Verse of the Day 1/3

Verse of the Day 1/3

Psalm 144:1-2

There is only one strong, safe, and secure place for me;

it's in God alone and I love him!
He's the one who gives me strength and skill for the battle.
² He's my shelter of love and my fortress of faith,
who wraps himself around me as a secure shield.
I hide myself in this one who subdues enemies before me.       The Passion Translation (TPT)

As we are heading into this new year, the stock market is at an all time high and many in the financial market anticipate continued growth this year.  As a result, many will be investing heavily in the stock market.  History tells us that there are times of continued growth, but eventually, there will be a downturn, correction or perhaps even a collapse.  What happens then to those who have invested "everything" in such "securities"?  Who will come to their rescue?

The heading for this passage in The Passage Translation reads "Rescue Me" and points out that this psalm is a poetic psalm of David as he stood before Goliath.  Far from being a time of anticipated growth, it was a time when the nation was teetering, there was little hope and not many people would be putting their hope in this teenager before the giant Goliath.  But David's faith was not in people, armaments  or cunning, it was in God who had already been with him in the past and gave him confidence in the current situation.  David declined the armor of the day, he didn't take up a heavy shield  but rather picked up stones that would be used in his sling.

Spiritually this year where are you putting your investments, what shield are you depending on?  May you pick up the shield of faith and the put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and let God wrap Himself around you and be your secure shield against any foe that you may face - financial, physical or emotional.

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Psalm 144:1-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
² My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues ^[a]my people under me.

³ Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
⁴ Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.

⁵ Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
⁶ Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
⁷ Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,