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Devotional 226: Fixed Chasms

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Luke 16:19-31

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

John 13:35-37

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”

Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”

37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”

Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”

37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

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Not too often mentioned in all that’s happened, even a believer can miss it in its subtlety, and it should make more of an impact on agnostics than it does. Yes, “…once to die and then the judgment,” but there’s something beyond that: The irreversibility of your final choice.

The wheat and the chaff grow together, but are eventually separated. The sheep and the goats are separated. The righteous and the damned are separated.

In this life, on this earth, a covered bridge exists, covered by His blood, and there is light on the narrow path over the chasm, and a Good Shepherd to guide you on it.

We’re also admonished to seek Him while He may be found, and to walk in the light as He is in the light. We are aware that tomorrow isn’t promised, and the condition of our hearts when they expire will remain fixed. Whatever ethereal means lie beyond that allows for no petitions for repentance, forgiveness, or salvation.

Let’s be wise in the realization that the chasms God has established will not be changed to accommodate last second changes of hearts, which many will attempt, and have even stated, will be a last minute decision.

“I’ll say the sinners prayer on my deathbed.” As Dr. David Jeremiah once said, “Who told you you’d get to die in a bed?”

The rich man could not buy water to ease the flames of his eternal damnation, and no one who would even take pity on him could cross to relieve him. He never sat Lazarus at the table, or even brought him a meal after the guests had left. He was content to let Lazarus eat scraps, alongside the dogs that licked his sores.

No one will cross.

And when the nations are gathered, and you face Him in reverent fear, knowing His judgment is just and final, there will be no one next to you to blame for your rebellion, rejection, and returning to that from which He delivered you, as in the parable of the virgins, those told to depart will only have the works of their hands and the condition of their hearts.

On which side of the fixed chasms will you find yourself?

Choose this day….`

Devotional 224: The Best & Bitter Wines

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John 2: 6-11 6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

John 19:29-30 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

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How very like our Lord Jesus to give His best to others.

He gave the best of Himself to those of who followed in faith (Luke 5:28), to those who sought Him in ‘chance’ encounters (John 4:46-54) to those He encountered by ‘chance,’ (John 4: 7-15) and to those who rejected Him. (Matthew 19:16-24)

We’re not told if He ever got to drink the best wine, but we are told He sent it away to be enjoyed by others at the feast before Himself.

What He got from us at His death was the sour wine of our sins, and the hint of a taste of Death, though it wouldn’t hold Him long. (John 10: 14-18)

As for us, we make our vows just as the disciples made theirs to remain vigilant, and not to let the the soldiers assail their rabbi. And like them, we fail, if not daily, then soon after.

Through grace, we repent, reflect, and renew, taking strength from the Good Shepherd who leads us on the narrow path to green pastures as spiritual sheep, and sets tables in the presence of our enemies as we go about doing good while goodness and mercy trail in our wake, removing the stains of our sins. (Psalm 23: 5-6)

In this, we are told to be cheerful and not grow weary. (John 16:33, Galatians 6:9)

We are told to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and crucify our own flesh to do the work to which we’re called free of hindrances, lest our souls be spotted, our fruit unharvested, and our rewards burned as field stubble. (1st Corinthians 3:13)

Impure offerings and motives in our lives, minds and hearts, and the works of unclean hands will not stand the test of holy fire.

As the newly faithful enter into the Covenant, and the elders fall away through compromise, temptation and defeat, let us remember what happens to the chaff at the white harvest. Your spiritual condition will be aided by the words you’ve spoken in faith or disbelief, which will justify or condemn you. (Matthew 12: 33-37)

Let us be reminded today that the last wine He drank was sour, and it will be His last until the Father’s kingdom is established anew (Matthew 26:29).

While He enjoys the new wine with His disciples again as he rules (Luke 22:28), we too, at the end of our earthly lives and trials will be able to sample the best wine of all, made the Vine Himself.

Therefore I pray:

King Jesus,

The horror of the cross and all its shameful blasphemy yet eludes us, because You lifted from us and carried it, knowing only Your blood could redeem the promise, re-establish our connection, and renew our lives that we might once more dwell in a global Eden worshipping the Father in His own light, living forever.

