84 Sermon Illustrations on Protection

Continental flight #1713 took off from Denver on Nov 15, 1987, with inexperienced pilots who neglected to de-ice the wings. The plane crashed and flipped on its back, trapping many of the victims for hours.

Flight attendant Kelly Engelhart felt a realization settling over her. "It was as if someone whispered in my ear: 'There will be no fire.' It gave me a great, peaceful calm. There was not an earthly chance that even one of us should have escaped that crash. But now I knew we were going to save a lot of people; I knew that guardian angels had brought us a miracle."

Kelly Engelhart also said, "There are a lot of things we can't understand. But in this case, I believe with all my heart that God just reached in and snuffed out that fire. 54 people are alive today because there was no fire. Our being alive is one of God's miracles, pure and simple." Robert Linck, a big game hunter and corporate executive, does not claim to know why God saw fit to save him. "My friends say I'm too ornery to die, but I don't know. Whatever God has in store for me, I just hope it isn't anything worse than a plane crash."

Jean Smoke, a mother of a victim, tries to grasp the whole event in terms of her own faith. "Anne lost her learning, her music, her children. She lost her precious memories. It is not in God's plan for us to understand something this awful, but somewhere, somehow, there is a purpose to all of this. My prayer is that with God's help, Anne will find a way to re-create all the beauty she brought into the world before the accident."

David Daniel, whose wife Tami died as they were crushed together in the wreckage, found the experience strengthened his belief in God. "For a long time I was mad at God. Not so much because Tami died, but because I lived - and was left to try to figure out what to do next. I do believe God has a grand plan, but he leaves it up to us to decide how to do our part. I just want to try to do my part."

After Abraham Lincoln was elected President he gave a short farewell to the people of Springfield, Illinois, before leaving for Washington. He said:

“My friends: No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when or whether ever I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good - let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”

-----------------

According to a stenographer whose version appeared in the press the next morning, Lincoln began a good deal more awkwardly:

“No one who has never been placed in a like position, can understand my feelings at this hour, nor the oppressive sadness I feel at this parting. For more than a quarter of a century, I have lived among you, and during all that time I have received nothing but kindness at your hands. Here I have lived from my youth until now I am an old man.... To Him I commend you all - permit me to ask that with equal security and faith, you will all invoke His wisdom and guidance for me. With these few words I must leave you - for how long I know not. Friends, one and all, I must now bid you an affectionate farewell.”

(“I Should Not Say Foolish Things, by Harold Holzer, Civil War Times, Nov/Dec 1995, p. 109.)

There are some decent, even values-oriented things on television for children these days. But, as you know very well, there's a lot of garbage, too. And in between those two extremes, there are shows that are mostly good but have some words scattered in them that little ears shouldn't be hearing - or big ears, for that matter. Along comes a service called TV Guardian - which automatically replaces a naughty word with a nice word, thus removing what could be bad for your child. Occasionally, the replacements are actually a little amusing. Like the word “sex,” for example. The new word is “hugs.” Which gets a little interesting when someone asks, “So what will be the hugs of your baby?” But I do think TV Guardian is a pretty good idea.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Poison Protection.”

Something like TV Guardian was invented for parents who realize a very important assignment that they have - to protect their children from anything that could harm them. Of course, a parent is going to protect their son or daughter from physical harm - like getting too close to the edge of a cliff or running onto the Interstate. But Mom and Dad have no less a responsibility for protecting their kids from things that can hurt their soul. And there's a lot of soul poison out there.

There is a 10-word challenge in our word for today from the Word of God that really underscores where the front lines of the battle are for any life - including that of your children. Proverbs 4:23 begins with these attention-getting words, “Above all else...” OK, it is that important. Then these ten words - “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” In other words, be careful about what gets into your heart - or into your child's heart - because it is the reservoir from which everything else flows.

And, yes, one front in the battle for a child's pure heart is related to what they watch and listen to in the media. It's amazing how we will allow someone to portray on TV or a video, right in our living room, things we would never, ever allow to be done in our living room - sexually, for example. We allow comedy into our home and into their heart that trivializes sin that ruins lives - not realizing that our kids are learning to laugh about things that are eternally serious. No matter what the parental peer pressure of what other parents are allowing and what the culture says is “must see” stuff, we've got to stand our ground on not allowing our kids to mentally eat out of the garbage can.

But guarding their heart is so much bigger than TV or movies or music. It's about the poison that comes from us. The bitterness they're learning by listening to us, the anger, the self-centeredness, the putdowns of other people, the names they hear us call people, the prejudice they hear in the way we talk about others, the disrespect they hear us expressing toward people at work, at church - or even toward their mother or father. That's more deadly poison than anything the media can pump out. Our precious children need Parent Guardian - to protect them from the poison that they see modeled in living color by a Mom or Dad.

The VCR in your son's or daughter's heart is always recording. The tape recorder is always capturing what it hears, and the impressions are shaping who they're becoming. You are the guardian, assigned to your child by God, to protect that young heart from poison and infection - even if (especially if) it's coming from you.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #16521]

"Black blood or white blood!" echoed through Maasai land as young warriors grabbed clubs and spears in an effort to stop the spread of the gospel, which has been challenging parts of Maasai culture.

Christians in northern Tanzania went into hiding as large groups of Maasai "morani" (warriors) moved through villages, ransacking churches and threatening believers. International Mission Board missionary Tim Tidenberg's home became a sanctuary for local Christians of all denominations.

After three weeks of destructive conflict, God opened the door for the gospel even wider than before.

The Maasai are among the most colorful people in eastern Africa. Known for their bright red clothes and beaded necklaces, their most important possession is cattle. A man's wealth and status in the community is determined by the number of cattle owned. Though once completely untouched by the gospel, in recent years large numbers of Maasai have come to Christ.

The morani are unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 26. Their job is to guard the community as well as protect the cattle from wild animals.

Conflicts between the morani and Christians had been brewing for some time, but surfaced Aug. 1 when the young warriors stormed Olopuko Baptist Church with war cries. One Pentecostal church was destroyed in a similar attack.

"Most of the conflict deals with the very promiscuous practices among the warrior class as well as polygamy," Tidenberg said. "The conflict has also come as many Christians are no longer seeing the need for the 'laibon' [witch doctor] and his powers. As Christians have matured, they have begun to stand firm in many of these areas."

