In This Issue:
God Will Protect His Own
Don’t Mess with Me! I’ve Got Bodyguards!
Only with God’s Permission
God Has A Purpose
Volume: 1047 May 11, 2026
Theme: Hardships
** Sign up at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/a26cc9M to receive the DAILY VIEW devotion. The daily e-mail includes a KJV chapter, a short devotion on something taught in that chapter, and more spiritual food for the hungry soul. Start your day with some good news from the Bible!
God Will Protect His Own
Bill Brinkworth
Biblical Israel faced a plethora of attacks from their godless enemies (Psalm 129:1). Modern-day Israel is facing similar assaults against it. Through all the attempts of destruction upon them, that nation has persevered and even prospered.
Israel’s enemies’ attempts to weaken and destroy the nation have failed. The adversary’s advances came to naught. The attacks failed, not because of Israel’s strength and might, but because the attacks against the people God cares about, although often spiritually wayward, were foiled by their faithful God.
The Bible is packed with other accounts of God protecting His own. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of a devouring, fiery furnace without harm because God delivered them (Dan. 3:16-17, 26) from the danger. Daniel was spared the ravaging appetite of a den of lions because of God’s protection (Dan. 6:22). Israel learned many times that, no matter the attacks from their enemies, no one could harm them unless it was God’s will at the time.
In the story of Job’s trials (Job 1:8:22, 2:3-10), one reads that Satan could only attack God’s man if God granted the enemy permission. God allowed His own Son, Jesus, to be tested by Satan, but no harm came to Him. Paul faced beatings, being stoned, robbed, and many other perils (II Cor. 11:25-28), yet God delivered him from all situations. No harm can come to His people unless God allows it!
Today’s Christian can also have similar safety and security. We will have attacks from enemies, disappointments, and trials, but they will never harm us unless God allows them to do so. Most of the time, if the enemy’s assaults are seemingly victorious, it is to teach a deserved lesson or to move the believer in the direction God wishes for him.
There is much in tis world that can be feared. However, the child of God, if he is within God’s will, has nothing of which to be afraid. God will protect His own and often destroys the intentions and devices of the wicked. We are safe because of God’s watchful eye and protective hands.
“The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.” Psalm 129:4
“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side for God is always right.” — Author Unknown
Don’t Mess with Me! I’ve Got Bodyguards!
Bill Brinkworth
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 28:7
I cannot read the first part of Psalm 28:7 without smiling, as it reminds me of a time in my youth. As a scrawny, 89-pound (when-soaking-wet) kid, I had to be careful who I said what to and where. It would not take much of a bully to teach me a painful lesson because of my sometimes big, provoking mouth.
One day, I met a boy much bigger than me. He had a reputation as a tough and rough person, and people had to be careful what they said around him. We got to be good friends, and I hung around him at home and at school. He had a friend who was also large, and we became friends too.
I found I wasn’t as shy or quiet around those two. Sometimes, with one on my left and the other on my right, I even found myself being brave, trying to be tough, and letting my provoking mouth have its way. I knew I could get away with it because I had my “bodyguards” protecting me. Anyone who wanted to shut my foolish mouth would have to deal with my rough and tough defenders. I certainly felt safe when in that situation.
Soon, I outgrew my “protection” and went on with my life. I went back to wisely watching what came out of my mouth. Then, 13 years later, something wonderful happened in my life: I got saved!
It was not long afterward that I started reading my Bible. I learned that I did have to watch what my unkind mouth said, but I also learned that, since I was now a child of God, I had protection all around me. I had no reason to fear because nothing could happen to me that God did not allow or know about. I was safe and secure.
I learned that:
- “The LORD is my strength ….” Psalm 28:7 God will give me strength that I usually do not know I have to face any trial or tribulation this life throws at me. A situation may look frightening and with no hope in sight, but He WILL give me the power to face and defeat my “Goliath” (I Samuel 17)! He has done it thousands of times in my life!
