Happy as a Larkly

Happy as a Larkly Hello! I am Ruth Ann Larkly. I am a speaker, teacher, and a writer. I have written 5 Bible studies. I have written four Bible studies. Thank you!

The first three are: “Your Faith Affects Your Family, vol. 1,” “Your Faith Affects Your Family, vol. 2,” and “Your Family's Faith Affects Other Families.” Each of these three Bible studies has 12 chapters that focus on women from the Bible with a main theme, application, and questions to answer at the end of each chapter. They are endorsed by Grace Hardy, Vickie Jett from Heartland Baptist Bible C

ollege, and Mary Rice from the Bill Rice Ranch. These Bible studies are perfect for a personal or group study. My fourth study is called “Growing in Every Season of Life.” This study goes through physical and spiritual seasons of life. Please message me, Ruth Ann Larkly, if you have any questions.

Well hello! My quietness on social media has had many reasons—and this is one of them. I’m happy to announce that my new...
11/27/2023

Well hello! My quietness on social media has had many reasons—and this is one of them. I’m happy to announce that my newest book called “Thinking on These Things” is here! ☺️ A Bible study on Philippians 4:7-8, it is written to help us think on eight things. Things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, a good report, virtue, and praise.✅
Some of you might remember that five years ago, I had made on this page Facebook live videos from Philippians 4:8. (You still can find and watch those on the “Videos” tab.) In my heart of hearts, I knew I would probably turn those into a written Bible study. However, due to several family and ministry transitions, I wasn’t ready to start the process of getting them typed and put into book form until 2021.
How do I feel? Happy. Humbled. Relieved. And super excited!🤩
Up until now, I have done very little to promote my Bible studies. You may not know it, but this is my 5th one. Somehow though, this one is different. Maybe it’s because in the past six years I have spoken on various lessons from Philippians 4:7-8 to hundreds of Christian women who also desire mental health and strength. It is my hope for you, too, to also learn the powerful truths tucked into these two verses.💗
You can buy this on Amazon~the link for it is down below.
However, please message me if you want to buy more than ten. That way I can give you a personal discount, whereas Amazon won’t. We also offer bookstore discounts.🙌
I would like to publicly give praise to the Lord for making this possible. Thank you, my God~ my Strength. May this book bring honor and glory to You!🙌✨☺️✨

https://www.amazon.com/THINKING-THESE-THINGS-BIBLE-PHILIPPIANS/dp/0985989548/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1701098383&refinements=p_27%3ARuth+Ann+Larkly&s=books&sr=1-2&text=Ruth+Ann+Larkly