During the uprisings, a group of volunteers from Hill Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala., trekked through many of the villages praying and sharing. They covered much of Maasai land on foot -- almost 100 miles -- to pray for God to continue working among this people group.

Tidenberg said the volunteers saw many people saved despite vocal and physical resistance by the morani. One of the men who prayed to receive Christ was a very influential witch doctor.

The largest battle came the first day of the uprising when 70 men stormed Olopuko Baptist Church. The morani beat the unarmed church members with clubs and attacked them with spears. A cry went up from the warriors proclaiming that "black blood or white blood" would be shed.

Tidenberg and local Christians tried to fight back but soon realized God was more powerful than physical weapons. The group stepped back and prayed.

"The battle continued around us as a story from the Old Testament began to unfold -- confusion of the enemy," Tidenberg said. "The army Gideon fought against was confused and fought themselves while Gideon's army stood and watched. That is exactly what happened."

As the morani battled each other, the small Christian group stood at peace in the midst of the fight. Then, unexpectedly, the morani began to retreat. The Christians were left standing, unharmed and thankful for God's protection.

After the battle, Tidenberg was able to speak to the morani. He met with the group for two hours, but they were determined the church was to be closed and houses burned down if the believers met in homes. They wanted no Christian witness in that area.

The missionary told the warriors that closing the church building would not remove the church.

"The church will grow stronger," Tidenberg said. "I expressed to them that this is not a struggle with customs or culture. It is not that the world around them is changing, but it is a hardness of their hearts that has caused this conflict."

The door for the gospel has been wide open in Maasai land and Tidenberg asked prayer warriors throughout the world to ask God for its continued openness. In an Aug. 12 meeting between Christians, village elders and morani, the missionary's prayer was answered.

The elders testified about what God has done in their lives and villages. Several morani stood up and admitted they were wrong, asked the Christians to stay and asked for forgiveness. They requested the Christians share what Christ has done and help them fully understand.

"We had asked for prayers that the doors would not close because of this heated conflict between the Maasai culture and Christianity. We never expected such intervention," Tidenberg said. "The main result of this meeting? The doors for evangelism and church planting in this area have never been thrown as wide open as they are now."

*

CAN GOD BE TRUSTED? [outline of article at end]

HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS PINIONS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE. (Psalm 91:4, NRSV)

Many adults can recall a certain childhood feeling that has now pretty much faded away. Unhappily, one of the things that fades away is a childlike feeling of security in the nest. It's a sense that you are loved, protected, and perfectly safe. It's a sense, above all, that somebody else is in charge. In properly functioning homes, children often have this feeling. Adults do not, and they miss it.

Years ago, on the old CANDID CAMERA television program, a very large and dangerous-looking truck driver -- a man of about 50 -- was asked in an interview what age he would be if he could be any age he wanted. There was a silence for a while as the trucker contemplated the question. What was he thinking? Was he hankering for age 65 and retirement so he could trade his Kenworth four-and-a-quarter semi down to a John Deere riding lawn mower? Or was he yearning for age 18 and the chance to go back and take some turn he had missed?

Finally he turned to the interviewer and said that if it was up to him he'd like to be three. Three? Why three? the interviewer wanted to know. "Well," said the trucker, "when you're three you don't have any responsibilities."

When I first heard the interview I thought this man was trying to be cute. I now think he said something wistful. What he knew was that when you are a child, and if your family is running the right way, your burdens are usually small. You can go to bed without worrying about ice backup under your shingles. You don't wonder if the tingling in your leg might be a symptom of some exotic nerve disease. You don't wrestle half the night with a tax deduction you claimed, wondering whether a federal investigator might find it a little too creative. No, you squirm deliciously in your bed, drowsily aware of the murmur of adult conversations elsewhere in the house. You hover wonderfully at the edge of slumber. Then you let go and fall away.

You dare to do this not only because you fully expect that in the morning you shall be resurrected. You also dare to do it because you are sleeping under your parents' wings. If parents take proper care of you, you can give yourself up to sleep, secure in the knowledge that somebody else is in charge; somebody big and strong and experienced. As far as children know, parents stay up all night, checking doors and windows, adjusting temperature controls, fearlessly driving away marauders. They never go off duty. If a shadow falls over the house, or demons begin to stir, or a storm rises, parents will handle it. That's one reason children sleep so well. Their nest is sheltered and feathered.

I think children might be alarmed to discover how much adults crave this same sense of security. ADULTS need to be sheltered, warmed, embraced. Some of us have been betrayed. Some of us have grown old and are not happy about it.

People get betrayed, or they get old or sick. Some are deeply disappointed that their lives have not turned out as they had hoped. Others have been staggered by a report that has just come back from a pathology lab. Still others are unspeakably ignored by people they treasure. Some are simply high-tension human beings, strung tight as piano wire.

To all such folk, the psalmist speaks a word of comfort. It is one of the great themes of the Scriptures: God is our shelter. HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS PINIONS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE.

The image here is that of an eagle, or maybe a hen; in any case, it's a picture of a bird that senses danger and then protectively spreads its wings over its young. An expert on birds once told me that this move is very common. A bird senses the approach of a predator, or the threat of something falling from above, and instinctively spreads out its wings like a canopy. Then the fledglings scuttle underneath for shelter. The move is so deeply instinctive that an adult bird will spread those wings even when no fledglings are around!

And the psalmist -- who has almost surely seen this lovely thing happen -- the psalmist thinks of God. HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS PINIONS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE. The point is that God is our shelter when the winds begin to howl; under God's providence we are defended, protected, perfectly safe -- someone else is in charge -- someone big, strong, and experienced, who never goes off duty.

In one of his books, John Timmer, my former pastor, tells of his experience as a boy in the Netherlands at the start of World War II. German troops had invaded Holland a few days before, but nobody knew just what to expect. Then, on the second Sunday of May 1940, as the Timmer family was sitting around the dinner table in their home in Haarlem, suddenly they heard the eerie whining of an air-raid siren and then the droning of German bombers.

Of course, all of them were scared out of their minds. "Let's go stand in the hallway," John's father said. "They say it's the safest place in the house." In the hall, John's father said, "Why don't we pray? There's nothing else we can do."

John says he has long ago forgotten the exact wording of his father's prayer -- all except for one phrase. Somewhere in that prayer to God to protect his family from Hitler's Luftwaffe, Mr. Timmer said, "O God, in the shadow of your wings we take refuge."

