” The Lord made a decree and a law for them and there he tested them.  ‘If you listen carefully  to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians for I am the Lord who heals you.’” Exodus 15:26

The children of Israel  had experienced GREAT Victory in Chapter 15 of Exodus.

What was it?

THE RED SEA had parted.. The Israelites began to sing with Moses praises to the God who delivers -” The Lord Will reign forever and ever”… ” Your right hand ,O Lord shattered the enemy…  Who is like YOU– Majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”…Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and the rider he has hurled into the sea.. Exodus 15: 6b,18, 21

For 21 verses they gave honor and worship to the  God who does Reign in all things.  There was dancing with tambourines and a recounting of what God did when he saved them from their enemies.

They were remembering their God…

THIS was a MIGHTY VICTORY– dramatic, conclusive, supernatural.

Mighty Victory calls for Encompassing Praise… BUT  following spiritual triumph  ALWAYS…. is VULNERABILITY.

The enemy of the soul searched for a way to turn enCOURAGEment into disCOURAGEment.

As you can see COURAGE is a part  of both words.

When they begin to look at Monday morning life in all its uneven challenges, their God focus changed.

Traveling  from the Red Sea  encounter– Moses led them through the Desert of Shur  3 days without water.  When they came to Marah( which means Bitter),  the water was bitter, undrinkable..

Grumbling dissatifaction claimed their hearts once again and they complained to Moses, ” What are we to drink?”

The “Intervention of the God of the Impossible” was forgotten in the moment of expedient desire.

Why did they not stop and pray for  water?

Why did they not think about God’s recent manifestation of power?

Why did they depend on Moses alone?

No wondered they wondered 40 years…. and yet  God always provided…in spite of their adolescent fickle  faith.

Moses  did know what  to do and he did it– He “cried out to the  Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood.  He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.”v.25

Do we?

Be SURE you will find yourself in Shur after great  break through.

Why?

Because you cannot camp out there. The air is too rich.

Basking in any victory too long stokes ego and self- adulation.

BEWARE!

God had directed Moses to take them to the desert and into Marah. He knew the water would be bitter and they would have to turn their focus back to their MAKER for provision.

He knew Moses would come to Him with the need and HE ANSWERED MOSES!

How many times are we guilty of complaining to  every one else when the God of the Universe is waiting and watching to see if we will REMEMBER HIM.

In the desert of Shur when they arrived at Marah,  if they had  gathered in prayer with their petition accompanied by thanksgiving  and gratitude praising the God who delivers–  who has never failed them– perhaps their 40 year sojourn could have been shortened  …for the character of ” Life with God “requires worship on every day in any situation.– forever!   In  fact the scripture tells us he was ” testing them.”

He still does for we too forget.

How His heart must  yearn for his children today to seek Him.

Most of the of the time it is through scripture that we  hear His voice speaking to us–guiding us down the road..

Does our  daily dependency rest upon Him?

Does He still enter calamity and deliver?

Is He the  Consummate  Provider?

HE was for Moses.

He will be for you and me.

The obedience of one Godly man changed the day…continued to do so day after day.

It still does.

Look what happened:

If they had sat down in the desert and comped there,discontented and and disappointed in God– they would NEVER have experienced the  next miracle– the plenty God had planned  ahead for them down the road to ELIM where there were  12 springs and 70 palm trees.

Moses kept them moving through the desert.

Moses obeyed God and the water became sweet.

Moses’ prayer reached heaven.

God delivered… again.

We must live in a relationship to God steeped with expectancy  found through His Word and in His presence daily.

When we do– we will know His provision, grace and goodness.  Then our hearts will live with a conscious ongoing praise unto the ONE who hears and provides. Psalm 4:3

This chapter begins with  praise , descends into a pit and arrives at the promises of God with the benefit of an oasis of MORE ahead to be enjoyed.

Discontent could have kept them in Shur but Moses moved them on to Elim.

The Red Sea, Shur, Marah and Elim are places within our journey and God is present in all of them.

What  will we do after the next victory in our lives?

How will we live when we become anxious or fearful?

Can we make it to the destination of ABUNDANCE known as ” MORE WITH GOD?”