As He has given all authority to You, and You obey His word without question or pause, it is comforting to know the beneficence of grace in a kingdom without end.

Holy fear of Him who can cast soul and body into Hell will be replaced by joyful reverence, pure worship, and sincere praise for the mercy we received at His command, and Your obedience to it. We bless Your Name for the atonement, that we might be redeemed and reconciled to our Creator.

Today, we ask forgiveness for all we’ve done in defiance of His will. We grieve that we denied and betrayed You. We repent of acting in rebellion, asking why the Father doesn’t just purge the evil from this world, even though He said He would heal the land if we truly repent. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Unfortunately, our hearts are far from Him though we praise Him with our lips, and the filthy rags of self -righteousness, soaked in vanity.

A nation under judgement has rejected the beginning of signs on the earth, and will doubtless scoff at the signs in the heavens.

As the nation falls, ruled by the whims of vainglorious men, let us seek You in the silence of our homes, proclaim You boldly in the streets, purify ourselves for greater works, and prepare our souls for greater persecution. (Matthew 10:19)

May those of us who profess Your Name in spirit and truth be the remnant that saves the cities and those we love from holy wrath (Genesis 18:26-33), or be caught up to be spared.

But if not, let us rest assured that according to Your word, no one can snatch us from Your hand because our names are written in the Book of Life, seeded and sealed by the Holy Spirit in our bodies which are temples to the Father. We walk by faith as our minds, focused on You, tell us to boldly act as priests and ministers of the Gospel.

Let us work out our salvation as You finish the work through our faith in You, now and forever, on earth as it is in Heaven.

May it be done to us as You have said.

Amen.

Devotional 223: The Word was with God

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John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 8:18 “I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

John 8:58  Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Luke 10:18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.“

While we’re not told the extent of John’s education, if any, what we can maybe ascertain by such a poetic beginning to his gospel is that he’d acquired some in the intervening years between witnessing the crucifixion of his Rabbi and friend to his natural death on Patmos, despite the tortures he endured.

It can be confusing, and for a time I never understood why pastors would tell new converts to the faith to start there. It’s a difficult beginning to work through.

But with maturity in the Word comes understanding, epiphanies, and revelations. How could Jesus be at the beginning of things, yet we’re told we’re under a new covenant of forgiveness of our sins, mercy from the fate we deserve, and salvation through repentance, faith, and obedience in order to enter the our Father’s rest under our Savior’s rule.

Let us be reminded that not only is the Word God-breathed (2 Timothy: 3:16) but that the flesh of humanity is as well. (Genesis 2:7)

We were connected to the heavenly realm from the start, made in the image of God in our spirits, formed to have dominion in the bodily form of Christ (God had to send Him as a man because immoral flesh couldn’t look directly at God Himself and live) and the connection established and maintained through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Adam and Eve broke that connection, and we’ve been spiraling ever since. Empires have come and gone, and the parable of the farmer who built huge granaries only to die the night they were finished is being manifested as the Day of the Lord draws closer, unheeded by prideful men who believe the legacies bearing their name will never turn to dust in their mouths before their bodies do. (Luke 12:16-21)

As we labor under the illusion that this world can be saved, let the remnant who understand that we will inherit a new Earth purged of evil, under the light of a new Heaven not assailed by war, continue to not only hear the Word but obey it, and perform the works our gifts have called us to do.

And when we are there, we’ll have no memory of this fallen world, built on wind-tossed sand, deaf ears, hard hearts, and surrendered souls. (Isaiah 65:17)

Therefore I pray:

Lord Jesus,

There’s not much more to say. We see the prophecies unfolding, and the powerful have hardened their hearts and stopped their ears from hearing the cries of the poor.

They delight in the evil of their sins against humanity, and submit to the demons who blinded them and took dominion over their spirits, that Satan might gain their souls.

But as You commanded us Lord, we will pray for them as they become adversaries, that they repent, relent, seek You while You may be found, and be part of the harvest that’s gathered into the barn and not thrown into the fire.

