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70 S E S S I O N 6© 2014 LifeWay
Q U E S T I O N 1 #BSFLprotection
What causes fear in some people but not in you?
B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 71© 2014 LifeWay
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFEKnow any “helicopter parents”? You have probably seen one or two. It’s the mom or dad who hovers obsessively over a child, afraid the child might scrape a knee, need assistance, or get his feelings hurt. Love is likely a motive behind their behavior, but fear may also be a driving force.
Even if we don’t take the extreme measures of helicopter parents, we need to take at least some steps to protect ourselves from dangerous experiences. Wisdom urges us to use seat belts in the car, helmets for a bicycle ride, and hard hats and safety goggles on the job site. For some, spontaneity wins and even the simplest safety measures are ignored.
Beyond physical dangers, we don’t have to go far to encounter spiritual ones as well: temptations, doubt, deception, and the trials of life. Simply put, life is filled with a variety of land mines.
How do we find the balance between living in unhealthy fear and living with total disregard for the threats that challenge us? The balance is gained through trust in God’s protection. Psalm 91 helps us see that, while we don’t need to live recklessly, we also don’t need to live in fear. God is the great Hero of our story, and we can rely on Him for the ultimate protection.
THE POINT
God is my ultimate protection.
72 S E S S I O N 672 S E S S I O N 6© 2014 LifeWay
B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 73
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Key Words
Most High (v. 1)—The Most High (Elyon) is a divine title for God. It emphasizes the exalted character, supremacy, and omnipotence of the Lord.
The Almighty (v. 1)—The Almighty (Shaddai) is a divine title for the God of Israel who revealed Himself to the Patriarchs (Exodus 6:3). It refers to God’s all-powerful nature.
Psalm 91:1-4, 9-11, 14-16 (HCSB)
1 The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3 He Himself will deliver you from the hunter’s net, from the destructive plague.
4 He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
9 Because you have made the LORD—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place,
10 no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.
14 Because he is lovingly devoted to Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My name.
15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor.
16 I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.
© 2014 LifeWay
THE POINT
Psalm 91:1-4
Benjamin Franklin penned the well-known saying, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” It can be hard to know who and what we can depend on. Jobs come and go. People let us down. The things we own break down. We even let ourselves down. Finding something to count on in life often seems a fool’s errand. But then God enters the picture. Nothing in this world can compare with the strength and protection God gives us.
One way we can begin to understand just how God works on our behalf is to investigate the names and titles He uses to reveal Himself. In verses 1-2, we see three.
1. Most High. No one is above God. He is the One who stands in the loftiest position. He is supreme.
2. Almighty. This is not just “stronger-than-the-next-guy” strength. God holds all of the power in all of creation throughout all of eternity.
3. LORD. God used this name to reveal Himself to His chosen people. It is the covenant name Yahweh and it means “I AM.” In other words, God is self-existent, self-sustaining, and eternal. He needs no other person or force to keep Him alive. He is the One who creates and holds everything else together.
When we see God in light of how He reveals Himself, counting on Him for protection suddenly becomes a lot easier. Notice also God’s hospitality. We are under His protection, in His shadow, in His fortress, and under His wing. He welcomes us into His protective presence. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to avoid the hunter seeking to ambush you or the plague that seems to surround you. If the ancient writer of this song could be sure of God’s protection in those kinds of circumstances, then we can trust Him as well.
What do the names and images in this passage reveal about God’s character?
Q U E S T I O N 2
God is my ultimate protection.
74 S E S S I O N 6© 2014 LifeWay
Psalm 91: 9-11
In the movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow were traveling down the Yellow Brick Road when the Tin Man explained the dangers that might lurk ahead. The three of them began to chant over and over again: “Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!”
In verses 3-13, the psalmist painted his own picture of the dangers that lurk: The hunter’s net. The destructive plague. The terror of the night. The arrow that flies by day. The plague that stalks in darkness. The pestilence that ravages at noon. The lion. The cobra. We often rehearse our own fears, both the real problems and the perceived dangers that might be lurking in the shadows.
] Physical pain and sickness visit our families, and other physical trials challenge us.
] Mental stresses often feel overwhelming. Lying down at night does not bring rest, because our minds keep running over all we’re facing.
] The emotional tolls of life threaten to sink us. Relationships that once brought joy and comfort now only seem to deliver distress.
If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves chanting our own version of “Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!” But the psalmist never did that, and neither should we. I don’t say that to trivialize our problems, but we have Someone greater watching over us. God’s sovereignty means He can protect us in all things. God goes so far as to involve the very forces of heaven on your behalf “to protect you in all your ways.” You will never encounter a circumstance over which He is not watching you, guarding you, and guiding you. You will run into problems but you’re not alone. God’s kind control means His eye is on you.
How can we reconcile the reality of suffering with the truths in these verses?
Q U E S T I O N 3
B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 75© 2014 LifeWay
THE POINT
Psalm 91:14-16
God is God and He is fully able to protect us. But He places a decision in our laps—the decision to be devoted to Him. In verses 1-13, the song has been from the psalmist’s perspective. Verses 14-16, though, are written from God’s perspective. God tells us what He will do for us when we make the decision to trust and be lovingly devoted to Him.
Recall the circumstances the psalmist recorded earlier about plagues, cobras, and the like (vv. 3-13). In the middle of all that, God does the most amazing things for us when we are “lovingly devoted” to Him. He overshadows the list of potential threats and problems with His own list of “I will” statements.
] I will deliver him.
] I will protect him.
] I will answer him.
] I will be with him.