God spreads his wings over us. Here is a picture that all the Jewish and Christian generations have cherished, in part because it invites us to recover our childhood feeling of security in the nest. Or, to discover it for the first time if we have had a terrorized childhood. It's a picture that offers sublime comfort, and only a pretty numb Christian would fail to be touched by it.

Still, a disturbing question pricks us. How true is the picture of a sheltering God? How secure are we in the nest? I wonder whether in 1940, on the second Sunday of May, some other Dutch family begged God to spread his wings over their house. I wonder if the bombs of the German air force pierced those wings and blew that house and its people to rubble.

You read Psalm 91 and you begin to wonder. It offers such comprehensive coverage. HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS PINIONS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE..... YOU WILL NOT FEAR THE TERROR OF THE NIGHT, OR THE ARROW THAT FLIES BY DAY, OR THE PESTILENCE THAT STALKS IN DARKNESS, OR THE DESTRUCTION THAT WASTES AT NOONDAY.

Really? I need not fear any of these things? I can sleep in a dangerous neighborhood with my windows open? I shall not fear the terror of the night? My child's temperature soars and his white blood count plummets: I shall not fear the pestilence that stalks in darkness? I can plunge into my work at an AIDS clinic: I shall not fear the destruction that wastes at midday? Really? Is there a level of faith that can honestly say such things even after all allowance has been made for poetic exaggeration?

In his book FROM BEIRUT TO JERUSALEM, Thomas L. Friedman writes of his years in the Middle East. One of the terrors of life in Beirut during the civil war there was the prospect of dying a random death. Long-distance sniping and shelling made it hard to tell where bullets or shells might land, and the people who launched them often didn't care. You never knew whether the car you walked past might explode into a fireball, stripping trees of their leaves so that in the terrible silence that followed, scores of leaves would come fluttering down in a soft shower on top of the dead and the maimed.

No one kept score. Police would even lose track of the NAMES of the dead. "Death in Beirut had no echo," says Friedman.

I shall not fear the grenade that flies by day. Could a believer say this in Beirut?

Let us face the truth. Faith in the sheltering wings of God does not remove physical danger or the need for precaution against it. We cannot ignore Beirut tourist advisories, or feed wild animals on our camping trips, or jump a hot motorcycle over a row of parked cars and trust God to keep us safe. We cannot smoke cigarettes like the Marlboro man and then claim the promises of Psalm 91 as our protection against lung cancer. A person who did these things would be a foolish believer and a foolish reader of Psalm 91.

You may recall that in Matthew's gospel Satan quotes this psalm to Jesus in the temptation at the pinnacle of the temple. "Throw yourself down," says Satan. After all, it says right in Psalm 91 that "God will give his angels charge over you." And Jesus replies that it is not right to put God to the test. God's protection is good only for certain events, and restrictions may apply. Jesus was teaching us that we cannot act like a fool and then count on God to bail us out. God may do it -- and some of us can recall times when we acted like fools and God bailed us out. But we may not COUNT on it.

But, of course, some believers get hurt, terribly hurt, by no folly of their own. Suppose a drunk driver smashes into your family car. Suppose an I-beam falls on you in a storm. What if you make the mistake of visiting a great city during tourist-hunting season?

Or suppose you are a devout middle-aged Christian woman who lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One June you start to feel sick. So you visit your primary-care physician, who sends you for tests, and then a visit to a specialist, and then more tests. Finally you go back to your own physician, and she says, "Ma'am, I'm sorry to say that you had better get your affairs in order." She says more, far more, about treatments and research and making you as comfortable as possible -- on and on with all kinds of stuff that is well-meant. But you have grown deaf. All you can think is that you are 46 years old and you are going to die before your parents do and before your children get married.

Whatever happened to the wings of God? Can you get brain cancer under those wings? Get molested by a family member? Get knifed by some emotionless teenager in a subway in New York? Can you find, suddenly one summer, that your own 17-year-old has become a stranger and that everything in your family seems to be cascading out of control?

WHERE ARE THOSE WINGS?

What troubles us is not so much the sheer fact that believers suffer along with everybody else. C. S. Lewis once pondered this. If the children of God were always saved from floods like believing Noah and his family; if every time somebody pointed a gun at a Christian, the gun just turned to salami; if we really had a money-back guarantee against hatred, disease, and the acts of terrorists, then of course we wouldn't have to worry about church growth. Our churches would fill with people attracted to the faith for secondary reasons. These are people who want an insurance agent, not a church. For security they want Colin Powell, not God. We ALREADY have people becoming Christians because they want to get rich or get happy. What would happen to people's integrity if becoming a believer really did give you blanket protection against poverty, accident, and the wages of sin?

No, it's not the fact that we have to take our share of the world's suffering that surprises us. After all, our experience and the rest of Scripture have taught us to EXPECT hardship. What worries us is that Psalm 91 tells us not to worry. It says "a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you." This is advertising that sounds too good to be true. In fact, the psalmist says, "Because you have made the Lord your refuge ... NO evil shall befall you." And the statement troubles us. What about Paul? What about Stephen? What about our Lord himself? He wanted to gather the citizens of Jerusalem as a hen gathers her chicks. What some of those citizens did was to take him outside of town one day and nail his wings to some two-by-fours.

So what is going on in Psalm 91? How are its extravagant promises God's Word to us?

What Psalm 91 does is express ONE -- one of the loveliest, one of the most treasured -- but just ONE of the moods of faith. It's a mood of exuberant confidence in the sheltering providence of God. Probably the psalmist has been protected by God in some dangerous incident, and he is celebrating.

On other days, and in other moods -- in other and darker seasons of his life -- this same psalmist might have called to God out of despair and a sense of abandonment. Remember that when our Lord was crucified, when our Lord shouted at our God, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" -- when Jesus shouted this in astonishment, and with maybe even a note of accusation, remember that he was quoting another psalm (22). Despair or astonishment at what can happen to us under God's providence -- that too is natural and biblical.

Psalm 91 gives us only part of the picture and only one of the moods of faith. With a kind of quiet amazement, the psalmist bears witness that under the wings of God good things happen to bad people. You need another psalm or two to fill in the picture, to cry out that under those same wings bad things sometimes happen to good people.