04/08/2023

Growing up, even though my parents never had a lot of money, I remember them trying to buy (or my mom to make) me a new Easter dress, and/or new socks or tights, and new shoes—maybe even a new purse or hair clip!
As much as Tim and I can, we try to carry on this buying Easter tradition for our kids, as well. Two weeks ago I started the shopping process by taking my daughter Acarith to the Tucson mall. I walked out of the mall with a new dress (bought with a birthday gift card), but never found anything for Acarith. This led to a series of various shopping trips with various children to buying things at various places. Phew! Buying can be hard work! My husband took the easy route and bought himself a tie online.😂
As I was reading the Easter story this last Monday, in preparation to teach the Resurrection lesson to our church’s Bible club at the local public school, I discovered something I had never really noticed before in the Bible. Don’t you love it when that happens?💫
Someone, right after Jesus’ death, went out and bought something. This man is Joseph of Arimathea.
As Joseph watched Jesus hang on the cross, a slow death of suffocation, Joseph had no idea how long Jesus would live. Some people could die in a day, while others took several days. Joseph didn’t have to wonder for too long. Jesus died around 3:00 in the afternoon.❤️
People stood in silence and shock, not knowing what to do next. The day had been such a blur—Jesus’ trial, standing before the Sanhedrin and Pilate and Herod, whipped and mocked by the soldiers, ordered to crucifixion, carrying the cross, and being hung on the cross. Certainly no one had the time to plan a proper funeral.
Joseph stood by the cross, and he somehow knew he needed to be the one to make the burial arrangements. First things first, to get Jesus’ dead body off the cross before evening. No way did Joseph want to leave his Lord’s dead body up as a disgrace and to be picked at by unclean creatures.
But, oh boy!—Joseph had to hurry! At Pilate’s palace, Joseph boldly asked permission for Jesus’ dead body. Once Pilate “gave the body to Joseph” (Mark 15:45), Joseph hurried to…well, I actually don’t know where he went. Let’s look at what he did next.
“And he (Joseph) bought fine linen…” (Mark 15:46). Whoa—after a traumatic day, full of pain and anguish—Joseph went to buy fine linen. 🏦From the cross to the market place, Joseph thinks only of Jesus. Back at the cross, Joseph took down Jesus’ dead body, wrapped it with spices, and laid “it in his own new tomb” (Matt. 27:60).
Joseph “bought fine linen.” May I suggest that we, too, “Buy the Linen”?
🏦 Buy the Linen” means our minds think on Jesus. While it’s definitely okay to plan out details for our Easter outfits and our Easter meals, let’s not keep those as our focus. Let’s make an intentional effort to focus our minds off of ourselves and on our Lord. To celebrate Him thinking about us!
🏦Buy the Linen” means we inconvenience ourselves for the Lord and His work. Anyone else like to plan their schedule according to their limitations and physical rest? Personal guidelines are good to live by, but let’s be okay—especially Easter weekend—to inconvenience and stretch ourselves for the Lord.
🏦”Buy the Linen” means we spend our time and resources to honor Him. May I encourage you, in whatever ministry you do, to “Buy the Linen” this Easter weekend? Whether it’s inviting people to church, reaching out to those who need comfort, telling someone about the Lord, preparing and giving a lesson, working on special music, and making food to gather for fellowship—let’s honor Him with our spending!
🏦 And here’s the secret for us to “Buy the Linen” ~ it’s knowing and understanding that Jesus went to the marketplace first. First Corinthians 6:20 says, “For ye are BOUGHT with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”
The word “bought” literally means “to go to the market.” Jesus went to the market, the cross, to buy us. He paid our price when He shed His blood on the cross.❤️💫🙌
He went to the marketplace to buy us. Let’s go “Buy the Linen” for Him!
Happy Easter, my friends! Let’s do some buying this weekend!🏦💫

02/22/2023

What makes Psalm 23 so beloved? I believe it’s the comforting picture of the Lord as our Shepherd and His relationship with His sheep.🐑
I remember a time when I personally experienced the Lord as my Shepherd. The night my son was born, I felt physically exhausted but my mind wouldn’t stop racing. I headed to the living room to do a tried-and-true sleep remedy—read my Bible. After starting with some favorite verses from Isaiah 40:29-31, I turned back to read from the beginning of chapter 40.
Verse 11 leaped off the page and into my heart. It says, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” The picture of Him “gently” leading “those that are with young” brought tears to my eyes.
Throughout my Christian life, I have been referring to my Shepherd by the name “Lord.” It wasn’t until this study that I learned the Shepherd has a specific name—it’s “Jehovah Rohi” (pronounced “row-high”). “Jehovah” is the Hebrew and personal name for God (LORD in all caps) and “Rohi” is a Hebrew word for “shepherd, one who tends a flock.”
For example, Psalm 23:1 says, “The LORD (Jehovah) is my shepherd (Ra’ah)…” (From the Hebrew word “Ra’ah” comes the variation and name “Rohi.”) The name “Jehovah Rohi” helps us put a name to our Shepherd’s face! 💫
To personalize our relationship with Him, let us picture three things:
❇️ One, picture “Jehovah Rohi” as your Shepherd. When you feel alone, weary, sad, fearful, in need of comfort, uncertain, and vulnerable—picture Him with you. Whether you are surrounded by needy little lambs or scary enemies, you can also see your Shepherd is with you, too!
❇️ Two, picture yourself as a little lamb. 🐑 In a relationship with your Shepherd, it’s important you see this about yourself~you are a sheep. Sheep can be described as needy, dependent, naturally fearful, prone to go astray, and a vulnerable target for wolves and enemies.
You may be wondering: “Wow, where’s the comfort in knowing this?”🤔
Here’s the comfort: Seeing yourself as a sheep 🐑 leads you to seeing your Shepherd. As sheep, we are:
🐑 Needy—and this helps us see we need “Jehovah Rohi.” Not everyone sees their need for Jehovah and a Shepherd. (Mark 6:34) You may not like to think of yourself as needy, but it’s a good thing to need Him!
🐑 Dependent—and to depend upon “Jehovah Rohi.” After all, we depend on Him to take us to green pastures and gentle waters. It is He who restores our soul when we’re weary and exhausted. We can depend on Him for all our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. (Ps. 23:1-3)
🐑 Naturally fearful—We can be strong and courageous from our beliefs and knowledge about “Jehovah Rohi.” We can follow Him through a “valley of a shadow of death” and not fear evil. (Ps. 23:4) That’s amazing!
🐑 Prone to go astray—We discover how disobedience and sin effects and strains our relationship with our Sheperd. “Jehovah Rohi” stays by us, and He also wants us to stay by Him.
🐑 A vulnerable target for enemies and wolves—which leads us to experience and understand “Jehovah Rohi’s” protection. Jesus calls Him the “Good Shepherd” because He laid down His life for His sheep. (John 10:11)
❇️ And last, picture your Shepherd as a Lamb. 🐑 He became the Lamb of God to take take away the sins of the world. Why? For us sheep to dwell with Jehovah and in His house for forever! We won’t have to picture our Shepherd any more, for we will see Him face to face! 💫
Let us praise and thank “Jehovah Rohi” today for being our earthly and eternal Shepherd!❤️
Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD (Jehovah) for ever.” 🐑⛪️

