Our Safety is in God alone
The person who rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One. Psalm 91:1
What do we need to do? REST; ABIDE; DWELL; REMAIN
How do we rest with God? What does that look like? What does it mean to be at home with God – to feel that friendship with Him?
One of the things I like best about God is that He is a communicator. He communicates to us through His Word. He also likes it when we talk to Him. Sometimes, people refer to praying as talking to God. That is true; we can talk to God anytime, anywhere! Sometimes I have an ongoing conversation with God out loud or in my head. That’s what He wants – He wants us to recognize that He is involved in every aspect of our lives. In prayer, if we are listening, God will speak to us. Prayer is like a conversation with God – you and God listening to and talking with each other.
Our enemy, the devil, wants to fill our hearts with fear. He does not want us to communicate with God, and he does all that he can to distract us from being able to hear from God. He certainly tried to scare the person who wrote this Psalm. Anyone want to guess who wrote Psalm 91?
Many Bible scholars believe that Moses is the one who wrote this Psalm! There are so many things that Moses faced while in the wilderness leading the Israelites. There were battles, there were times when they were being chased by enemies, there were times when his own people complained about him. Certainly, any one of these could make a person afraid!
The devil loves it when God’s children are scared. He wants to scare us away from God. Sometimes he even tricks us into thinking that God is bad. While there are many horrible things in this world, but we must remember that God is ALWAYS good, and Satan is the one who is bad. Satan tries to scare us with death, pain, suffering, cancer, stroke, disease, and heart-attack. He tries to scare us with divorce, separation, and family fights. He tries to scare us with sin, evil, and wickedness.
But no matter how hard the devil tries, he cannot succeed in driving God’s children away from the Lord. In verses 1 and 2 Moses explains why the devil cannot succeed:
The person who rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One. – Psalm 91:1
We can tell God everything that we’re afraid of (Share personal examples – I am afraid to be outside with no light; I am afraid to drive in heavy traffic when it is raining). Then we can ask God to tell us what HE wants us to think (I am always with you; I will never leave you).
We can tell God what makes us sad: Then we can ask God what He wants us to know about our feelings of sadness.
We can tell God when we’re disappointed – when we’ve really done all we can do and still, a situation doesn’t turn out the way we think that it should.
• Joseph – sold as a slave; falsely accused; forgotten in prison (but remembered by God)
• Moses – Led the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness; they were complaining and stubborn. The people could NOT provide for themselves. They could not plant, harvest, or manufacture anything. They had to completely depend upon God. God supplied manna one day at a time. He did this to show His people that HE ALONE was their Provider; they could no longer rely on Egypt to supply their food – only God could do that. This lesson should only have taken 30 days, but instead, it took 40 years. Moses and his people were truly in a desert place in the wilderness.
• Elijah – showed everyone that the Lord was God, yet was chased by the evil Queen Jezebel
• John the Baptist – faithfully proclaimed that Jesus was the Lamb of God, yet he was beheaded
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken (Ps. 62:5-6).
We can tell God what makes us happy: The next time something happens that makes you so happy, praise the Lord and tell Him! Ask Him what He wants you to know!
No matter what you’re going through or how you’re feeling, you can REST in God! That’s all He asks you to do – REST. That image is so peaceful for me. When I remember that that’s really where I am, resting in God, I sense God’s peace.
What is the opposite of rest? Anxiety; stressed out; over-busyness
What God does:
He lets us in His “secret place”. Do you have a favorite hiding place? Do you have a place where you “escape”?
God has a secret place just for you. It is in His shadow. When you are this close to God, He tells you things that you didn’t already know (I Peter 1:12). He reveals things to you (Amos 3:7). That’s what He did for Moses – the one who wrote this Psalm (Psalm 103:7).
Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7
Some translations of the Bible call this secret place the Shadow of the Most High God
(Side Bar Note: There are many people who believe that God uses angels to protect us. Angels are God’s messengers, and they do stand guard over every Christian. Always remember that it is GOD who is the Source of our protection; angels are from HIM).

Psalm 91:2 I will say about the Lord,
“He is my place of safety.
He is like a fort to me.
He is my God. I trust in him.”

From the mouths of INFANTS You have ordained praise. – Psalm 8:2

As you share God’s love with children, you are investing in the most precious treasure on earth! As God’s truth is revealed, we pray that His Spirit will be at work, drawing the hearts of children (and their families) to Himself (John 6:44). As children show interest in salvation, we ask that you be attentive and available. Scripture does not show us that there is any sort of “magic prayer” – or any prayer at all – that is necessary for salvation. (See “Biblical Salvation Stories” at the end of his section.) When a person recognizes that he is a HELPLESS sinner (powerless to do anything to save himself) and BELIEVES that Jesus is the only One who can take away his sin, he is saved. We simply ask that you make yourself available to speak with a child, ask questions, hear from God, and pray with the child if he or she needs clarity on any issue.

