September 14, 2025 • 26 mins
Have you ever longed for a place of complete safety in an increasingly chaotic world? During a recent camping trip, Pastor Lee Day and his wife Erica discovered profound spiritual truths while reading scripture beside a morning campfire that could transform your understanding of divine protection.
The Days unpack the beautiful concept of God as our "hiding place" from Psalm 32:7, revealing that the Hebrew word used is identical to the word for a mother's womb – suggesting a protection that encompasses, nourishes, and develops us completely. This isn't just poetic language; it's a practical reality available to every believer who chooses to dwell in God's presence.
What makes this message so powerful is how the Days balance theological depth with raw honesty about life's challenges. They acknowledge Jesus's warnings about persecution while simultaneously affirming that our strength comes not from avoiding difficulties but from experiencing them while sheltered in God's presence. As Erica beautifully states, "God doesn't always give us the answer, but he always gives us himself."
The conversation takes a challenging turn when they distinguish between occasionally visiting God's presence during emergencies versus habitually dwelling there. Using Spurgeon's insights and their "Stay in the Fort" analogy, they invite listeners to experience the difference between religious visitation and spiritual habitation.
Whether you're facing mountains of uncertainty or simply seeking deeper spiritual grounding, this episode offers practical wisdom for experiencing God as your complete refuge – a shield "above, beneath, around, without and within." Join the conversation and discover how to move from occasional visits to permanent residence in the shadow of the Almighty.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
What's going on everybody?
This is Pastor Lee Day.
I'm pastor of Christ FamilyOutreach Church and I just want
to personally say thank you fortuning in to this podcast
episode of Beyond Sunday Todaywith me.
I have a very special person inmy life and ministry and she
was on a podcast a couple ofweeks ago and I just want to say
(00:33):
the people have spoken and Ihave decided to give the people
what they want, at least thistime anyway.
So on the podcast with me todayis my wife, Erica.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
How are you doing?
I'm doing awesome.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Amen, amen.
So I'm excited to do thisepisode with you.
We recorded together a coupleof weeks ago and the title of
the episode that we recorded wasPrisoner for Christ, and we had
so much fun recording thattogether, so I'm glad you're
back and what a blessing it ishaving someone in life to do
ministry with, and we've beendoing it together for a long,
(01:10):
long time.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
It's your second time on the show and I know you've
been telling me and other peoplethat your first time around you
were nervous because you didn'tknow what to expect.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
And I know you've done Bible studies before and
you haven't been nervous forthose, but something about being
in front of a microphone was alittle different.
Very different but as nervousas you were.
I think you did a fantastic job, and so I think you're ready to
go today.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
A few weeks ago, erica and I, we took our
youngest son camping.
He's 13.
And we went with another familyfrom our church and some of you
out there who know my bride maybe surprised that she was out
in the middle of the woods withthe bears and the deer and the
snakes and the ticks and thespiders and all of those creepy
crawlies.
But there we are, we findourselves in the middle of the
(01:57):
forest and we're camping.
The closest bathroom and showerhouse was about 500 to 600
yards away from our tent and wewere in a tent.
We were not glamping, but I'mhere to tell you that she did
fantastic.
I tried, you did a fabulous job.
I'm proud of you and, as amatter of fact, this was not her
first time camping and I do notbelieve it's going to be her
(02:19):
last.
I think it's something thatwe're finding in life that we
enjoy doing together and forthose of you who camp, you know
how fun it is.
So we got to get there duringthe daytime.
We put our tent right in theright spot, we hung up our
lights they're glowing in thedark as the sun set, we've got
our kayaks and our bikes off tothe side and of course we've got
(02:43):
the campfire.
And then early on the firstmorning there I woke up and I
started a fire because it was acooler morning.
We've had a lot of those thisend of August, end of September,
and it's been beautiful.
But it was a cooler morning andI got up early, actually before
the sun was coming up, and Istarted a campfire.
As I got the fire going, I satdown and began reading my Bible,
(03:03):
just having some quiet time inthe woods with God.
Not too long after that, erica,you got up and you began to
read your Bible, study the Wordyou got going in that morning.
Something that you taught methat particular morning just
blessed me from the Word of God.
It so stood with me that that'sactually what we're going to be
(03:26):
talking about to the listenerstoday.
So if you're listening outthere, I want to just tell you,
pay close attention, becauseit's about to be really, really
good.
Listen closely to what we haveto say, because I'm telling you,
if you grab a hold of it,you'll never forget it.
Erica, why don't you go ahead,share with the people what you
(03:46):
shared with me that morning?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Well, I was just reading through the Psalms and I
kept reading about how the Lordwas just encircled around us
and how he was our hiding place,and it just kept going from
Scripture to Scripture and Ikept telling you like it just
keeps repeating itself and howhe's just that safe place for us
.
And one of the scriptures thatI shared was Psalm 32, 7.
(04:12):
It says you are my hiding place.
You will protect me fromtrouble and surround me with
songs of deliverance.
And that word hiding place,where it says you're my hiding
place, is the same word that isused as a womb for a mother
which is so cool, and so Godhimself is our hiding place.
(04:36):
He is a secure shelter for us,and what encompasses a good
hiding place is both strength,height, it's not easily seen and
it's reliable.
Think about that.
He is our hiding place and heis all of those things for us.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Amen.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
And the other part of that scripture that is so good,
where it says he surrounds mewith songs of deliverance.
That word surround me it alsomeans compass me, encircle me.