12/31/2022

Fun fact about me—I take my drinks seriously. No, not alcoholic drinks. I’m talking about my love, and possible addiction, for iced tea and coffee. When I travel, depending upon the situation, I will bring my own Keurig and K-cups, coffee mug, water bottles, various tea bags, lemons, knife to cut lemons, yellow lemon squeezer, and even an ice cube tray to make my own ice!
At restaurants, I like to order a cup of hot water along with a cup of ice. Out of my purse comes a tea bag, a half lemon, a lemon squeezer, and then, voila! I make my own fresh and free cup of iced tea. Okay, maybe I am addicted!😂
​ It’s probably no surprise the phrase “my cup” stuck out to me this morning when reading my Bible. Psalm 16:5 says, “The LORD (Jehovah) is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup…”☕️
In the Bible, a “cup” symbolizes our life, our lot…what God portions and gives us to drink.
As I look back over 2022, I can think of certain times I did not like my cup the Lord gave me. Some things He portioned and poured for me I had bluntly said, “No, thank you. I don’t like this kind of drink. Please take it and bring me back something better.” However, I can also look back and remember enjoying the sweet and wonderful things He poured into my cup.☕️
We don’t always know or understand everything He puts in our cups.
We definitely don’t know what 2023 holds for our cups, either. However, we can know Jehovah holds us and our 2023 cups. 💫 Our personal Lord knows all about our past, present, and future. He knows what to portion and give to us. Such comfort, such assurance!
What does He want you to do with your cup? He wants you to take it and drink it. It’s a gift filled to the brim of His will, plan, and promises for your life.
As Jehovah, Jesus knows what it’s like to receive an unwanted cup. When He wanted to pass on His own cup of suffering, He spent some alone time to talk with God. He “fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matt. 26:39).
What did Jesus then do? He surrendered, took His cup, and drank it. And I am eternal grateful He did!💫
Thoughts about your 2023 cup:
☕️ Remember it’s from Jehovah. It’s personalized with your own specialty drink from Him. Don’t compare your cup to someone else’s!
☕️ Keep your eye on your cup. Your cup will run over with wonderful blessings and promises at times, but you will miss out on seeing them if your eye’s not on your own cup.
☕️ Drink up! Whether it’s a struggle to sip or downright delicious to gulp, drink up what He’s given to you.
☕️ Be thankful for your cup, and be thankful for Jehovah’s personal handling of you and your cup.
Happy New Year’s everyone! 🥳🎉
Let’s be thankful for 2022 and look forward to what Jehovah pours into our lives in 2023!😊❤️

