I have good news and bad news Which

• I have good news and bad news! • Which do you want first? • Well, regardless of what you want, I am going to give you the bad news 1 st. • There is so much more good news than bad! • That in itself is good news. • Bad News: There is a lot of bad news out there!

• Certainly you know that we are certainly living in uncertain times! • That is something we are certain about! • What are some of those uncertainties that we are facing as we look to the future?

1. The Economy — It’s the economy silly! • Polls show the economy is the top concern. • Unemployment has sky rocketed. • Foreclosures are at an all time high. • The price of gasoline is up! • Banks are folding (50 this year alone). • The stock market has been extremely volatile. • Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland other nations are on the verge of bankruptcy. • The U. S. is several trillion dollars in debt!

2. Terrorism—This is another area of concern. • With the volatility of our economy and constant threat of terror attacks, one wonders how much our fragile country can handle. • Even though we are making progress in this area, it doesn’t look like it is letting up. • The problem that most of our leaders are failing to realize is that Muslim Terrorism is fueled by religious fanaticism. • You can’t negotiate with that.

• Look at it from their perspective, if they did concede, then it would mean that their religion is not true. • They would rather blow themselves up than admit that! • This puts the enemies of our country on a whole new plane than we have ever dealt with! • The root is spiritual and not natural.

3. The Threat of Anarchy • Whether we want to admit it or not, the signs for this are growing in our country! • Our country is extremely polarized! 4. Disease • Remember all the fears concerning the flu that were rampant last summer and fall? • We dodged a bullet, but will we be able to do so in the future? • Many of these mega-viruses and bacteria’s are mutating to be antibiotic resistant.

• What about the fear most people have about getting cancer or some other debilitating disease? • Most all of us know of someone who died from one form of cancer or another. 5. Natural Disasters • Mega-earthquakes are on the rise! • Haiti, Chile & China • Hurricanes, typhoons, floods, mud slides and on!

6. What about? – the breakdown of the family – the number of fatherless homes – the number of abortions (over 50 million) – the dramatic increase in crime. . . • Fear is rampant and insecurity is on the rise! • We live in a volatile world! • One thing that is certain is that we live in a world of uncertainty! • You can probably think of 5 other areas of concern, but this is a clear picture of the world we live in!

• Not only that, but we are living in the Last Days and all the evil of that is coming upon us! • Is there any way to be protected from the evils that are coming upon the earth? • As a Christian, what should our response be to all this? • How can we stand secure in an insecure world? • That was the bad news, but what is the good news? • Remember I said that the good news far outweighs the bad! • It does!

• One thing God has provided for us is Psalm 91 to pray over ourselves and our families daily. • This 16 verse Psalm covers all the potential evils that face mankind in these Last Days! • Let’s take a look at this powerful Psalm and see how we can apply its promises to our lives. • It was given to us for such a time as these. • It clearly shows how we can be protected from all the evils coming upon the world.

Psalm 91: 1 -16 – 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. 3 For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. 8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. 9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.

11 For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name. 15 When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation. "

• Psalm 91 has become known as The Soldier’s Psalm. • During World War I, the 91 st Infantry Brigade of Scotland was preparing to enter combat. • The commander was a devout Christian. • They fought in the 3 bloodiest battles of WW I. • Other units that fought in the same battles had up to 90 percent casualty rates. • The 91 st Brigade did not suffer a single combatrelated casualty!

• • • Coincidence? I don’t think so! 90% casualty vs. 0% casualty. There must be something to this! This is not an isolated story either. In my research for this series, I encountered hundreds of testimonies of the power of this Psalm in combat!

• Did you know that this was the Psalm that the devil quoted when he tempted Jesus? • He quoted: He will give His angels charge over you. . . (verses 11 -12) • The devil knows Psalm 91 quite well! • Could it be that he knows that those who know it, believe it & apply it to their lives are off limits? • Could it be that he knows there is a bubble of God’s protection around them that he cannot penetrate?

