Author: Dr Glen

Not on My watch

Psalm 121:4  Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep. (NKJV)

The phrase “not on my watch” is from the nature of command on board a ship that has different shifts that have been divided and called ‘watches”. Individuals take turns to be “the person on watch” and is in charge of the ship.

To be “the person on watch” entails serious status, having a great responsibility for the entire ship itself, also everyone that is on the ship.

Everything that happens on “your watch” is your responsibility. So if any mishaps, accidents or any kind of damage occurs, the person “on watch” will be held responsible, even if they don’t have anything to do with it.

It is considered to be a bad mark against the person “on watch” if a problem occurs when they were in charge, and did not take corrective action to stop the wrong doing from happening.

Our Heavenly Father is “on watch” 24/7 for His people, and will keep them from dangers seen and unseen.  

Isaiah 41:10  Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (NKJV)

A believer never has to feel that they are alone or unprotected.

Our Heavenly Father is “on watch”

Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. (NKJV) Selah

Because God is a safe hiding place, He can keep his people from any danger that may come their way.

Our Heavenly Father is “on watch”

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.” (NKJV)

No matter what season a person may be in, whether it be day or night, the word of God will persevere in a season of trials or tribulation that may arise.

Our Heavenly Father is “on watch”

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord. (NKJV)

God can see weapons that are being formed against His people. Because He is on watch constantly and will intervene on His peoples behalf, He prevents what is being done, or what is being said from prospering and having an effect on His people.

Our Heavenly Father is “on watch”

Psalm 91:10-11 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways. (NKJV)

“Thank you heavenly Father for being “on watch” for your people and for preventing any evil or plague to come near. Thank you also for encamping angels around and about your people, that keep your people each and every day. You said in your word that you would never leave us or forsake us. Our trust is only in You, in Jesus name…Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev

Strength in the struggle

1st John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (NKJV)

Butterflies go through a four stage cycle before becoming a actual butterfly. These four stages are, the egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa and finally the Imago stage (the actual butterfly itself). In each of these stages, there can be a struggle not only to get to the next stage, but to also avoid outside threats in order to continue to exist.

Some of these threats include, bacterial, viral, fungal infections, predators and crop spraying by local farmers. Only a small percentage of butterfly eggs ever reach adulthood.

One of the main reasons some of the butterflies make it to the (Imago) adult stage, is because of the strength they gained in struggles in their previous stages.

In our daily walk as Christians, there can be different struggles that we will experience to hinder us from growth and from getting to our next stage.

If we look at struggles as an opportunity to gain strength and become stronger, we can use struggles to make it to our next stage in our Christian growth.

1st Peter 2:2 “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”(NKJV)

What a Christian feeds upon, will also help with gaining and determining how much strength is obtained in the struggle.

As a Christian grows and gains strength in their struggle, their desire will change from “milk” to “meat.” The “milk” of the word will only sustain growth to a certain level. If a Christian wants to continue to grow and gain the strength that is needed for the next level of struggle, they will have to have the “meat” of the word.

Hebrews 5:13-14 ” For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Vs. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age that is, those who by reason of use of their senses exercised to discern good and evil.” (NKJV)

The butterfly has set a powerful example for Christians to follow that in spite of any hardships or struggles that are encountered in it’s stages of growth, uses struggles to strengthen itself to obtain mature adulthood.

Personal testimony

To those who have subscribed to the website, I first want to say thank you for your subscription and support to this ministry. I normally have a post on the site by 7:00 am every Tuesday. Please know that I personally experienced a “struggle”with this post that I haven’t had with previous topics and posts. I firmly believe that God gave me the strength needed in this struggle to find the wording and scriptures to share this topic. Continue to be encouraged when you encounter struggles and believe that there is “strength in the struggle.”

“Lord Jesus thank you for the strength that is gained in struggles, in Jesus name. Amen!

Continuing in Is service…Rev

Luke 11:1 “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples.”

Jesus’s disciples had observed Jesus and had come to believe that His prayers were always heard and answered. The disciples also believed that the continued source of His power came through secrete prayer. The disciples developed the desire to know how to pray, so they asked Jesus to teach them.

In this model prayer, God is acknowledged for both who He is, what He does and for His many attributes.

I encourage you to take some time, and find a quiet place where you can read this prayer out loud, and then be ready for God to do what you have prayed to Him.

Matthew 6:9  (NKJV)

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father
Not only is God a Father, He is a Father to all

in heaven,
He has a Holy place of habitation

Hallowed be Your name.
His name is Holy

Your kingdom come.
He has a kingdom and He will rule and reign fully and completely both in Heaven and on earth

Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
He has a will for His people here on earth as it is being done in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread.
He gives and provides for His people

And forgive us our debts,
He forgives and sets an example to be followed

As we forgive our debtors.
we are to follow the example that God has set before us

And do not lead us into temptation,
He will not lead is people into trouble or harm’s way

But deliver us from the evil one.
He delivers and protects His people from the schemes, tricks or traps put before His people by the enemy

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
The true kingdom belongs to Him, and the power also belongs to Him. He gets the glory and it is everlasting
Amen.

“In the name of Jesus we cast out all fear and any doubt, that our prayers are not heard, or will not be answered. O God, thank you hearing and answering prayer.”

Continuing in His service…Rev

“What’s the rush?”

Isaiah 40:31“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”(KJV)

As I was out on errands one morning, I noticed several cars at a popular coffee shop waiting in line at a drive thru to place an order. Driving down the road further, I again noticed several vehicles waiting in line at an ATM machine.

I began to think about how much time a person spends waiting to get what they want.

We wait:

• In line at fast food restaurants
• Or inside of a restaurant, after we have placed our order with the server
• In line to pay for our groceries
• At the doctor’s or the dentist’s office
• At a busy intersections for the light to change to green
• For someone to pull out of a parking space that is close to the entrance of a store

Sometimes we wait patiently, and sometimes we become impatient when what or who we are waiting for is not there at the time we want it.

There is a difference between waiting for people, places or things, and waiting on God. When we wait for people, places or things, most of the time we can get what we want when we want it.

The difference when we wait on God, is God’s timing and His provision, and we don’t always get what we want when we want it. But “What’s the rush?”

I have often heard people make the statement “God may not be there when you want Him, but He’s always on time.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (KJV)

God’s timing is always “perfect timing.” He is never too early, and He is never too late. Often times the problem that we have when we are waiting on God is, we want God to move when we want Him to move.

2 Peter 3:8  “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (KJV)

Because He is a loving God and a concerned father, He always wants what’s best for His people.

Isaiah 40:31“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”(KJV)

Waiting on God has benefits that we can only get from Him:

• He renews our strength
• We mount up with wings that enable us to soar effortlessly
• We do not get weary when we run
• When we walk, we do not faint

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” (KJV)

“Aba Father, thank you for the “perfect timing” that you have for your people. You are omniscient and know exactly what your people need, and when they should have it. We wait on you O God, with great expectations, in Jesus name, Amen!

Continuing in His service…Rev