.
• GOD said to me “I will rescue you and honor you and satisfy you and save you” meaning just that.

When GOD cursed the earth because humans sinned, it wasn’t taken lightly by HIM. HE died when humans died and HE had to do something about it. HE chose to die in my place and take the blame for my sins. This act saved me, but I still have to live on a cursed planet. GOD’s redemption reaches beyond the curse and HIS love for me shines brightly each day!

• Are you growing?
• Do you think you should never have problems?
• Can you understand that GOD loves you in the middle of your problems?