12/13/2022

With the Holiday season in full swing, there’s one thing everyone want for Christmas—peace. Peace in our minds, families, relationships, ministries, churches, communities, decisions, health, goals, and pursuits.
If you’re a Christian, you received peace the day you made peace with God (Romans 5:1). And yet, what about having peace for today? Can we truly have peace on earth? Absolutely! ✨
However, peace isn’t something we can muster up or produce. It’s a gift from our Lord. I’m happy to tell you He even has a name for His peace. It’s “Jehovah Shalom,” which means “The Lord is Peace.”
Jehovah Shalom is our next name in our study on the names of God. In the last one, I showed how Gideon’s names for God progressed from “adon” (an earthly lord) to “Adonai” (the Lord), and then “Adonai Jehovah” (the Lord GOD). As we continue Gideon’s story, he will perceive to know the Lord by a 4th name—Jehovah Shalom.
After Jehovah’s spectacular fire show and disappearing act🔥, Gideon freaks out! He realizes he’d been talking face to face with the “angel of the Lord” (Judges 6:22). “And the LORD (Jehovah) said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die” (Judges 6:23).
Gideon now receives a gift—peace. Though his stressful circumstances remained the same, peace overrules them. To celebrate the special moment, Gideon built an altar “unto the LORD (Jehovah), and called it Jehovahshalom…” (Judg. 6:24). How special Gideon made a place to spiritually meet and connect with Jehovah Shalom!
As Christians, we, too, have reasons to celebrate Jehovah Shalom’s peace this Christmas season—actually, for every season!
🎉 Jehovah Shalom IS peace. He is called “the God of peace” and “the Lord of peace” (Rom. 15:33; 2 Thess. 3:16). Jesus is the “Prince of Peace” and the Holy Spirit produces peace (Is. 9:6; Gal. 5:22). Don’t you love how peace defines and describes every person of God?
🎉 Jehovah Shalom’s peace is a gift. In John 14:27, Jesus starts by saying, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…” Before He left earth, He made sure to leave behind a gift of peace to all His believers.
🎉 Jehovah Shalom’s peace is personal. Did you notice He had said, “my peace”? It’s His own, and He personally offers it to each of us.
🎉 Jehovah Shalom’s peace is different from the devil’s kind. Jesus continues in John 14:27, “…not as the world giveth, give I unto you…”
The devil’s worldly peace: “If you don’t have any troubles, and life is going great, then you have peace. Peace is the absence of troubles.” How shallow, generic, temporary…and how sad.😔
🎉 Jehovah Shalom’s peace overcomes our fears. Jesus ended John 14:27, “…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jehovah Shalom’s peace: “You will go through troubles, but you won’t feel troubled.” How true, deep, beyond comprehension...and how awesome!✨
Let’s celebrate His peace today. Since the day we made peace with Him, He continues to offer more gifts of peace to overcome anxiety, to make decisions, to guard our minds. As He holds out His gifts of peace to us, let’s reach out, accept them, and unwrap their beautiful promises.🤩
Thank You, Jehovah Shalom, for giving us Your peace!✨
2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.”

10/31/2022

Two weeks ago on Monday morning, I felt grouchy about a trial I have been going through. After saying out loud, “Trials are no fun,” I turned in my Bible to “First Chronicles” to my scheduled Bible reading for the day. Normally I enjoy reading that book, and rarely do I ever go off-schedule, but I found myself swishing the pages back to the book of James. The first chapter of James talks about trials and patience, and I knew my mind needed to be reminded and renewed in thoughts about them.✨
After I read the first verse, the second stopped me in my tracks. James 1:2 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;” The word “fall” means “to fall into something all around”; and the word “temptations” has various meanings of “to test, try, and prove.” Here, it’s talking about trials.
Whoa, wait a minute…we’re to “count it all joy” when surrounded by different trials? 🤔
How exactly can we “count it all joy”? To “count” is an accounting term. We’re to look at the facts—not emotions. To evaluate our trial through the Lord’s eyes and through His purpose.
Here are some facts we can “count” on from verse 2 to help us face our trials:
✴️ Fact #1: All Christians go through trials. Notice verse 2 begins with “My brethren…” Trials aren’t just for weaker Christians to grow stronger. They’re also for strong Christians to be “made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
✴️ Fact #2: Christians are to count it ALL joy—not just little bits or little bursts. We can have ALL joy when we count the facts about our Lord. When we know He has a purpose for everything He does and allows.
✴️ Fact #3: It IS possible for you to “count it all joy” when going through the not-so-joyous-occasions. It sounds impossible to us because it’s something we can’t do. However, it’s possible because it’s something the Holy Spirit does. He’s the one who produces joy as a fruit of the Spirit in our lives. He makes ALL joy possible!
Are you going through a trial? Count it all joy.✨
Do you want to have ALL joy, but just “aren’t feeling it”? Talk to the Lord about it. Use your mind to think about Him and to re-evaluate your trial through His eyes. Surround yourself in His Word and worship to renew your thinking. Your mind can powerfully influence your heart, soul, and strength to count it ALL joy.
We can count on our Lord! 🙌 We can count it all joy!✨😊
“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18).
On a personal note ~ while going through this trial, I am also going through a good life-changing season for me and my family. The Lord has called my husband to pastor a church in southern Arizona, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. This time of transition explains my quietness online. I do plan to keep on posting here, and I definitely plan to keep studying the names of God—but as to my frequency, I don’t dare to predict.😉😁
I hope you all have an ALL joyful Fall! ✨🍁🍂