] I will rescue him.
] I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.
God goes far beyond just preserving your existence.
] God knows your name. You are not anonymous to the King of the universe. He knows you personally (Isaiah 49:16).
] God answers when you call out to Him. In the midst of countless prayers going before Him, God hears your prayer. And He listens (1 John 5:14-15).
] God is right beside you when trouble appears. The idea that God would leave you as an orphan is an outright lie. He never abandons His people (Joshua 1:9; Matthew 28:20).
How does God’s protection differ from earthly protection?
Q U E S T I O N 4
God is my ultimate protection.
76 S E S S I O N 6© 2014 LifeWay
THE GOD WHO RESCUES
When or where do you feel weak or vulnerable right now? _____ When work demands overwhelm me _____ When I face major life decisions _____ When my relationships become stressful _____When my plans for the future get interrupted _____ (other ) _______________________________
Circle the phrase from Psalm 91:14-16 that gives you a sense of God’s power and protection.
14 Because he is lovingly devoted to Me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows My name. 15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. 16 I will satisfy him with a long life and show him My salvation.
] God rescues and honors you. We’d be happy just to be rescued and out of danger but God replaces the hazards with a place of honor. God doesn’t just want you sheltered; He wants you satisfied with eternal salvation (Ephesians 2:1-9).
God wants us to have an eternal relationship with Him through the power of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. When you’ve made the decision to lovingly surrender to His grace and mercy, then dangers, turmoil, and the chaos of life are just opportunities for God to demonstrate how much He loves you.
What responsibility do we have in being sheltered by God’s protection?
Q U E S T I O N 5
B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 77© 2014 LifeWay
THE POINT
How can we express trust in God’s protection?
] Make a list of the times in the last few years when you encountered hard times and trusted God in the midst of it. Make a journal of God’s comforting work in your life.
] Discuss with a close friend about some of the hang-ups you have that keep you from trusting God completely. Ask this friend to pray for and with you.
] Share Psalm 91 with a friend who is in the middle of some type of trouble. Share what you’ve learned from your own experience of trusting God when the days get dark.
As we learn to trust completely in God’s protection and become devoted to Him, we gain the balance between living in unhealthy fear and living with total disregard of danger. Fearful self-preservation calls for a lot of “don’ts” and things to avoid. God invites us instead to do something: to be lovingly devoted to Him and trust Him completely.
Great is God's Faithfulness
“My story is not about a man’s faithfulness to God; it’s about God’s faithfulness to a man.” Afshin’s story began in Houston in a well-to-do Muslim-Iranian family. When Afshin was 2, he and his family moved back to Tehran. A few years later, the Islamic revolution erupted, and intense fighting broke out in Iran, so Afshin’s father decided it was best to bring his family back to the United States. Afshin was 6.
To continue reading “Great is God’s Faithfulness” from HomeLife magazine, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles.
LIVE IT OUT
God is my ultimate protection.
“My story is not about a man’s faithfulness to God; it’s about God’s faithful-
ness to a man.” These are the words of speaker, author, and pastor of Providence Church in Frisco, Texas, Afshin Ziafat.
Afshin’s story began in Houston in a well-to-do Muslim- Iranian family. When Afshin was 2, he and his family moved back to Tehran. A few years later, the Islamic revolution erupted, and intense fighting broke out in Iran, so Afshin’s father decided it was best to bring his family back to the United States. Afshin was 6.
Their reception upon returning to Houston wasn’t a warm one. “Because of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, everyone turned against my family,” Afshin shares. “We had rocks thrown through our window in Houston, my parents’ car tires were slashed, and high school kids threatened to beat me up.”
But God, in His amazing providence, was at work.“There was one Christian lady, my tutor, who poured
herself into me. She really showed me the love of Christ at a
time when people should have hated my family. She gave me a New Testament, and it was that New Testament that I read 10 years later and came to faith in Christ.”
Since September 11, 2001, America’s fear of Islam has only increased. Most people view the rise of Islam as a threat, but Afshin sees it as a unique opportunity for Christians to show Muslims the love of Christ, especially since they expect to be ostracized in light of events like 9/11.
“Muslims need to understand what true love is. If you have to earn God’s love by how good you are, that’s not love.” As Afshin explains, Islam is a religion of works — at the end of a Muslim’s life, if the good he did outweighs the bad, he will get to heaven.
The premise of Christianity is grace — grace freely given by our heavenly Father. “One of my favorite verses as a former Muslim is Romans 5:8 ‘But God proves His own love
Afshin and Meredith Ziafat stand on the Word of God and the grace of the gospel.
Great Is God’s Faithfulness
by Emily Ellis
SPECIAL FEATURE
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Storm Shelter: Psalms of God’s Embrace
Storms will come. When we place ourselves in God’s loving embrace, we can experience shelter in the midst of any downpour.
Jesus Christ is the embodiment of each of these psalms. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, indwells us through His Holy Spirit, the One who is called the Comforter. Our salvation and relationship with God are secure and complete through Jesus. We know and experience the forgiveness of God because of the finished work of Christ on the cross.
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Everyone looks for shelter from life’s problems and downturns, but God is the only true shelter. As we experience difficulties, our trust in the presence and shelter of God gives testimony to the power and grace of God in our lives. As we see others in difficulty, we can point them to the shelter and protection only God can provide.
God embraces us through our relationship with Him. As He indwells each of us, we experience God’s presence, comfort, and encouragement. We are the body of Christ and we’re called to minister God’s presence and help to one another.
] Community
B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 81© 2014 LifeWay
