9.17.9 "A Shelter in the Time of Storm"

"A Shelter in the Time of Storm"

Isaiah 25:1-28:13
Galatians 3:8-22
Psalm 61:1-8
Proverbs 23:17-18

Isaiah 25:4 "But to the poor, O Lord, you are a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, a shelter from merciless men"

Psalm 61:3-4 "For you are my refuge, a high tower where my enemies can never reach me. I shall live forever in your tabernacle; oh, to be safe beneath the shelter of your wings!"

Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'"

The title of today's DEVO is the name of one of my favorite hymns. The first verse and chorus are as follows:

The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide,
A Shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land,
Oh, Jesus is a Rock, in a weary land,
A Shelter in the time of Storm.


Shelter is one of man's basic needs. We are not animals that were created to lay in the yard during a snow storm. God created us with a need for shelter. I believe this physical need is a representation of our spiritual need. We need shelter. My daughter has a devotional that talks about being under the umbrella of your parents and of God. This is a God-ordained shelter.

Where does "shelter" fit into the DREAM? What principle does this need align with? I realized that God's shelter is a part of being "Empowered through Biblical Training". We find shelter and safety in the Word of God. It is the Rock in the weary land.

This might not be where you're at right now, but there may be someone in your circle of influence that needs to hear this from you. There are people all around us struggling through the storms of life. They can't find the Rock. I'm not just talking about those who don't know God. I'm talking about individuals who may have been Christians a long time.

Today we are celebrating the life of a precious young mom who passed away. What I've continually marveled at over the past few years as she's fought cancer is how Lori and her family run to the Word in times of need. Even after her passing, her husband tells the story of searching for his bible and clinging to it. It this storm, this family has known the shelter to run to.

A shelter does you no good if you do not come under it. In Annalese's devotional, it was talking about a parent walking with an umbrella during the rain, and the child stepped out from under it. The result? Well it's a simple concept. The child got wet. The safety was found in keeping in step with the parent.

As we walk with God through life, sometimes we are in a season of peace where the sun is shining, and all is well. We see God, know where he is, but we don't get into the Word, and don't realize we've wandered outside the safety of his principles and commands. I'm not talking about backsliding, I'm just talking about intimacy with Him & time in the word.

When a storm comes up, we find ourselves getting wet. At this point, many different things happen. You've seen it. The complaining. The feeling sorry for yourself. The anger at God.

Where is the shelter found? Under his wings. What are his wings? The covering of his Word and safety of His commands.

In today's reading from the One Year Bible, it seems like Isaiah, Galatians & Psalms are all talking about this. Even Proverbs applies. Proverbs 23:17-18 says, "Don't envy evil men but continue to reverence the Lord all the time, for surely you have a wonderful future ahead of you. There is hope for you yet!" What does it mean to reverence the Lord, but to be in the covering of His word.

Once we realize this, it's frustrating to watch people swimming around in circles in the storm when the Rock is so close. It's right there in the Word. Quit your whining and get to it!

Sometimes the purpose of the storm is to get the "kids" under the umbrella! Isaiah 27:8 says, "...he has punished Israel but a little, exiling her far from her own land as though blown away in a storm from the east. And why did God do it? It was to purge away her sins..." In other words, To bring her under the umbrella!

The principle of Empowered Through Biblical Training is Discipline. Many times we have separate definitions of discipline with punishment being one with a negative connotation. If we think of the definition of Discipline as "to bring into alignment", Punishment itself is not a negative thing, but just a part of the process to get us under the umbrella, under the shadow of His wings.

Galatians 3:11 says, "the man who finds life will find it through trusting God." Trust is a discipline. Sometimes trust isn't the first thought in our head. We have to be disciplined to review the greatness of God and remember all that he has done and will do. We must discipline ourselves to trust the promises of his word.

You may or may not be in a storm right now, but someone around you is. Go to the Rock. Go to the shelter. Show someone where safety is found. It's found in the Word of God.



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
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Mission to Reach our World for Christ