Christ-follower, Husband, Dad, Pastor

protection

April 24, 2013

My Dad Died a Martyr’s Death

I still trust in God’s protection but my understanding about God’s care has grown. In the early 70’s, I lived with my parents while they served for three years as missionaries in Uganda during the evil regime of Idi Amin. Saudis liberally funded Amin’s attempt to make the nation Muslim. I was there as people lived and died for Jesus Christ.

Our family repeatedly was supernaturally protected while thousands and thousands of other faith-filled believers were being killed. When I was five and six years old, I thought it was normal to be stopped at roadblocks. It wasn’t strange to have heavily armed Ugandan militia surround my parents. I remember seeing machetes waved in my Dad’s face while AK-47s were pressed to the back of his neck. But, God intervened time and again.

It is paradoxical that twenty years later, a small caliber pistol would be used to kill my Dad just outside the Valley Fellowship Church offices – right here in the United States of America. On that hot August afternoon, the Lord’s hand of protection was obvious as other church staff, volunteers, and school students were safely shielded during the shooting.

Because Dad was a righteous pastor, he was targeted by a skinny lady with the malicious idea of pleasing satan. The Bible indicates some believers will be martyrs, and I believe that my dad died a martyr’s death. Dad was certainly not the last martyr to be targeted for loving Jesus Christ.

I still trust that God’s plans and purposes are good. As long as I live on earth there will be things that I do not fully understand about what God allows or commands, but I trust in God’s protection more now than I did before my father’s death.

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Perhaps the most common question I asked myself following Dad’s death was, “God, are you sure I learned all I was suppose to learn from my dad?” I frequently reminded myself that his death was not a surprise to God. I was surprised, but his death was no surprise to my Heavenly Father.

I found great encouragement and strength from God’s Word and from spending time in private worship. I had to personally deal with many questions following my dad’s death. Recognizing Dad was a Godly man, faithful husband, loving father and integral shepherd of our church, I knew there were no “open doors” for such an attack. I had to deal with the dilemma of how someone who is really righteous could be shot and killed by someone trying to please satan. I was forced to grapple with the reality that God’s plans may not always be my “preferred” plans.

My experience definitely changed the way I minister to suffering people. Yes, I grieved – all humans grieve when we miss something that we hold as valuable – but God comforted me in my grieving. Heavenly Father provided me with the grace and comfort I needed to go forward. My experience has given me a much deeper well of compassion for hurting individuals, and the comfort I received from the Lord has allowed me to minister to suffering people. I regularly sense a supernatural release of God’s comfort as I pray, releasing the comfort that I myself have received from the Lord, for other grieving individuals. I draw from the compassion and grace I needed in 1993 to minister God’s concern and care in 2013. The comfort I received, I pass along when praying–in congregational services, in hospital rooms, in funerals and memorials, in any situation where someone is in pain or sickness.

Today, April 24, is Jerry Simon’s birthday. I bet he’s celebrating it with friends in heaven. I remember Dad. I honor him. I miss him.

April 22, 2013

5 Benefits of Putting the Lord First

Keep first things first; set kingdom priorities. Jesus teaches His followers, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

My wife and I have tried to live by that Matthew 6:33 principle – seeking Him first. At times, we have gotten fretful, but we remind one another that God is faithful. Our life together isn’t usually easy, but guess what? Over and over and over, Patti and I have experienced God’s blessing. Praise the Lord! Sometimes God uses people who love us. Just last week, I received an unexpected, anonymous gift to buy clothes for my upcoming trip to Tanzania. Whoever you are – THANK YOU VERY MUCH! A little over two years ago, Patti and I celebrated our wedding anniversary in Hawaii, because of the generosity of friends. The picture below was the sunrise view from our shoreside window.

I am not promising you a Hawaii vacation for putting the Lord first, but I am reminding you that God wants to bless you. Instead of centering your life around personal interests, base desires, family relationships, or take-home pay, arrange your priorities around God first!

#1  When you put Him first, THE LORD DIRECTS.

  • “In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” (Proverbs 3:6 LIVING)
  • “I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress.” (Psalm 32:8 LIVING)

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#2  When you put Him first, THE LORD PROVIDES.

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”  (2 Chron. 16:9a NASB)

#3  When you put Him first, THE LORD PROTECTS.

  • “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” (Psalm 34:7 NIV)
  •  “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” (Psalm 91:4 NLT)
  • “God’s looking after me, keeping me safe in the kingdom of heaven. All praise to him, praise forever! Oh, yes!” (2 Tim. 4:18 MSG)

#4  When you put Him first, THE LORD CALMS.

“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP)

#5  When you put Him first, THE LORD HELPS.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

No problem is too big for God’s power. Don’t underestimate the greatest of your Heavenly Father.