- “… and my shield; …” Psalm 28:7 Just like a soldier’s shield shunned any arrows, rocks, or spears thrown at him, the Lord will protect His own from what he faces in this life. He is the “shield” that will protect him when he drives down the road, from the plans of our enemies, from sin, and whatever can happen in his life.
- Not only do we have God’s protection, but we have His heavenly host surrounding and protecting us. Angels do God’s bidding on Earth and protect His own. I am supernaturally protected!
“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7 - God knows the dangers we will face well in advance and will protect us from dangers we may not even know are there! He is our “high tower” observer and defender!
“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalm 18:2
It has been a long time since I had my “bodyguards.” However, I am safer and more secure than I have ever been. I have better protection. I have the Lord protecting me, and nothing can happen to me unless it is God’s will, and if it is God’s will, He will give me the strength and grace to face that challenge.
If you are born again, you too can have that security. You can be “safe and secure,” as an old hymn reminds us.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Only with God’s Permission
Bill Brinkworth
Many Christians are more fearful than they should be. A child of the King should never fret or worry because nothing can happen to him unless God allows it for the person’s or other people’s betterment.
According to Psalm 91, our Lord is:
- Our safety and protection (Psalm 91:2, 9)
“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” Psalm 91:2 - Our protector from life’s traps that are set to get us to fail (Psalm 91:3).
- Our protector from life’s storms (Psalm 91:4).
- Our source of truth (Psalm 91:5).
- Our protector from what scares us (Psalm 91:5-6).
- Our protector from the attacks of our enemies (Psalm 91:5-7).
- Our protector from health problems (Psalm 91:6, 10).
- Our protector from evil (Psalm 91:10-12).
- Our protector from danger (Psalm 91:14-15).
- Our rewarder (Psalm 91:15-16).
One born into the family of God by the spiritual birth (John 3:3) has nothing to fear. You are safe in the hands of your heavenly Father. Frightening situations will occur to all, but God is always in full control. Nothing is a surprise to Him. You will be safe. Fear not!
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy 1:7
God Has A Purpose
Bill Brinkworth
Living the way God commands us to live is not easy. So many people are under the false impression that once they submit to the Lord’s will, problems will never occur. They think they will be exempt from heartaches, hardships, hazards, and life’s hiccups. That certainly is not true.
The godly may have God’s protection and guidance, but we are in a sinful world, and we face the consequences of our and others’ sins. We experience it today, and David faced it as he wrote in Psalm 31. The King dealt with:
- Traps sent for him to make him fail (Psalm 31:4). A foiled believer makes the ungodly triumph as they see that Christians “are not so holy and perfect ….” Somehow, a defeated Christ-follower eases their guilt in not living a godly life.
- Lies, all around him (Psalm 31:6, 18).
- Troubles, and plenty of them (Psalm 31:9). However, those troubles and trials are not always a “bad” thing. Often, undesirable occurrences draw us closer to the Lord as we seek His help. They can also help us grow in our faith as we see that God will protect and help us through the tribulations.
- Grief. Because of sin, there will be death and many let-downs. Hearts will be broken, but we have a God who will fix and comfort broken, discouraged, and sad believers (Psalm 31:10).
- Those who forgot him and his needs (Psalm 31:12). We are not the first to have invested a lot of time and trust in a person and later been cast aside. David had experienced the hurt of abandonment more than once.
Although we do not have a get-out-of-pain-and-suffering card just because one is a child of God, we do have something that the godless do not have when they go through hardships. We have the Lord. He is our God (Psalm 31:14), and we will have his watch-care, guidance, and protection.
We will experience what God allows in our life for our or someone else’s benefit. We may not always like the trials we face, but God has a purpose for us: to learn and to grow spiritually through our tests and tribulations.
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.” Psalm 31:24
“Courage: Being scared to death and saddling up anyway.” — Wayne