Get ready to start a journey…a journey through the pages of the Bible and the pages of your life.
Do you ever wonder why the person who cuts corners gets the promotion? Why one with no scruples lands the deal? Why do the promiscuous ones get the engagement ring? Why do the wicked ones prosper? The psalmist wondered the same thing.
Ancient armies had two types of shields. A large shield was carried in one hand for full body protection. An army could huddle together and raise these shields over their heads as a defensive barrier when fiery arrows were falling from the sky. The shield carried in the other hand was smaller and used for hand-to-hand combat or personal safety when rocks were hurled from the top of city walls. For the believer, God is our shield.
It was difficult for her to grasp, much less believe. When you are well along in years and have no children, it is surprising for God to show up and promise you a son. So, when the woman who heard from God shared the news with her husband, he needed more proof. God revealed himself to Manoah in the form of an angel.
Worry, anxiety, fear—have you ever experienced those emotions? No doubt you have. Even the strongest believer has been riddled with fear. But thankfully, for those who follow Jesus, these emotions are “drive-bys,” not destinations. We need not live with anxiety, worry, or fear because we serve God Most High.
In the first chapter of the Bible, Elohim, the powerful and sovereign God, created the heavens and the earth. In Genesis 2, God became personal. Along with the name that describes his power, God added his personal name—Yahweh. The LORD God (Yahweh Elohim) stooped down and breathed into Adam the breath of life, making him a living being.