• We know that children can encounter God. There are several examples in the Bible of children who had direct spiritual encounters: Consider Samuel, Jeremiah, John the Baptist (in the womb!)

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. – Matthew 18:10 NIV

• Jesus tells us that unless we become like little children we cannot see the kingdom of God:

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. – Matthew 18:1-6 NIV

• Jesus said not to hinder children from coming to Him. He became indignant at the way His disciples treated children:

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them. - Mark 10:13-16 NIV

Focus on the phrase, “Do not hinder them.” How can we be sure not to hinder children from coming to Christ?
1. Get out of the way.
2. Make space.
3. Be comfortable with silence.
4. Accept their questions.
5. Welcome them.
6. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

• Salvation is the work of God! (John 6:44, Isaiah 59:16)

Sometimes, in our zeal to see children come to faith in Jesus Christ, we actually become a lot like a “salesman.” There must be conviction, not convincing. If you are convincing a child to be saved, you are actually hindering the Spirit from working.

Jesus loves children far more than we do, and it is His desire that none should perish but that all would be saved (2 Peter 2:9). He will work in His perfect time. PRAY for the children, and pray that their understanding of God will grow and that in time, they will receive the most wonderful gift of eternal life with the Lord.

Each child expresses interest in God at different ages and stages of development. While it’s important not to rush children, we want to be ever sensitive to how the Holy Spirit may be working in their lives. Remember that all it takes is child-like faith! When a child recognizes that he is a HELPLESS sinner and BELIEVES that Jesus is the only One who can take away his sin, he is saved.

SOME QUESTIONS TO GUIDE YOU
If you have the opportunity to speak with a child who seems interested in salvation, here are questions you may want to ask. We are not looking for a “perfect score” – just an understanding of God’s truth. This time of discussion is an opportunity to clear up any misconceptions. Asking questions is the best way for you to find out where the child is spiritually! If the child really does not grasp these truths at this time, pray with him or her. Thank God for moving in their life, and ask that He continue to reveal Himself to the child.

Remember that there must be more than just an understanding a Bible story or series of stories. Salvation involves a CHANGED HEART.

Are you perfect or have you sinned? (I have sinned – Romans 3:23)

What does sin do? (Ruins everything, separates me from God, earns death and punishment in the Lake of Fire)

Does God WANT to punish you? (No)

Why doesn’t God want to punish you? (Because He loves me! – John 3:16)

Can you save yourself? (No) Can you do good things to outweigh your sins? (No, adding good things can’t take away my sin)

What sacrifice is required to take away your sin? (Death is the payment for sin. Jesus was perfect. He took my sin and put it on Himself. He is the only One with perfect blood) Hebrews 9:22 This will require some explanation from the Old Testament.

Who has perfect blood? Who can save you? (Jesus, the Lamb of God – Romans 5:6-8)

How can God punish sin without punishing you? (He took my place, He provided a Lamb, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sin – Isaiah 53:6)

What does God want you to do? (He wants me to TRUST/BELIEVE in Him!) Acts 16:31; Romans 3:26

Is that all? Is there something you need to DO to be saved? (No, when I change my mind about my sin and completely trust in Jesus, I am saved.) Eph. 2:8-9

How can you know that you belong to God? (Because Jesus is the Good Shepherd) John 10:27-29

PLEASE AVOID THE FOLLOWING:

Confusing Terminology:

• Give your heart to Jesus.
We don’t give anything to Jesus. He gave us everything by giving us HIS
blood to pay for our sins.
• Commit your life to God.
Again, it is Christ who has committed His love to us, not us to Him.
• All you have to do is . . .
Remember that we can’t DO anything to be saved. It’s all about what God
has done for us.
• Confess your sin to the Lord.
This is not what saves you. We can’t even begin to know all of our sin.
We must repent: literally, to change our mind about our sin and be in
agreement with God.

Confusing Vocabulary:

• Be careful to explain all terminology (sin, saved, forgiveness, everlasting life, believe)

Confusing Word Pictures:

Sometimes, in our effort to make things “kid-friendly,” we avoid using the Bible and rely on props and/or man-made stories. But God’s Word is alive and powerful. It changes lives! Never discount the power of God’s Word! Our words are just our words. God’s Words are LIFE!

EMBRACE THE FOLLOWING:

Be spiritually prepared!
DEPEND upon the Holy Spirit to do the work. If it’s His conviction, the decision is lasting. If it is our convincing, a child may remain confused and actually live in turmoil and dissatisfaction.

PRAY for God’s guidance, and PRAY for the children in your life.

Take your time.
There is nothing more important than salvation.
Talk to a child alone (not in a secluded area – for your own protection).
Ask questions – make sure he/she understands.

