GOD IS MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS

Today’s Text: I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (Psalm 91:2)

Today’s Thoughts: Where do you run when you need to escape from the troubles of life? So many people have nowhere to go and live extremely unhappy lives. Others end their lives because they cannot bear life anymore. Where do you run? I hope you run to God. He can be your refuge from the storms of life. He can be your fortress and protect you from the things that cause you harm. I run to Him. I’ve chosen Him as my refuge, strength and fortress. How about you?

Today’s Testimony: Once when life was getting a bit much for me the Lord took me to Psalm 46. It wasn’t the first time He took me to that portion of Scripture when I needed strength. This is a beautiful passage that speaks about God being our refuge in times of need. I encourage you to read it.
This time when the Lord took me to this passage He inspired me to personalize it. The text speaks about the mountains being carried into the midst of the sea and a few other things that, I don’t know about you, but these things are not problems that I face. So the Lord lead me to draw personal meaning from each portion of this passage. I invite you to compare the Scripture text with my version. I tried to retain the meaning of the original passage, and yet make it more suitable for us today. I believe that the Lord helped me with every word. Here is my personalized version of Psalm 46. I hope it will be a blessing to you as it is to me.

Psalm 46 (Personalized)

God is very present when I am in trouble. He is right there with me. In Him will I take refuge. He will be the source from which I receive my strength.
For this reason, I have no reason to fear, no matter what happens. When everything I trust crumbles beneath my feet; when everything that I thought to be unchangeable changes; when the course of my life seems threatened on every side; when the things I placed hope in are no longer certain – I need not fear, my God is Here. Amen.

But I have the privilege of being able to dwell in the presence of my Lord and to have Him dwell in me even in the midst of turmoil. In His presence I find a calm river and its streams give me peace and joy. God is in the midst of our quiet place together and He will let nothing remove my place of peace and safety. My Lord will not delay to comfort me and strengthen me and give me courage to press on.
My enemies were waiting to attack me; plans were set in place for my destruction. But my God spoke, and all the threats on this earth disappeared or shrank into insignificance. Surely God is with us; the same merciful, miracle working God of the Bible is still right here as our refuge from this world today. Amen.

Come see all the works of the Lord, He has taken away the things that threaten His people time and time again. He has often put an end to their conflict with others. He has destroyed their enemies’ weapons of attack and closed the way for them to harm His children.
O be still, and know that that the Lord is God – He is in control and He can do the impossible. He will be exalted among all those that now hate Him, He will be exalted in the world.
The Lord who has been tasted and proved by so many people is with each one of us; the God who can change us from deceivers into princes and princesses in Christ has His arms open to shelter us from the storms of life. I have chosen Him as my refuge. Amen.

Today’s Task: Run to the Lord as your refuge. He wants to be your strength and comfort as you face life’s trials. Trust Him. He will be there for you and with you – always. You have no need to fear if you invite the Lord to be your refuge and strength.

Today’s Thanks: O Lord I praise You that You are always there for us. I thank You that we can take refuge in You and that You will be our fortress no matter what comes our way. Lord please help us to run to You when we need to escape, for we can only find true peace in You. I thank You that You care about each one of us. Lord be our refuge and our fortress. Amen.

THE LORD WILL BLESS HIS PEOPLE WITH PEACE

Today’s Text: The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. (Psalm 29:11)

Today’s Thoughts: This text doesn’t say that the Lord might give strength and peace; it does not say that He’ll think about it; it says that He “WILL” give strength and peace. It’s not always easy to trust the Lord to provide peace when we are facing problems and stressors. But He wants to bless us with that peace. The only thing that prevents us from receiving God’s peace is our failure to ask for it and then our failure to accept it.We need to believe that God can remove our stress, and then allow Him to do so.

