Sunday, July 18, 2010

THE NINETY-FIRST PSALM (A Message for You) PART 2





I hope you are enjoying this two-part series on the 91st Psalm. We included in the title “A message for You.” The reason we did that is we want you to make this Psalm personal to yourself. You do that and I promise you, you'll be blessed beyond your best dreams.

The 91st Psalm, according to many Bible scholars was not written by David, but by Moses. Everything Moses said and did was for the advantage of God's people. Therefore, if you have accepted God's gift of salvation by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this Psalm is just for you.

At this time let me welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service. Everyone is welcome in this place. Last week we discussed verses one through six. This week we will explore versus seven through fifteen, which will complete our spiritual adventure into the 91st Psalm and how it relates to you.

Let's do a quick review of what we discussed last week. We said – if you want to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, you must stay close to God. Walk with Him, talk with him, read his Word. God wants to be a Father to you. Under his shadow there is protection from all the pitfalls of life. We also stated according to Psalm 91:2, always say to yourself and others that God is your refuge and fortress. He is, you know. One thing I didn't touch on in this verse was the part where it says “My God, in Him will I trust.” My friends, the greatest thing God allows his born-again children to say is “My God.” How many of you out there can really say “my” God. Nonbelievers, you are not left our here except by choice. God wants you to be able to say “My God” also. That is why his Son Jesus died on the cross. By your acceptance of Jesus into your heart and life, God then becomes your Heavenly Father and then, and only then, can you call out and say “My God.” Do you want to be able to do that? E-mail me today at brotherbob@TheSpiritofWisdom.org. I will share with you and lead you to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In verses three and four, we discussed how God will protect you from all the wiles of the Devil. We referred you to John 10:10, where Jesus told you what the Devil desires. He desires to steal from you everything you have materially and spiritually. He wants to destroy your marriage, your relationships and everything close to you. Finally, he desires to kill you both physically and spiritually. He wants to separate you from God forever. Jesus said in contrast that he (Jesus) has come to give you life and to give it to you more abundantly. There is your choice, my friends. How do you choose today?

Can you begin to see how important Psalm 91 can be in your life? One thing I would suggest, go back to John 10:10 and see how it really relates to the 91st Psalm and your life. I am serious. That is your homework for this week. All right. Let's now continue. Psalm 91:7-8:

“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.”
Ladies and gentlemen, my good online church members – listen to me. As we speak untold millions are being destroyed by the powers of darkness. But, God is saying here “Put your trust in me and it shall not come near you.” God says in verse eight “Only with your eyes will you see the reward of the wicked.” What is that reward, my friends? The answer plain and simple is spiritual death and separation from God forever. A high price to pay for rejecting God's free gift of salvation through his Son Jesus, but a just price for sure. Thank God, as believers that will not be our fate.

Let's continue with Psalm 91:9-12, let's read them together:

“Because thou has made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall be no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
What a great promise of our Heavenly Father. Because we have on purpose chosen to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have also chosen to make God our habitation. In other words, we are engulfed in his presence; thereby assuring that any evil or plague that comes our way, we will have the victory over it. How is that possible, you might ask? Look at Psalm 91:11 again. It states “ For He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways.” Yes my friends, angels sent by God to help us when we stumble. We are not alone. God has made sure of that. Well that sounds good to me. How about you? Oh church, are you getting this yet? Well guess what? The best is yet to come. Let's continue with Psalm 91:13:

“Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.”
My friends, this verse promises us victory over every effort of Satan and his demons to destroy us. As long as we keep our faith in Jesus and his finished work by way of the cross, the Devil is under our feet. I say, trample on him hard saints. Keep your feet on his neck. Now I really need your attention. In Psalm 91:14-16 there is a very big change here. Up to now the Holy Spirit is speaking through the psalmist. But now, God himself speaks through the psalmist. Let's read this carefully now:

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath know my name. He shall call upon me and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.”
I want to impress upon you there is a very intense anointing on this message. If I have ever felt God's presence in my life, and I have; it is when I preach on this 91st Psalm. This is my personal testimony of what this Psalm means to me. There was a time many years ago. My grandmother had just passed away and a sickness overtook my mind and body. Everything was shutting down. I was hospitalized. The diagnosis was severe. The doctors could not assure me I would ever leave that hospital again. I was a Christian but my faith was low. I would lay in the bed and read my Bible, but nothing seemed to help. The way I felt, I could just as easily have been reading the sports page. All hope was gone. But, “My God” did not let me down in spite of my lack of faith. Why could that be and how could that happen? Verses fourteen through sixteen of the 91st Psalm, that's how.

I remember laying in that bed believing I would never again be a father or a husband to my wife and children. I saw myself dying in that hospital. So I thought “I'll just lay here and read my Bible,” not that I expected much to happen. I was reading Psalm 91 verse by verse when verse fourteen jumped out at me. All of a sudden I felt like God was personally talking to me. As I read verses fourteen through sixteen I placed my name where it would say “he” or “thou.” So now, I felt God was saying to me personally. Because “he (Bob) has set his love upon me, I will deliver him.” God continued. “I will set him on high.” Why? I thought. God then said “Because, he (Bob) hath know my name.” God would really set me on high because I know his name? Notice he did not say because I knew “about” his name. I thought “My God, I do know your name. Ever since I accepted Jesus into my heart.” Then, God continued in verse fifteen. “He (Bob) shall call upon me and I shall answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.” I thought – “I will do this. I will call upon my God. I know he will answer me.” I remember thinking “God says here he will be with me in trouble and I said out loud – My God, I am in trouble, please be with me.”

Then I noticed he said he not only would deliver me but he would honor me. What? God would honor me? Why would he do that? I know now, it is because I truly did know his name. Then the key words God spoke to me through this Psalm: “With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” I cried out “I want long life Lord.” And guess what? That was many years ago and he has shown me his salvation everyday of my life since then.

You know folks, three days later I was released from that hospital completely healed and never to return to that hospital again. As Rev. Oral Roberts used to say “God is a good God!”

I have given you this testimony to encourage you and to tell you this 91st Psalm is just as much for you as it ever was, and still is, for me. God will be with you in trouble. He will deliver you and with long life will he satisfy you and show you his salvation. God loves you, my friends. He really does. Now, read Psalms 91 again. See for yourself if God isn't talking directly to you.

This is a very heartfelt message from me to you. A very personal message God has allowed me to share with you. Why? Because he loves you, that's why.

God Bless You,
Bro. Bob

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