Terri's Wellspring

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; Psalm 144:2a

Our God is our fortress, a safe place of protection. An old familiar hymn describes Him as “a bulwark never failing.” He is our God who is a wall of safety and a shield for our lives. I am so thankful that He loves us and that we are surrounded by His power and His might. We can count on His unfailing love in each of our situations. He cares about us in ways we can’t imagine. We can experience His peace, His protection and His deliverance each day as we put our trust in Him. He is our strong tower in who we can put our full trust in forevermore.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20 NLT

Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.  Isaiah 26:4

The landscapes of our lives can change suddenly. Things that we count on and even take for granted can make a sudden shift that leaves our heart and minds spinning. The unexpected loss of a job, a doctor’s report from seemingly out of nowhere or the loss of a loved one can send us searching for more certain ground. We can be thankful that whatever the day brings that we can stand and put our trust in Lord. Whatever the circumstance, we can look to Him for His love, His protection and His guidance as our Eternal Rock. We are so thankful to God that He never changes.   He is our solid foundation of love, hope and peace for today and the days ahead. We can plant our faith and trust firmly in Him. Some days may bring difficulty but our God is faithful to be with us every step of the way. We can put our trust in Lord, our Eternal Rock.

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.

We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, 

courageous in sea storm and earthquake,

Before the rush and roar of oceans,

the tremors that shift mountains.

Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

Psalms 46:1-3 MSG

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I Peter 5:7 NIV

God cares about every aspect of our lives.  He cares about our thoughts, our decisions, our hopes, dreams, our problems and our concerns. I love the scripture that says that “we can cast all our cares on Him for He cares for us”. It is a powerful assurance that no matter what we are facing, God cares and that we can cast, toss, or give our problems to our Heavenly Father. He cares about the big and little things of our lives. We may have concerns about health, finances, relationships or how a whole range of situations will be resolved. We can thank God for His love and that He knows all about it. We can demonstrate our faith and confidence in Him and turn it over to Him. When we give it to Him, He immerses His love, His power and His healing that transforms any situation. It may be a long-standing concern that has burdened our hearts for months or years but I challenge you today to give it to the Father. We can receive a new outlook through the lenses of His faith and promises concerning His children. We may be waiting on Him but He may be waiting on us to put our whole faith and trust in Him. Give it to Him today.

Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you. I Peter 5:7

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. Psalm 46:1-3

Our Heavenly Father provides countless blessings to us as His children. He is faithful to be with us always and provides help to us along our journey in this life. We give praises with our hands and hearts lifted to God for this powerful blessing that has the ability to provide strength and protection in any situation. We live in a time when change and problems may arise quickly like rising flood waters but we are not consumed. God provides a place of refuge, safety, peace and well-being, even during the storm.  We can look to Him for direction, for wisdom and peace concerning whatever we are facing – health, jobs, finances, relationships – listening and obedient to His direction. In our passage today, God is described in the present tense for each of these blessings: God is our refuge. God is our strength. God is a very present help in trouble.  He is our Help now and forevermore.

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need Him.

We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake,
Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains.

Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

Psalm 46:1-3 MSG

God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear even if the world blows up, and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam; let the mountains tremble. There is a river of joy flowing through the City of our God – the sacred home of the God above all gods. God himself is living in that City; therefore it stands unmoved despite the turmoil everywhere. He will not delay His help.  Psalm 46:1-5

I am so thankful for the refuge, a place of safety and protection that God provides. The world offers so much turmoil on so many levels, physically and spiritually. Watching the news of the day offers so much discouragement. But we are thankful for the Good News of Jesus Christ. He is our Savoir. We are thankful that we can look our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ to provide a place of refuge for us. This is a place where we are safe from confusion and turmoil. This is a place where we can receive His strength. With His strength we can have the power to move forward in our walk with Him. We thank God for His place of refuge and strength in Him.

God is our safe place and our strength. He is always our help when we are in trouble. So we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the center of the sea, and even if its waters go wild with storm and the mountains shake with its action. There is a river whose waters make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High lives. God is in the center of her. She will not be moved. God will help her when the morning comes. Psalm 46:1-5

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  I Peter 5:6-7

We are so blessed to have a God who is omnipresent and all powerful. Our Heavenly Father knows all about what we experience each day. I am doubtful that we can add any knowledge to Him regarding our circumstances. He knows all about what we are experiencing and even the desires of our heart. We can give God praise and gratitude for who He is in our lives. We can demonstrate our confidence in Him concerning His abilities and His love for us. We can stand firmly on His word increasing both our faith and our trust in Him to work it all out on our behalf. We can do our part in working diligently to complete every step that follows His instruction. God knows and He cares for each one of us. We can walk in this promise today and forever more.

I love you, Lord; you are my strength. 

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;  my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.

I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

Psalm 18:1-3

I am so thankful for God’s protection of our mind, body and spirit. As a child, I remember testimony service at church would include references to God’s protection for dangers seen and unseen.  As a young person I would imagine the people of God having to maneuver through life through a labyrinth of calamity to make it through the week.  On one level this was an immature notion on my part, but on another level I feel the depiction was quite accurate.

We face so many things where God’s protection surrounds us physically, mentally and spiritually. I am thankful for His protection as we go to and fro in our daily living. He can keep our minds in the middle of disasters and confusion.   While providing perfect peace each step of the way. What a blessing that He keeps us safe from dangers seen and unseen.

 Jesus, Be a fence all around me every day.

Jesus, I want you to protect me as I travel along the way.

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.

Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.  Psalms 34:1-7

God has been good to me. When I think about His mercy and His love that He has shown to me, it brings tears to my eyes. My Heavenly Father has continued to show compassion toward the matters of my heart. He continues to provide peace, protection and motivation to move toward higher ground even though I don’t deserve it. I thank God for the ultimate blessing of relationship that compels me toward His will and not my own. In His will I can find peace and love. In His will I can work on the nooks and crannies of my life that need work toward better living. In His will I can continue to nurture trust and faith that He will never leave me nor forsake me. In this place, He will provide peace and protection, free from fear and the anxiety that this world has to offer. I am thankful to God and my savior Jesus for these blessings. I will bless the Lord at all times.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. I Peter 5:7

Living in world full of people, we experience many things in life. As followers of Christ, we are always compelled to respond with our faith and trust in God.   No matter what the situation, its magnitude and size, our Heavenly Father is greater than anything we face. Some challenges arrive on our doorstep, as a heavy load that burdens our hearts and minds. The weight sometimes clouds our vision and moves us in the wrong direction. I believe heavy loads are God’s area of expertise to help us. We can cast our care on him for He loves and cares for us. The all knowing God is able to work things out for our good. Our Father also provides a God-given peace along the way. Whatever we face today we can turn over our problems, our cares and even our heavy loads to God and leave them in His capable and loving hands.

Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls. For My way of carrying a load is easy and My load is not heavy. Matthew 11:29-30

“Teach them to do all the things I have told you. And I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20

Jesus promised that He would never leave us or forsake us. This assurance brings strength and hope for the future when things may feel unsure. We may not know how we are going to make it through the heartbreak of today but we can take comfort that God is able to surround us with his peace. He is able to protect our hearts and minds and allow time for healing when we need it most. We are so thankful for God’s mercy and His grace and His promise to be with us always.

I’ll never leave you

Never forsaking you

No matter what you’re going through you

I’ll be with you always.

Andre Crouch – “The Promise” excerpt

 “Teach them to do all the things I have told you. And I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20