Today’s Testimony: When I tried to send out the previous Today’s T’s I had numerous problems. Satan had an agenda to get me stressed on top of the fact that he already hates this ministry.
My uncle had told me to be sure to send Today’s T’s early in the morning so that he can read them as soon as he gets to work. I always try to send them as soon as possible, but now I will try my best to make sure that they do go out early every morning. I was trying to send them out early, but above the fact that Satan stuck a spanner in the works, I believe God wanted to teach me something.
We received a new lap-top while in Cape Town and I had started typing the previous Today’s T’s on it. It has a newer version of ‘Microsoft Word’and the format was slightly different. I’ve now figured out how to fix that problem easily, but at first I had to go about it the long way.
I’m used to turning Today’s T’s into PDF’s in ‘Open Office’ and the new lap-top doesn’t have that yet, so I put the word document on a flash-stick and did that on the other lap-top. I then somehow managed to save it in the wrong place. I finally found it and then proceeded to get Today’s T’s ready to send. Then I accidently misplaced my contact list and had to search for that.
Somewhere in the middle of all this I had to go for morning family worship. I was hoping to send them out before that. Then I still battled afterwards. Today’s T’s was not ready and waiting for my uncle when he got to work.
During family worship I was stressing. Time was ticking, and I still had problems to sort out. I knew that Today’s T’s wouldn’t be sent early enough. It was then that the Lord reminded me of what I had said in Today’s T’s just the day before: “If you need peace, comfort or strength ask the Lord to provide it, He will.”
The Lord has provided me with peace in the past but I can’t say something that is not true, and that I am not willing to try myself. If I really believe that, I have to prove that it works. So I asked the Lord for peace. He held it out to me, but I then had to accept it. In this case He calmed me down by saying the following: “It doesn’t matter what others require of you. Try your best to please them if it is not against my will, but what ultimately matters is what I require of you. Don’t stress because of people’s expectations whatever they may be, live for Me, and that’s all that really matters.” I accepted God’s peace.
Everything I say about what God can do for each and every one of us I believe with all my heart. I have seen it many times before. But it is far easier to speak from past experience than to put those words into practice when facing a problem. But I don’t expect you to do anything that cannot be done. I have an extremely rough year ahead of me and I will be drawing on God’s peace, comfort and strength continually. Won’t you ask Him for it too?

Today’s Task: No matter what Satan throws your way, allow God to use it for His glory. Ask the Lord to intervene. Ask Him for His peace, comfort and strength. He longs to hold it out to you. And when He does – please accept it. You need it.

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that Your peace, Your comfort and Your strength are always available to us. Please help us to believe that You can give it to us, and please help us to accept it. I thank You that You can turn any situation around for Your names honour and glory. You are good Lord, and I praise You. Amen.

GOD HEARS WHEN WE CALL

Today’s Text: Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. (Psalm 4:1)

Today’s Thoughts: God hears prayer. He hears when we call on Him to intervene. The Psalmist had seen the Lord intervene for him before and he did not hesitate to call on Him again. We too can ask the Lord to provide our every need. The more you see His hand, the more you will make use of the privilege to ask the Lord to intervene. He wants you to turn to Him in your time of need. He loves you. He cares about you.

