Psalms 91

Today, I just want everyone to take a few minutes to think about and receive encouragement from these few verses.

Psalms 91:1-16 KJV

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.  Because thou hast made the Lord , which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;  There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Have a great weekend and may the Lord always bless and protect you!

In Christian Love,
- Ethan

Call on the Name of the Lord

          What does it mean to "call on the name of the Lord"? In Romans 10:13, we are told that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Obviously, there are other things that one must do (see Mk. 16:16, Acts 2:38, Rom. 10:10, etc.) and sometimes it's easy to overlook the part about calling on the name of the Lord. The thing is, however, all of the actions and thoughts that we should experience as a Christian start at one point - the point where we call on the Lord. 

Calling on the Lord is a sign of trust. It's a sign that you trust Him to save you, and it is from this fertile soil of trust in the Lord that we grow as Christians and produce good fruit. When the fruit that we produce falls from the tree, then they too will grow from the soil of trust. 

It all starts with trust.

The way people gain or earn our trust is by being there for us when they say they will and following through on their word. Our trust in the Lord is different, however. He offers us a life of spiritual peace and promises us salvation in the future. We must have faith to trust in the Lord.

That's what Christianity really boils down to, at its very core. If someone asked me "What's Christianity about?" I would say faith, trust, and love. These three things form the foundation of our relationship with Christ. 

          If you are weak in your faith, you are having difficulty trusting God, or you are having difficulty feeling the love of Christ and showing love to others, have no fear. God can and will save you from your moment of weakness.

All you have to do is call on His name and live righteously, living by the Word of God, and the rest will fall into place. It may not happen today, tomorrow, or within the next year, but it will happen. Anyone who trusts in the Lord will tell you that - everything will work out and you will find peace. All you need to do is open your heart to receive that peace.

Why wait?

With Christian love,
Ethan

What Do I Do?

Do you ever struggle with understanding where you fit into the grand scheme of the world?

I think we have all approached intersections in our lives and not known where to go, but just remember: everything you do has consequences, and they will be either good or bad. Make sure that whatever you choose to do is "worth it," whatever "it" may be. Remember Jesus and the words he said in Matthew 11:

Matthew 11:25-30 ESV

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;  yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.  All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

You will always find rest in Jesus. Remember that.

With Christian love,
Ethan