Category: Thursday Encouragement

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place — the Most High, who is my refuge — no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.

Psalm 91:9-10 (ESV)

I have been struggling HARD lately.

You see, plague has come near my tent. And this has rocked my world.

I have been sharing Psalm 91 with anyone who will listen. I’ve been breaking it down here on my blog for months all with the intent to encourage others, to keep people focused on Jesus and not the EVIL that is everywhere on earth. And I’ve done it to keep blinders on my eyes, so I only look up to Jesus. I was SO sure that I was doing my part of Psalm 91. But now I don’t know anything. I don’t know what God wants from me. Why did He allow sickness into my family? What did I do wrong?

God’s promises all over the Bible — Psalm 91 is not the only place where God gives direct promises IF — are so definitive. If a believer does X, God will make Y happen. The text says so. Look at the verses for today — IF you make God your refuge, NO evil will befall you, NO plague will come near your home. So, what if you do X with your whole heart, but Y doesn’t happen? Does this mean you are a fraud? Does this mean you are delusional and only think you did X with your whole heart? I mean, Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that our hearts are the most deceitful of things. Maybe I am deeply fooling myself?

But maybe I am defining plague wrong?

In my modern way of thinking, a plague is disease. But maybe that is the wrong definition. According to the dictionary, a plague is a disease, but that’s the #2 definition. That’s the definition we are all accustomed to today. The #1 definition of plague is a disastrous evil or affliction, a calamity. A plague then is what happened to Job and his family. Well, that definitely changes how I see Psalm 91.

I read Psalm 91 MY way with my modern definitions and then got majorly hurt feelings when MY way didn’t pan out. But when I think back on the insane years of COVID, I can actually say that no evil has yet befallen on me and my family. The threats are everywhere and constant, but God HAS protected me and my family from evil. And, if I go by the #1 definition for plague, He has also protected me and my family from that as well.

Are you struggling today, dear reader, with a Promise from God that just doesn’t seem to be panning out? Are you worried that maybe you are a fraud? That your faith is not as strong as you thought it was? Maybe, just maybe, your definitions are wrong. Maybe you need your perspective shifted to God’s actual meanings and away from what YOU think is God’s meaning.

My advice to you, dear reader, is the same to me: pray without ceasing. If you are struggling, bring your burdens to God. He wants them. And, who knows, perhaps today’s prayer will be the right prayer and He will shift your perspective and grant you the peace that only He can!

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

Psalm 91:7-8 (ESV)

I’m back studying God’s promises in Psalm 91. This week, I’m focusing on verses 7 and 8. And they are packed full of goodness!

If you remember a few weeks back when we were looking at verses 1-4, God promises that IF you make Him your Refuge then He will protect you from many things. The first set of things He will protect you from is terror at night, violence during the day, pestilence (illness), and destructions (nature terrors like earthquakes and hurricanes and tornados) that seemingly come out of nowhere.

This week, we continue with a list of things God will protect us from IF we make Him our Refuge. The imagery in verses 7 and 8 is compelling. First, we are told that 1,000 people may fall (die) next to you, 10,000 more may fall near you, BUT it will not come near you. You will be surrounded by ugliness, but the ugliness will not be able to touch you. What is the IT in verse 7 that won’t come near you? Well, that’s all that scary stuff from verses 5 and 6: terror, violence, illness, and natural destructions.

At this point, I can hear someone saying, “Wait, I’ve had to deal with terror or violence before. I’ve been sick before. I’ve gone through some natural storms before. Does this mean that I’m not really making God my Refuge?”

God doesn’t promise that we won’t go through these things at all. He promises that we won’t be destroyed by these things. They won’t hurt us. Imagine it like this: God, with His shield and buckler, stands BEFORE you. You stand directly behind Him. Notice how you are covered by Him and His shield? Notice how nothing can really get to you? Now, imagine that God is asking you to walk forward (but stay behind Him). You will have to go through some things, BUT God has you covered. So you will see things in your lifetime — you will see terrors and violence and illnesses and natural events — but God. He’s standing in front of you to take what would hit you if He were not your Refuge. It’s a really comforting image, don’t you think?