If You prayed for your executioners and tormentors, we can do no less. Give us grace when we delight in the ruin of those whom man’s history will reveal is fallible, but that Your grace says is redeemable from all sin through repentance and faith.

This day, remind us that we take our next breath at the Father’s pleasure, take bread of Life from Your hands, give thanks and praise for the gift of eternal life, bless your Name and speak the goodness of it to others, and continue to watch and pray, remembering that we were among them but You called us out. You delivered us from evil and revealed the Father to us, sealing us in the Book of Life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

He reveals to us what is of You, as You revealed to us what was from the Father. (John 16:14-15) In faith, let us receive and abide, for apart from You, we can do nothing. (John 15:5)

May it be done to us as You have said.

Amen.

Devotional 192: The Kingdom of Heaven at Hand

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Matthew 3:2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Matthew 4:17 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

First came John, the Nazarene hermit, who leapt for joy in his mother’s womb in the presence of the Promised One. As he began to fulfill his purpose, he warned of the wrath to come for the unbelieving as well as the unrepentant, and he let them know the time was close. He told them what needed to be done, there would be no compromise, and the consequences of remaining irreconciled.

As Jesus grew and found favor with His Father, and among men, astounding the rabbis in His youth and preaching a different message in a different style from the religious leaders of His say, he was no less emphatic in stating what needed to be done, that there would be no compromise, and the consequences for remaining irreconciled.

Today we see the Lord’s prophecies unfolding on the world stage, and indeed, many of us are taking part in it whether we want to believe it or not. Reading about the end times was interesting, but seeing it come to pass is frightening.

We are watching humanity try, as the Pharisees did, to ascribe spiritual conditions to earthly things. Wealth makes you important, certain politics give a moral high ground, and the faithless and unrepentant take pride in their intelligence and mock the Pharisees of our day as hypocrites, yet don’t seek G-d for themselves.

Their first mistake and most fatal mistake is that they keep describing Him as an ‘invisible man in the sky.’ We are doomed to failure by making G-d in our image, and even some in the church use this description as the messages they preach lessen the emphasis on sin and repentance as the way to inheriting the Kingdom.

Jesus tells us G-d is Spirit. (John 4:24)

The OT tells us G-d is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. He keeps the Word He’s spoken to us. (Numbers 23:19)

This is the time of division the Lord spoke of bringing, where members of the same house will be against one another. Repent, that you might inherit the kingdom at hand.

These times are the heralding of times to come, where two will be working side by side, and one will be taken and the other left. Repent, that you might inherit the kingdom at hand.

We, as believers, will not share exclusively in Kingdom glory without the suffering through our own persecutions the power of His Name brings to bear on our lives. Are we truly willing to die for our faith? Are we committed to abiding in Him, that we might remain fruitful and spotless, reconciled to G-d without fear?

These and whatever such questions apply to your lives, begin to search yourselves and ask them, then repent of your sins.

The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Therefore I pray:

Lord Jesus,

Through the power of your blood I am blameless before the Father, yet here on the earth, the temptations come, and sometimes I yield in frustration. I have given in to feelings of anger, loneliness, and doubt, and tempted in the moment, I backslid.

Yet the Father still entreats me to return, and sends You to look for me as the father did his prodigal, and you embrace me, admonish me, and forgive me.

But help me to keep in mind that the Father is long suffering, but not eternally so. He is sending You again to purge the Kingdom of Heaven of all of His enemies, without remedy.

There will be no vestige of sin, no matter how secret, even if the size of a mustard seed, visible to His eyes. I thank You, Lord, for Your willingness to redeem me, for having the Father reveal You to me, for calling me out of the world to do His will to His glory, even as I honor You with the quality of my service.

Remind me that the ten-talent servant worked much harder than the one talent, who didn’t work at all, and was deemed unprofitable in his master’s eyes and cast out.

Strengthen me, and send the Holy Spirit to grant me discernment that the Kingdom of Heaven is near my hand, but I must set out and follow the signs to attain it, enduring to the end of my race, that I might be saved.

May Your words be sealed to my spirit, now and forever.

Amen.

