A Psalm 91 Life

By Richard Spangler

   I am sitting in my chair, trying to decide what to write. Then the issues of the day begin to crowd my mind. Will there be an economic collapse or boom? Will the upcoming elections mean change for the better or for the worst? Will there be war? Will there be another terrorist attack in our country? Then on a personal level: Will I be able to lose the weight I want to lose this year? Will I get my first book published? Will I move forward financially?  What will it be like being a grandfather?

   Just one of these questions can lead you down the road of fear and anxiety if you allow them.  Put them all together and you have a mountain of uncertainty.  Many people are in fear and panic because of these questions, including many Christians. They are asking, “Is there hope? Can I survive? What, if anything can I do?”

  Yes, there is hope in God! In the Bible God promises, “Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent”(Psalm 91:9-10 Amp).

God also states in Psalm 91 that He will cover you; He will give angels charge over you, no pestilence (no disease), no sudden death, nor any evil shall befall you. And the list goes on.

The key to these promises is found in verse 14, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness--trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]”(Psalm 91:14 AMP).

  As you determine with your mind to love God and set your heart to do so, you take the first turn of the key for the promises of God found in Psalm 91.

Many of you have taken that first turn of the key by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart. For those who have not, there is no better time than now.

    The next turn of the key is equally as important. It is getting to know God with a personal knowledge of His mercy, love and kindness. It is discovering Who God is, and not just by reading the Bible and praying.

This happens two ways. First, meditate, don’t just reading the Bible, but think about what you are reading. According to Webster’s Dictionary, Meditate is: to engage in contemplation or reflection: to focus one's thoughts on: reflect on or ponder over. In other words, take time to think about what you are reading. In our fast paced society we scan more than we read.

    We scan e-mails, texts, letters and articles without reading them and thinking about what is being said. Take time with the Bible, stop and ask, “What does this mean? How does this apply to my life?” Ask the Lord to help you understand and to teach you. Don’t scan it and walk away saying, “I’ve done my Bible reading for the day.” and check it off of that never ending To Do List.

Secondly, it happens by making time for God, spending time with Him. Remember, God created man to spend time with Him. An example of this is in the Bible.

“And out of the ground the Lord God formed every [wild] beast and living creature of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19 AMP).

God would create an animal, and then bring it to Adam to name. God was interested to see what name would be given. I imagine that was some discussion of the creature’s design and purpose between God and Adam. This took time.

 Also, in Genesis, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…But the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you” (Genesis 3:8-9 AMP)?

This shows God coming to spend time with Adam and Eve. This was not unusual for Adam and Eve. They even knew the sound of God walking and would go out to meet and spend time with God. This is what God wants, for us to know Him. This is why Jesus came to earth, so that a way would be open for man to be able to spend time with God and know him again.

 Set aside time, every day to get to know Father God better.  Sit and listen for His voice. Get to know His presence. Have personal knowledge and relationship with God.

   This will unlock all the promises in Psalm 91, and much more, will become yours. It will not matter what happens, good or bad, for you will be hidden in God’s presence and protection.

 

 

©COPYRIGHT 2012 RICHARD SPANGLER

 

 

Available at  Amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

Who Are You Part 4

By Richard L Spangler

    We are God’s children.  Ephesians 2:6 (AMP) ⁶And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

   Romans 8:14-16 Amplified Bible (AMP) ¹⁴For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.¹⁵For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! ¹⁶The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God.
 
  Galatians 4:5-7Amplified Bible (AMP) ⁵To purchase the freedom of (to ransom, to redeem, to atone for) those who were subject to the Law, that we might be adopted and have sonship conferred upon us [and be recognized as God's sons].⁶And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father! ⁷Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ.

 These verses plus many more show us that we are God’s Family. We are His sons and daughters. This is who we are. We have full and unrestricted access to the Father. This is a powerful relationship. We can enter God’s presence any time we want and just the Throne Room (a place of petitions) but we have the run of the house. 

   We can go into all the rooms of the house. The great thing is there will always be more and more rooms to explore, for our Father has a big house, bigger than we can imagine. We can roam the gardens; play in the Pools of Life created by the River of Life. We roam the various mountain ranges of the kingdom and eat of the never ending supply of food, which is there for us to enjoy.

   Best of all is spending time with the Father. God desires us to spend time with him and He smiles when we come through the door and ask to be with Him. This was the purpose of creation, that God would have a family and that we, by our own free will would choose to love him and to spend time with him. This above all else is why mankind was created. He created us in his image for this purpose so we could enjoy each other forever. One of the great and wonderful mysteries of this is, it is always one on one, just you and the Father and it can be the same for every person in the universe at the same time, if they desire it.