What’s next in the Psalm 91 promises?

Well, that you will see the wicked make amends for all the evil they spewed on this earth. There will come a time when the wicked will have to pay reparations to all those they have hurt. I LOVE this. Do you know why? Because it means they will have to take responsibility for their awful actions. They will have to acknowledge that they have caused pain and suffering. There will be no more gaslighting. OH! I cannot wait for that day.

Psalm 91 is amazing. God’s many, many promises to us IF we make Him our Refuge bring me great comfort in this crazy and chaotic time. I also love the image of God standing before me keeping me safe behind Him. I feel seen and loved and cherished. I don’t know about you, but this makes me love God all the more.

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name!

Psalm 100:4 (ESV)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone in America! I hope today is a blessed day for you, your family, and your friends!

I am thankful for so many things. God has abundantly and richly blessed my life. I am so thankful for my husband and daughter. I am so grateful for my parents, my brothers and sister, and my nieces and nephews. I am grateful for my job and for all of my students. I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful for all my blog followers. But I am most grateful for my relationship with Jesus Christ. God is my reason for everything. I love Him so much and I am so thankful I am here today so I can share this thankfulness with you.

Today, remember that God LOVES you. He is for you. He is waiting with open arms to carry you through all life brings your way. I am eternally grateful for God and His promises to love us all and carry us all through no matter what.

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I Am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’

Acts 13:40-41 (ESV)

I know I have been on a Psalm 91 kick lately … but I have to take a pause and talk about these verses from Acts 13. They are brain-popping amazing! I promise I will get back to Psalm 91, but God’s putting it on my heart to talk about Acts 13:40-41 and pose to you, dear readers, some questions, which means I got to listen to His command.

In the annual Bible study I’m following this year, I’m currently in the middle of Acts. Acts 13 walloped me. I actually said to my hubby, “Did you know this has been in the Bible the whole time?!” He good-naturedly laughed at me because he, too, has had those moments with his own Bible reading. You know those moments — those times you’re reading something in the Bible and it’s like the first time you’ve ever seen the verse or concept before, and it just seems to fit so perfectly with where we’re at in the world or where you’re at in your life. It’s those moments God speaks so loudly and clearly to you. I LOVE those moments, and I think it is a testament to just how cool and creative God is — His Word truly is active and sharp every single day!

But I digress.

Re-read the verses I shared today. What sticks out to you? What screams at you?

For me, it is several things all at once. First, it is the word scoffers and the phrase “a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.” Second, it is the word beware and the fact that some Prophet of old made a prediction.

What is a scoffer? According to the dictionary, a scoffer is a person who mocks or makes fun of someone or something, often because of religion or moral values. It is someone who MAKES FUN OF or MOCKS someone or something they don’t agree with.

Scoffing has become a professional sport in today’s world. Everyone scoffs everyone. Everyone FEELS they know more or better than everyone else. Pride really has taken a foothold in almost everyone’s heart. What has been getting to me lately is how ugly people are towards each other … especially when FACTS are presented. Holy cow, don’t mention an actual fact, you’ll get eviscerated by practically everyone. It’s crazy. We live in a day where TRUTH is heralded as FAKE NEWS and FAKE NEWS is heralded as Gospel TRUTH. Isaiah is probably in Heaven shaking his head at all of us saying, “I told you so!” (Isaiah 5:20).

But the Prophets of old warned us this would happen — BEWARE, people will NOT believe even if you sit down and show them proof. They don’t want proof of the Truth. Honestly, they don’t want the Truth. They want their truth and their feelings and their proof. We, actual God-fearing men and women, should NOT be surprised by any of this. Not only does Paul tells us in Acts, but Habakkuk the Prophet tells us this exact thing in Habakkuk 1:5. In fact, he is the Prophet Paul is talking about when he says, BEWARE, lest what the Prophets declared comes true.