There's like not one area, it'snot just the front and the back
, and then the sides are open,or the sides, it's like the top,
(05:14):
the bottom, the front, thesides, everything encircling
around me.
There is no breach in a circleright.
There's no breach, and itcompletely rings around you and
I.
But what is even cooler, whatdoes he surround us with Songs
of Deliverance.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
I love the piece where it talks about the word
that's used in the Hebrew text.
There is that word for womb likewomb of a mother, because you
think about what goes on for achild in the womb of the mother
and how there is protectionthere.
You know something may bump onthe outside of that stomach,
(05:54):
something may rattle the outside, but that baby or those babies
if there's twins or more, theyare protected in the womb of the
mother.
And what all happens in thewomb, you know the provision
that goes on inside for thatchild or those children to be
able to receive the nutrientsthat they need to grow.
(06:15):
So when we are found, praiseGod, hallelujah, when we are
found in Christ and we findourselves in his shadow, if you
will, we find ourselves in theshadow of his wings, we find
ourselves in the fortress of God, within his presence.
Everything that we need to dolife with, everything we need to
be successful, everything weneed to be successful,
(06:36):
everything we need to havevictory, is right there, found
in the presence of God.
He keeps us safe, he is oursafe place.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yes, yes, talking about shadow.
Okay, so I just want to sharethis scripture with you, which
is another one in Psalms.
Psalms is one of my favoritebooks in the Bible.
But Psalm 91, 4,.
It says he who dwells in theshelter of the Most High will
rest in the shadow of theAlmighty.
I will save the Lord.
(07:03):
He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.
And resting in a shadow meansnearness right, you have to be
near in order to be resting in ashadow means nearness, right,
you have to be near in order tobe near it, to be resting in the
shadow.
So we must walk near someone inorder for their shadow to fall
on us.
And right there, when it says Iwill rest in the shadow of the
(07:25):
almighty, he allows us to restin that shadow, but we have to
be near him in order to do that.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
In order to receive the benefit of the shadow?
Yes, absolutely and.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I love this quote from Spurgeon.
I know you use his quotes a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
I'm a fan.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yes, so I wanted to share one myself Go ahead girl
Look at you.
He says Every child of God lookstowards the inner sanctuary and
the mercy seat.
Yet all do not dwell in themost holy place.
They run to it at times andenjoy Spurgeon.
(07:58):
Yes, so like.
Do we just go to that shadowevery so often when we need it?
Do we dwell in that shelter ofthe most high when we need it,
or are we trying to stay therehabitually?
Are we abiding?
Are we living in that shelterof the most high when we need it
, or are we trying to stay therehabitually?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Are we abiding?
Are we living in the shadow?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yes, so people will go there, but yet not all dwell
there, and that's where I wantto be.
I want to be dwelling there.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
I want to be right there with you, girl.
Yes, so so good.
I know this past Sunday servicewas so powerful, so, so
powerful.
If you were not in the roomwith us, I'm going to tell you
you missed it.
You missed it From worship tothe testimony during worship to
the Lord just delivering word.
(08:47):
Even during worship it was justso, so powerful.
To the message, the presence ofGod was so thick there I was
exhausted at the end of it.
And when you come into God'shouse, you've got two options.
You can either you can get inthat presence or you can stand
back and just witness it, and Idon't ever want to be one of
(09:08):
those that just stands back andwitnesses it.
I want to be in the shadow,right.
I want to be in the presencereceiving.
I want to be in the presencereceiving the benefit that the
presence of God brings.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I don't want to just run to itat times, or you know, look at
it and in that sanctuary and themercy seat, but I want to dwell
there, I want to dwell there.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah, and there's a reason for dwelling there.
Matthew, chapter 10, 16 through22,.
Jesus tells his disciplesbehold, I am sending you out as
sheep in the midst of wolves.
So be wise as serpents andinnocent as doves.
Beware of men, for they willdeliver you over to courts and
flog you in their synagogues,and you will be dragged before
(09:50):
governors and kings.
For my sake, so bear witnessbefore them and the Gentiles
when they deliver you over.
Do not be anxious how you areto speak or what you are to say,
for what you are to say will begiven to you in that hour, for
it is not you who speak, but thespirit of your father speaking
through you.
Brother will deliver brotherover to death, and the father,
(10:12):
his child and children will riseagainst parents and have them
put to death, and you will behated by all for my namesake.
But the one who endures to theend will be saved.
Amen, jesus says.
But the one who endures to theend will be saved.
So, as true followers of JesusChrist, there are going to be
really great times, but there'salso going to be really hard
(10:34):
times, very difficult times.
And Jesus says that we have anenemy who wants to steal, kill
and destroy.
So it is so important to knowwhere our safe place in God is.
And that safe place is found inGod, in the shadow of the
Almighty and Erica.
That's why we got to be thereTo the listeners, that's why we
got to be there.
That's why we got to be soclose to His presence that we
(10:57):
find ourselves in His shadow,because Jesus Himself says times
are going to get really hard.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah, yeah, I know I think one of the words that came
to us this morning as we werepraying, the Lord just he's so
good and he just ties everythingtogether, but he had given a
couple of people the wordboldness and courage, and I just
feel like that's what the Lordis just stirring in people's
hearts right now Having aboldness and a courage for him,
no matter what the cost is.
(11:23):
And you know, talking aboutfear, the best answer to fear is
his presence, right?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Oh, that's so good.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Isaiah 41, 10, says do not fear, for I am with you,
do not be dismayed, for I amyour God.
I will strengthen you and helpyou.
I will uphold you with myrighteous right hand.
So right there, when he tellsus do not be dismayed, we need
to just quit trying to figure itout ourselves.
(11:50):
Right, it's not necessary forus to understand God's ways and
you know, with everything goingon in the world, you know you
can sit here and say, man, whydid this happen?
Why did that happen?
Why did God allow this tohappen?
It says do not fear, I'm withyou, don't be dismayed, I'm your
God.
So being dismayed means ustrying to figure it out.
(12:11):
We just need to bask in hispresence, be in the shadow of
his wings, and he'll give us thepeace that we need and just the
wisdom of what we need to dowith it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Even if we can't understand it, it's okay.
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
He says I am your God .
He doesn't always give us theanswer, but he always gives us
himself.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
So praise the Lord for that.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Psalm 143, 8 through 10 says this Let me hear in the
morning of your steadfast love,for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I shouldgo for.
To you I lift up my soul.
Deliver me from my enemies.
Oh Lord, I have fled to you forrefuge.
I have fled to you for refuge.
(12:58):
Teach me to do your will, foryou are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me onlevel ground.
I mean I love that.
The psalmist says I have fledto you, god.
I have fled to you for refuge.
He goes on to say let your goodspirit capital S.
The Holy Spirit of God, letyour good spirit lead me on
level ground.
So a question for you today,folks is God your safe place?
(13:20):
Do you make it a habit?
Do you make it a habit to runto him in troubling times?
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And you know, I don't even want to get far from his
shadow, I just need to staythere, right?
Why do I even leave that area?
Stay in the shadow of his?
Speaker 1 (13:38):
wings.
One of the things that I dowhen I pull up somewhere is I'm
I'm looking for shade.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I'm looking for shade .
It doesn't take much baby toget me sweaty.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
You know, that right.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Sometimes, before I even leave the house, I'm
already sweating on the way out.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
That's why I wear a blanket in the car.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, yeah.
So you bring a blanket in thecar because you know I'm a blast
AC and I don't know if there'sany other people out there like
me, but I want to see like frostand ice chips spitting out of
the AC vents, right.
So when we go places, I'mlooking for shade right,
Rightfully so.
And I just think about how,when we are in the shadow of the
(14:19):
Almighty, we get the benefitsof the shadow.
Psalm 46, 1-3 says God is ourrefuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear,though the earth give way,
though the mountains be movedinto the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,though the mountains tremble at
(14:42):
its swelling.
So I take you back to what Ericahad said earlier, at the
beginning of this podcast, myfriends, that the Hebrew text
teaches us that being in thepresence of God, being in that
shadow, is our safe place.
Our refuge is like an infantbeing in the womb.
So here we find ourselves inPsalm 46, one through three.
(15:07):
God is two things here.
Our refuge and strength arerefuge and strength.
So, outside of the presence ofGod, I'm weak.
I'm weak.
I need to be in the presence.
I need to be within the refugebecause it's my safe place, but
also because I'm strong in thepresence of God.
(15:29):
You are strong in the presenceof God.
But then the psalmist says thisa very present help, and I love
that.
It doesn't just say that God isa help, right, it says that he
is a present help.
Think about that.
God, the creator of heaven andearth, the creator of the
universe.
He is a present help, Erica, inyour life, in my life, in our
(15:54):
marriage, in our ministry.
He's a present help.
How beautiful it is that weserve a God that right now, in
this moment, is in the room asour present helper.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
And I need it.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
We all do.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I need it.
I loved this other psalm.
I want to share this too, Psalm3, 1 through 4.
Now, David was writing thispsal, writing this Psalm
actually when he was fleeingfrom his son Absalom.
I can't even imagine fleeingfor my life from my son.
So just the anguish in thatright.
So he writes oh Lord, how manyare my foes?
(16:31):
How many rise up against me?
Many are saying to me God willnot deliver him, but you are a
shield around me.
O Lord, you bestow glory on meand lift up my head To the Lord.
I cry aloud and he answers mefrom his holy hill.
And that word in the original.
(16:52):
When you're talking about theshield around me, it actually
means a buckler roundabout, aprotection which shall surround
a man entirely a shield above,beneath, around, without and
within.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
So good.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
And so, God, he wards off those fiery darts of Satan
from beneath us, the storms oftrials from above us, and while
at the same time he will speakpeace to our front and our back.
So it's, you know, it's just soawesome, Kind of like I had said
before, where the biggestanswer to fear is just his
presence.
And sometimes you know, indifferent times in our life well
(17:33):
, every time in our life butwhen there's times in our life
where maybe you're going throughthe hardest thing that you can
imagine, you know right here,where David is running from his
son, for him, from his life, andhe's just wanting to bask in
the presence of the Lord, and soI've just learned so much from
that.
You know, going throughsomething hard, like sometimes
(17:56):
the only thing you can do causeyou don't even know what to pray
, sometimes right Is justbasking in the presence of him
and worshiping God for who he isbecause we know who he is is
truth, right, so his word istruth.
So just start saying that,proclaiming that, praise him,
thank him and um, and the fearwill just start to slip away.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Yeah, this morning at church.
So today's Sunday we'rerecording this episode on a
Sunday afternoon.
So this morning at church theworship team was in there
practicing and the music wasplaying and it was just one of
those moments where I justclosed my eyes, I sat back and I
(18:37):
just bowed my head and I justgot into the presence.
Just feeling the presence wasenough.
Just basking in that presencethis morning was enough.
And what a beautiful feeling itis when you feel the presence
of God and it gives you suchpeace and you realize, you know,
(19:00):
that the presence of God isenough.
I know back to that Psalm 46,you had mentioned right there
about David running from his sonAbsalom.
Back to Psalm 46, it talksabout even if the earth give way
, if the mountains be moved intothe heart of the sea, though
(19:24):
its waters roar and foam, thoughthe mountains tremble at its
swelling, it is saying yet stillwe will not fear.
And the reason the psalmistsays we will not fear is because
he recognizes in the firstverse of Psalm 46 that God is
(19:45):
our refuge, our strength and avery present help, even in
trouble.
Psalm 91, 1 through 13.
This is a little lengthy one,but it's good.
I want you to hang on there.
There's a point behind it, Ofcourse.
There's always a point behindall of God's word.
So Psalm 91, 1 through 13, saysthis he who dwells in the
(20:05):
shelter of the most high willabide in the shadow of the
almighty.
I will say to the Lord, myrefuge and my fortress, my God,
in whom I trust, for he willdeliver you from the snare of
the fowler and from the deadlypestilence.
He will cover you with hispinions, and under his wings you
will find refuge.
His faithfulness is a shieldand buckler.
(20:26):
You will not fear the terror ofthe night, nor the arrow that
flies by day, nor the pestilencethat stalks in darkness, nor
the destruction that wastes atnoonday.
A thousand may fall at yourside, ten thousand at your right
hand, but it will not come nearyou.
You will only look with youreyes and see the recompense of
(20:47):
the wicked.
Because you have made the Lordyour dwelling place, the Most
High, who is my refuge.
No evil shall be allowed tobefall you, no plague shall come
near your tent, for he willcommand his angels concerning
you to guard you in all yourways.
On their hands, they will bearyou up lest you strike your foot
against a stone, you will treadon the lion and the adder, the
(21:11):
young lion and the serpent youwill trample underfoot.
I've got a question for youlisteners Are you dwelling in
the shelter?
It reminded me as I waspreparing for this particular
episode.
Erica, I preached a sermonyears ago titled Stay in the
Fort, Stay in the Fort, andthat's something that we just
(21:32):
kept coming back to in thatparticular sermon.
That Sunday was stay in thefort, stay in the fort, stay in
the fort, Stay in the fort, andthat's something that we just
kept coming back to in thatparticular sermon that Sunday
was stay in the fort, stay inthe fort, stay in the fort.
In other words, do not leavethe fortress of God, Do not
leave the presence of God,because it is his presence that
protects you and keeps you safe.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, speaks to you too, gives you words of wisdom
that you don't even know tofollow.
Without it, we're to use hisword as a shield right With the
fiery darts, and it tells ushere not to fear danger or
disease.
You know, and only you could dothat when you have a
relationship with the Lord, whenyou're in the nearness of him,
(22:09):
and not being afraid even whenwe see destruction happening
around us.
And that's so hard to dosometimes, when maybe life seems
like it's falling apart, thingsare happening around you or
maybe your plans didn't work outright and you just have to lean
back on the word.
And what does the word say?
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Psalm 61.4,.
We're going to close it, we'regoing to wrap this episode up
with this right here, becausewe've talked about being in the
womb, being in the presence,we've talked a little bit about
camping and being out in thetent, we've talked about being
in the shelter.
So I think it's only fitting toend this episode with Psalm
(22:47):
61.4.
Psalm 61.4 says let me dwell inyour tent forever, let me take
refuge under the shelter of yourwings.
And I know, when we get away,it's always good to get away to
take a vacation, to have timeaway from the pace that we live
(23:07):
our lives, because we're busypeople and it's good.
I enjoy being a busy family forthe Lord.
But I think you would agreewith me that when we get away,
it's always great coming backhome, getting back into the
routine, back into the grind oflife and ministry, full-time and
serving the Lord.
And I think that it is amazing,when you look at it in this way
(23:31):
, that it's always great comingback to our house.
It's always great coming back toour home, getting back into our
place and maybe you're alistener out there that is
strayed away from the shelter,maybe you strayed away from your
spiritual house.
And I just want to remind youthat God is your shelter.
He desires for you to be in theshadow of his wings.
(23:54):
He loves you so much so that hegave his only begotten son,
jesus Christ, that if you wouldbelieve in him you would not
perish, but you would haveeverlasting life.
My friends, that is the literalplan of God for your life.
That's John 3.16.
If you've ever wondered whatdoes God want to do with my life
?
He gave Jesus for you so thatyou can live a life worthy of
(24:18):
the call that God has placed onyou.
And you begin to, as you studythe Word of God, find out more
and more what God wants to do inyour life.
So in this particular episode,we've talked about the
importance of being in theshelter, being in the presence,
the safety that we get, thebenefits that we get from being
in the presence.
(24:39):
We've talked about how Jesusgives us a heads up, that this
life is not going to be easy,that there will be difficulties,
but how strengthening it isknowing that when we are in the
presence, even the hard times,when we are in the presence of
God, even in the hard times, westill have victory.
(24:59):
So, folks, let's pray.
Father, I am so grateful thatyou allow us, as people, to be
within your presence.
I am so thankful that you sentyour son, jesus Christ, for
every single one of us.
I'm thankful that your presenceis a sweet refuge for us that
(25:21):
we can run to it.
Your word says that therighteous.
The righteous call upon yourname and the righteous run into
your name and are safe.
So, lord, we love you, wepraise you, we honor you and we
acknowledge that the only way wecan be righteous is through
Jesus Christ.
God, I pray that if there beanyone out there listening today
(25:44):
that needs to receive you asJesus, as savior of their life,
that, father, this day, this day, they would cry out to you and
ask you to save their soul.
In Jesus Christ's name andblood, all God's people said
amen and amen.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
My bride.
It was a wonderful time, awonderful, wonderful time having
you on this episode.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I just want to say it is such a privilege and an
honor to even be on here and toshare God's word with the people
.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Absolutely.
God bless you all Until nexttime.
We will see you on BeyondSunday.
God bless.
What's going on everybody?
This is Pastor Lee Day.
I'm pastor of Christ FamilyOutreach Church and I just want
to personally say thank you fortuning in to this podcast
episode of Beyond Sunday Todaywith me.
I have a very special person inmy life and ministry and she
was on a podcast a couple ofweeks ago and I just want to say
(00:33):
the people have spoken and Ihave decided to give the people
what they want, at least thistime anyway.
So on the podcast with me todayis my wife, Erica.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
How are you doing?
I'm doing awesome.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Amen, amen.
So I'm excited to do thisepisode with you.
We recorded together a coupleof weeks ago and the title of
the episode that we recorded wasPrisoner for Christ, and we had
so much fun recording thattogether, so I'm glad you're
back and what a blessing it ishaving someone in life to do
ministry with, and we've beendoing it together for a long,
(01:10):
long time.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
It's your second time on the show and I know you've
been telling me and other peoplethat your first time around you
were nervous because you didn'tknow what to expect.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
And I know you've done Bible studies before and
you haven't been nervous forthose, but something about being
in front of a microphone was alittle different.
Very different but as nervousas you were.
I think you did a fantastic job, and so I think you're ready to
go today.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
A few weeks ago, erica and I, we took our
youngest son camping.
He's 13.
And we went with another familyfrom our church and some of you
out there who know my bride maybe surprised that she was out
in the middle of the woods withthe bears and the deer and the
snakes and the ticks and thespiders and all of those creepy
crawlies.
But there we are, we findourselves in the middle of the
(01:57):
forest and we're camping.
The closest bathroom and showerhouse was about 500 to 600
yards away from our tent and wewere in a tent.
We were not glamping, but I'mhere to tell you that she did
fantastic.
I tried, you did a fabulous job.
I'm proud of you and, as amatter of fact, this was not her
first time camping and I do notbelieve it's going to be her
(02:19):
last.
I think it's something thatwe're finding in life that we
enjoy doing together and forthose of you who camp, you know
how fun it is.
So we got to get there duringthe daytime.
We put our tent right in theright spot, we hung up our
lights they're glowing in thedark as the sun set, we've got
our kayaks and our bikes off tothe side and of course we've got
(02:43):
the campfire.
And then early on the firstmorning there I woke up and I
started a fire because it was acooler morning.
We've had a lot of those thisend of August, end of September,
and it's been beautiful.
But it was a cooler morning andI got up early, actually before
the sun was coming up, and Istarted a campfire.
As I got the fire going, I satdown and began reading my Bible,
(03:03):
just having some quiet time inthe woods with God.
Not too long after that, erica,you got up and you began to
read your Bible, study the Wordyou got going in that morning.
Something that you taught methat particular morning just
blessed me from the Word of God.
It so stood with me that that'sactually what we're going to be
(03:26):
talking about to the listenerstoday.
So if you're listening outthere, I want to just tell you,
pay close attention, becauseit's about to be really, really
good.
Listen closely to what we haveto say, because I'm telling you,
if you grab a hold of it,you'll never forget it.
Erica, why don't you go ahead,share with the people what you
(03:46):
shared with me that morning?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Well, I was just reading through the Psalms and I
kept reading about how the Lordwas just encircled around us
and how he was our hiding place,and it just kept going from
Scripture to Scripture and Ikept telling you like it just
keeps repeating itself and howhe's just that safe place for us
.
And one of the scriptures thatI shared was Psalm 32, 7.
(04:12):
It says you are my hiding place.
You will protect me fromtrouble and surround me with
songs of deliverance.
And that word hiding place,where it says you're my hiding
place, is the same word that isused as a womb for a mother
which is so cool, and so Godhimself is our hiding place.
(04:36):
He is a secure shelter for us,and what encompasses a good
hiding place is both strength,height, it's not easily seen and
it's reliable.
Think about that.
He is our hiding place and heis all of those things for us.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Amen.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
And the other part of that scripture that is so good,
where it says he surrounds mewith songs of deliverance.
That word surround me it alsomeans compass me, encircle me.
There's like not one area, it'snot just the front and the back
, and then the sides are open,or the sides, it's like the top,
(05:14):
the bottom, the front, thesides, everything encircling
around me.
There is no breach in a circleright.
There's no breach, and itcompletely rings around you and
I.
But what is even cooler, whatdoes he surround us with Songs
of Deliverance.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
I love the piece where it talks about the word
that's used in the Hebrew text.
There is that word for womb likewomb of a mother, because you
think about what goes on for achild in the womb of the mother
and how there is protectionthere.
You know something may bump onthe outside of that stomach,
(05:54):
something may rattle the outside, but that baby or those babies
if there's twins or more, theyare protected in the womb of the
mother.
And what all happens in thewomb, you know the provision
that goes on inside for thatchild or those children to be
able to receive the nutrientsthat they need to grow.
(06:15):
So when we are found, praiseGod, hallelujah, when we are
found in Christ and we findourselves in his shadow, if you
will, we find ourselves in theshadow of his wings, we find
ourselves in the fortress of God, within his presence.
Everything that we need to dolife with, everything we need to
be successful, everything weneed to be successful,
(06:36):
everything we need to havevictory, is right there, found
in the presence of God.
He keeps us safe, he is oursafe place.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yes, yes, talking about shadow.
Okay, so I just want to sharethis scripture with you, which
is another one in Psalms.
Psalms is one of my favoritebooks in the Bible.
But Psalm 91, 4,.
It says he who dwells in theshelter of the Most High will
rest in the shadow of theAlmighty.
I will save the Lord.
(07:03):
He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.
And resting in a shadow meansnearness right, you have to be
near in order to be resting in ashadow means nearness, right,
you have to be near in order tobe near it, to be resting in the
shadow.
So we must walk near someone inorder for their shadow to fall
on us.
And right there, when it says Iwill rest in the shadow of the
(07:25):
almighty, he allows us to restin that shadow, but we have to
be near him in order to do that.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
In order to receive the benefit of the shadow?
Yes, absolutely and.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
I love this quote from Spurgeon.
I know you use his quotes a lot.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
I'm a fan.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yes, so I wanted to share one myself Go ahead girl
Look at you.
He says Every child of God lookstowards the inner sanctuary and
the mercy seat.
Yet all do not dwell in themost holy place.
They run to it at times andenjoy Spurgeon.
(07:58):
Yes, so like.
Do we just go to that shadowevery so often when we need it?
Do we dwell in that shelter ofthe most high when we need it,
or are we trying to stay therehabitually?
Are we abiding?
Are we living in that shelterof the most high when we need it
, or are we trying to stay therehabitually?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Are we abiding?
Are we living in the shadow?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yes, so people will go there, but yet not all dwell
there, and that's where I wantto be.
I want to be dwelling there.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
I want to be right there with you, girl.
Yes, so so good.
I know this past Sunday servicewas so powerful, so, so
powerful.
If you were not in the roomwith us, I'm going to tell you
you missed it.
You missed it From worship tothe testimony during worship to
the Lord just delivering word.
(08:47):
Even during worship it was justso, so powerful.
To the message, the presence ofGod was so thick there I was
exhausted at the end of it.
And when you come into God'shouse, you've got two options.
You can either you can get inthat presence or you can stand
back and just witness it, and Idon't ever want to be one of
(09:08):
those that just stands back andwitnesses it.
I want to be in the shadow,right.
I want to be in the presencereceiving.
I want to be in the presencereceiving the benefit that the
presence of God brings.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I don't want to just run to itat times, or you know, look at
it and in that sanctuary and themercy seat, but I want to dwell
there, I want to dwell there.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah, and there's a reason for dwelling there.
Matthew, chapter 10, 16 through22,.
Jesus tells his disciplesbehold, I am sending you out as
sheep in the midst of wolves.
So be wise as serpents andinnocent as doves.
Beware of men, for they willdeliver you over to courts and
flog you in their synagogues,and you will be dragged before
(09:50):
governors and kings.
For my sake, so bear witnessbefore them and the Gentiles
when they deliver you over.
Do not be anxious how you areto speak or what you are to say,
for what you are to say will begiven to you in that hour, for
it is not you who speak, but thespirit of your father speaking
through you.
Brother will deliver brotherover to death, and the father,
(10:12):
his child and children will riseagainst parents and have them
put to death, and you will behated by all for my namesake.
But the one who endures to theend will be saved.
Amen, jesus says.
But the one who endures to theend will be saved.
So, as true followers of JesusChrist, there are going to be
really great times, but there'salso going to be really hard
(10:34):
times, very difficult times.
And Jesus says that we have anenemy who wants to steal, kill
and destroy.
So it is so important to knowwhere our safe place in God is.
And that safe place is found inGod, in the shadow of the
Almighty and Erica.
That's why we got to be thereTo the listeners, that's why we
got to be there.
That's why we got to be soclose to His presence that we
(10:57):
find ourselves in His shadow,because Jesus Himself says times
are going to get really hard.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Yeah, yeah, I know I think one of the words that came
to us this morning as we werepraying, the Lord just he's so
good and he just ties everythingtogether, but he had given a
couple of people the wordboldness and courage, and I just
feel like that's what the Lordis just stirring in people's
hearts right now Having aboldness and a courage for him,
no matter what the cost is.
(11:23):
And you know, talking aboutfear, the best answer to fear is
his presence, right?
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Oh, that's so good.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Isaiah 41, 10, says do not fear, for I am with you,
do not be dismayed, for I amyour God.
I will strengthen you and helpyou.
I will uphold you with myrighteous right hand.
So right there, when he tellsus do not be dismayed, we need
to just quit trying to figure itout ourselves.
(11:50):
Right, it's not necessary forus to understand God's ways and
you know, with everything goingon in the world, you know you
can sit here and say, man, whydid this happen?
Why did that happen?
Why did God allow this tohappen?
It says do not fear, I'm withyou, don't be dismayed, I'm your
God.
So being dismayed means ustrying to figure it out.
(12:11):
We just need to bask in hispresence, be in the shadow of
his wings, and he'll give us thepeace that we need and just the
wisdom of what we need to dowith it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Even if we can't understand it, it's okay.
Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
He says I am your God .