Psalm 91 says no evil shall befall us. When we have cashed out some of the poetry and then added in the witness of the rest of Scripture, what we get, I believe, is the conclusion that no final evil shall befall us. We know that we can believe God with all our heart and yet have our heart broken by the loss of a child or the treachery of a spouse or the menace of a fatal disease. We know this is true -- everyone in the church knows it. And yet, generation after generation of bruised saints have known something else and spoken of it. In the mystery of faith, we find a hand on us in the darkness, a voice that calls our name, and the sheer certainty that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God -- not for this life and not for the life to come. We may be scarred and shaken, but, as Lewis Smedes says in one of his luminous sermons, we come to know that it's all right, even when everything is all wrong.

We are like fledglings who scuttle under the wings of their parent. The forces of evil beat on those wings with everything they have. The pitchforks of the Evil One, falling tree limbs in the storm, merciless rain and hail -- everything beats on those wings. When it is finished, when evil has done its worst, those wings are all bloodied and busted and hanging at wrong angles. And, to tell you the truth, in all the commotion we too get roughed up quite a lot.

But we are all right, because those wings have never folded. They are spread out to be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. And when the feathers quit flying, we peep out and discover that we have been in the only place that was not leveled. Yes, we have been bumped and bruised and hurt. Sometimes badly hurt. But the other choice was to be dead -- the other choice was to break out of the embrace of God. If we had not stayed under those wings we could never have felt the body shudders and heard the groans of the one who loved us so much that those wings stayed out there no matter what came whistling in. This is the one who protects us from final evil, now and in the life to come -- the life in which, at last, it is safe for God to fold his wings.

HE WILL COVER YOU WITH HIS PINIONS, AND UNDER HIS WINGS YOU WILL FIND REFUGE. It's not a simple truth, but it is the truth. And we ought to believe it with everything that is in us.

____________________________

CORNELIUS PLANTINGA, JR., IS DEAN OF THE CHAPEL AT CALVIN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND AUTHOR OF Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (EERDMANS).

Copyright(c) 1998 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc./Christianity Today magazine. June 15, 1998 vol. 42, no. 7, page 45

________________________________________________________________

"Can God Be Trusted?" Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.

I. God is our shelter.

A. One of great themes of Bible and a word of comfort.

B. Image of bird sheltering with wings.

1) Feelings of security in a nest.

C. God is in charge and we are safe.

II. Disturbing question: how true is the picture?

A. In life, some are protected and others are not.

B. Psalm 91 suggests comprehensive coverage.

1) We are not to fear anything.

2) Is this realistic?

C. Faith in the sheltering of God does not remove physical danger.

1) It does not protect smokers from lung cancer.

III. Jesus and Psalm 91.

A. Satan quotes verse about rescuing angels.

B. Jesus: don't put God to the test.

1) God's protection is good for only certain events.

2) Restrictions may apply.

3) God does not have to bail out fools.

a) He may, but he doesn't have to.

IV. Much suffering is not deserved or due to foolishness.

A. Cancer, death of loved ones.

1) Where are the sheltering wings of God then?

B. Universal protection for Christians would swell church.

1) But people would be joining for wrong reason.

2) They want insurance instead of relationship with God.

C. Does Psalm 91 offer universal protection?

1) It sounds like it.

a) No trouble shall befall you.

2) Too good to be true?

a) Centuries of Christian martyrs.

b) Bible teaches us to EXPECT hardship.

V. Psalm 91 expresses ONE of the moods of faith.

A. It has exuberant confidence in sheltering providence of God.

1) The psalmist has been protected and is celebrating.

2) On other days he might feel abandoned by God.

a) Despair is natural and biblical. (Jesus on cross)

b) Bad things do happen to good people.

B. No FINAL evil shall befall us.

1) We can believe with all our heart and still suffer losses.

2) But nothing can separate us from the love of God.

a) Smedes - we know it is all right, even when everything

is all wrong.

3) God's protecting wings may get bloody, but they never fold.

a) They were spread out on a cross, for us.

Volume 24, No. 31 August 15, 1999

BODY ARMOUR

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richard Davis has shot himself almost 200 times.

He's not crazy or suicidal. He's the father of the

bulletproof vest and the founder of Second Chance Body Armor,

an American company that has sold more than half a million

units at about $300 a piece.

Though bulletproof materials were first developed in the

1960s, they were too heavy to wear all day. That changed when

Davis heard that Dupont was experimenting with a tough new

fibre called Kevlar. He fashioned several layers of the

tightly-knit fabric into a light, flexible garment and found

that Kevlar was five times stronger than an equal weight of

steel.

Months of lab testing confirmed that Kevlar body armour

could stop a 44-calibre bullet fired from point-blank range.

But Davis still had to convince highly skeptical police. So he

put both his reputation and his life on the line by strapping

on a vest and firing a 357 Magnum into his own chest. The

bullet and the inventor's critics were stopped cold.

The vest works because the threads are knit into the

tightest weave possible so the energy of a bullet is dispersed

outward from the point of impact through the entire fabric.

Strong and versatile, Kevlar is now used to line everything

from denim jackets to full-length fur coats, and it saves

thousands of lives every year.

The church has its own version of Body armour. It's called

love. Not the wishy-washy, watered-down cliche of religious

stereotypes, but the gutsy, unflinching kind that equips us to

put ourselves in the line of fire whenever our family of faith

is threatened. It's an unyielding love, able to withstand

every attack, even when it comes from someone who's extremely

close to us. When the shield works the way it's supposed to,

every assault is dissipated as each of us who make up the

fabric of the church bears our part of the strain.

But the armour only works when the strands represented by

each of us are interwoven into a tight, invincible shield. Even

if parts of it are extremely strong, gaps and weak spots can

leave the entire Body vulnerable, especially when the enemy

knows where those weaknesses are. And he does. "Be strong

with the Lord's mighty power," warns Paul. "Put on God's

armour so you'll be able to stand firm against all the

strategies and tricks of the Devil." (Eph. 6:10,11)

The love we model must be flexible, durable and a

comfortable fit with our Christian faith. When we carry it

everywhere, it not only protects us, it gives us a greater

sense of confidence and security, especially since we know its

Originator put that love to the ultimate test, risking His own

heart. At the Cross, Jesus showed the skeptics a radical new

style of love, then voluntarily exposed Himself to an attack

that would've ended everything, had His love not held firm.