“Look amoung the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I Am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”

Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV)

Are you a scoffer? Are you the type of person Habakkuk and Paul are referring to? In these last days, when people speak are you quick to dismiss what they are saying just because you may not like it or agree with it? Do you get immediately angry and defensive? Do you do everything in your power to shut that person up? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, you just may be a scoffer and mocker.

When people say something and you don’t like it, have you ever considered why you might not like what is being said? Have you read the reports the person is sharing? Have you looked at the graphs and documents and personal testimonies BEFORE making a judgment? Have you analyzed WHY you think you are so sure you are right? Have you prayed to God asking that He lead you down HIS right path? Have you asked Him to show you the truth in a matter?

I implore you, dear reader, to really consider these verses today and the questions I have posed above. There is no judgment here. Only concern. We are running out of time to get our hearts right with God. God is DOING a GREAT work. He is active right this second. Can you see His works every day? Do you see how Prophecy is coming true day by day? Are you on His side? Or are you too focused on what feels right to you? Got to honestly get to the bottom of these questions before it’s too late.

The next time someone says something to you that you don’t like, instead of scoffing and mocking and doing all you can to prove him/her wrong, maybe take a second to pray and ask God to show you the way…HIS way! Cause honestly, maybe you are being played by the devil. Scoffing and mocking feed into the devil, NOT Jesus Christ. Whose side are you really on? Just because your friends say the same thing you do doesn’t mean you are right. It’s not confirmation of anything more than you choosing your own way. Be like Hezekiah — take your feelings and thoughts and truths to God. Lay them before Him and see what He has to say (2 Kings 19:14).

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

You will not fear the terror of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

Psalm 91:5-6 (ESV)

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If you have been reading my posts lately, you have gathered that I am going through Psalm 91 verse by verse. Psalm 91 brings me peace — most days, reading Psalm 91 brings me immediate peace. That is my goal with my most recent Thursday Encouragement posts. I want my dear readers to be flooded by God’s peace. I don’t know if you have noticed lately, but the world has lost its mind. People have become mobs of very angry, very violent beings. The world today, to me, is totally unrecognizable. If I had to describe the world today I could not use the word peace to describe it. So, Psalm 91 — I try to read it often, think on it daily, and even use lines from it in my daily prayers. I encourage you to do the same!

In order to properly make sense of this week’s verses, we need to remember that verses 1-4 are all about God sheltering and protecting those who choose Him. Those of us kids who make God our Refuge and place of Shelter are promised His protection. Verses 5-6 begin the discussion of what God will protect us from.

IF we choose God to be our number One, our Shelter from EVERY storm life throws our way, then we do not have to fear the things that go bump in the night, weapons wielded by our enemies, diseases that run rampant, or devastation that come smack-dab in the middle of the day. Yes, we may see these things and they may come close, BUT if we are sheltering in God’s presence we need not fear any of this scary stuff.

Today, I am coming to you as a woman who admits that I have massive cowardly tendencies. I hate confrontation and I don’t really know how to stand up against evil. I love to hide. That’s my go-to. I love Psalm 91 because God is telling me it’s perfectly OK to hide … in Him. He knows that I’m a scaredy-cat. He knows that evil, weapons, sicknesses, and devastating acts like natural storms or mob brutality or rape and murder hurt my spirit. They paralyze me. So what does God do? He promises to protect me from all this nastiness as long as I seek refuge with Him.

You know what?!

His promises in Psalm 91 are TRUE! Every day since all the insane riots, COVID pestilences, government power grabs, theft of personal freedoms, and forced mandates have begun I have been reading and praying Psalm 91. I have drawn closer and closer to God, and I remind Him daily that His Psalm 91 promise has to be real for me. And wouldn’t you know it, God has delivered me from the scary stuff every single day.

God is NOT a liar. If He says it, He means it. If you are struggling today — RUN TO JESUS. Once you are with Him, He will activate His Psalm 91 promises and cover you from all the scary stuff too!