Today’s Testimony: One evening, during the evangelistic campaign that I mentioned two days ago (Today's T's days), my mom asked me to deliver a letter for her seeing she could not attend that night. I had the letter but figured that it would be better to deliver it after the meeting so the gentleman I was to give it to wouldn’t have to look after it the whole evening, seeing he then had to deliver it to his wife who also could not attend.
When the meeting had finished I waited for the perfect opportunity to deliver the letter. He was busy packing up the technical equipment and talking to people so I simply waited my turn – it never came.
Before I could get a chance to deliver the letter, all the helpers were called to make a circle so we could discuss a few matters and then close in prayer.
But of all the people who could land up standing next to me, he was one of them. I was so excited. I figured that as soon as we’d closed in prayer I could hand him the letter. Problem solved.
But the discussion went on for a little bit longer than he could afford to stay for and he excused himself. Now what?! I hadn’t given him the letter.
I then heard him talking downstairs to the ladies at the refreshment table. The Lord brought to my mind the story of a lady named Brenda Walsh who was witnessing to the passenger sitting beside her on a two-hour flight. He was very interested in what she had to say and they needed more time, so she prayed silently asking the Lord to intervene. That two-hour flight turned into a seven-hour witnessing flight.
I then prayed, “Lord if You can delay a flight’s landing, You can delay Uncle Gerrit’s leaving.”
We finished the discussion; had our prayer; and then before I could make a run for it, I was asked if my twin sister and I would sing for one of the evenings. I said that we would and then dashed down-stairs.
He was still talking at the refreshments table. I was able to give him the letter.
Never ever underestimate the power of our God. Having your flight’s landing delayed by five hours might not seem like such a blessing to you, but God can do that if He has a reason. He can do the impossible. He can stall landings, people and all sorts of other things. We just need to ask Him. God hears prayer. He loves to intervene for us in miraculous ways. Trust Him and prepare for blessings.

Today’s Task: If you are in need of a miracle today, whether small or great, take your burden to the Lord, He will hear you. If you need peace, comfort or strength ask the Lord to provide it, He will. Take everything to the Lord in prayer – He cares about you.

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that when we pray, You hear. I thank You that we can take anything and everything to You. Please give us the faith to know that You will grant our petitions. Please help us to trust You so that we know that You will only do what’s best for us. Lord help us to accept Your answers and praise You for them even if they are not what we had hoped for. You always have our best interest at heart. Thank You so much. Amen.

PEACE BE STILL

Today’s Text: And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39)

Today’s Thoughts: This text comes from the story of Jesus calming the storm. That same God who stilled the wind and the waves so many years ago is still in control of the weather today. He is more than able to change the weather. But He always knows best. But more than the physical storms, God can still the storms in our lives. He can say to our troubled souls, “Peace, be still.” I want that peace.

Today’s Testimony: A few years ago I went to visit my gran at Anerley Place, a retirement village in the Durban area, for a few weeks. Every morning, except for Saturdays, a group of the residents meet and go for a walk. While I was visiting I joined my gran and the others on the walks.
One morning while we were standing waiting for some more people to arrive, one of the ladies said, “Not a day for washing.” I looked out over the see, and clearly it wasn’t a day for washing.
I needed to get some washing done that day so I prayed, “Lord, please clear the weather, I need to do washing. You can do all things. Your will be done.”
A while later when my gran came inside from hanging her load of washing she said, “Look at the gorgeous day.” I turned and looked out the window and the sky was blue with not a cloud in sight. The Lord had answered my prayer and taken all those dark clouds away. God can still calm the weather for us even today.
He has stilled many of the storms in my life too. He wants to do the same for you. He can do all things, ask Him today. Take every problem to Him. He can calm the weather and your heart. Trust Him.

Today’s Task: Are you in need of peace today? God wants to give you that peace. Ask Him for it, then trust Him and believe that He will grant it. I don’t know what you’re going through, but God does. And more than that, He knows just how to intervene. But in the mean time, He can give you the peace you need while you wait for His miracle. His timing is perfect, He will intervene at the right time, but he can give you peace right now. Ask Him for His peace today, right now.

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that You have peace for every single one of us. Lord we want that peace, we need it. I thank You that You can work miracles for us no matter what our troubles may be. Lord help us to trust in You. Help us to come to know You as the loving heavenly Father that You are. I thank You for Your love and Your peace. Amen.

WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO PRAY

Today’s Text: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)

Today’s Thoughts: Ever felt that your prayers weren’t good enough? Ever felt you didn’t know how to voice the prayer on your heart? Ever felt that you didn’t know how to word your prayer? Ever felt that you’d run out of words, and yet weren’t sure if you’d said enough? No matter how insufficient you’ve felt your prayers were – God can read hearts. This text tells us that the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf because we don’t truly know how to pray. I think that’s totally amazing. Our prayers are all so inadequate, but God still hears them because the Spirit has purified them.

