Bible Study (6) - Name Like No Other Name - Psalm 91 - January 7, 2024

 

Bible Study (6) – Name Like No Other Name – The Protection of GOD’S Name – Psalm 91:1-8, 9-16 – January 7, 2024

Bible scholars believe that Moses wrote Psalm 91. Psalms are general witness statements about GOD based upon the life experiences of the writers. Certainly, Moses experienced GOD’S protection and miraculous events along his life’s journey from birth to death.

Let’s read Psalm 91:1-8:

Psalm 91

The Protection of the Most High

¹ The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

This is all about relationships. The protection of the Most High depends upon those who are or will be in relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

But notice verse 1, The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

The “Most High” means no one is higher than the one true GOD, Almighty or transliterated “Shaddai” meaning “all powerful One.”

Notice “dwells” and “shadow.”

Where does a person have to be located to “dwell in the shadow of the Almighty”? First, let us consider “dwell”. Dwell does not mean temporary. Dwell means long-term building the right relationship and a firm foundation with the One True GOD of the Universe. GOD desires for HIS Children to remain close to HIM through their relationship with JESUS or as we read in John 15, Christians are to abide in JESUS. We, as Spirit-born Christians, must stay so close to JESUS that we are never out from HIS canopy of protection or HIS shadow.

When I was growing up, I was called my daddy’s shadow because I wanted to be with him during my awake time.

Since, we believe that Moses wrote this Psalm, Moses’ calling was dependent upon his relationship with GOD. GOD called to Moses from the burning bush. Once Moses responded to GOD, the rest is history.

When Moses acted upon his own judgement, outside of GOD’S Will, GOD punished him. Moses led the Israelites for over 40 years, but he disobeyed GOD by striking the rock to provide water for the Israelites rather than speaking to the rock as GOD had commanded him to do. As a result, GOD told him he could not enter the Promised Land, but GOD allowed him to see it.

As we read these words, we see that the Spiritual heart of Moses was based upon his experiences walking with GOD along the path of life. This is true for each of us as GOD’S Spirit-born Child through faith in JESUS.

² I will say^[a] concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust:

Trust is built upon interacting with GOD daily. It is a daily walk. Notice that the Psalmist used LORD all capital letters, which is the covenant name for GOD or YHWH/Yahweh/Jehovah or GOD’S Covenant name. Trust is built and carries the concept of ongoing action.

Notice, our faith in JESUS connects us to GOD, our FATHER and our eternal life is guaranteed and sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit equips us to minister using the Spiritual gifts from GOD.

The Psalmist used “Elohim” in reference to GOD’S name because of HIS personal relationship with us and the fact that nothing or no one is more powerful than HE is. Therefore, those who put their trust in HIM through faith in JESUS can do so with absolute confidence and trust. It is a covenant relationship.

Marriage is also a covenant between a man, a woman and GOD.

The word “trust” carries the idea of “ongoing” action as we move forward trusting GOD for the result.

³ He himself (GOD) will rescue you from the bird trap,
from the destructive plague.

Life is replete with hidden things that can trap or harm a person. The good News is that GOD knows where the traps are hidden. Yes, HE can deliver us, but HE can also teach us a life lesson by allowing us to get caught in a trap. But HE can also show us the way out of the trap. But when HE shows us the way out, we must take it.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers;
you will take refuge under his wings.
His faithfulness will be a protective shield.

Yes, GOD can even hide us and protect us under HIS protective wings. How can GOD protect us by spreading us under “HIS feathers.” Simply, HE IS GOD and is all powerful!

If you know about a hen and her babies, you don’t mess with her or her babies.

But we must experience situations that GOD uses to reveal to us HIS care because HE loves us and shows us that HE can take care of HIS Children. HE is all powerful.

I know that GOD/JESUS has protected our family from certain harm while driving.

This is a good segway into the next verses. There are things in life that are both seen and unseen. What does GOD’S Word reveal to those who place their trust in JESUS? But a note of caution, DO NOT TEST GOD BY DOING SOMETHING FOOLISH!

⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,
the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ the plague that stalks in darkness,
or the pestilence that ravages at noon.
⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand,
the pestilence will not reach you.
⁸ You will only see it with your eyes
and witness the punishment of the wicked.

GOD protects HIS Children from the things that can cut their lives short or harm them, however we, as HIS Children, are not to test HIS care for us.

Let’s read Psalm 91:9-13:

9 Because you have made the Lord—my refuge,
the Most High—your dwelling place,
¹⁰ no harm will come to you;
no plague will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you in all your ways.
¹² They will support you with 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 young lion and the serpent.

Have you made the LORD, the Most High, your dwelling place? If so, abide in HIM and study HIS Word, The Bible and ask HIM to help you to apply what you read to your life as you grow, Spiritually.

How do you make the LORD your dwelling place? First, you must be Spiritually born into GOD’S Family through faith in JESUS. As HIS Child, you can take refuge in GOD – Abide in HIM.

Let’s read Psalm 91:14-16:

¹⁴ Because he (The psalmist) has his heart set on me (GOD),
I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows my name.
¹⁵ When he calls out to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him and give him honor.

¹⁶ I will satisfy him with a long life
and show him my salvation.

Let’s go back and consider verse 14:

¹⁴ Because he has his heart set on me,
I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows my name.

In verse 14 - Because he (the Psalmist) has his heart set on me (GOD), I will deliver him/her; I will protect him/her because he knows my name.

Do you have your heart set on GOD through faith in JESUS?