   We must also remember that our Father, is the LORD GOD, THE CREATOR, THE ALL POWERFUL KING OF ALL, who is from everlasting to everlasting. We must honor and worship Him as such.

   As we realize this relationship of being a child of God, everything we do, being a servant, a king, a priest, and friend all flow out of this relationship. We operate in the various positions in the kingdom with the proper attitude of love. We don’t do things because we have to; we do them because we want to, out of our love for our Father. This loving relationship between us, as children with God our Father opens the door for a revelations and experiences beyond what we can ever imagine.

   So begin to think of yourself and see yourself as God our Father sees you, as His child whom He loves and wants to spend time with. Who He wants to share with all that has with you. He wants to reveal himself to you. Then you will have a life to full and overflowing and you can answer the question, “Who are You?”

                        ©COPYRIGHT 2012 RICHARD L SPANGLER

 

 

 

 

An excerpt from my book, ADVENTURES IN THE SPIRIT A Series of Prophetic Visions….I am sitting on the river bank, still wearing the Armor of God, rejoicing and praising God for the day’s victory. Suddenly, the Glory of God falls on me and lifts me up higher and higher until I find myself standing at the entrance to the Throne Room of God. The massive doors are open and looking up, the entrance appears to be several miles high and glow with the Glory of God. I hear the voices of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit calling me to enter….

Available at: http://www.amazon.com/ADVENTURES-SPIRIT-Series-Prophetic-Visions/dp/1470193396

Who Are You Part 3

By Richard L Spangler

  In part 1 of Who Are You, we looked at the servant. In part 2 we looked at the kings and priest. All of these have varying degrees of relationship with God.

 The next level of relationship is that of friend.  A friend as defined by Webster’s Dictionary is: 1a: one attached to another by affection or esteem b: acquaintance  2 a: one that is not hostile b: one that is of the same nation, party, or group 3: one that favors or promotes something (as a charity) 4: a favored companion

Enoch was one such person in Genesis 5:22-24Amplified Bible (AMP) ²²Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God after the birth of Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.²³So all the days of Enoch were 365 years.²⁴And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him].This is an amazing friendship with God. This same type of relationship is mentioned of Noah in Genesis 6:8-9.

   In Genesis 18:3 Abraham refers to himself as a servant but God calls Abraham his friend in Genesis 18:17. This shown by the discussion that follows a friend is allowed debate a decision and servant is not.

 Jesus speaks of friendship and the difference between friends and servants in John 15:15 I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]

A friend has a closer relationship than a servant, a priest or king, but a friend can be any of these as well. But there are limits in the relationship of a friend and access to the house. There are parts of a house that are for the family and for the family only. The good news is we are in family of God.

 We will look at Family of God in the 4^th and final part of this series coming soon.

 

©COPYRIGHT 2012 RICHARD L SPANGLER

Who Are You Part 2

By Richard L. Spangler

 In Part 1, we discussed being the servant and the attitude of a servant that keeps us from becoming who we truly are in Christ. The key to remember is that God’s grace still keeps us and God sees us as we ready are, no matter how we think and see ourselves.Abram saw himself as a servant, God called him friend.

  This part of the teaching we shall look at ourselves as kings and priests. The scriptures for this are:

1 Peter 2:9-10 (AMP) 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own ^[d]purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.¹⁰Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy.

    Exodus 19:5-8 (AMP) ⁵Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine.⁶And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites.⁷So Moses called for the elders of the people and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him.⁸And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

  These two scriptures, among many, make reference to being kings and priests. This goes back to very beginning when God told Adam; he had dominion over all the earth. This is kingship. A king has authority and power to establish laws and to enforce those laws. Adam only had one greater authority above him and that was God, The King of Kings.

   The kings of Israel were supposed to represent the King of Kings, the Lord God to his people. They were to be examples the goodness, the mercy, and protection of God for his people. The king was also to lead the people to God. The king was to seek the counsel of God on how to lead the people. Sadly nearly every king of Israel failed in these responsibilities.

    The priests were not only to make sacrifices to God and worship Him; they were to teach the people about God. They were to teach people that, their sin kept them from God but that God had made a way through the atonement sacrifices for their sins they could have a relationship with God. The priests were also to teach all the people of the earth God’s message of love and mercy through the atonement. God never intended that Israel were the only ones to have relationship with Him.

  Priests and kings have a relationship with God. They are invited to do more than just make petitions in the Throne of God. They are invited into the banquet hall; share the table of God’s blessings, to eat and drink with Him. They can hear God plans and discuss those plans and with God’s help implement those plans. They are also given their own authority and power under the King of Kings to do the work they have been assigned. 