He doesn't always give us theanswer, but he always gives us
himself.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
So praise the Lord for that.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Psalm 143, 8 through 10 says this Let me hear in the
morning of your steadfast love,for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I shouldgo for.
To you I lift up my soul.
Deliver me from my enemies.
Oh Lord, I have fled to you forrefuge.
I have fled to you for refuge.
(12:58):
Teach me to do your will, foryou are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me onlevel ground.
I mean I love that.
The psalmist says I have fledto you, god.
I have fled to you for refuge.
He goes on to say let your goodspirit capital S.
The Holy Spirit of God, letyour good spirit lead me on
level ground.
So a question for you today,folks is God your safe place?
(13:20):
Do you make it a habit?
Do you make it a habit to runto him in troubling times?
Speaker 2 (13:29):
And you know, I don't even want to get far from his
shadow, I just need to staythere, right?
Why do I even leave that area?
Stay in the shadow of his?
Speaker 1 (13:38):
wings.
One of the things that I dowhen I pull up somewhere is I'm
I'm looking for shade.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I'm looking for shade .
It doesn't take much baby toget me sweaty.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
You know, that right.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Sometimes, before I even leave the house, I'm
already sweating on the way out.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
That's why I wear a blanket in the car.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, yeah.
So you bring a blanket in thecar because you know I'm a blast
AC and I don't know if there'sany other people out there like
me, but I want to see like frostand ice chips spitting out of
the AC vents, right.
So when we go places, I'mlooking for shade right,
Rightfully so.
And I just think about how,when we are in the shadow of the
(14:19):
Almighty, we get the benefitsof the shadow.
Psalm 46, 1-3 says God is ourrefuge and strength, a very
present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear,though the earth give way,
though the mountains be movedinto the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,though the mountains tremble at
(14:42):
its swelling.
So I take you back to what Ericahad said earlier, at the
beginning of this podcast, myfriends, that the Hebrew text
teaches us that being in thepresence of God, being in that
shadow, is our safe place.
Our refuge is like an infantbeing in the womb.
So here we find ourselves inPsalm 46, one through three.
(15:07):
God is two things here.
Our refuge and strength arerefuge and strength.
So, outside of the presence ofGod, I'm weak.
I'm weak.
I need to be in the presence.
I need to be within the refugebecause it's my safe place, but
also because I'm strong in thepresence of God.
(15:29):
You are strong in the presenceof God.
But then the psalmist says thisa very present help, and I love
that.
It doesn't just say that God isa help, right, it says that he
is a present help.
Think about that.
God, the creator of heaven andearth, the creator of the
universe.
He is a present help, Erica, inyour life, in my life, in our
(15:54):
marriage, in our ministry.
He's a present help.
How beautiful it is that weserve a God that right now, in
this moment, is in the room asour present helper.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
And I need it.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
We all do.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I need it.
I loved this other psalm.
I want to share this too, Psalm3, 1 through 4.
Now, David was writing thispsal, writing this Psalm
actually when he was fleeingfrom his son Absalom.
I can't even imagine fleeingfor my life from my son.
So just the anguish in thatright.
So he writes oh Lord, how manyare my foes?
(16:31):
How many rise up against me?
Many are saying to me God willnot deliver him, but you are a
shield around me.
O Lord, you bestow glory on meand lift up my head To the Lord.
I cry aloud and he answers mefrom his holy hill.
And that word in the original.
(16:52):
When you're talking about theshield around me, it actually
means a buckler roundabout, aprotection which shall surround
a man entirely a shield above,beneath, around, without and
within.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
So good.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
And so, God, he wards off those fiery darts of Satan
from beneath us, the storms oftrials from above us, and while
at the same time he will speakpeace to our front and our back.
So it's, you know, it's just soawesome, Kind of like I had said
before, where the biggestanswer to fear is just his
presence.
And sometimes you know, indifferent times in our life well
(17:33):
, every time in our life butwhen there's times in our life
where maybe you're going throughthe hardest thing that you can
imagine, you know right here,where David is running from his
son, for him, from his life, andhe's just wanting to bask in
the presence of the Lord, and soI've just learned so much from
that.
You know, going throughsomething hard, like sometimes
(17:56):
the only thing you can do causeyou don't even know what to pray
, sometimes right Is justbasking in the presence of him
and worshiping God for who he isbecause we know who he is is
truth, right, so his word istruth.
So just start saying that,proclaiming that, praise him,
thank him and um, and the fearwill just start to slip away.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
Yeah, this morning at church.
So today's Sunday we'rerecording this episode on a
Sunday afternoon.
So this morning at church theworship team was in there
practicing and the music wasplaying and it was just one of
those moments where I justclosed my eyes, I sat back and I
(18:37):
just bowed my head and I justgot into the presence.
Just feeling the presence wasenough.
Just basking in that presencethis morning was enough.
And what a beautiful feeling itis when you feel the presence
of God and it gives you suchpeace and you realize, you know,
(19:00):
that the presence of God isenough.
I know back to that Psalm 46,you had mentioned right there
about David running from his sonAbsalom.
Back to Psalm 46, it talksabout even if the earth give way
, if the mountains be moved intothe heart of the sea, though
(19:24):
its waters roar and foam, thoughthe mountains tremble at its
swelling, it is saying yet stillwe will not fear.
And the reason the psalmistsays we will not fear is because
he recognizes in the firstverse of Psalm 46 that God is
(19:45):
our refuge, our strength and avery present help, even in
trouble.
