Psalm 31:19-20 is a wonderful promise to stand on in the face of intense situations when it SEEMS like all of hell has broken loose!
19Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear, revere, and worship You, goodness which You have wrought for those who trust and take refuge in You before the sons of men! 20In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You keep them secretly in Your pavilion from the strife of tongues.
"Laid up" is the Hebrew word, "tsaphan", which means: to hide by covering over, to treasure up, to store up, to protect, to keep secret. The "goodness" that is hidden away for us is the Hebrew word "tuwb", which means: goodness, the best, beauty, gladness, welfare, joy, prosperity. All of that is hidden FOR those who trust, fear, revere and worship the One, True, Most High, Living, Almighty God of the Bible! Where can we find them? Verse 20 says "in the secret of", the Hebrew word "cether", which means: a covering, a hiding place, a shelter, a secret place, "Your presence" is the Hebrew word "paniym", which means: in front of, in the presence of, face to face. We will find the good things that God has hidden FOR us in the secret place of His presence! As you and I spend time in intimate fellowship with Him, He will reveal to us how to partake of all that He has for us! But be aware! There are NO short cuts! We will ONLY find the answers by spending time in His presence! Check your schedule today and set aside anything that is keeping you from spending time with HIM! When you do that, He will show you how to organize your schedule to fit everything that NEEDS to be there! AMEN! So we will leave Psalm 31 with THIS encouragement in verse 24:
24Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord! AMEN!
In 1 Thessalonains 3 Paul is writing to the young church is Thessalonica to explain to them why he had sent Timothy back to them. Verses 1-5:
1THEREFORE, WHEN [the suspense of separation and our yearning for some personal communication from you] became intolerable, we consented to being left behind alone at Athens. 2And we sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in [spreading] the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, to strengthen and establish and to exhort and comfort and encourage you in your faith, 3That no one [of you] should be disturbed and beguiled and led astray by these afflictions and difficulties [to which I have referred]. For you yourselves know that this is [unavoidable in our position, and must be recognized as] our appointed lot. 4For even when we were with you, [you know] we warned you plainly beforehand that we were to be pressed with difficulties and made to suffer affliction, just as to your own knowledge it has [since] happened. 5That is the reason that, when I could bear [the suspense] no longer, I sent that I might learn [how you were standing the strain, and the endurance of] your faith, [for I was fearful] lest somehow the tempter had tempted you and our toil [among you should prove to] be fruitless and to no purpose.
When the people had heard of the persecutions that Paul and his friends were enduring, Paul was concerned that it would affect their faith! He reminded them that he had warned them about this. I remind YOU of 2 Timothy 3:12:
12Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].
Don't be discouraged when you hear that the world is persecuting the church! Realize that Jesus warned of this, but He is GREATER than any enemy who comes against us! Trust in HIM and see the salvation and deliverance of our God! AMEN!
In Joel we hear of judgement, a call to repentance and the promise of God's intervention. Many times when the prophets spoke, they were speaking of things immediate and things to come. I believe that we should all judge ourselves concerning our attitude towards God and His Word. If we find that we have not been doers of the Word of God, then repent (change your thinking to agree with God), confess it as sin, and receive your forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Then move on in the right direction! Take the promise of God and make it your own! Remember that when the multitudes were questioning if the disciples from the upper room were drunk, Peter said "this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel". (Acts 2:16). He was referring to Joel 2:28-29:
28And afterward I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. 29Even upon the menservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My Spirit.
So what happened on the Day of Pentecost was the beginning of THAT! But notice that the Spirit of God said through Joel that God would pour out OF His Spirit ON ALL FLESH! I am eagerly anticipating and expectantly waiting for the manifestation of THAT Word in our midst! AMEN! In the meantime, as believers, we need to be being filled with the Spirit DAILY, meditating on the Word of God DAILY, praising and worshiping DAILY, so that we are in position to be used of God for His purposes in the last moments of these last days of the Church Age! Then we are ready to fly! AMEN!
Shalom in Him!