• • Verse 1 – Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (TLB) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (NKJV) The key to understanding this verse and the entire Psalm is the word shelter/secret place. Have you ever been inside during a raging snowstorm and sitting by a warm, cozy fire? Remember the safe and secure feeling you had?

• This is what Psalm 91 is all about! • In the midst of the raging storms of evil in the world around us, God offers a place of comfort and safety to those who choose to go there. • The problem is: few choose to go there. • Let me try to describe what the secret place means.

• Psalm 27: 5 – For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. (NKJV) • Specifically, this is the Holy of Holies in the temple. • Only the high priest was allowed in there and only 1 time a year at that. • This was where God dwelt on earth during the Old Testament times. • Now, He lives in our hearts.

• For example, in our own homes we have a public area and a private area. • The majority who visit are only invited to our public areas–family room & kitchen. • A very select group, however, ever get invited to our bedroom—to our secret place. • Very few are invited to that secret place where we retreat when we want to be alone. • To be invited there, you must be a good friend! • Usually only a spouse or children are invited to that place.

• This shows me a relationship with the Father. • There is intimacy here. • It is as if the Lord is offering more than just protection, but He is offering a very personal relationship and inviting us to His private chamber. • He is rolling out the welcome mat and inviting us in! • What a place of warmth and safety that place is!

• I remember as a young boy climbing up into my dad’s recliner with him. • I always felt safe, secure and warm in that place with him. • He was strong and loving, and I used to love that place. • It was just Dad and me. • The same is true with our heavenly Father. • Our heavenly Father has a place in His arms where He protects us from the storms that are raging around us.

• But, Wait! There’s more! Isaiah 45: 3 – I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. (NASB) • Did you catch that? • God has stored up good things in the secret place. • He will break all obstacles in our way and give us the treasures of darkness and the wealth of the secret places. • This implies that all the resources God has for us are there.

• We can access all the riches that are made available to us in Christ. • We can access all God has for us there. • Wow! I want to be in that place!! • Not only is the secret place a place of safety and a place of relationship, but it is a place of provision! • Where is your secret place with the Lord? • Is there a place of safety that only you and He share?

• That secret place is literal place. • God is inviting each one of us to come into our own secret place with Him. • But, it is conditional offer! • In verse 1, God first mentions the condition before He lists all the blessings included in His part. • The reason is that our part must come 1 st. • Think about it: in order to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty, we must FIRST choose to ABIDE in the secret place of the Most High.

• The question then is: How do you dwell under the shadow of the Most High? • It is more than an intellectual assent or just verbally stating it. • You must actually run to His shelter. • It is a choice you make to go to the Lord. • This is your love relationship with the Lord. • You need to develop that relationship now in times of relative peace before we enter into the more volatile age that is ahead of us. • That is why I am doing this series on Psalm 91.

• 1995 – Near drowning experience in El Salvador. • When you are facing death, what really matters in life comes to mind. • For me—God and Lisa. • Later, as I reflected on what happened, I felt the Lord remind me of how my mother had memorized Psalm 91. • Daily she prays it over her family. • 2 reasons I am alive today: 1. God was not through with me 2. My mother’s faithfulness to pray Psalm 91

• That experience really drove home the importance of praying this Psalm on a regular basis for protection and safety. • The key is in our deliberate choice to dwell in the secret place. • A choice to maintain our personal relationship with the Lord and to go to Him in our times of need. • And to not just trust in our own strength or wits to get us through.

• Those who choose to dwell in the secret place will abide or sit or rest under the shadow of the Almighty! • Isabella is fascinated with shadows. • She likes to walk in my shadow. • If you think about it, in order for her to do that, she has to follow where I am going and stay close to me. • When we are under the shadow of the Almighty’s wing, we are following Him and He is close by! • Like the big brother who is standing right there!

• I want to challenge you to begin to incorporate Psalm 91 into your daily prayer time. • Even commit to memorizing it. • It is only 16 verses long. • Where is your secret place? • You need to experience the joys of Living in the Secret Place! • Now, that’s good news!