Today’s Testimony: Julie, my twin sister, and I were greeting for an evangelistic campaign a few years ago. Our meetings were held at a school in a room upstairs, and one evening the school was having a function downstairs in the main hall. Due to all the noise, Julie and I were standing outside our room with the door closed to keep the noise out. We opened the door to see how the meeting was going and discovered that they were having problems with the computer. Satan didn’t want the message to be presented.
Then Julie said, “It’s because we aren’t praying enough,” so both of us started praying individually outside the door. I prayed. I prayed this and that and was still waiting for the Lord to intervene. Then finally I said something like, “Lord, I don’t know what else to pray,” or “What else must I pray?”
I believe it was right about then that the computer started working. We opened the door shortly thereafter and the problem was solved.
When our prayers aren’t answered in the way we want immediately, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t praying the right prayer, God’s timing is perfect. But our prayers do fall so far short of what they should be. That’s why Jesus disciples asked Him to teach them to pray. It’s important for us to realise that the answers to our prayers often have nothing to do with the words we pray. Some people pray long and eloquent prayers, while others pray short, simple prayers. God hears them all. And that’s because the same Holy Spirit alters our prayers so that they are acceptable in God’s site.
I’m so glad that my prayers can be acceptable to God. I’m so glad that even the prayers I cannot voice are taken to His throne. I’m so glad that when I don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit will pray on my behalf. Aren’t you?

Today’s Task: If you ever feel that your prayers are inadequate, remember that the Holy Spirit will make them acceptable to God. If you ever run out of words, leave the rest of your prayer in the Lords hands, His Spirit will finish it for you. The most important thing that I encourage you to do is pray. Take everything to the Lord. Tell Him everything. God hears prayer. He wants to hear from you.

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that You hear every prayer we pray. Lord teach us to pray. But I thank You that You hear the shortest, simplest prayer. Lord help us to talk to You about everything. I thank You for the Holy Spirit who intercedes on our behalf. Lord help us to trust Your wisdom in all the answers. I thank You for Your love. Amen.

GOD CARES ABOUT YOU

Today’s Text: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Today’s Thoughts: Do you know what makes our God different from all the other gods that people worship? The most distinguishing factor is that our God loves us. None of the other gods care about their followers. They are usually thought to require human sacrifice and self-torture. But our God cares about us. He died so that we could have life. He cares about every detail of our lives. If it matters to us – it matters to God.

Today’s Testimony: When I wrote matric, Biblical Studies was my favourite subject. I started focusing too much on that, and then had to leave it for a while so I could focus on my other subjects. I eventually wasn’t happy with the amount of time I’d spent on studying Biblical Studies; I new I could have done better. But those that know me know that I love studying anything that has to do with the Bible. As people say, “Maths is his/her subject”, anything Bible was mine.
I really wanted to get a distinction for Biblical Studies, but I also knew that I hadn’t put enough effort into it to deserve one. I asked the Lord to please at least help me to pass, but I also mentioned that He knew how badly I wanted a distinction. A distinction for matric is 80%. I got 80% on the dot. God is so good!!!
For the Bible subject that I wrote for university my exam paper was white. That meant I could take it home. If the paper is a colour, it remains property of the university. I was so happy. It wasn’t really that I needed the paper, I was just really glad that I could take it home. I told you – Bible is my subject.
When the papers and answer books were collected after the exam, the invigilator that collected in my row collected my “white” paper. I then started analysing the situation. “I guess I don’t really need the paper, but I still would have liked it, and it was mine to take home.” “Maybe I could go and ask the head-invigilator if I could have my paper back.” (I was sitting near the front, and I was the only one that turned up for that paper so it would have been easy to ask and to find my paper. It was also only one of two white papers in my row.) “If only I’d held on to it, maybe she wouldn’t have collected it. Or then I could have queried her wanting it.”
I can’t remember if I prayed. It was probably one of those times where we start making plans to fix a problem without stopping to think that we serve an almighty God. I might have asked the Lord what I should do, but I don’t think I asked Him to intervene.
The invigilator walked to the front of the hall and then the head-invigilator started telling her something. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but from what I could see, it looked as though the Lord had heard the prayer I hadn’t prayed. It was then that I prayed. I sat in awe. The head-invigilator told her to hand the white papers back. I got my exam paper back!!!
I didn’t need a distinction for Biblical Studies; I didn’t need my exam paper back, but God cared enough about me to intervene. He cares about the smallest details of our lives. And if He cares about the tiny issues, He definitely cares about the greater issues. If it matters to us –it matters to God. He loves us so much. Believe it.

