15.
DELIVER
US FROM EVIL
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13)
Back about 1971, there was a horrible murder in my home state of Alabama.
A young evil couple stopped their car alongside a busy highway, raised the hood,
and then started waving at passing cars to stop. They pretended that they were stranded with engine
trouble. But when a kind person
stopped to offer to help, they murdered him and possibly one other person with him, and fled in his vehicle.
That is about all I remember about that terrible crime long ago, so I cannot answer any of the many
questions that might arise in your mind concerning details of it. I think the
murdering couple was copycatting a scene they saw in a movie, thinking it would
be most exciting to act it
out themselves. Oh, worldly movies are so deadly evil. Shun them!
Truly, it behooves each of us to earnestly pray each morning, as our Lord
instructs in the above Scripture.
“Our Father which art in
Heaven, please deliver me from evil this day. Please shield, guard, and
protect me, my family, my friends, and all the souls in
this town where I abide. Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end. Deliver us out of any
snare or trap that any wicked person might set for
us. Truly, safety is of the Lord. Our help is in the Name of the Lord. We cleave to Thee, Lord Jesus, to guard over us this day.
Amen.”
On that fatal day in Alabama, close friends of mine living in my hometown
(a family of 4) passed along that highway. They were headed south for a
vacation at the beach; man, wife, small daughter and son. Later
on after returning home from their vacation, with plenty of emotion
that man and wife told us homefolk about that day.
“I drove past them just as they
were raising the hood. I well remember seeing them and their vehicle that soon made ‘big news’. After I drove by,
they soon started trying to “flag people down”,
waving to passing cars. If I had come along 10 or so minutes later and saw them with the car hood up
and trying to get people to stop, I would have stopped to render what help I
could.” With great relief, the husband and father related that
to us folks back home.
(The exact place,
time, and news releases of the killers’ car assured my friend that it was those
murderers whom he saw. Had he stopped to offer help, what would have happened
to his family of four, a Christian family?)
“Abba Father, please help me to daily fully yield myself to Thee to always walk in the Spirit, listening to Thy Voice either telling me to be a Good Samaritan by stopping to
render help to someone who appears to be in trouble and distress, or to shun
that evil actor seeking my harm. Amen.”
I know not if the 1
or 2 murder victims were Christians. Either way, it was most tragic that they were murdered for
attempting to do a good deed for strangers they thought were stranded on the
highway. With such thoughts
in mind, I rejoice in the safety and
assurance that I find in God’s Scripture in Psalms 37:23. “The steps of a good man are
ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”
I firmly believe that (to protect that Christian family of 4 from harm), our Gracious Lord perfectly ordered the steps of my Christian
buddy that day to perfectly time when he drove past those 2
murderers stopped there, before they had the car hood raised and before they were “flagging
down” passing motorists.
“My Lord and my God, I know that no good thing lieth within my sinful being.
Thru my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, please impute God’s Goodness, Righteousness, and Holiness into me. Please enable me to right now, forsake each and every selfish, stubborn, and
self-willed aspect of my life to yield myself fully unto my Creator God for Thee to perfectly order each and every
step of mine, for my good, for my safety, for the saving of my life. I pray that each soul now
living on this earth will do this also. Amen.”
“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:31)
“Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just; for the righteous
God trieth the heart and reins. My defence is of God, which saveth
the upright in heart.” (Psalms
7:9-10)
“Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we
are escaped. Our help is in the name
of the Lord, who
made heaven and earth.” (Psalms
124:7-8)
“Precious Lord Jesus, I know that Thou art My Protector. I also know that Thou hast ordained that I start
each day with such as the following petitions unto Thee: Please defend me today. Please deliver me
from evil this day. Please guide me to be upright
today. Praise Thy Great Name that Safety is
of the Lord. Please cover me with Thy Protecting Shed Blood to keep me safe
thru out this day. Truly, my Help is in The Name of The Lord. Please perfect my escape from each and
every snare the devil would lay for
me today. This day, let the wickedness of the wicked souls in my town come to an end. Amen.”
“Abba Father, as an earthly father and the head of my
house, I am responsible for the safety of my family. Each morning, may I never
forget to call upon Thee to keep my dear family safe thru out the day. Amen.”
“Precious Lord Jesus, as an earthly mother, I thank
Thee for each dear child I have born. Daily, remind me to call upon Thee
to guard over and protect each of them from all evil and danger, and to save them to the utmost. Amen.”
“Almighty God, I pray for Missionary Richard. Please
shield him to keep him safe from harm in the foreign lands where he exalts
Christ. Give him many souls for his labour and for Thy Great Glory, I plead.
Amen.”
Richard Yerby (Matsuida,
Japan) www.Christ-is-all.us