09/30/2022

Do you believe God delights when we talk to Him with His different names? I do. Since God reveals to us who He is through His many names—the more we know Him, the more names we’ll call Him. In today’s lesson, a man calls God three different names. Each name shows a progression from courtesy—to knowing God — to a life-changing experience.🔥💫
He never knew what the day would bring. Would he have to hide in the cave that day, or could he get some work done in the field? Day after day of living like a homeless man on the run turned into seven years. His animals, livestock, and supplies dwindled to nothing—while his enemy grew bigger, drew closer, and destroyed everything in sight. Gideon longed for peace.
The children of Israel cried to Jehovah for deliverance; and He sent them a prophet to remind them of Jehovah’s reputation, deliverance, and fulfilled promises. The message ended with a rebuke: “…but ye have not obeyed my voice” (Judg. 6:8-10).
Jehovah’s love for His people, and desire for their love and obedience in return, causes Him to do something special—He personally came down to earth as a man, an angel of the LORD (Jehovah!),” to talk to Gideon (Judg. 6:11).💫
Gideon, trying to be sneaky and thresh wheat by a winepress instead of the threshing floor, sees a Man with a staff sitting under the family oak tree. Judges 6 tells us of their conversation.
Angel of the LORD: “The LORD (Jehovah!) is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (v. 12)
Gideon: “Oh my Lord (“adon”)…” (v. 13a)
(Because Gideon doesn’t know who’s talking to him, he calls the Man “adon”—a common name for an earthly lord or master.)
Gideon continues: “…if the LORD (Jehovah!) be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of…but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” (v. 13b)
Angel of the LORD: “Go…and thou shalt save Israel…have not I sent thee?” (v. 14)
Gideon: “Oh my Lord (Adonai!)…” (v. 15a)
(Aha! This word “Lord” looks the same as verse 13a, but it’s different. Gideon now calls Him “Adonai,” a proper name for God. Gideon’s figuring out Who’s talking to him!💫)
Gideon continues: “…wherewith shall I save Israel?...I am the least in my father’s house.” (v. 15b)
Jehovah assures He will help Gideon defeat the Midianites, but Gideon asks for a sign. He hurries to prepare goat meat, broth, and unleavened bread. Following instructions, Gideon places the meal on a rock. The angel of the LORD takes His staff, touches the food, and poof!—fire from a rock consumes it. What an awesome sight!🔥
​ Gideon perceives the Man to be an angel of the LORD and cries, “Alas, O Lord (Adonai!) GOD (Jehovah!)!...” (v. 22)
More than calling Him “Lord,” Gideon now calls Him “Lord GOD.” 💫 What’s the difference between the two? It’s Gideon’s heart and soul. He went from talking to the Lord to personally embracing Him as Lord and Master.🔥
(Just a reminder, “Lord” in the Hebrew is the proper name “Adonai” and “GOD” in all capital letters is “Jehovah.” I wrote the details behind each of these names and meanings in previous lessons. And dare I add, this name’s not to be confused with the name “LORD God” which is “Jehovah Elohiym.”)
“Adonai Jehovah,” seen in your Bible as “Lord GOD,” is our next name of God. When connecting “Adonai” (which means “Lord, Master”) to “Jehovah” (His personal name) we get the compound meaning: “The LORD my Master.”
It’s awesome to know the Lord as “Adonai.” 💫 It means you made the first step—you now belong to Him when you trusted in Him as your Lord and Savior. As your Master, He loves and takes care of you.
What does it mean to know Him as “Adonai Jehovah”?
🔥 It means we see His personal love and power.
🔥 It means we reciprocate in the personal relationship with our Master. It’s not all about what He can do for us—it’s now what we can do for Him.
🔥 It means we see Him as Master of our whole life—not just a part, but every part.
🔥 It means we have purpose in life. Our “Adonai” gives us talents to use for Him. What He gives to you becomes about what you can give back to Him.
Today let’s personally see, draw near, talk to, and be in awe over our “Adonai Jehovah”!💫
Psalm 73:28 says, “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD (Adonai Jehovah!), that I may declare all thy works.”
(If you made it to the end, thank you! I know this one’s a little more “teachy” and longer than normal. In our next lesson, we will continue the story of Gideon—for he calls Jehovah even another name!)