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

Psalm 91:4 (ESV)

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I like these words: cover, under, refuge, and shield and buckler. I also LOVE all the present tense verbs — will, will, is. I find all of these words to be massively comforting.

Why?

Well, in my first list, I love how all of the words illustrate protection. God promises in this verse that He will protect me through covering and by keeping me under His wings. In fact, not only will He provide covering, but within that covering I will find a place of refuge — a place of safety. For an introvert who is working really hard to overcome her cowardice, this verse speaks to my very soul. It makes me feel like God sees me and knows I’m the girl who needs this assurance of safety and protection. This makes me love Him all the more.

In my second list — the verbs list — I love how all the words are present tense. No matter what day it is or how old I am, this promise of protection by God is permanently in every moment that I am. God will always be a place of refuge for me no matter the day or time. Again, super comforting!

And you know what?! This protection applies to you, too, dear reader. If you are struggling with cowardice or fear or anxieties of any kind know right now that God is for you. He is ready to gather you under His protective wings and give you a place of refuge. God is mighty and He is a mighty good Abba! May this promise from God bring you as much peace today as it brings me.

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

Psalm 91:3 (ESV)

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What is a snare? Who is a fowler? Why do I need saving from any of this?

According to the dictionary, a snare is a trap for catching birds. Typically, snares have a noose of wire or cord. A fowler is someone who hunts birds. In the context of Psalm 91:3, a fowler is a hunter who sets noose-like traps that catch prey.

I watched a video on how to make a snare because I wanted to see what it entailed. They are quite simple to make and execute. What struck me was when the person in the video said, “A snare doesn’t kill the bird, just traps it. You have to do the killing yourself.” This is an interesting piece of information about snares. Snares are not meant to kill, just to trap.

There are several metaphorical implications behind this verse, but I felt like there had to be some reason for why we children of God are equated to birds. I mean, I’m not a bird! So I did a little research and I came across a post from Lighthouse Baptist Church. I don’t know this church, so I cannot vouch for their ideology, but their post makes an interesting connection to Isaiah 40:31, which sent my brain down a spiral.

In Isaiah 40:31 we read, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Super famous verse — everyone has heard it many times. But, I’ve never connected it to Psalm 91:3. We all get the gist of Isaiah 40:31: when we put our faith and trust in God, when we wait for His timing, He takes care of us. He renews our strength and makes us rise above all the bad that could keep us down.

With God, we are able to “mount up with wings like eagles.” What an amazing image! Birds fly for many reasons, but often it’s to get out of the reach of something bad. I feel like it’s pretty clear that Isaiah 40:31 is telling us that with God He can get us out of anything that isn’t good for us. This made me think of the rapture passages throughout the New Testament and how in those verses those who are truly in Christ will rise above and live with Jesus forever. Specifically, I’m thinking of 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15.

In the rapture passages, the imagery is of believers going UP in the air to Jesus super quickly — in the blink of an eye. Almost like a bird. Birds don’t take a long time to to go from perched to up in the air. Mere seconds actually. In the blink of an eye.

So, who is the fowler in Psalm 91?

The fowler in Psalm 91 is the devil. He will do anything to get Jesus’s followers to turn from Him, including setting snares (i.e., sins) that entrap us. Satan hates us with a vicious passion. He will do anything to snatch our souls away from God including sending pestilences that get us focused on earthly things and not on those above things.

Perhaps you have noticed that Fear reigns these days. It’s everywhere. Turn on any TV show, especially the news, and you will be flooded with all kinds of fearful messages and images. Fear is an idol. If you are fearful you are telling God that you have no faith that He can handle the thing your fear. You are telling Him that your fear is Goliath and that God can’t beat Goliath. You have let fear ensnare you. You have let the devil win.

BUT when we put our trust in God, when we force our brains and hearts to refuse to accept the “truth” our fear is screaming in our ears, we tell Jesus, “I have no idols. You are it! You will protect me from any snare the devil may put in my path.” When we do this, He raises us above the fray. He keeps us safe from the fowler. We rise on wings like eagles.