If not, what a wonderful way to begin this new year, 2024.

Ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and ask JESUS to come into your heart believing that HE paid for all your sins in full by HIS SHED BLOOD.

IF YOU ASKED JESUS TO FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR SINS AND FOR JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR HEART – WELCOME INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD MY BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST. FEED UPON HIS WORD, THE BIBLE. YOU MIGHT BEGIN BY READING THE BOOK OF JOHN ASKING THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN YOUR EYES TO TRUTH AS YOU READ. FIND A BIBLE BELIEVING AND TEACHING CHURCH. I RECOMMEND MORNINGSIDE BAPTIST, SPARTANBURG, SC.

Blessings!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know in my walk with our LORD, I have asked HIM to help me build my faith in HIM and then wonder why things in my life were not going as I thought they should. HE seemed to be testing me or exposing me to issues in my life requiring me to trust HIM. Faith is walking where there are no visible steps to get us safely across a vast chasm. Trust in GOD is vital.

It is easy to forget what we ask for, but GOD does not forget, except when we ask HIM to forgive us for our sins. HE not only forgives us for your sins when we ask HIM but HE forgets them. We desire to grow Spiritually but often we do not like what is taking place when GOD brings challenges into our lives or brings to our minds an issue, HE wants us to deal with. Often, we forget what we have asked for. It would be nice if GOD would just instantly zap us with the result. Why isn’t that the best way? Simply, we do not learn to trust HIM. GOD built humans to learn from experience and build trust in HIM.

 

 

 

Spirit-born Christian’s desire to witness the hand of GOD performing wonder-working miracles in his/her life. When we witness the hand of GOD working through us it assures us that we are in right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. We must be careful to remain under GOD’S protective canopy and not venture out in our own power. We may desire to see GOD prove Himself to us. We must keep in our minds that GOD knows our inner most thoughts and our motives. As GOD’S Child or Children, HE is always teaching us.

If you are already a Spirit-born Christian, ask GOD to help you to get to know HIM in an authentic way by the reading the Bible and applying what GOD reveals to you. Our desire is to walk with HIM and JESUS daily. We need to ask HIM to open our Spiritual eyes and hearts to see the things of the world through HIS eyes.

Let’s explore!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few days after writing these words, my wife and I happened to meet a lady whose husband for whom our healing team had prayed. Immediately, I felt compelled to pass a blessing from our LORD to the person had prayed for. I have never experienced this before in my journey with our LORD. Her husband was not with her. My immediate thoughts were how can I do that because of our schedules. My immediate thoughts were that GOD’S blessing had to passed on quickly. I asked the LORD how can this be done because our schedules prevented us from going immediately to visit her husband?

Immediately, like a bolt, and overwhelming, the LORD told me to give the blessings to the man’s wife, who in turn would give it to her husband. This lady, being a strong Christian, through prayer, received the blessing and I am certain passed it on to her husband.

What is the point? As Spirit-born Christians, we can pass our LORD’S blessings from us through others to others. When we receive blessings for others, we can pass them to others through others. These are our LORD’S Gifts for others through us and others. We are to pass these blessings along.

We are not prevented from passing along Spiritual blessings to others, through others, when physical contact must deliver them. How can this be? It is because all blessings come from the Most High, GOD.

My prayer is that all who read this will understand and apply, as our LORD gives you opportunity either in person or through an intermediary to pass GOD’S Blessings to others.

I believe we are in the last days leading up to the second coming of our LORD JESUS. We read in ACTS 5, what was taking place through the Apostles in ACTS 5:12-16:

¹² Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³ No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them. ¹⁴ Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. ¹⁵ As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

I am not suggesting I am an Apostle but consider that as Spirit-born Christians there will be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a witness to others to get ready for the second coming of JESUS and to witness to others as led by the Holy Spirit.

As we approach the second coming of JESUS, our LORD will equip those who are Spirit-born with special gifts to reach others for HIS Kingdom. It will be an amazing journey. But we must keep in mind that HE gives gifts to those HE chooses as revealed in 1 Corinthians 12:11 - ¹¹ One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.

 

Many born-again Christians have experienced miracles that only the One True GOD of the Universe can do. These miracles help believers to trust GOD and obediently follow HIM. That is Old Testament. New Testament is CHRIST in us, the hope of Glory.

 

Do you recall when JESUS began HIS earthly ministry, HE was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil. HE fasted for 40 days and then was tested. JESUS was hungry. JESUS was human. If JESUS had turned the stones into bread and had eaten the bread, what would have happened to JESUS since HE was 100 % human but also 100% GOD? It would have killed HIS human side.

Matthew 4:1-4: Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to a desert. There He was tempted by the devil. ² Jesus went without food for forty days and forty nights. After that He was hungry. ³ The devil came tempting Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to be made into bread.” ⁴ But Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man is not to live on bread only. Man is to live by every word that God speaks.’”

At the end of JESUS’ fast, HE was fed small bites of food by the ravens.

 

 

Our walk with GOD must begin with our relationship with JESUS. Every person must be Spiritually born into GOD’S Family through faith in JESUS. Why? JESUS paid in full for all our sins by the shedding of HIS sinless blood upon the cross. GOD raised JESUS from the grave on the third day to reveal to all the world that GOD, through JESUS conquered both sin and eternal death. Eternal life is JESUS’ and GOD’S eternal gift to all who place their faith in JESUS and HIS Passion. JESUS removed the sin barrier which blocks the pathway to both GOD and JESUS.

When we experience the burden of our sins being lifted, we may desire to write our own Psalm.