09/15/2022

Do you believe your prayers can shake heaven and earth? 🌎✨ This next name for God shows us our prayers can! In the Bible you will see this name as “The LORD of Hosts,” which in the Hebrew is “Jehovah Tsaba.” One woman’s life was forever changed when she prayed and made a vow to “Jehovah Tsaba.”
She lived during the time of the judges, and she had a husband named Elkanah. He also had another wife named Peninnah, who gave him children. Poor Hannah. She had no children. Every year she was reminded of this bitter fact when she, her husband, and Peninnah’s family traveled to the tabernacle at Shiloh “to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD (Jehovah!) of hosts (tsaba!)” (1 Sam. 1:3).
Though Hannah worshipped “Jehovah Tsaba” every year, she hadn’t personally experienced His power yet. Elkanah loved Hannah and gave her worthy portions, “but the LORD had shut up her womb” (1 Sam.1:5). Peninnah, called an “adversary,” caused Hannah to “fret” (from First Samuel 1:6 which means “violently agitated, crash of thunder, roar).⚡️
Hannah’s yearly worship became a time of warfare, a time of pain instead of praise. She wept. Couldn’t eat. Felt sorrowful in spirit. Unable to take it anymore, she took it to Jehovah. Sitting on a seat by a post of the temple, in “bitterness of soul, [she] prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore” (I Sam. 1:10).
“And she vowed a vow and said, O LORD of hosts (Jehovah Tsaba!), if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me…but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD (Jehovah!)…” (I Sam. 1:11).💫
Long story short—“Jehovah Tsaba” answered Hannah’s prayer and vow with a baby boy named Samuel. Several years later Hannah fulfilled her vow and gave Samuel back to Him.
When you pray to “Jehovah Tsaba,” your prayers are more than just personally between you and Him —they include His armies and forces. As divine Commander, He can call upon any army or force that He pleases to fight on your behalf.
🌠 “Jehovah Tsaba” rules a starry heavenly host—the sun, moon, and stars (Is. 40:26). The Bible contains many events when He commanded these armies to fight and give His people victory. Do you know why you probably like to gaze at the stars? It’s because you’re gazing at a heavenly army of His—one He may use to intercede on your behalf!
🌠 “Jehovah Tsaba” commands a spiritual host that includes:
✨Angels (Gen. 2:1)—seraphims, cherubims, an archangel (or more!) The devil (a former cherub) and his fallen angels (now called demons) also fall under the divine command of “Jehovah Tsaba”!
✨Angelic chariots—20,000 are mentioned in Psalm 68:17. It’s mind blowing to think of thousands of angels riding on thousands of chariots and coming to our aid!
✨Guardian angels—Jesus talks about these in Matthew 18:10. I don’t know all the specifics, but it’s a comfort to know the Lord gives guardian angels!
🌠 “Jehovah Tsaba” reigns over physical and earthly armies- such as people, forces of nature, earthly elements, birds, creatures….all creation! Think of Him ordering the plagues in Egypt or ravens to feed Elijah by a brook. All earthly hosts belong to His beck and call, which He can send to help you fight in your spiritual battle!
Are you going through a hard trial? Is something heavy on your heart? Do you need spiritual victory in a battle? My friend, pray to “Jehovah Tsaba” –“The LORD of Hosts.” I’m not saying every time your prayers will shake heaven and earth—but I am saying they can! 🌎✨
Malachi 1:11 says, “For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same MY NAME shall be great among the Gentiles…saith the LORD (Jehovah!) of hosts (Tsaba!).” ✨
(I wrote this devotional weeks ago. Would you believe in my devotions this morning I read a passage showing how prayers can shake heaven and earth? I just had to add these to this original post~
Some highlights from a prayer of praise David wrote: “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God…Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook…And he rode upon a cherub…The LORD thundered from heaven…For thou hast girded me with strength to battle…Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD…” (2 Sam. 22:7, 8, 11, 40, 50). Amen!💫)