  We believers in Christ Jesus are the kings and priest of God today. We have been given authority, Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-18 and the power came in Acts 2:1-4.

  As great as all this is we, as with the servant, are more than a king or a priest. In fact, we are much more as we will see in Part 3.

©COPYRIGHT 2012 RICHARD SPANGLER

A Prophetic Vision from New Book: Craving God (excerpt 1)

This is an excerpt from my new book. This is a prophetic vision that will be in the book. The working title is: Craving God  

I feel the wind whip around me, getting stronger and stronger. I realize this is no ordinary wind, it is the wind of the Spirit. The wind lifts me up high above the mountain, then I move in the direction the wind moves me.

  Soaring far above everything, soon there appears a glowing bank of clouds and I fly into it. This cloud is more than a cloud it has life, it’s the edge of the presence of the Father. I cannot see but a few feet in front me, moving at the speed I am moving; I must have faith in the Spirit and His direction. Slowing down and descending, the cloud lifts as I descend. I Land on top of a large flat rock. Surveying my surroundings I discover this is a large plateau. The plateau is a large barren piece of black rock. Looking over the edge, the sides are smooth hard rock. The plateau is thousands of feet high and there is no way down.

  Looking around, I find no wood for a fire, no vegetation and no cave to seek shelter if a storm arises. I stand there wondering why the Spirit brought me here.  I wait in silence straining to hear the voice of the Lord, not a word is heard.

  Sitting on the ground for any length of time is impossible. I walk until I cannot walk anymore. As the day ends, I try to sleep but I get  little due to the hardness of the ground. The next day is the same. I check to see if there is a way down that I missed again nothing.

  I walk, more like the pacing of a caged animal with no hope of escape. The next day is worst, I am so tired of this place and still hearing nothing from God.

 I scream at the top of lungs, “Is there something I have done wrong. Lord, show me what it is, that I would repent and ask for forgiveness.” No response not a whisper.  I weep crying out over and over again, until my voice is gone.

    I laid on the ground too weak to stand and whisper,” Lord, do with me what you will. If you mean to kill me then I yield to death. I surrender totally to you.”

At that moment a light pierces the sky, hitting me and bathing the plateau in light. Soon the light begins to pulsate with different colors, reds, blues, greens, and white. I feel myself being gently lifted up and the pulsating light flows around and through me.

  My whole body glows with light. I even sense that my insides are glowing. This continues for what seems like hours. Then peace begins to overflow me. Soon I am falling asleep, in spite of doing my best to stay awake, sleep overtakes me. I awake and find myself not a barren  plateau but in a place of absolute beauty.

I am lying on a carpet of thick green grass and there are beautiful golden colored flowers all around me. I am totally confused. I get up and start to check out my new environs.

   I find a stream of water bubbling out of a small outcrop of rocks. The water is cold and refreshing. Just a few feet away from the stream there are bushes. Each bush has fruit on it. The fruit has the shape of a peanut, but it’s the size of an apple and is a golden color. I pick one and carefully taste it. To my surprise it tastes like the best cheesecake I had ever eaten. Thinking to myself, this must be heaven, when fruit tastes like cheesecake. There’s a familiar laugh from behind me and swinging around there stands Jesus.

  I begin to bombard Him with questions, “How did I end up here? Why was I put on that barren plateau?”

  Jesus holds up His hand, with a smile says, “You are still on the plateau.”
  “That’s impossible” before I finish saying It I realize who I am saying that to and just how stupid I sound.
 
Jesus laughs, “Come with me.”

  We walk in silence and come to the edge of the plateau and looking out I realize I am seeing the scene same as before. Looking down the side of plateau, there is a difference. Instead of a sheer rock face, there is a pathway wining downward. It has trees and flowers along each side.

    I turned to Jesus, asking, “What happened?”

He replied, “You happened.”

“Me!!” I exclaimed.

Jesus continued, “This is the Plateau of Total Surrender. There is nothing you could do on your own to get off the plateau or to change it. When you laid down and said, “Lord, do with me what you will. If you mean to kill me then I yield to death. I surrender totally to you.” That was total surrender.

That sacrifice of your will and your life caused the plateau from a place of bareness and darkness, to a place of fruitfulness and light.”

  “But Lord” I said, “I have sacrificed and I have surrendered.”

   Jesus continued, “There are many times of sacrifice and surrender, some great and some small. But this place and places like it, if you are willing to make the sacrifice, open   new levels of relationship with me. There is also new authority and new power entrusted to you. Take a look at yourself.”

   

©COPYRIGHT 2013 RICHARD SPANGLER

 

 

          

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