Today, you and I benefit from His second chance armour, which

He demonstrates over and over. We'll be safe from all harm --

provided the love we put on is not a put on.

"Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves,

you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness,

humility, gentleness and patience... And the most important

piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us

together in perfect harmony." (Col. 3:12-14).

It's our armour against division, deception and spiritual

destruction. Wear it -- for life.

By Rick Gamble, published in Cross Current, Brantford, ON,

Canada. Publish at will.

D.L. Moody the great

evangelist of the last century said that when he was in England he had a great curiosity to visit the zoo because of a story

he had heard concerning them. There was a man who had a little dog he had

trained to run. So one day he made a bet about his dog's running, but when the

time came for the race, the little dog wouldn't run at all, and the man lost all

his money. This so enraged the man that he beat the dog terribly, and at

last he tucked him in the lions cage to be eaten. Instead, the lion lapped the

dog and made a pet of a him. Later the man decided he wanted his dog back, but

now he had a problem. He called the dog, but the dog wouldn't leave the

lions cage. He tried every trick he could think of but nothing seemed to work. At

last, he asked the owner to help, who sent him to the keeper. The keeper

came and the man explained his predicament. The keeper said, "If you want your

dog you can take him out of the cage." So the dog remained in the cage for

years. This makes us think of the safety we have in Christ. He is the Lion

of the tribe of Judah who has conquered the lion of hell. If we keep close

to Christ, none will be able to pluck us out of his hand. He can and will

keep you forever if you will let him.

"Many years ago", writes

an unknown author, "a little boy lay on his small bed, having just retired for the night. Before going to sleep, he

moved in the direction of the large bed on which his father lay, and said:

'Father, are you there?' "'Yes, my son,' was the answer. The little boy turned over

and went to sleep, without a thought of harm. "Tonight the little boy is

an old man of seventy, and every night before going to sleep, he looks up

into the face of the Heavenly Father and say, "Father, are you there?' And the

answer comes back, clear and strong: 'Yes, my son.'" Colors> Gary Bowell p. 164

E. B. Sprunt tells the

following story: The road was long and lonely, and the

night so dark, as they were homeward bound after the midweek prayer

meeting. Ominous shadows and weird noises came from the trees and bushes as the

wind blew through the branches; it was enough to send shivers up the

spine. The two little girls sitting in the back seat of the old horse-drawn

vehicle were asked, "Are you not frightened?" "Oh, no!" they replied, "You see,

Father is with us and we are never afraid when he holds the reins." Fair

Colors> Gary Bowell p. 164,165

John G. Paton was a

Scottish man who went to the islands of the South Pacific in 1858. His labors were difficult and dangerous, but he proved many

of the promises of God and brought Gospel light to many. He testified to the

benefits received through today's text (\reference{Isa. 49:14}{Isaiah

49:14},\reference{15}{Isaiah 49:15}) He found himself surrounded by armed men with their weapons raised! He felt impressed

to warn them of their sin and punishment, and reminded them that he had only

shown them love and pity, and if thy killed him, they were killing their

best friend. But he also told them, Heaven was His hope, and he was ready

to depart and be with Jesus. Listen to the rest of his account: "I then

lifted my hands and eyes to the heavens and prayed aloud for Jesus to bless

all my dear Tannese, and either to protect me or to take me home to glory, as

He saw to be for the best. One after another they slipped away from me, and

Jesus

restrained them once again. Has ever a mother run more quickly to

protect her crying child in danger's hour than the Lord Jesus hastens to answer

believing prayer, and to send help to His servants in His own good time and way,

so far as it shall be for His glory and their good? 'Can a woman forget her.

. . child? yet will I not forget thee, says the Lord." Colors> Gary Bowell p. 208

The story has been told of a believer, Frederick Nolan, who was

fleeing from his enemies during a time of persecution in North

Africa. Pursued by them over the hill and valley with no place to

hide, he fell exhausted into a wayside cave, expecting his enemies to

find him soon.

Awaiting his death, he saw a spider weaving a web. Within minutes,

the little bug had woven a beautiful web across the mouth of the

cave. The pursuers arrived and wondered if Nolan was hiding there,

but on seeing the unbroken and unmangled piece of art, thought it

impossible for him to have entered the cave without dismantling the

web. And so they went on. Having escaped, Nolan burst out and

exclaimed:

"Where God is, a spider's web is like a wall,

Where God

is not, a wall is like a spider's web."

The great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon told of a man who had been sentenced to death by a Spanish court. Because he was an American citizen but also of English birth, the consuls of both countries decided to intervene. They declared that the authorities of Spain had no right to take his life, but their protests went unheeded. Finally, they deliberately wrapped the prisoner in their flags -- the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack. Defying the executioner, they issued this warning: "Fire if you dare! But if you do, you will bring the powers of two great nations upon you!" There stood the condemned. But the rifleman would not shoot. Protected by those flags and the governments they represented, the man was invulnerable.

On a frigid Christmas night in 1776 George Washington, along with

2,400 men and 18 cannons, was ferried across the freezing Delaware

River. The daring offensive took the Hessian mercenaries serving with

the British completely by surprise. A British loyalist tried to alert

the Hessians, but their drunken commander refused to interrupt a card

game to receive the message. More than one hundred Hessians were

killed or wounded, and nearly one thousand taken prisoner. Not a

single American life was lost.

Why had Washington and his army left behind the warmth of home and

hearth? We know that Washington sensed the guiding and protecting

hand of God in the struggle to establish a new nation, and like other

Americans he longed to make a fresh start after years of colonialism.

In 1848 London was stricken with a devastating cholera epidemic. No one knew the cause of the disease. Panic was widespread.

Dr. John Snow, studying the deaths of 89 people in one week in a certain district of the city, discovered that all but two of these drank from the Broad Street well. When asked his advice in an emergency meeting of concerned leaders, Snow suggested, "Take the handle off the Broad Street pump." It was done and the epidemic in that quarter of the city ceased.

But removing the pump handle didn't solve the fundamental problem. Sewage was seeping into the well, poisoning it. The well must be protected from contamination to secure a safe water supply for the future.

The Bible pictures the heart as a spring or well. Proverbs 4:23 exhorts us, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (RSV). Sewage in the heart poisons the whole life.

We must be continually on our guard against the subtle spiritual sewage that would trickle in and pollute. A hurt, an offense, can fill us with bitterness. A hint of gossip can finish a friendship. A repeated sin can plunge us into the depression of guilt. A frantic busyness or the laziness of leisure can dull the heart with apathy toward God.

We have all met people whose spiritual lives have been sidetracked and crippled by failing to guard their hearts diligently. It could easily happen to us.

How then are we to guard our hearts? Several principles are essential. First, we must confess sin just as soon as the Holy Spirit convicts us. We cannot afford to allow it to filter into our hearts. We can receive God's cleansing immediately (1 John 1:9).

Second, we must refuse to harbor a grudge. Jesus teaches that immediate forgiveness and reconciliation are mandatory for His disciples (Matthew 5:23-24; Mark 11:25). To delay is to invite bitterness within.

Third, we must be quick to humble ourselves. Humility never hurts relationships; pride always does. Pride barricades the heart against God's voice.

Fourth, we must turn away wrong thoughts at the door. Martin Luther once said, "You cannot stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop it from making a nest in your hair." We may not be able to prevent evil thoughts, but we are under no obligation to nurture them. We must test our thoughts by God's Word. If we let seeds of unbelief, lust, or sin linger to germinate, we reap their grim harvest of an enfeebled faith.

Finally, we must fellowship with God's people in order to keep our well sweet. There is a cleansing, renewing effect from the encouragement and lifting faith of other Christians (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Is Christ in your heart? Are you forcing Him to live among filth? If we allow Him, He will cleanse our hearts. As we love Him, we will guard our hearts with all diligence from anything that will prevent them from being places fit for the King.

*

1. Blessed be the name of the Lord,

Blessed be the name of the Lord;

Blessed be the name of the Lord Most High!

Blessed be the name of the Lord,

Blessed be the name of the Lord;

Blessed be the name of the Lord Most High!

Chorus

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

The righteous run into it, and they are saved.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower;

The righteous run into it, and they are saved.

2. Glory to the name of the Lord,

Glory to the name of the Lord;

Glory to the name of the Lord Most High!

Glory to the name of the Lord,

Glory to the name of the Lord;

Glory to the name of the Lord Most High!

3. Holy is the name of the Lord,

Holy is the name of the Lord;

Holy is the name of the Lord Most High!

Holy is the name of the Lord,

Holy is the name of the Lord;

Holy is the name of the Lord Most High!

*

Goodbye – our God is watching o'er you,

Goodbye – His mercy go before you;

Goodbye – and we'll be praying for you,

So goodbye – may God bless you.

God Will Make A Way

Read: Psalm 27

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. --Psalm 27:14

Rebecca was at her lowest as she drove her aging car to the day-care center to pick up her daughter. Her boss was making life difficult again. The landlord was raising the rent. And as a single mom, she felt all alone. "I'm trying my best," she told God. "Please help me."

Just then these words by Don Moen came on the radio in a song:

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way;

He works in ways we cannot see,

He will make a way for me.

"Please do that for me, God," Rebecca pleaded. "I can't go any further."

The psalmist David too called out to the Lord when he was in desperate straits. He prayed, "Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice!" (Ps. 27:7). Then David testified expectantly, "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart" (v.14).

God specializes in showing His power in hopeless situations. Israel was in just such a place when God parted the sea before them (Ex. 13:17-14:31). Daniel was protected in the lion's den (Dan. 6:10-23). Paul and Silas were delivered from prison (Acts 16:25-40).

God made a way for Rebecca too. A better job she had applied for months earlier suddenly opened up. The increase in her income would cover the rent. Then a family in her church made a newer car available to her.

If life seems to be closing in on you, don't despair! Trust God. He has promised to make a way. --DCE

Our unknown future is secure in the hands of our all-knowing God.

A missionary on furlough told of this experience while visiting his home church in Michigan:

While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting; one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time witnessed to him of the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that 26 armed guards surrounded you.

"At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:

"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong; I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were -- he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.

[Another source gives this credit: "Anonymous---Submitted to Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul by Murray Moerman"]

______________________

TruthorFiction.com makes these comments at http://truthorfiction.com/rumors/twentysixarmedguards.htm -

This is one of the most widely circulated stories on the Internet. We've never been able to get close to a first-hand source for it, but there are other, similar stories for which there are sources.

Overseas Missionary Fellowship, which is named in the rumor, says this version about an African missionary is not from among them because they don't minister in Africa. They are in East and Southeast Asia.

One of the most widely-circulated versions of this eRumor states that the origin is a man named Steve Huffman. He's received requests from all over the world asking for substantiation of the event, but never intended to be regarded as the source for the story. He was given the story at church and posted it on an email list and it circulated from there. He says he has no first-hand validation for the account.

Here are some of the stories for which there are sources:

... In her book "The Spirits of Mindoro" published in 1988 by Overseas Missionary Fellowship, Catherine Davis talks about a woman who worked in the jungle on Mindoro Island in the 1950's. She was sleeping alone in her house one night when she heard men outside talking about killing her. She prayed for protection and the men suddenly grew quiet, then ran away. The next day a woman from the village said that the men did not carry out their plans because of two large people dressed in white who were standing on each side of the path to the house.

...Dr. Billy Graham relates a story in his book "God's Secret Agents" about missionary John Paton and his wife in The New Hebrides. It is said that one night they were surrounded by hostile natives who wanted to kill them. They prayed through the night for protection and at daylight, saw that the attackers were leaving. A year later, the chief of the tribe of the attackers became a Christian and Paton asked him about the night of the attack and why nothing had happened. The chief was surprised and said it was because of all the men who were there protecting them, hundreds of them in shining garments and with drawn swords. [see HolwickID #10810]

Variations:

...The missionary is speaking at his home church in Michigan.

...The missionary hears of a planned attack on a village by bandits and gathers everybody in a school building for safety. The bandits approach the school, but then turn away because they see guards with fiery swords protecting the school.

Our son Doug was always a challenging child ... creative ... active ... a mind of his own ... a different drummer he marched to than his sister and brother. But we had our share of tender moments, too. Some of the ones I treasure in the photo album in my mind are the times he would slow down a little and climb in his Daddy's lap. And we'd just cuddle for a little while - sometime I wasn't sure how he could breathe with his head buried in my chest. But then he'd look up at me with those big blue eyes and say something I've obviously never forgotten - "When I'm in your arms, Daddy, I feel so safe."