Here is the Truth: God is always our protection, but only if we trust Him completely. When we do, He protects us from everything. AMEN!

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.

Psalm 91:2 (ESV)

Last Saturday at church, my pastor said, “It’s easy to trust in God when we’re not focused on ourselves.”

This quote is the kind of truth that sits in your brain all week and makes you think and think. What I’ve been thinking about all week is “why is it so hard for me to trust?” Trust is the HARDEST thing for me to do. It actually fills me with shame because no one should ever struggle to trust God. I mean, He’s God. If you can’t trust God, you truly can’t trust anyone.

I know for a fact that the issue lies with me and me alone. God is NEVER the problem. So what is my problem?

We could go into a psychological analysis of my childhood, my young adulthood, my medical traumas, the early days of my marriage, etc., and find a ton of things that would lead to my many trust issues. I’m sure a trained therapist would have a field day breaking my psyche down. BUT, the truth is I’m WAY too self focused — I’m always stressing about what I can do, what I can’t do, my cowardice, my fears, my anxieties, etc. I’m constantly in my head thinking about ME and that is the number one reason why I struggle to trust. I have to get out of my head. I have to stop focusing on ME.

Instead, I have to be like the psalmist and declare out loud, “God! YOU are my refuge, YOU are my fortress, YOU are my God, YOU have ALL the power and control, and I put my trust in YOU.” I need to declare this truth and then keep my focus on GOD.

It’s not easy for me to trust. BUT, I’ve got to get over myself. I have to be like a horse with blinders on and keep my eyes firmly on Jesus. When I do, trusting Him will be easy-peasy!

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1 (ESV)

This week, it is on my heart to remind you that no matter how scary it gets here on earth God is ALWAYS our place of safety and refuge.

In Proverbs 18:10 we are told that “the NAME of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs to HIM and are safe.” This is why when you call out Yeshua’s name when you are being spiritually attacked the attacks stop. Because there is power in the name of our Lord and Savior. God’s very NAME is that tower, that refuge, we must run to!

The Bible is replete with passages that illustrate God as our source of refuge and protection from every danger known to man. In my humble opinion, Psalm 91 is the best, most encouraging passage in all the Bible when it comes to God protecting His kids. Psalm 91 is known as the “Warrior Psalm,” and I personally believe all professing God-followers should recite it, think on it, and pray it at least once every day. Especially now that every day feels so chaotic and insane and evil.

Do you live in the shelter of God? Are you able to hide in His shadow? Are you daily reading the Word of God and praying/meditating on that Word? If your answer to any of these questions is “NO” then I highly recommend you stop what you are doing right now and go grab your Bible. Right now is the time to put on the full armor of God. If you are not spending quality time with Jesus on the daily, your armor is going to be pretty weak. The war we’re entering is fierce. We cannot afford to enter into it with weak armor.

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?

Welcome to His Encouragement Thursday! I don’t know about you, but Thursdays are my struggle day of the week. By Thursday, I have already been working hard at school and at home, and I just wish it would hurry up and be Friday already. LOL! I definitely need a little extra Jesus time on Thursdays.

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For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:21 (NIV)

This verse is about discernment. Discernment is “the ability to judge well.” It is our duty to discern well when it comes to prophets and prophecy.

In Matthew 24:10-11 (ESV), Jesus warns us that in the last days, “many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”

So, how can we protect ourselves from false prophets? How can we hope to not be led astray? Well, God is so cool, He gives us the answer in Deuteronomy 18:21-22:

And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 (ESV)

This direction from the Lord comes with an understanding that we may have to be a little patient. We may have to wait and see. Waiting is the hardest part, but it may just saves our souls … and keep us from unnecessary fear. Also, it needs to be said that true prophecy from God is not a matter of human’s and their will, but rather God and His. Lots of people want things to go their way, but God’s way will always win out.

God is good. He takes good care of His kiddos. He saw the problems we would face and gave us a way out of them. All we have to do is study His Word and spend time with Him.

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NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN!

WHAT BIBLICAL VERSE IS ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY?