Finding Our Safety in the Lord

Finding Our Safety in the Lord. As I prayed carefully before the service this Sunday morning, I kept "seeing" war! war! war! As I began to prepare the morning sermon, Psalms 91 came to mind immediately; then, the sixth chapter of the Book of Ephesians where it speaks about putting on the whole armor of God. I felt God wanted me to tell the people to prepare themselves in the Lord because perilous times are on the way.

(1/1/2006) Audrey and I have been pastoring Mount Zion Fellowship in Poway for thirty years. Throughout that time I have been saying that revival is coming to the United States in the midst of trouble. This has been a consistent burden.

I think I may be able to modify this a bit. It appears to me now that the revival will be in the form of calling a remnant of God’s people to participate in the spiritual fulfillments of the Blowing of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These are the fifth and sixth celebrations of the seven feasts of the Lord.

Participation in these two convocations will causes us to turn to the Lord Jesus and cooperate with His Spirit as He removes the various aspects of the sinful nature that dwell in us. While these acts of redemption are taking place, there will be all sorts of chaos and calamities in our environment.

Psalms 91 promises us protection during the perilous times. However, such protection depends on our dwelling continually in the shelter of the Most High, that is, in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are living in Christ, trouble cannot touch us except as ordered by the Lord for our change into His image.

How do we abide in Christ? We think about Him continually throughout the day and night. This is quite difficult in America because of the frantic rush to acquire material goods. We are exhausted because of the anxieties of life caused by our worship of money. We find it difficult to stand before the Son of Man.

We are to be speaking to the Lord and listening to Him continually. How are we to do this when we are so rushed by the demands our job makes on us? We ask the Lord to give us the strength and time each day to abide in Him. He always will answer this prayer, but we must do what He shows us.

No matter how chaotic our environment becomes, no matter how great the danger that surrounds us, we will be kept safe, walking with the Lord Jesus on our high places of joy.

We live near a nuclear installation. Some day the terrorists may blow it up. If we do, the fallout may surround us. What do we do then? Do we rush about in distraction because of our fear for our children? Not at all. We wait on the Lord to see what He would have us do in order to save ourselves and others who depend on us.

The Spirit of prophecy seems to be telling us to prepare ourselves to stand in the time of evil. We are not to be careless. We are to do everything in our power to make certain our loved ones are guarded in Christ. Everything—all relationships, circumstances, and things—must be placed on the altar so that if any of them are destroyed we know God will keep safe for us all that is of true value.

Many believers are going through very difficult times in the present hour. This is to prepare them for what is ahead. If they learn to trust God today, then in the future they will save themselves and those who hear them.

At night I stressed standing resolutely in Christ. We are to put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness is not that of an imputed, legal sort of righteousness, but kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, honesty, freedom from malice. The greatest need of the hour is for Christians who interact with Christ until their behavior is righteous. This breastplate will protect them from the onslaught of the enemy.

The evening message is on cassette tape, and can be obtained from Mount Zion Fellowship.

The Lord bless and keep you and your loved ones as you serve Him.