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "No Torpedoes In The Harbor."

So safe. That's not only how a child is supposed to feel with his father, it's how a wife is supposed to feel with her husband. When a man is really a man - at least as God defines manhood - his wife can always say, "When I'm with you, I feel so safe." Sadly, a lot of the time, the one we promised to cherish and protect feels anything but safe with us guys. She feels wounded, attacked, devalued. And that is just wrong.

Listen to our word for today from the Word of God in Colossians 3:19. "Husbands, love your wives" - now, we might be OK if it stopped there. We could pipe up and say, "Hey, no problemo - I love my wife." Sorry, but the verse doesn't stop there. It goes on to say, " ... and do not be harsh with them." It's pretty plain, isn't it? Love and harshness just don't go together. Love makes a woman feel safe. Harshness makes a woman feel anything but safe.

I wonder if maybe you've gotten so busy ... so stressed ... so uptight that you've been spilling all over the one you love the most. She gets the meanness that you can't let other people see. And she doesn't deserve it! You stood at an altar one day and pledged before God that you would honor and protect her. But you're not protecting her from you! Sometimes, we just get all self-absorbed - I tend to drift into self-absorption when I'm feeling really squeezed by all I've got to do, when I'm really tired, when I'm on overload. And that's when the harsh words are most likely to come.

Which is the total opposite of God's directive on how a man is supposed to treat his lifetime partner. In I Peter 3:7, He tells us, "Husbands ... be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." God cares so much about how you treat your wife that it can literally be the difference in whether or not He responds to your prayers!

Certain packages carry a sign that says "Handle with care." Wives should come with a sign like that. But that's what they need ... it's what they're supposed to get ... it's the treatment God expects us to give them. And frankly, a woman who is being spoken to or treated harshly by her husband has an understandable feeling of betrayal. Why? Because her husband's love was supposed to be the harbor for which the heart of a woman truly longs. That's harbor - as in the one place where you're finally safe. The one place you know you won't be attacked.

No woman should be hit with torpedoes in the harbor - because the man who loves her is being harsh with her. Man, when she's with you, let her know that she is really safe.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

*

On the morning of October 29, 1999, a terrible storm that had been developing for several days over the Bay of Bengal headed toward the coast of India. Meteorologists proclaimed it the largest storm of the century and gave it status as a "Super Cyclone". The storm hit land over the coast of the state of Orissa. Winds of up to 300 km/hour (185 mph) smashed into thousands of exposed coastal villages. Because most of the people are very poor and live in simple homes made of mud and straw, thousands were instantly killed and had no chance of surviving the onslaught. Tall trees were snapped in half like match sticks. Some parents, fearing the worst, tied their children to the ground with ropes in the hope they would not blow away. The sound of the wind was so loud that it was described to us as "like standing directly behind the engines of a jumbo jet." Soon after, tidal waves 35-feet-high started crashing through the villages, drowning everything that the wind had failed to destroy. Thousands of villages were smashed to pieces during the two-day onslaught.

When the storm finally subsided the true impact of the damage was revealed. A stretch of coastline 400 km (250 miles) long and up to 100 km (62 miles) inland had been affected. The lives of as many as 14 million people had been severely hampered. Later figures revealed about 60,000 Orissans were killed. Everywhere human and animal corpses lay strewn about in the fields, or stuck in tree branches where they had been washed by the huge waves.

MIRACLES IN THE STORM

For those living nearest the ocean, only a great miracle could save their lives. When we visited Orissa after the storm, we were told some remarkable stories of God's protection.

In the village of Batiagon in Jagatsinghpur District, just 4 km from the sea, there were just two buildings made of concrete: a church and a rich man's house. The rest of the buildings were straw and clay. People rushed into the two buildings for shelter. About 300 people, both Christians and non-Christians, jammed into the church. They cried out to the Lord for His protection. At around 11 a.m., a massive tidal wave 30 feet high slammed into the village, instantly destroying the shacks and sweeping away the rich man's house. Witnesses inside the church say the wave seemed to split and go around both sides of the building. All 300 people who had taken shelter inside the church survived. Just a few hundred yards away was a village named Dhobei. Every inhabitant of Dhobei was swept away to the sea except one 14-year-old boy named Sania, who somehow managed to survive. On the other side of Batiagon was a village called Bartola where just 14 people survived. All the people in Batiagon village confessed that God had graciously saved their lives. The Hindus declared they would never again oppose Christianity.

After the storm, many of the secular newspapers and magazines in this part of India wrote that this calamity was the judgment of God on the State for the killing of Graham Staines and his two sons. The people feel they have experienced the awesome wrath of the Almighty God and many are humbled, especially as the rescue and aid efforts for the survivors were once again spearheaded by Christian organizations. Churches all over the state report growing numbers of inquirers and more of an openness to the Gospel than before. Through this disaster and the loving response of the Christians a clear witness has been given about both the holiness and righteousness of God, as well as His love and grace for all those who will humbly call on His Name.

*

”Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation [Christians]?” — Hebrews 1:14 (NIV)

Whew … last night I had a very close call and today I could very well have been either in the hospital as a mangled mess or in heaven with a whole new body.

If you know anything about the Los Angeles freeways, you know what a “zoo” they can be.

I was returning home from church northbound on the 57 Freeway amidst relatively heavy traffic all traveling at or about 65 mph (110 kph). Suddenly, without warning there was a wild screech of brakes and a car ahead of me by only two or three vehicles went into a wild spin and screeched to a dead halt — facing backwards — with his headlights glaring into all the oncoming traffic. Somehow we all managed to stop so this car could turn around and be on his way. Not one car was hit or even scraped, but there were a lot of drivers and passengers “shook up” — including me! I sure thanked God for his protection!

By the grace of God, and I trust by the protection of my guardian angel, I was saved from being involved in what could have been a massive pile up of cars.

Many years ago, as a youth, I learned a very valuable lesson from the counsel of a wise pastor and that was to commit and trust my life and way to God every day. Rarely in all these years have I ever missed a single day praying that prayer. I intend to pray it every day for as long as I live.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your gracious protection and again this day I commit and trust my life and way to you as I do that of … [name each of your family members]. Please make me usable and use me today to be as Christ to every person you bring into my life. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

One day in 1850, a Christian farmer started for the mill at Rockland, Rhode Island, with a bag of rye to be ground into flour for the family bread. On the way the old family horse unaccountably balked on a bridge over a stream, and began to turn and back up. He kept on till the rear wheels of the wagon went over the log guard along the edge of the planks. The farmer jumped out, the horse stood still, and the farmer held the front wheels caught on the log guard, so that the wagon did not go over, but the contents were thrown into the water. Neighbors helped to right the wagon and the rye was fished out.