DisCOURAGEment and enCOURAGEment  are real.

Both require courage : courage to trust  and courage to move on.

As the old hymn reminds us, “Trust and obey for there ’s no other way to be happy Jesus than to trust and obey.”

Move on down the road  to Elim where Gods’ blessing for obedience awaits.

Along the journey with you,

Billie

We are praising God for another wonderful review of The Shelter:

“Like C.S. Lewis, Billie shares with us the proper way to be fully human. Her writing alludes to the great words of the greatest in American and British literature and takes the best from our leaders, even in a bipartisan blending.  Billie’s style is straight foward and strong … “

Click here to read the entire article.
(requires pdf reader)

For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; upon them he has set the world.

He will guard the feet of his saints but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.  I Samuel 2:b,9a

Each day  is a brand new slate.

We have never lived it.

Some things are predictable  about our days.

The sun always rises.

The sun always sets.

We can count on it.

In different seasons the days will be shorter or longer.

The light of the sun warms the earth and vegetation grows.

It is necessary for the garden’s cycle of replenishing beauty.

Seed life must have the sun.

Unusual winter weather ushered in a surprise to the South this week.

Our temperatures dropped dramatically as an arctic front blew into our town bringing snow and ice.  On our street overnight the fresh snow powdered the roof tops of homes and bordered  the  sidewalks as a boundary.

One day later it  was just  a trace, but the ice remained.  The severe   temperatures plummeted and the branches of mighty trees bowed low. Some limbs snapped from the weight of the ice  and some touched the ground redefining the silhouette with what seemed to be unrepairable damage.

The broken had to be removed, cut off– for in effect,  nature  had delivered pruning.

The bent required new life  to surge through its limbs once again in order  to raise it back up.

A tree  stands against the  horizon as a declaration of resiliency.

Roots are the foundation of strength, growth, reproduction– beauty.

Amazingly right on schedule   as the sun began to shine down, tiny intricate patterns of ice sculpture found upon every living off shoot of the sprawling limbs  became prisms of   luminous  light at first and then  slowly began to melt the ice.

As this phenomenon unfolded,  the melting released the traumatized tree branches and they began to recover, to rise.

A rooted  foundation  sustains.

The sun energizes.

Trees matter to God… and so do we.

The foundations of the earth are the Lord’s…

HE is imminently involved in the intricacies of nature.

He is imminently involved in our lives.

JESUS came to bring rescue, hope, forgiveness and new life.

His Blood was the offering needed to help us begin again.

The CROSS was a tree of sacrifice.

Without it we would be weighted down all our lives…. broken and bent forever.

Sin obscures and obliterates but a life in Him has the promise of renewal and restoration day by day.

When we belong to Him, we  know HIM.

When we belong to HIM we can walk in confidence and assurance believing HE will guard the feet of  His saints.

He knows what is ahead.

He is there.

He knows where we are.

He is with us.

What a  promise!

Yes, the sun  does rise and set daily.

The foundations of the earth are the Lord’s.

HE rises to  keep watch over our feet– our comings and our goings.

We  must watch for Him.

Seek Him fervently.

Share His love with another.

Serve Him out of devotion.

Saturate your life in His Word.

This is the walk of faith.

A God who guards will guide your steps.

LIFE WITH GOD is  REAL LIFE.

Along the journey with you,

Billie Cash

“It is obvious that Billie drinks deeply from her cup of life and in the overflow she unselfishly refreshes others. In The Shelter, the constant awareness of the Savior’s influence is on every page. Her love and devotion for her Lord creates in the reader a longing for greater intimacy with Him as she effortlessly transports us into the throne room of Heaven with her prayers. She gives expression to our deepest needs and concerns as women today. Thank you for obedience to our holy God in writing this book for such a time as this.”