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 NASB) What a picture of God’s sovereign authority and His great love for people! The needed supply is unleashed with your willing choice to seek Him. Stubborn refusal restricts you from the very resource you so desperately need.

Don’t push it off; put the Lord first.

February 1, 2013

Don’t Mess With Me; My Angel Is Right Here!

During the 1970’s, as my family lived as missionaries in Uganda, East Africa, we experi­enced God’s supernatural protection. Frequently during three years under the cruel dictatorship of Idi Amin, the Lord supernaturally protected us. The house in to which we moved in Fort Portal was 200 miles away from our nearest American neighbor, but God showed Himself to be very near. I have many great memories from those years in East Africa. Below is a picture of me, my brother Barry with glasses, and Dad standing in front of Toyota Land Rover we used for so many tasks. To the right is Dad with a warthog that would soon become good eating!

One memorable episode from those years, involved my Dad trying to establish a work with a pigmy tribe not too far from where we lived. This particular tribe stayed high on a weed similar to marijuana and had dangerous mood swings. As Dad was learning the language, he became accustomed to leaving before the tribe would become violent. Unfortunately, on one visit Dad and another missionary were unable to leave in time. The tribe demanded an exorbitant payment or else they would kill them. Dad knew he was a goner! The tribe circled around them, not letting them return to their Land Rover. At that moment, a tall very-dark-skinned man dressed in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, and black polished dress shoes stepped out of the jungle and walked over to them. The tall man spoke to Dad in cultured British English, “Sirs, what is your problem?”

Frantically, Dad described that they were about to die because they did not have money to pay. “No problem,” the man said as he turned and began speaking to tribe in a dialect Dad didn’t understand. The tall man turned back and said, “Sirs, you may now go.”

Dad raced for the Land Rover. As they jumped in and started down the trail, the tall black man turned, walked into the jungle and disappeared. Later, Dad realized the man HAD to be an angel. This was the jungle! People do not wear suits in the jungle! Even if they did, shoes would not remain polished. He spoke English and the pigmy dialect fluently. Dad would later say, “I don’t know what the pigmies saw, but it obvi­ously wasn’t the same thing I saw! If so, they would have killed him along with us. I am just thankful that my black angel was with us on that day.”

Many years after this incident, Dad maintained an uncommon degree of courage, even in the face of arduous challenges. Sporadically Dad would testify, “Don’t mess with me. My black angel is right here with me!”

Angels still guard today. We can walk and live in peace knowing that God has His angels watching us. Angels, as God’s servants, guard and deliver. The Lord surrounds us with His security force. Scripture reveals God’s care 100% of the time. Protective angels have been charged with our personal care. Are we assigned a personal guardian angel? I believe so!

When Peter was miraculously released from Herod’s jail and stood knocking at Mary’s door, the disciples praying inside did not believe that Peter was knocking – “It must be his angel.” (Acts 12:15 NIV) Apparently, the early disciples accepted that Peter had an angel charged to keep him. Jesus warns His listeners to “not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10 NIV) I think it’s proper to see personal guardian angels in the wording “their angels”. Oral Roberts assures, “Every child has a personal guardian angel. This means a great deal to those of us who have children and grandchildren.” (The Angels that Help Us, 1980, p. 7) My Dad accepted he had a personal angel and drew great courage from that fact.

The angelic protective covering might be more appropriately compared to a zone defense, than to a man-to-man defense. Angel-to-man or zone? Conceivably, two accounts in Acts chapter 5 and 12 suggest a prison-zone defense! Ultimately, I don’t have to know for certain. The way in which God chooses to protect us is up to Him. I’ll trust the Lord’s supervision.

Before the people of Israel entered their promised land, God promised to send His angel to prepare the way. “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I’ve prepared.” (Exodus 23:20 NIV) Two angelic responsibilities are mentioned:

  •  to guard and
  • to bring to the place that God had prepared.

God assigns angels to do the same thing today. We have proof of God’s angelic protection in the past. The Lord sent an angel to protect Dad, to deliver Peter and Paul, to rescue Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the Lord can do the same today. Believers’ bodyguards are on assignment.

I wonder – did God reassign Dad’s angel to me? I think he might be here in my office with me, so don’t mess with me!

January 31, 2013

Have You Ever Seen an Angel?

Angel paraphernalia abounds in the 21st century – figurines, posters, good-luck charms, toys, and even television programs. The media-marketed stuff is highly make-believe, but we know that angels are real created beings. Angels surround us in a generally unseen spiritual realm, tasked with a variety of assignments including praising God, executing God’s judgment, communicating God’s messages, and preparing for Jesus second coming. We should neither fear nor worship God’s heavenly angels. However, I certainly appreciate one commission God placed upon the angel special service – serving as believ­ers’ bodyguards.

