September 18, 2015
Angels Among Us
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways(Psalm 91:11, NIV).
Friend to Friend
Do you believe in angels? I do. I believe angels are real and at work in our everyday lives. I have personally sensed the presence of angels in my own life and have talked with many believers who share the same experience and belief. However, the mostpowerful evidence that angels exist is found in Scripture.
· Thirty-four of the Bible’s sixty-six books talk about angels in detail.
· Every New Testament writer confirms the existence of angels.
· The word “angel” or “angels” occurs more than 300 times in Scripture.
From beginning to end, the Bible validates the existence of angels:
Genesis 3:24 “After God forced the man out of the garden, he placed angels and a sword of fire that flashed around in every direction on its eastern border. This kept people from getting to the tree of life.”
Revelation 7:11 “All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures. They all bowed down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God.”
When we come to Jesus Christ in a personal relationship, He takes full responsibility for us. He takes care of us. And one of the ways God cares for us is through the ministry of His angels.
Author and pastor Chuck Swindoll tells the story of how his life was touched by an angel.
Many years ago one of my mentors told me a story I have never forgotten. A missionary was home on furlough, traveling by car from church to church. Late one rainy evening, facing a long and lonely all-night journey, he asked the Lord to help him stay awake and make it safely to the next place he would minister.
A few minutes later he came upon a man off to the side, thumbing a ride. Although he rarely picked up hitchhikers, he felt sorry for the man out in the rain and offered him a lift. As the two of them began to visit, the missionary was thrilled to discover that the stranger was a believer and that they also had many mutual friends engaged in the Lord's work.
Time passed rapidly as the two of them laughed and shared stories. The fellowship was so rich that the missionary hated to see the early light of dawn and hear his newfound friend say, "Well, here's where I get off." Before saying good-bye, the missionary invited him to have a cup of coffee at a roadside cafe. As they parted, they promised to pray for each other.
The rain had stopped by now, and a bright sun-drenched sky warmed the missionary's soul. Then, a couple of minutes down the road, he realized that he had failed to get the man's address and phone number, so he quickly returned to the cafe. There was no sign of the man. When he asked the cook if he'd seen which way the other fella had gone, he was shocked to hear him respond, "What other fella? You came in here alone. I wondered why you ordered two cups of coffee."
The missionary glanced at the table where the two had sat and noticed that the other cup was still full to the brim . . . and the coffee was cold.
As he returned to his car, another surprising realization came to his mind. He remembered that when he had picked up the hitchhiker in the rain the night before, the man had gotten in the car, but he wasn't wet!
What an amazing and comfort-filled promise – that God sends His angels to encourage, protect and guide us. As God’s messengers and our helpers, angels serve and honor Him through their praise and obedience as they carry out His will here on earth. As believers, we can count on the presence and power of angels.
As I look back over the past week, I wonder if I missed the presence of an angel when, at the last minute, the car swerved to avoid hitting me … or I came across the precious wedding ring I lost weeks ago … or an unexpected phone call of encouragement from a friend I haven’t heard from in years. Coincidence? Accident? I don’t think so. As you go through your day, set your mind on things above, and be sure to include angels.
Let’s Pray
Lord, I want to be more aware of Your angels at work I my life. Thank You for their presence and for the comfort, encouragement, protection and guidance they bring. I may not be able to see angels, but by faith, I celebrate the truth that angels really do touch my life.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now it’s your turn
Up until today, what has been your initial reaction to the subject of angels? Ask God to bring a new awareness of the ministry of angels in your life.
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