Marie Kolarcik, Louisville, KY Former Navy wife, mother of 6, Bible teacher, friend

Psalm 11:3 says, When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? “Billie provides the answer in THE SHELTER. I trembled and wept for our nation as I read the book. We are not hopeless! God has not forsaken us…we have forsaken Him. I hear the warning. I sense the urgency. Count me in as one who will…arise, intercede and raise the banner for biblical living through the power of the Holy Spirit…for the sake of my children, their children, the people of this world…most importantly for the honor of His name. Billie, you beautifully and movingly built your case. You walked us through scripture to show us God’s heart concerning His love and sovereignty over our lives. Heroes in the Bible like Paul and Esther surrendered their lives to the purposes of God and heroes in our nation like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson raised the standard of biblical truth. May we all stand guard and not allow religion to choke out the gospel in our lives. They stood their watch and so must we.”

Hope Roberts, Bahama, NC.

“Thank you for writing the SHELTER. I did not want it to end. What an excellent book for America and for me. It has challenged me to step up and set goals. God will take me through. I have heard the trumpet. I have joined. I will not fret or lie down. Our God does reign. ‘Living in His presence is living.’”

Stephanie Carbaugh, Lancaster, PA.

“I have been blessed and spiritually uplifted beyond words with this book. Each time I came across the word SHELTER, I felt confidence, security, peace and the stability of the Lord’s Presence. We will need both reason and faith to establish godliness for the generations that follow us. God will steer us through difficult times. Faith is our greatest comfort and our mightiest weapon. The days of weakness will come but in Jesus’ Name we shall overcome together. The remainder of my life will be given to helping bring liberty to the home, the market place, the school, the family and the government. I cannot be silent!

As Billie reminded us, “Come to the SHELTER. Find His strength. Keep watch.”

Norma Seifert, Collierville, TN Kansas State University – BA

Her credentials include organist, piano teacher 1951-1995, past president of Tennessee Music Teachers Association, Iowa Music Teachers Association and Western Central Division Music teachers National Association. She serves as a National board member for CWFA. Norma is mother to three adult children, grandmother to eight and great grand to three. Married to Robert P. Seifert, retired Senior VP Worldwide Research, Pioneer hybrid, Des Moines, IA.

“To live in today’s uncertainty we must find the shelter of God’s Presence day and night…. When we live there our faith will be fortified and we will be strengthened to keep watch.” What insight you have given! You have spoken right to our hearts and challenged us through God’s Word…giving us examples of Nehemiah, Paul as well as personal experience. I must keep watch over my faith in Christ, my family, and every aspect of my life…without ceasing. I am so blessed by this book! Thank you.”

Deanna Hoffmann, Wake Forest, NC

Wife and mother to four precious little ones, she and her husband are church planters who have served internationally for nine years. Presently they are beginning a new ministry in Northern part of America.

“Time is a gift and God uses nature, sound, and beauty as well as terror to awaken us to our need for truth and peace available in Christ. Waking up and keeping watch are the priorities of our day. The way Billie proceeded to develop each thought is truly a gift from the Lord. He will touch many hearts through this book. The precious family stories bring us into your heart and God’s… moving us forward from strength to strength…reconnecting us to the hope we have in Christ, I believe this book will kindle and rekindle the fire of passion for God. I thoroughly enjoyed the SHELTER.”

Betsy Bilbruck Covington, LA

A native of Illinois, this savvy world traveler and business woman is experienced in administration, human resources, public relations, grant writing and public speaking. Betsy serves as Public Relations Director for the New Orleans mission. Displaced by Katrina in 2005 herself, she and Bob relocated to Covington. Their daughter and husband with three children live in Australia. She and Bob are active in their local church and have served as home cell pastors since 1984. An inspirational speaker, she has organized community wide prayer efforts, led in marketplace ministry as a bible teacher at home and at work. Presently she serves as the Stonecroft Regional Administrator for Louisiana which encompasses support and encouragement for eight local volunteer groups in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

“SHELTER has enhanced the way I think and pray about the ways God gives us protection, strength, courage, faithfulness and unconditional love. We have “shelter” as we dwell with Him. Beautifully written with warmth, one finds the writer solely committed to His everlasting love.”

Pat Russell, Wilmette, IL and Bonita Springs, FL Board of Directors for Aging with Dignity (Five Wishes) Tallahassee, FL Devoted volunteer, Hope Hospice Ft. Myers, FL Prayer Organizer of Midwest Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship

“For those running the race, THE SHELTER summons us to a replenishing place of pause – to reflect on the beauty of the Lord, to consider the pace and progress of our own journeys, and to contemplate our role these days as followers of Jesus. Through her reflections, Billie Cash provides a fresh seedbed for the pursuit of God with abandoned obedience – the very heart of what is necessary to change a nation.”