08/30/2022

Banners are powerful! These rectangular or triangular shaped pieces of fabric, designed with different colors and symbols, wave from flagpoles and stretch across classrooms, auditoriums, buildings, birthday parties, and maybe even your front lawn. Banners represent things you like and believe and are used to commemorate special occasions. Every day, people willingly risk their lives for a banner.🚩
Our next name for God is “Jehovah Nissi” and it means “The Lord our Banner.” It’s found only one time in the Bible from Exodus 17. Something special about this name is Jehovah Himself had it recorded for us to know and remember.📜 ✍️
The thirsty children of Israel experienced another miracle from Jehovah when He provided water for them from a rock (Ex. 17:6). Feelings of amazement and gratitude quickly switched to terror when they heard some frightening news: A nomadic group of people called the Amalekites had attacked struggling Israelites from the back of the pack—those “feeble…faint, and weary” (see Deut. 25:18). The Israelites, who had never fought in an official battle before, prepared for war.💪
Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand” (Ex. 17:9). Moses started the day off strong and held the rod up high with his hand. Israel started winning. (Hooray!) But when his hands got tired and the staff lowered, the Amalekites started winning. (Uh-oh!)
Aaron and Hur (who tradition says was Moses’ brother-in-law, married to Miriam) put a stone under Moses for him to sit on. Each stood by Moses’ side and held up his hands. Joshua and the Israelite army swung their swords in the valley below, and the rod of God stood firm and gleamed bright. Israel won the battle!!
Jehovah told Moses, “Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven” (Ex. 17:14).📜 ✍️
Moses memorialized the occasion of Jehovah’s promise of a future victory by building an altar and calling it “Jehovahnissi” (Ex. 17:15). Later Moses wrote the victorious battle down in TWO books: Exodus and Deuteronomy. He wanted everyone to remember the special day Jehovah had fought for them and had given them victory.🤩
How sad when years later the Israelites did fight the Amalekites (memorably under King Saul), but they either didn’t know, read, remember, or care about “Jehovah Nissi’s” victory and promise. I’m quick to shame them for forgetting “Jehovah Nissi,”—until I remember that I, too, have forgotten about times the Lord has given me victory.
What does “Jehovah Nissi” want you to know and remember?
🚩”Jehovah Nissi” stands tall and high for you to see. Like a soldier would keep would keep his eye on a pole or banner for orders, you’re to keep your eye on the Lord as your spiritual banner. During your battles He will show you when to proceed, where to go, what to do, and how to fight. Try to keep your eyes on Him!
🚩 “Jehovah Nissi” fights for you. It’s easy to think of this story as a battle He fought for the Israelites long ago. Let’s remember He’s Jehovah; He’s the same today as back then. He fights for you, too!🙌
🚩 “Jehovah Nissi” knows your battles. He knows when you’re struggling at the back of the pack, when your enemy picks a fight with you, when you’re learning how to swing a sword in a valley, interceding for others on the mountain, or holding up someone else’s hands. He knows, He knows! 🙌
🚩 “Jehovah Nissi” gives you spiritual victory. The first victory He gave you came when Jesus, as Jehovah, lifted Himself up and stretched across on a pole for you. He died for you and rose victoriously over death when coming back to life. Standing tall, He’s a banner worth living and dying for! 🙌
🚩 “Jehovah Nissi” wants you to remember and record His victories in your life. When you face a future battle, especially against the same enemy, you would be able to look back and see His miracles and provision in your life. 🤩Generations to follow would also hear and know about His personal power in your life.🙌
How can we remember His victories? One, try writing something down. I’m thinking about making a little “Banner Book”— a simple little journal, nothing complicated. Two, I think pictures would also be a great help. Scrapbooks and framed photos can tell powerful stories and be great reminders. May I suggest you find a simple way that works for you to help you remember your “Jehovah Nissi” victories?
May you look to your Banner in your battle—to “Jehovah Nissi”—and may you remember His victories in your life!🚩🙌🤩
Psalm 60:4 says, “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.”

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