Use Protection

Job 5: ²⁴ You will know that your tent is secure;
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.

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“Another sunny day” I thought to myself. I smiled and went to the garage and to my dismay I realized that I had left the garage door open all night. I looked around to see if anything was missing and again to my dismay noticed some of my tools had been stolen. This was the first week of moving into this new home. Why did this happen?

• There are times where I think I am responsible for the protection of my home.
• There are times where I fall short of protecting “my stuff.”
• There are times where thieves will get “my stuff” and I feel victimized.

I was definitely mad, but my anger subsided when I realized that the door leading to the house was wide open as well. No one in my household was hurt and all of the “stuff” was safe. I then realized that the toolbox that they took only contained a few older tools. My eyes were opened to checking the house each night. But wouldn’t you know I still have left the doors open several times afterward.

• GOD has protected me on so many occasions I cannot count them.
• GOD has watched over “my stuff” and allowed me to remain safe.
• GOD has prevented calamity on so many levels in my life that I can do nothing but praise HIM.

When I look back and see the times I could have been in an accident or the times where I could have been hurt I can do nothing but praise GOD. HE has protected me from being foolish and HE has watched over me when people tried to harm me. I praise GOD for where HE has me.

• Are you afraid?
• Are you trying to hold onto your stuff?
• Can you let go of your stuff and let GOD watch it?
• Will you take a moment and drop your worries and praise GOD for a change?

HIS Watchful Eye

Ezra 5: ³ At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?” ⁴ They also asked, “What are the names of those who are constructing this building?” ⁵ But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

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Arrogant was the best term I could use for this guy. I mean he boasted and bullied. Unfortunately for me I got on his wrong side and I was on his radar.  I put my head down and focused on work, but to no avail, this guy was after me.

When he called me in his office, I braced myself for the worst. “Sit down!” He said in his gruff way. “You are being promoted, seems like somebody likes you.”

• There have been times where I have been scared.
• There have been times where I have been worried.
• There have been times where I have been filled with fear.

It seems like there have been many times where the pressure has been on or something was on the way to harm or hurt me. Several times in my life I “almost” stepped in front of the driver who didn’t see me, nor I them. How was I protected?

• GOD watches over me more than HE watches over sparrows.
• GOD watches over me and the HOLY SPIRIT pleads on my behalf in utterances I can’t understand.
• GOD watches over me when I’m foolish, scared, worried or full of fear.

Defenseless is what I am. Protected is what I believe in. Life seems scary at times, especially when everything isn’t going according to the script I wrote for myself. When I hit a puddle and the car spun around on the expressway, no one touched us. BUT GOD did. GOD watches over me daily and it’s up to me to praise HIM for who HE is!

• Are you scared?
• Are you worried?
• Do you have fear?
• Can you open your mouth today and just simply say “JESUS?”

I need rest!

Leviticus 23: ³ “‘There are six days when you can work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath. You must rest on it. Come together on that sacred day. You must not do any work on it. No matter where you live, it is a Sabbath day in my honor.

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Lately I have realized I have been working absolutely too much. After driving and pushing and trying, I realize I am tired! Does GOD want me this tired? NO!

• When I am trying too hard I do not rest.
• When I am not trusting I do not rest.
• When I am working instead of worshipping I do not rest.

Rest is very important to the LORD.  He mentions rest many times because it is a sign of trust. When I lose my trust in GOD’s plan I lose sleep over it and try very hard to make up the inefficiencies that I may have dreamt up. This causes me to work around the clock forgoing any rest I may need.

• GOD says I can have six day to work and that should be enough.
• GOD says I should give HIM an entire day to rest which shows my trust in HIM.
• GOD says I should rest no matter where I am.

Resting is in GOD’s honor.  It is a form of worship.  It seems like sitting around would be worship but it is. HE will communicate to me when I slow down, sit and listen to HIM. HE wants me to rest!

• Are you working too hard?
• Do you need to take a moment off?
• Won’t you stop for a day and give GOD the rest type of worship?

Are you getting enough rest?

Exodus 31: ¹⁶ “‘The people of Israel must keep the Sabbath. They must celebrate it for all time to come. It will be a covenant that lasts forever. ¹⁷ It will be the sign of the covenant I have made between me and the people of Israel forever.

“‘I made the heavens and the earth in six days. But on the seventh day I did not work. I rested.’”

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My “to do” list has grown substantially and I notice that I find myself working seven days a week. Technology makes it very easy to stay busy because people seem to have access to me twenty four hours a day. I say to myself, “It’s only one e-mail”, then I find ninety minutes have passed. Should I rest?

• Sometimes I think I should answer the phone all the time.
• Sometimes I think I need to take care of business so it doesn’t pile up.
• Sometimes I think the world will shatter if I don’t get these few things done.

I now see that a little turns into a lot quickly.  I do a “little” work and suddenly I am doing a lot. Meanwhile, rest eludes me. What should I do?

• GOD says I need to take some time to rest on purpose.
• GOD says I need to concentrate on HIM for a while.
• GOD says I need rest because even HE took the time and HE never sleeps.

Working all the time is a product of low faith on my part. I need to trust that GOD is in control of that day and commune with HIM to hear how I should conduct myself during the upcoming week.

• Are you working all the time?
• Do you find yourself dragging and tired?
• Can you take a day to worship GOD in rest?

He Never Sleeps by Take Six

He never sleeps,
He never slumbers
He watches me both night and day
(Day and night / night and day)
He never sleeps,
He never slumbers
The reason I know - He told me so

I don´t to worry, my soul´s in His care
I don´t have to worry, He´ll always be there
I know that He´s watching wherever I go
I know that He´s watching, He told me so

He never sleeps,
He never slumbers
He watches me both night and day
(Day and night / night and day)
He never sleeps,
He never slumbers
The reason I know - He told me so