Some reasons why children can be confused:
-He does not understand the terminology.
-He’s frightened into a decision.
-He does not understand what sin is. Or if he does, he may not understand that
he is a HELPLESS sinner, that he cannot do anything to remove his sin and that
he needs a Savior.
-He does not realize that salvation is a decision made ONCE.
-He follows the crowd or a friend who gets saved.
-He wants to please an adult.
-He responds to emotion-packed stories.

USE THE BIBLE (God’s Word is alive and powerful!)
Some Biblical Salvation Stories especially effective in explaining salvation to children:
Jesus Talks with Nicodemus (John 3)
Jesus Talks with the Woman at the Well of Samaria (John 4)
Philip Tells the Ethiopian about Jesus (Acts
Paul and Silas Tell a Jailer about Jesus (Acts 16)

Every week, students from Grace enthusiastically load buses and drive nearly an hour to Clarkston apartments, where refugee children like Irena live. Their heart is to infuse God’s love to families living there. They play games, do crafts, teach the Bible, and share life together with the children. It is one of the brightest spots in Ashleigh’s week!

Of course, all the kids are precious, and each week Ashleigh gives me a run down on each child that is especially dear to her. This past Tuesday, when I went to pick up Ashleigh after Infusion, I could see that she had been crying. From her face, I could see that her heart had been broken, and I knew it had to be over a child. Ashleigh told me all about Irena. She had been in the emergency room the night before with chest pains; the doctor told her she needed to eat more because she had an eating disorder. Remember, she is only 7 years old. She told Ashleigh that she wanted to kill herself because she was ugly and nobody loved her. Ashleigh hugged Irena and told her that God loves her and she did too, and that she was beautiful. Ashleigh reminded Irena that she was made in God’s image and that He deeply cared for her. Ashleigh had never been in a situation such as this, but she wanted to make sure Irena kept coming back. So she told her that if she came back the next day, she bring her Chinese food, which she had mentioned before as her favorite food.

So, the next day, just before Infusion, we loaded up on Panda Express. Irena wasn’t at Infusion, but her brother who was there showed Ashleigh and Christine where they lived, so they personally delivered the food to her. You can only imagine Irena’s surprise and delight when she saw the girls – and the Chinese food.
Beyond feeding Irena physically, Ashleigh is feeding her spiritual hunger with the love of Jesus and the truths in God’s Word.

Will you please join us in prayer, not only for Irena, but also for all the hurting children who need to be fed with the Bread of Life?

I love how God meets us in the daily-ness of our lives. I am a mom to 4 kids, and we are now in the season of life where our grocery bill nearly matches our mortgage. It was time to re-load the freezer and pantry, so off to Sam’s I went. The more I shopped, the heavier the buggy became to push. And as I was pushing, I was praying for all the other burdens in my life that felt even heavier than that buggy. I asked God for ears to hear and a heart that would listen to His truth; for His presence to completely fill me up.
I stood in a slow line to pay, and just as I swiped my debit card, a lady stepped up behind me and commented on the strawberries I had just purchased. I told her they were for a cake I was making to celebrate Father’s Day early, as my son would be leaving the country, and we wanted him to be a part of celebrating with family.

I walked to my car and began unloading. I noticed that same lady get into the car next to mine, but then something happened…She got out of her car, came over to me, put her hand on my arm, and said that God told her to pray with me regarding my son leaving the country. She asked if he was in the military; I told her that he was on a mission for God.
She jumped up and down and prayed the SWEETEST prayer over Douglas – it was as if she personally knew him! She then told me that God led her to pray that there would be two angels with him at all times: one on his left side, and one on his right side. My heart was feeling much lighter. She told me that she was an intercessor; that was her calling in life. I asked her what church she went to; she told me, but I can’t find it on line. She also told me that she and others have been praying for Downtown Atlanta for over a year, and when I told her about Midtown, she jumped for joy!

The prayer lady at Sam’s, I believe, was God’s messenger to me…that God is with me; that He knows my heart to truly listen to Him; that He will be with my son.

This morning, I read Psalm 121:7-8
The LORD will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

While getting ready one morning at our hotel in Santo Domingo, I noticed that the hairdryer on the wall read PRESS TO RELEASE.

This week, I have been pressed – pressed to release – pressed to release children from poverty; pressed to release them from bondage; pressed to give more, to love more, to pray more, and even to go more. Pastors there need our help. They need help training their volunteers; they need supplies; their workers need encouragement and love.
One pastor asked me several times to please come back to train his workers. Another pastor I talked to has 3 churches that he oversees. And did I mention that each of these pastors care for over 300 children?

The harvest is great; the laborers are few. I am pressed to release more children into the Kingdom of God.

“For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me”(Matt 25:42-43).