Dave Buehring, Franklin, TN Founder and Team Leader, Lionshare Leadership Group www.lionshare.org

“In the troubling, uncertain days in which we are living, we need encouragement, direction and hope. Billie has given us all of these and more in her book THE SHELTER. With her unique style and eloquent mastery of words she draws us to the ONE who is our shelter and challenges us to be ever watchful as the day of His appearing draws near.”

Pat Thomas, Byhalia, MS

Free lance writer, Bible study Leader, former business entrepreneur, Pat contributed to Making The Blue Plate Special by Florence Littauer, Marita Littauer and Lauren Littauer Briggs. She serves with the Women’s Board at Central Church, Christian Writers Circle and Christian Writers Association nationally. She writes for the church newsletter and online devotional site. She is married to Larry. They have two adult children and two grandchildren. She maintains her devotional blog, www.wingsofthemornblogspot.com, with refreshing insight.

“Billie Cash has done it again. Her observations about life and faith are those which all of us should appreciate. How many of us see God…every day. Billie…reminds us to discover God’s Shelter.”

Nancy Fetterman, Pensacola, FL MA, University of West Florida, advisor on several local and state boards; Presently, she is a Trustee for the University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL

“In THE SHELTER, your words have pressed me…to claim my post, to take my watch, to engage the world that surrounds by living in the Word where true freedom and life are found…. We must take a stand and hold fast to the truth we have in JESUS! It is a joy to have you cheer and spur me on in my walk with Him. Your words are written with beautiful imagery and description. I have felt invited into your experiences with you as though I was a guest in your home.”

Kaitlin Rose, Blacksburg, VA

She and her husband serve in the ministry of Campus Outreach at Virginia Tech College mentoring students in leadership, character development and relationship with Christ.

“THE SHELTER is a timeless reminder that we stand in God’s presence as a country, as a church, as a family and as an individual in the privacy of our own hearts. Oh, to have God cognizance each day! Having spent time reading THE SHELTER and being mentored by you this month, Billie, I have a renewed desire to passionately abide in His strength – in the shelter of His arms, in His Word, in His presence. I yearn for a mentoring faith that will reproduce His legacy from generation to generation…. In the shelter of His presence there is safety, nourishment, joy, peace, rest. Many lives will be touched by this book and turned toward the Lord. May our country experience the real change that is everlasting.”

Rebecca Williamson, Oxford NC Wife, mother, mentor

“No matter where we are in life, we need a shelter. The storms of conflict, loneliness and confusion exist. In THE SHELTER Billie inspires us to find the One who will guide us through all turmoil to His shelter where we find peace, rest and strength.”

Wendy Wright President, Concerned Women for America, Washington, DC

An advocate for pro-family and pro-life issues, ethical policies at the United Nations, she has trained grass roots activists. Her commitment to a pro-family agenda launched freedom of speech and religion cases before the US Supreme Court, Texas Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court. She taught at the Foursquare Bible College in Sri Lanka, trained pro-family leaders in Mexico and advised Kosovo’s new government on their constitution. A frequent guest of the national media, she also writes editorials and articles for publications like USA Today, Washington Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Washington Times, Human Events and other outlets. Wendy was named among “The Most Powerful Women in Washington” in 2006 by the Washingtonian Magazine. She was recognized for her “continuous leadership in the cause of life” by The National Pro-Life Religious Council.

The Shelter is the most powerful and penetrating of Billie’s writings. All my emotions were engaged – from silent tears to spontaneous laughter. Practical, inspiring principles encourage us to face any circumstance but remind us to rejoice every day as well. Shelter feeds the soul. Billie has lived it. Sharing it woos us to God. If you know her, you know she leaves behind the signature of God.

Audrey McClung, Phoenix, AZ Stonecroft Regional Administrator, Stonecroft Ministries; Inspirational speaker, wife to Lonny; Mother to Kim and Kurt, and Nana to four beloved grandchildren