There was a mystery about the accident. The horse had showed no signs of fear and had never acted this way before. The farmer was puzzled. He had earnestly prayed, only that morning, that the angel of the Lord would protect them that day and here was this unexplained accident.

The farmer returned home and went to work to dry the grain and prepare it for grinding. When he spread out the rye on a cloth in the sun to dry, he noticed, scattered through it all, fragments of a fine glittering substance, which on examination, proved to be glass.

Thousands upon thousands of fine fragments mingled with those two bushels of rye — enough to cause the death of all the family if the grain had been ground and baked and eaten. He was amazed at this discovery and with grateful heart he knelt with his family and thanked God for His wonderful providence which had so strangely saved their lives.

They found on investigation that the rye had been kept for a time in an open barrel and that above it workmen had been smoothing ax handles, using pieces of glass to scrape and polish the wood. In this way particles of glass had been ground off and had fallen down into the rye. This was unnoticed when the grain was emptied into the sack to be taken to the mill.

— OUR DAY IN THE LIGHT OF PROVIDENCE, Copyright (c) 1921

”The Soothing Shade”

Read: Psalm 121

The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand. — Psalm 121:5

For 3 years I spent my hot, humid summers babysitting a little guy named Trey.

Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Trey is your average little boy. He’s not happy unless he’s going somewhere or doing something. Above all else, he loves to be outside. I do my best to keep up with Trey, but after a few minutes in the bright Alabama sun I start to fade. The sun saps me of all my energy, leaving me tired and sticky and hot.

At times like this, the porch with its wide roof and big rocking chairs, seems to call my name. I let Trey entertain himself for a bit and stop to take shelter in the shade. It always amazes me how taking just a few minutes in the cool darkness leaves me feeling revived and ready to get back to my jumping and running.

In Psalm 121, God is described as our shade. What a wonderful image! Can’t you just see God, arms outstretched in front of Him, saying to us, “Whew, it must be hot out there! Why don’t you come sit for a spell in My shade? The sun won’t harm you here, and I’ll leave you feeling refreshed and ready to go.”

It’s such a welcome invitation! But between school, work, dating, family, and friends, who has time to stop and sit in the shade? There’s so much to do, so many people to see, and so many places to go!

Are you running so hard that you’re left feeling sapped of all your energy and ready to drop? Why not take a few minutes to curl up in the cool comfort of God’s shade? Like Trey’s porch, God’s shade is there waiting just for you.

— Heather Henderson, Birmingham, Alabama

Reflections:

============

• When was the last time I felt overwhelmed with things to do? Do I feel this way often?

• How do I respond to those times? Do I stop and receive strength from God or do I push on by myself?

• Which psalms have offered me rest and comfort when I needed it?

• God is the shade in our desert.

Some of you will remember Katia Gordyeva and Sergei Grinkov. They were pair's skaters of world championship variety. She was only 11 when they started and he was 17. For years they skated together and finally fell in love and were married. A beautiful baby daughter followed. Daria. And then on November 20, 1995, in Lake Placid, New York, he died suddenly and tragically at 28 years. It was a heart attack. A genetic defect never detected.

In a two-hour special about their lives together, Katia told about an incident I will never forget. She sustained a stress fracture in her leg and could not skate for months. Sergei would go out and keep in shape and skate in the practice rink for hours, as was his custom. Katia would watch from the sideline, forlornly. One day he came over to her and said, “Do you want to skate?” She thought he was being temptingly cruel and told him, no she could not, but that, yes, she would love to be on the ice.

At that, he scooped her small body up in his strong and powerful arms and began to swirl he around the rink, her feet never touching the ice. Around and around they flew, he, making the jumps and spirals as only he could, her arms around his neck, his feet flying over the ice with abandon.

Was she afraid? Not for a moment, she said. Not for a moment. Living an Easter life is like being scooped up in the arms of God, taken on the wildest most beautiful ride of our lives, still broken, yes, but with our arms around God's neck, never afraid. “Do not fear, do not fear, he is risen”...and so are we.

*

[Original illustration here was a duplicate in HolwickID 25837-26027]

A. The Lord Our Protector « Leader information »

I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about. Psalms 3:5-6 (NAS)

1. God’s people have always lived in troublous times

a. we do today

b. as in, “Abide with Me” (Henry F. Lyte, 1793-1847)

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;

earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;

change and decay in all around I see;

O thou who changest not, abide with me.

c. or, in “The Solid Rock” (Edward Mote, 1797-1884)

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

d. Martin Luther knew it: These were the circumstances under which Luther was placed, as he journeyed toward Worms. His friend Spalatin heard it said, by the enemies of the Reformation, that the safe conduct of a heretic ought not to be respected, and became alarmed for the reformer. At the moment when the latter was approaching the city, a messenger appeared before him with this advice from the chaplain, “Do not enter Worms!” And this from his best friend, the elector’s confidant, from Spalatin himself! … But Luther, undismayed, turned his eyes upon the messenger, and replied, “Go, and tell your master, that even should there be as many devils in Worms as tiles upon the housetops, still I would enter it.” The messenger returned to Worms, with this astounding answer: “I was then undaunted,” said Luther, a few days before his death, “I feared nothing.” (Spurgeon, Treasury of David)

e. and, as the title of the Psalm tells us, with David fleeing from his son, Absolom, it was certainly true of him

(A) « talking about the 10,000 opponents was not just some abstract idea … this was reality! »

(B) « and when he spoke of them being set against him round about, this was not exaggeration; if you read the history, you will find that »

2. Yet, they have known peace and rest in the presence of God

a. Psalms 127:2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.

b. So, where do we find this quietness of heart in the midst of the storms of life?

(A) « in faith in the Lord — The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in Thee. Isaiah 26:3 (NAS) »

(B) « in prayer to the Lord — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NAS) »

(C) « in walking obediently with the Lord — “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and ‘you shall find rest for your souls.’ For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NAS) »