The 91st Psalm is a powerful proclamation of the guardianship of Almighty God. Psalm 91 is one my personal favorites; I quote passages from this chapter almost every day because its mes­sage encourages me. Verse 11 exalts the Lord who “will command his angels con­cerning you to guard you in all your ways (NIV).”

Interestingly, satan is aware of this charge given to angels by the Lord. When tempting Jesus (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10-11), satan para­phrases Psalm 91:11, tempting Jesus to put the Lord to the test. Speaking the Word, Jesus overcame the enemy’s deception and satan stepped away. Jesus passed the test and – guess what – the very angelic assistance upon which Jesus refused to presume shows up! Angels minister to Jesus. (Matthew 4:11)

Angels are numerous. How many? No human knows. The Bible doesn’t tell us the exact number of the angelic host, but Christians through the centuries often have envisioned a universe full of angels.

Following His arrest, Jesus reveals that He had “more than twelve legions of angels” at His disposal. (Matthew 26:53 NIV) If a Roman legion has six thousand soldiers, Jesus’ personal heavenly bodyguard may have numbered over seventy-two thousand. One little boy after hearing about Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion asked, “Where were the police when all this was going on?” “It was love that kept Jesus from calling 12,000 angels who had already drawn their swords to come to His rescue (Billy Graham).”
Hebrews 12:22 NIV alludes “to thousands upon thou­sands of angels.” Psalm 68:17 NIV poetically lists the chariots of God at “tens of thousands and thousands of thousands.” It is a big number. The countless hosts of heaven are on assignment.

Ordinarily, we are not aware of angels, but at times the Lord opens eyes and allows humans to see them. In 2 Kings 6, Aramean soldiers were sent to capture Elisha. When Elisha’s servant stepped outside, he was terrified just like any average, ordinary individual. Overwhelming fear seized the servant as he viewed an army with horses and chariots encircling the city. But, Elisha prayed. Elisha didn’t pray that that the enemy would disappear or that the servant would no longer see the enemy. Elisha prayed his servant’s eyes would be opened to the supernatural realm.

When the Lord opened his eyes, he was amazed to see the scores of heavenly horses and chariots of fire. Elisha truly spoke, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16 NIV)

The reality of the prophet’s protective bodyguard revolutionized the situation. Enemy forces were still posed to pounce, still amply armed, still chockfull with cruel concentration, but God’s force was greater. Verse 16 is as awe-inspiring for us today as it was for that servant in Dothan. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31b NIV) Awareness of Heaven’s armies mollifies our terror.

God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6, but God blinded the perception – the eyes – of the interlopers. Read if for yourself. God’s deliverance is mindboggling!

The Lord might open your eyes to see an angel. Don’t freak out! Worship Jesus! The Lord might NOT let you perceive an angel. Again, don’t freak out! Worship Jesus! Whether or not you see angels isn’t the point. God cares for you and you can certainly trust His protection.

January 30, 2013

5 Examples of Angel Special Service

God’s kids are blessed to be in the care of angels. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he deliv­ers them.” (Psalm 34:7 NIV) Praise the Lord! The Lord sends angels to protect us today. Angels protect believers from harm, serving as the believers’ supernatural guard.

Angels guard and deliver us. Many Godly people find themselves in need of Divine assistance and the Word of God is filled with examples of angels providing watch-care and deliverance. Consider these five examples:

#1 Peter needed an angelic alarm, not coffee or a clock, to wake him for God’s prison break.

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.  Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.” (Acts 12:6-11 NIV84)

Peter’s miraculous release from jail was accomplished with angelic involvement. The Lord sent an angel to bring him out. Peter’s release was not the first time an early disciple lived through angelic liberation.

#2 Church leaders needed an angelic jailbreak.

The apostles as a group experienced deliverance via an angel. “During the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.” (Acts 5:19 NIV) Prison chains, jail locks and iron bars could not prevent the supernatural release of these men. The Lord brought them out of their imprisonment! The Lord can bring you into freedom, too! Years later, many of these men would die in prison, but the Lord’s supernatural protection would not allow them to die before God’s appointed time. The Lord will bring you out!

#3 Daniel needed an angelic shut-your-mouth shield.

Daniel needed a guardian angel to bring him out of the lion’s den. Surviving the night spent in the dark den, Daniel announced to King Darius, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.”(Daniel 6:22 NIV) You may feel like you are in a pit filled with cat-fighting relatives, but the Lord isn’t overwhelmed.

