Daily Devotional

In the spirit of Acts 14, in the last few devotionals I have been sharing an actual report I presented to my local church after a dramatic series of events on a trip to the Philippines just days after the Gulf War began in 1990. Here are a couple more Tiger Stories taken from that report:

Tiger Story #9

Before leaving for Asia, Karon and I had prayed for God’s protection for us while we were apart. Her primary concern was for my safety in the Philippines. Little did we know that here at home Karon would face one of the most dramatic events of her life.
Karon and my children, along with another team member’s wife, were stopped at a stoplight in our sleepy little town of Scotts Valley. Suddenly, a gunman jumped in front of our van, pointed a pistol at them and shouted. At the precise moment the armed man stepped aside to point his gun at another car, Karon quickly drove past him. She headed for a nearby gas station where she called the police. At that moment, Lupe ran into the gas station to tell Karon that the gunman was still coming at them. They raced back to the van and sped away. A few seconds later, the gunman stole another woman’s car and drove away. They considered the incident as over.
Karon was later to find out the armed man had run out of gas, jumped out of his stolen car, and threatened to kill the police, who by this time had surrounded him. He began firing and, in the process, shot a police dog! The police had no choice but to open fire on the man. That night, in the news, Karon learned the man was a mental patient who had stolen the gun and was on a killing frenzy, shouting to everyone in his path, “You’re all going to die!”

“Dear God, thank You for Your promise that the Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him. Thank You for not allowing this man to take my family and our friend from me.”

Tiger Story #10

Apart from a sprained ankle the day before we left for home, and a dozen thorough security checks at the airport, the rest of the trip was uneventful. Or was it?
We flew home safely, but once again we saw Satan try to throw us into a tailspin. Karon fell down our stairs, breaking her foot in two places. Along with our recent move to Fresno, conferences to teach, doctoral studies, and a pile of work left undone from before the trip, I now had to cook, clean, and take care of the children. Thank God for family and friends who helped tremendously with many of these chores.
Additionally, the other team members faced similar difficulties. One experienced a family crisis. Two experienced unusual bouts of depression and admitted to struggling emotionally and spiritually. What did we expect?

“Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the privilege of ministering to needy people around the world. Keep us in the center of Your will as we serve You in even the most difficult of circumstances. In Jesus’s name. Amen.”

The Good News

Though there are times of fear, frustration, and discouragement in all of our lives and ministries, Satan need not get the victory. As I reflect on the events of this trip, my mind fills with Scripture references that have become more meaningful than ever before. I hope these will be an encouragement as you face the “tigers” waiting to pounce on you.

• From the Story of King Jehoshaphat:

2 Chronicles 20:6, 15, 17 “…O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You….thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s....You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation the LORD on your behalf....Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.”

• From the Words of the Apostle Paul:

Ephesians 6:10-13,18-20 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand...And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (New International Version).

I now sing with greater passion the words of the popular chorus written in 1988 by Rich Mullins:

Our God is an awesome God!
He reigns from heaven above.
With wisdom, power, and love.
Our God is an awesome God!

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.