Devotional 180: What Shall It Profit a Man

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Mark 8:36

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him


34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in thi10:19s adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Time and again, the pattern repeats throughout the Word: our fellowship with G-d, righteous, pure, and joyful, clouds over with the distractions and trials of life by His design. When the curses start, we repent, and get back to righting our fellowship with Him.

Christ Himself tells us that we cannot serve two masters, for the love of one will result in hatred for the other (Matthew 6:24), but Solomon tells us that money is the answer to everything (Ecclesiates 10:19). And yet another disciple tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil .

So where does that leave us, who believe.

We are told on one hand by Jesus that we can’t serve G-d or money (Matt: 6:24) and the love of it is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10), but that it’s also the answer to everything (Ecclesiastes 10:19)

So where does that leave those of us who believe in this system that says anyone can make it, but not everyone does? If, in fact, the silver and gold belong to the Father, as He proclaimed because the Earth and everything in belongs to Him, we are commanded to honor Him with a tithe of our earnings, and offer whatever remains voluntarily. We are to do this in spite of our circumstances, however humble, even to giving out of our poverty as the widow did.

What remains, we are to steward wisely (Proverbs 10:22) and not spend ourselves into needless poverty. And if He so desires to increase our earnings, He will add to it with no anxiety.

We are to give without ostentation, making a show for the praises of men, or our reward is already given to us and has no value before G-d.

Our financial sacrifices, as with every other aspect of our service to Him is to be done in humility, silence, in secret, and with right motives that align with His will to love an help each other. He will reward us openly, according to Jesus, if we are faithful. (Matthew 6: 1-4)

In these times of disparity and greed we are always to re-align ourselves with His purposes for His provision, be it money, or talents to be used in His service for HIs glory.

We can’t honor Him with our lips and kneel at mammon’s altar. With all that’s going on around us, we are to remain steadfast in the one regard the Father asks us to test Him, to give the first fruits of our earnings back to Him so that He can open the storehouses of Heaven to bless us.

Take stock of where you stand, and who you honor with your earnings, however meager. We serve a G-d of abundant joy.

Therefore I pray:

Father in Heaven

As we return to You the portion of our wealth You provided, help us to remember that the Earth is Yours, and everything in it, including the silver and gold,

Grant us overflow that we might use to bless others, giving all with a grateful and humble hard, so that none who are around us are in need.

Let us, in the secret doing, do so with no thought of rewards or praises from men, for doing such cancels our blessing before Your throne, and our reward is given us, fleeting and hollow. It is of no value to Your kingdom.

Let us remember that Your Son does not give to us as the world gives, and tells us the truth that every good thing is from You. Let us remember too, that we are travelers passing through, and our wealth is stored up for the just if we misuse all that You have given us.

Our earthly gain is not worth our eternal inheritance with You, when we are one with You once more.

In righteousness, peace, and joy may we honor You.

Amen.

Devotional 175: Every Secret Thing

If the Earth is indeed the Lord’s, and everything in it, then there are no secrets.

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Ecclesiastes 12:14

14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.

Matthew 12:37

37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 15:15-20

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

We live in an age where we are now ‘free’ to indulge in attacking and persecuting from the safety of wherever we believe ourselves to be safe.

Because of faithlessness and pride, we forget that we are all held to a higher standard. If the Earth is indeed the Lord’s, and everything in it, then nothing \is done ‘in secret.’

The conspiracies, lies, government schemes, dark web, trafficking, all of it is as bare to the sight of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as a person on the walking down the street in the noonday sun.

Every slur, insult, dirty picture, and hateful comment of every tribe and tongue who lash out under the deception of darkness will stand before the judgment seat, their level of unbelief notwithstanding:

2nd Corinthians: 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

There will be eternity when time ends, and there will be nowhere else we have to go.

The thought of having to give an accounting of all we have thought, said, and done should give us pause as we currently find our nation divided, hurting, angry, desperate, and greedy.

