Psalm 91

""He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God in Him I will trust."

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Tension shows! (That is most of the time. Some are good in covering it up!) But normally one can by observing someone see that they are really under tension. In fact, once I commented to a friend regarding a mutual friend I had seen him walking home from work that day. My friend said, “I know him and everytime I see him he looks as tight as a guitar string.”

There are so many factors in the end result of being tense. Worry, alcohol, inability to relax, circumstances, mental strain, nervous anxiety, are some just to mention a few.

Stress comes from a word meaning to “bind tight”. Certainly, being under stress or in tension causes a “tightening” in our body. With this in mind it becomes apparent that stress does not come from God. Right? Who, then, does it come from? I think you know the answer - the evil one. After all, one of his jobs (according to Scriptures) is to lie, cheat, distort, steal and kill.

If he can succeed in getting us “bound tight” then we become part of his temperament and we become a slave. The opposite of being “bound” or “in prison” is to be free. Jesus has come to set us free. Jesus has come to get us out of whatever bondage we find ourself. Now, that does not mean one is not a Christian. Yes, a Christian - as long as in this body - is subject to all the ills of the world. We are affected by evil.

So, when one feels like they are getting tight over a situation, or feels tension in a particular area that is the time to call upon the name of the Lord - Jesus!! That sounds really simple, huh? But, in actuality that is far from the truth. Oh, to relax in God. We are reminded (Psalm 90:1) ”Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.”As my wife, Nancy, has stated so many times from the platform, “Just go to your Heavenly Father. Jump in His lap. Love Him. Let the Father put his arms around you and love you.” That will calm all alarm

My advice to stress and tension: Give it to the Lord and lean on the everlasting arms. The song goes like this:

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms."

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