#4 Three righteous dudes needed angelic fire-protection.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego witnessed Nebuchadnezzar’s praise to the Lord “who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!” (Daniel 3:28 NIV) Even if you are in a fiery trial, the Lord’s soon-coming release will likely inspire even your enemy to magnify the Lord. The Lord will bring you out!

#5 Paul needed an angel life-preserver.

In Acts 27: 23-24, Paul buoyed the courage of his fellow passengers, testifying that an angel stood with him on the storm-tossed ship. The Lord safely brought him through the storm and the island adventures once on shore.

Time after time, an angel of the Lord protects and delivers the saints of Scripture, and angels protect and deliver today. Numerous angels guard and deliver us today. The believers’ bodyguards are on assignment.

As I type this conclusion, I am singing Amy Grant’s hit “Angels Watching Over Me”.

“Take this man to prison” the man heard Herod say
And then four squads of soldiers came and carried him away
Chained up between two watchmen Peter tried to sleep
But beyond the walls an endless prayer was lifting for his keep
Then a light cut through the darkness of a lonely prison cell
And the chains that bound the man of God just opened up and fell
And running to his people before the break of day
There was only one thing on his mind, only one thing to say
Angels watching over me, every move I make; Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me, every step I take; Angels watching over me

God only knows the times my life was threatened just today
A reckless car ran out of gas before it ran my way
Near misses all around me; accidents unknown
Though I never see with human eyes the hands that lead me home
But I know they’re all around me all day and through the night
When the enemy is closing in I know sometimes they fight
To keep my feet from falling, I’ll never turn away
If you’re asking what’s protecting me then you’re gonna hear me say
Got His angels watching over me, every move I make; Angles watching over me
Angels watching over me, every step I take; Angels watching over me [Amy Grant, Brown Bannister, Gary Chapman, Michael W. Smith © 1984 Meadowgreen Music, Word Music, Bases Loaded Music]

January 29, 2013

ANGEL Secret Service 007

Angels are God’s servants, engaged in special service.

Father God utilizes angels as His supernatural servants within human history. We do not have to be anxious about their angelic jobs and responsibilities because they are under our Father’s orders. Evangelist Billy Graham encapsulates their ambition, “They [angels] are motivated by an inexhaustible love for God and are jealous to see that the will of God in Jesus Christ is fulfilled in us.” (1975, p. 88-89.)  Graham appropriately titled his book– Angels: God’s Secret Agents.

Secret agents? I like that imagery. Throughout my life, I have been fascinated by spy stories and clandestine operations. When I sleep, I often dream of being a spy. Actually, the only dreams I ever seem to remember are “spiritual” dreams in which God is trying to speak to me and spy dreams. Perhaps that explains why I enjoyed working as undercover security for a department store before I joined the staff of Valley Fellowship. Maybe it also sheds light on why I value pictures of my daughter as a superhero.

Hebrews 1:14 NIV rhetorically solicits, “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”  The writer assumes readers will answer: “Yes”!

The word “ministering” is the English translation of the Greek word leitourgikos which carries the idea of being “engaged in special service.” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, p. 591) The Greek word is more closely akin to worship or cultic service, actions of a “liturgy”.  Even our English word “liturgy” finds its roots in the Greek roots of this word. Hebrews 9:21 and 10:11 apply a form of this word to the ministry of OT priests. Hebrews 8:2, 6 relates it to Christ’s priesthood. Hebrews 12:22 mentions myriads of angels in festive gathering. I realize the responsibility of angelic worship is important, but the first chapter of Hebrews highlights:

  • the role of angels in ministering to Jesus Christ (1:7) AND
  • the ministering spirits’ role specifically for believers (1:14).

Heavenly angels are tasked by our Heaven Father to be “engaged in special service.” I still find myself fixating on that thought – “special service”. When I finish posting, I’m going to youtube Johnny River’s 1966 hit “Secret Agent Man”. Okay, now my mind is flooded with spy movie scenes from 007 flicks, Bourne series, Mission Impossible, Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Cars 2, and more!

Angels surround us in a generally unseen spiritual realm; that’s cloak-and-dagger stuff. Undercover activity by humans isn’t always good. Thugs covertly employed liars to accuse full-of-God’s-grace-and-power Stephen in Acts chapter 6. Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament says the verb “secretly induced” (Acts 6:11 NASB) includes the idea “to employ a secret agent in one’s place.” While fallen angels, demons, also may secretly plot like Stephen’s opponents, Heavenly angels are under our Heavenly Father’s orders to work for God’s interests, our best interests! We should not be fearful; God’s secret service is on assignment for Him.

The mention of personal angelic assistance by the writer of Hebrews (1:14) must have brought encouragement and comfort to those early believers who were facing severe persecution. Doesn’t the thought of an angelic secret service encourage you?

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