Psalm 91, 1 through 13.
This is a little lengthy one,but it's good.
I want you to hang on there.
There's a point behind it, Ofcourse.
There's always a point behindall of God's word.
So Psalm 91, 1 through 13, saysthis he who dwells in the
(20:05):
shelter of the most high willabide in the shadow of the
almighty.
I will say to the Lord, myrefuge and my fortress, my God,
in whom I trust, for he willdeliver you from the snare of
the fowler and from the deadlypestilence.
He will cover you with hispinions, and under his wings you
will find refuge.
His faithfulness is a shieldand buckler.
(20:26):
You will not fear the terror ofthe night, nor the arrow that
flies by day, nor the pestilencethat stalks in darkness, nor
the destruction that wastes atnoonday.
A thousand may fall at yourside, ten thousand at your right
hand, but it will not come nearyou.
You will only look with youreyes and see the recompense of
(20:47):
the wicked.
Because you have made the Lordyour dwelling place, the Most
High, who is my refuge.
No evil shall be allowed tobefall you, no plague shall come
near your tent, for he willcommand his angels concerning
you to guard you in all yourways.
On their hands, they will bearyou up lest you strike your foot
against a stone, you will treadon the lion and the adder, the
(21:11):
young lion and the serpent youwill trample underfoot.
I've got a question for youlisteners Are you dwelling in
the shelter?
It reminded me as I waspreparing for this particular
episode.
Erica, I preached a sermonyears ago titled Stay in the
Fort, Stay in the Fort, andthat's something that we just
(21:32):
kept coming back to in thatparticular sermon.
That Sunday was stay in thefort, stay in the fort, stay in
the fort, Stay in the fort, andthat's something that we just
kept coming back to in thatparticular sermon that Sunday
was stay in the fort, stay inthe fort, stay in the fort.
In other words, do not leavethe fortress of God, Do not
leave the presence of God,because it is his presence that
protects you and keeps you safe.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Yeah, speaks to you too, gives you words of wisdom
that you don't even know tofollow.
Without it, we're to use hisword as a shield right With the
fiery darts, and it tells ushere not to fear danger or
disease.
You know, and only you could dothat when you have a
relationship with the Lord, whenyou're in the nearness of him,
(22:09):
and not being afraid even whenwe see destruction happening
around us.
And that's so hard to dosometimes, when maybe life seems
like it's falling apart, thingsare happening around you or
maybe your plans didn't work outright and you just have to lean
back on the word.
And what does the word say?
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Psalm 61.4,.
We're going to close it, we'regoing to wrap this episode up
with this right here, becausewe've talked about being in the
womb, being in the presence,we've talked a little bit about
camping and being out in thetent, we've talked about being
in the shelter.
So I think it's only fitting toend this episode with Psalm
(22:47):
61.4.
Psalm 61.4 says let me dwell inyour tent forever, let me take
refuge under the shelter of yourwings.
And I know, when we get away,it's always good to get away to
take a vacation, to have timeaway from the pace that we live
(23:07):
our lives, because we're busypeople and it's good.
I enjoy being a busy family forthe Lord.
But I think you would agreewith me that when we get away,
it's always great coming backhome, getting back into the
routine, back into the grind oflife and ministry, full-time and
serving the Lord.
And I think that it is amazing,when you look at it in this way
(23:31):
, that it's always great comingback to our house.
It's always great coming back toour home, getting back into our
place and maybe you're alistener out there that is
strayed away from the shelter,maybe you strayed away from your
spiritual house.
And I just want to remind youthat God is your shelter.
He desires for you to be in theshadow of his wings.
(23:54):
He loves you so much so that hegave his only begotten son,
jesus Christ, that if you wouldbelieve in him you would not
perish, but you would haveeverlasting life.
My friends, that is the literalplan of God for your life.
That's John 3.16.
If you've ever wondered whatdoes God want to do with my life
?
He gave Jesus for you so thatyou can live a life worthy of
(24:18):
the call that God has placed onyou.
And you begin to, as you studythe Word of God, find out more
and more what God wants to do inyour life.
So in this particular episode,we've talked about the
importance of being in theshelter, being in the presence,
the safety that we get, thebenefits that we get from being
in the presence.
(24:39):
We've talked about how Jesusgives us a heads up, that this
life is not going to be easy,that there will be difficulties,
but how strengthening it isknowing that when we are in the
presence, even the hard times,when we are in the presence of
God, even in the hard times, westill have victory.
(24:59):
So, folks, let's pray.
Father, I am so grateful thatyou allow us, as people, to be
within your presence.
I am so thankful that you sentyour son, jesus Christ, for
every single one of us.
I'm thankful that your presenceis a sweet refuge for us that
(25:21):
we can run to it.
Your word says that therighteous.
The righteous call upon yourname and the righteous run into
your name and are safe.
So, lord, we love you, wepraise you, we honor you and we
acknowledge that the only way wecan be righteous is through
Jesus Christ.
God, I pray that if there beanyone out there listening today
(25:44):
that needs to receive you asJesus, as savior of their life,
that, father, this day, this day, they would cry out to you and
ask you to save their soul.
In Jesus Christ's name andblood, all God's people said
amen and amen.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Amen.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
My bride.
It was a wonderful time, awonderful, wonderful time having
you on this episode.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I just want to say it is such a privilege and an
honor to even be on here and toshare God's word with the people
.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Absolutely.
God bless you all Until nexttime.
We will see you on BeyondSunday.
God bless.
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