“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged“ (Deuteronomy 31:8).

There are so many important elements to this promise. For example, it is the Lord himself who goes before us. He may command his angel army, but he does not delegate or abdicate his own role in this promise. Also, he goes before us and with us. Timewise and location-wise, he is always with us as he provides His leadership. And we know He is able to do this because of his divine attributes:

1. He is eternal. Friends and family may pass away; but God is forever.
2. He is omnipresent—present everywhere all the time. Pastors may be called to another church, but God will never leave us.
3. He is all-powerful, and He is Good, so his power will aways be used to serve His good purposes.

We know from 1 John 4:8 that “God is Love.” In 1 Corinthians 13:7-8, we find the beautiful description of love—or–God, in that “(Love) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” We can count on God to never forsake us.

I was studying Exodus in preparation for a Bible study and read this passage with a fresh perspective: “Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long” (Exodus 14:19-20).

Most commentators interpret the “angel of God” to be God himself or Jesus, son of God. The angel of God had been leading Moses and the children of Israel from Exodus to the Promised Land, going before them as a pillar of fire by day and a cloud by night. The Egyptian army gained on them as they approached the Red Sea; seemingly, they were about to be captured. But God moved from in front (where the Israelites could see Him) to behind, to protect them. In other words, God literally “had their backs!”

How many times have I felt abandoned by God, when he was there with me all along. He was still with me even though I could not see him, because he was engaged in battle or protective maneuvers. Therefore, I should trust in Him and not be afraid or become discouraged.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Own In Christ,

Judy

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:10).

The reference to “Kingdom of God” occurs thirty-one times in Luke’s gospel. Specifically, in Luke 4:43, Jesus preached “the good news of the kingdom.” What does the Kingdom of God imply? It implies that Jesus has overcome the enemy, He is the ruler, that he is the Victor! And it is good news because it means that he is redeeming a people from every nation, tribe, and tongue in fulfilment of God’s covenant promises, and that he is extending his rule until the day when “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Robert Browning, a renowned poet, penned these famous lines: “God’s in his heaven—All’s right with the world!^” This sounds lovely, but it is misleading. In analyzing the words, we can begin to realize that truth of the first part: God is in his heaven. However, the second part indicates a future state. All is not right with the world, right now. There is a deeper sense, though, that we as believers do belong to the Kingdom of Heaven now, but because Christ has not yet returned to bring us to our heavenly home, we still live in a corrupted world, a world where everything is not right. This divided state is sometimes called the “already/not yet.”

This scripture describes this already/not yet state: “Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.’” (Luke 17:20-21). In other words, the Kingdom of God is now, but unbelievers are unable to see it because of their spiritual blindness. On the other hand, God has revealed the Kingdom to believers who can already enjoy many benefits of the Kingdom of God. For example:

1. Jesus has already completed his atoning work of salvation. “It is finished,” he declared from the cross.
2. Believers are already justified, that is, declared not guilty, through faith in Jesus Christ.
3. The Holy Spirit already indwells all believers.
4. Jesus ascended to heaven where he already sits “at the right hand of God.”
5. Resting on the promises already fulfilled, we can continue to rest with assurance on Jesus’ promise of ultimate victory for his bride, the Church. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hadeswill not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).

When you feel like things cannot get worse in this life, remember: As a believer, you are already redeemed and justified and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is your King. This world is temporary, but we have the promise of eternal life with Jesus in Heaven.

And when you feel complacent or even contented with your life here on earth, remember to give all the glory to your Lord and Savior who is the source of all your benefits.

“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16).

In Christ,

Judy

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18).

My husband and I are dealing with internet insecurity issues right now. Our computers have been hacked, and we have been told that hackers are trying to access our bank accounts. We are feeling hunted, as if every time we turn on our computers we are at risk that our identity or resources will be stolen. It is not a good feeling. We are trying to create an impenetrable firewall to keep them out so that we can be secure.

I imagine I am feeling on a small degree how people must feel who live in countries where war is being fought—like Ukraine, for example. Where can they turn, where can they go, to be safe from the enemy? David spoke of this: “Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets” (Psalm 55:9-11).

 And in a different manner, how someone who has cancer or other invasive disease may feel—as if out of control from the advance of a deadly virus or bacteria or tumor. Again, the Psalmist writes, “My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body” (Psalm 38:7).

While not everyone deals with these issues, we are all dealing with an enemy that is constantly on the prowl looking for every weakness to invade and try to overtake us. We are advised to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

What is even worse about this enemy is that he is so deceitful. That is why the command to be alert and of sober mind, because otherwise we might not realize he is there. Like that internet hacker, lurking in the background–you think all is well, until it is too late. The money is gone, the screen is dead, the operating system does not work anymore.

Three things we know for sure:

1. We are not alone. “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Peter 5:9).
2. God already has a plan. We see this so clearly in the narrative describing the Exodus. As far back as Genesis, God tells Abraham: “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there” (Genesis 15:13). Then in Exodus we learn: “Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt. Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come” (Exodus 12:40-42). As we read in last Chaplain’s Corner, God knows the beginning and the end of all our problems, and he has a plan to use them for his purposes and glory. And why? As he says in Exodus 7:5 “And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”
3. And finally, we know for sure that no matter what the enemy is up to, our God is stronger. God is building his church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. A mighty fortress is our God! “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2).

The Bible is referring to you and me in these passages; about all who believe. No matter what those hackers try to do to me, they cannot touch my soul and my promise of eternal life. The same is true for you. Whatever you are going through, God wins and therefore, so do you. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

In Christ,

Judy

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”  (Galatians 5:1).

There are so many types and degrees of slavery: ownership of one by another which is opposed to the natural rights we have as humans, tyranny of evil government, oppression by someone in authority (leader, employer, spouse), inability to get around because of disability–physical or mental, lack of resources, and addiction. Slavery can lead to despair, hopelessness, or desperate measures. Some of us know this all too well. Others of us may have never experienced anything so traumatic.

However, the Bible tells us that we are all slaves; Paul explains that we are slaves to whomever we obey. “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:16-18).

In Genesis 15, God portends a time of slavery:

“Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there” (Genesis 15:13). God gave Abram this promise as part of the unconditional covenant he made with him to make Abram a great nation. “He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, ‘I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it’” (Genesis 15:5-7).

I realize that verse thirteen does not sound very hopeful at first read; especially if you were on the front side of history. However, in this verse I see a Sovereign God with a purpose beyond what we can understand at times. I also see a limit, an end time, when slavery and mistreatment will end. God was not only prophesying about the Israelites sojourn in Egypt and their rescue by Moses, but also our sojourn on this earth, corrupted by the Fall. It may feel hopeless, it may feel like there is no end in sight. But God has promised, and he has already demonstrated his power to fulfil his promises. He made a plan to rescue us from sin and sent His son Jesus to lead us to the ultimate Promised Land.

God continues by saying: ^“But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14). It was these possessions that would be used to build thebeautiful tabernacle, portable earthly dwelling place of God. Our great possessions, our rewards from faithful obedience, will be the crowns we lay before the throne of God when we reach our heavenly eternal home.

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. This was Abram’s legacy of freedom. Let this be your story of freedom.

In Christ,

Judy