Today’s Task: Got any “unimportant” things you’d like to take to the Lord? Take them to Him. He encourages us to cast “all” our cares upon Him, because He cares so much for each one of us. Take your problems and desires to the Lord, if it’s in His will, He will grant your request. He cares about you. Believe it!!!

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that You care about us so much. I thank You that nothing is unimportant to You and that nothing is too big for You. You love us and want us to be happy. Help us to trust You more. Help us to cast “all” our cares upon You. I thank You that You are a caring and loving God. Help us to love You back. Amen.

TO HIM THAT BELIEVES

Today’s Text: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. (Mark 9:23)

Today’s Thoughts: A man had brought his son who was possessed by an evil spirit to Jesus to ask Him to free his son. Jesus said that if he could believe, all things were possible. The father of the child then cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Jesus then cast out the demon.
It’s not always easy to believe that God can do what we think is impossible. That’s when we need to be like this father and ask the Lord to help our unbelief. With God all things are possible. We just need to believe. And then trust that God will do what is best.

Today’s Testimony: When you think of the “impossible”, what do you think of? Big problems or small problems? Sometimes it’s the tiny things that we think of as insignificant. Other times it’s the mountainous problems that we see no way out of.
Today I’d like to share a story about one of those things that is humanly impossible, but also thought to be such an insignificant problem compared to the problems we often have to face. God cares about all the things that bother us, and if we ask Him to intervene and believe that He will, if it’s in His will, He will help us.
While my sisters and I were in Cape Town visiting my dad last year, my mom and step-dad, with the help of some friends, moved house back home in Durban. The former owners of our new house had owned 10 dogs and bred cats. The house was therefore over-run with fleas.
On my first morning in the new house I climbed back into bed after we had family worship because it was the only place that was safe. I dreaded getting up. I needed to have my personal devotions, but with that came kneeling for prayer. On that floor?!
I thought, “Do I kneel, or don’t I kneel?” Then I took my problem to the Lord. I asked Him to please let the itching stop, and to take away the fleas.” The itching stopped!!!
I slept a bit longer and then knelt on the floor to pray. The Lord and I had a long chat, so I landed up sitting cross-legged on the floor at His feet. I did not get attacked by fleas!!! I asked, I believed, and the Lord intervened. My God can do anything!

Today’s Task: I encourage you to take all your problems to the Lord, no matter what they are. He can do what we think is petty or impossible. Don’t ever think that your problem is too silly to bother the Lord with – He loves to take care of His children’s needs, You can never be a bother to Him. Give Him a try, He won’t disappoint you. Ask God to intervene, and then believe that He will. He will. Even if He doesn’t intervene in the way you thought best. He knows better. Trust him. Ask Him, Believe Him, then watch and stand in awe.

Today’s Thanks: Lord I thank You that all things are possible with You. I praise You that no problem is too great or insignificant for You. If it’s significant to us – it’s significant to You. Thank you Lord. Please help our unbelief. Help us to take all our concerns to You, and help us to believe that You will intervene. I thank You that You will do what is best in every situation that we bring to You. I thank You that You care about each one of us so much. Amen.