God Watches Over You…

Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV)

The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Our Verse of the Day has great relevance as the direction of the culture and this world continues its demonic influence to dominate our lives. Perhaps our collective perspective should shift from what we see to what we do not see. For this is the essence of our faith … the assurance of our faith … what the Spirit enables us to see through Christ Jesus our Lord:

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (NKJV)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (ESV)

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (NIV)

It is not with physical eyes only that we can see what is happening in our world. Through faith, we are able to see with spiritual eyes … the eyes of our hearts having been enlightened with the Word of God … that we might see what God has revealed to us. And God appointed Paul to expose and articulate the ongoing mysterious and deceptive work of Satan (even within the Church) since its inception during Pentecost:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NIV)

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (Sin) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt Himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that He sets Himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming Himself to be God.

Don’t you remember that when I was with you, I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming.

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the Truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Powerful words for us to consider! Powerful revelation as to what lies ahead … as physical, natural forces merge with spiritual forces of darkness to rusher in the coming of the lawless one! Even now we see the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create widespread deception and powerful delusion. So, as I look at all the turmoil and cultural upheaval in our nation, I am reminded of the care and protection God has over my life. The Psalmist’s words instill a great trust in the promises of God to watch over me. Indeed, the entire Psalm is a beautiful reflection, and I want to reprint it for us again:

Psalm 121 (NIV)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

When we think about the Lord “watching” over us, I feel a deep sense of security as it affirms the grace and love He lavishes upon those who love Him.  There are some other verses that repeat this theme, so I will share them here as well:

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. ~ Psalm 1:6


But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. ~ Psalm 33:18-19

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. ~ Psalm 34:15-16


The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. ~ Psalm 145:20

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. ~ Psalm 146:9

My friends, I encourage you to trust in the Lord. His Word affirms that He is watching over you and protecting your life. He will direct your steps. He will establish your peace. He will go before you and be your rearguard. Indeed, I believe these are wonderful thoughts for us to consider and embrace today….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. ~ Luke 12:4-7

God … My Protector

Psalm 91:1 (NIV)

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Our Verse of the Day is the launching verse of Psalm 91. This Psalm is filled with gracious words and affirmations of the deep care and protection of God for those who love Him.  I want to reprint it here for us today. Let this be a prayer over your life! Let it bring encouragement, hope, and comfort to you.

Psalm 91 (NIV)

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty (El Shaddai)
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

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.”

As I read this Psalm, these thoughts came to mind:

Isaiah 54:16-17 (NIV)

“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; but no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Quoting Psalm 44:22) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The message here is that God desires to be a refuge for His people. He wants us to position ourselves underneath His protection and safety. The imagery provided to us is like that of a mother hen or eagle spreading its wings over her chicks to protect them from harm. Indeed, our Father is Protector! He is mighty and able; and He has promised to watch over those who love Him! As David prayed, let us follow his example in our petitions: “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Cf. Psalm 57:1) And, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Cf. Psalm 62:8) And, “But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” (Cf. Psalm 94:22)

Oh, my friends, may we all submit our lives into the hands of our mighty, powerful, compassionate, gracious, merciful, loving Father and Savior. This is my prayer, in Jesus Name.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. ~ Psalm 121

Looking For Help…

Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Our Verse of the Day is a great reminder for us to place our confidence and trust in the Lord…. Where does our help to make it through each day of life come from? The Psalmist declares our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Yes, our Creator who formed us is the One we should look to for every need in our lives! If you feel weary with the challenges of life in these times, I pray you will receive this hopeful and encouraging word. I pray it will comfort your heart and give you peace of mind. The Father watches over you and your life, and He will keep you from falling….

Psalm 121:1-8 (NKJV)

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip— He who watches over you will not slumber;

4 Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— He will watch over your life;

8 The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Yes, I have always loved this Psalm and the message it projects through vivid metaphors. The imagery painted here affords us with great truth regarding the care and concern God has for His people. The hills or mountains represent the majesty and strength of God because they are visual reminders of how ancient cultures understood the dwelling place of Yahweh … the seat or throne of His power. But then notice how the Psalmist shifts his focus to the personal engagement of God with His people. The help God provides us is intentional and ongoing. The Lord does not let you out of His sight. He will watch over your life. The Lord is your constant companion … your covering … your refuge. The Lord will keep you from all harm as He watches over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

I don’t know about you, but this is a word of encouragement and assurance that I need to embrace each and every day! I need to recite these declarations when I awake – that God is with me and watching over me and that He never ceases to protect me. I want to encourage each of us to speak and to declare the faithfulness of God during our times of personal prayer. Thank the Lord for His ever-present help in times of trouble. Acknowledge that He keeps you close … as the apple of His eye. (Cf. Psalm 17:8) Yes, the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most-High God shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Cf. Psalm 91:1) And I pray that you and I will take comfort in His provision and take rest in His presence.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Quoting Deuteronomy 31:6) So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Quoting Psalm 118:6-7)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

He Watches Over You…

Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

I have always loved this Psalm and the message it projects through vivid metaphors. It is a short Psalm, so I want to reprint it for us here:

Psalm 121:1-8 (NKJV)

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip — He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm — He will watch over your life;
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

The imagery produced here affords us with great truths regarding the care and concern God has for His people … the pinnacle of creation.  The hills or mountains represent the majesty and strength of God because they are visual reminders of His power.  But then notice how the psalmist moves his focus to personal engagement. The help God provides us is personal and ongoing.  The Father does not let you out of His sight. He will watch over your life. The Lord is your constant companion … your covering … your refuge. The Lord will keep you from all harm as He watches over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

I don’t know about you, but I need to embrace this assurance each and every day. I need to keep this knowledge at the forefront – that God is with me and watching over me and that He never ceases to protect me. So I encourage each of us to speak and to declare the faithfulness of God during our times of personal prayer. Thank the Lord for His ever-present help in times of trouble. Acknowledge that He keeps you close … as the apple of His eye. (Cf. Psalm 17:8) Yes, the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most-High God shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Cf. Psalm 91:1) So, I pray that you and I will take comfort in His provision and take rest in His presence. Remember, the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Cf. Proverbs 18:10)

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Quoting Deuteronomy 31:6) So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Quoting Psalm 118:6-7)

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!