We are in trouble indeed if the Lord has indeed given us over to the desires of our hearts, removed the Spirit who guides us into all truth, convicts us of sin, and checks our baser natures as love, temperance, compassion, empathy, civility and responsibility are replaced by pride in the things that compose the flesh, things that we had nothing to do with, being created beings capable of exercising dominion, but not operating on the same level with the Father.

Today, let us gather before Him in humility, repentance, and godly sorrow before the darkness completely overtakes us. Let us stand together, and through faith in His Name and by His power, tell the demons that plague this land to go, shouting from the rooftops that which He whispered to us in the watches of the night.

Therefore I pray:

Lord Jesus,

Today, I confess to the sin of a rudderless tongue, conveyed through technology, that I have lashed out at those who meant no harm, who do not think the way I do, who don’t share my worldviews, who don’t look like me, or even speak my language. 

I confess to a heart of stone, and stopped ears, as my pride speaks to my flesh and drowns out the Spirit of holiness that dwells in me, imparting to me that which is of You.

There are times I lose sight of my Shepherd, content to graze in idleness when progress is called for, content to sleep when there’s work to be done, and prone to rebellion in wandering to spiritual strongholds that appeal to my sinful nature as the Father’s loving words call for me to turn back.

Today, Lord, I release my pride, and hand You my heart once again to heal and purify.

Let me feel the joy and power of the Holy Spirit awakening in me as the first time You sent Him when I surrendered to You, for their will be no hiding place, no secrets, no power of self, no pride in me before Your light, no chance for redemption without abiding in You, and  no justification for the evil I’ve done, standing convicted before Your wisdom. 

Make my repentance one of substance, lasting and true; I would not be among those who call you Lord, and yet be cast out from Your presence.

What light I may possess, though it flicker, make it increase. What faith I may yet have, cause me to remember the many times You delivered and restored me, as You have today. Open the pages of the books of my rememberance.

I take joy in Your mercy, and am thankful for Your grace. 

Today, I stand with the tempestuous St. Peter, and declare there is no other Name under Heaven by which I am saved, that You have the words of Life, that You are the Son of G-d,  and You know that I love You, in faith believing I have been likewise restored.

In righteousness, peace, and joy may we honor You.

Amen.

 

Devotional 173: The Pride of Your Heart

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Obadiah 1:2-4

2 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations;
You shall be greatly despised.
3 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high;
You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
4 Though you ascend as high as the eagle,
And though you set your nest among the stars,
From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.

 

The fall of a nation is better remembered than its glory and achievements, especially if the reasons for its collapse come from within. The prophecy of Obadiah over the kingdom of Edom should serve as a cautionary tale, as G-d will often send prophets to warn of the wrath to come, and the reasons for it. It is no accident that the eagle is mentioned, and no guessing as to what G-d’s intention is to nations who think they are as high and lofty.

Above all, the Biblical maxim remains true: “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10) But it seems we have lost sight of the Lord and taken pride in the land that belongs to Him, claiming dominion over things with no sense of stewardship.

We are now a proud nation for all the wrong reasons, and the Accuser feasts on the spiritual rot, nourishing the heart with false pride over things we had no hand in creating in and of ourselves: looks, skin, how we pray, how we feel, how we act, and how we relate to the world around us, and to the Creator Himself.

Seeking that which G-d desires for all humanity: “And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8) 

To hoard those things and dispense them unfairly, inconsistently, and on whims of the heart’s deceitful vices and the mind’s equivocating tricks, will bring the day of judgement closer much faster, if we remain on the current path we’re on, refusing to see the damage we cause for what it is. The prophets of the day seem to be either mute, or politically aligned with worldly desires, or in pursuit of the world’s material comfort and the approval of man.

We would do well to heed our Lord and Savior in this hour when He tells us that we see without seeing, and that we hear, but don’t understand. (Matthew 13:13)

This is a nation that holds itself up as a bastion of freedom, but oppresses and silences those who see flaws in its systems, sin in its practices, greed in its wealth, and pride in the hearts of oppressors. We can no longer keep wiping off the pustules of ignorance and hate, unheeding and unrepentant,  but rather cut away down to the wounds that have caused them, clean it out with the love of the Father, and be made whole, reconciled to one another and to G-d.

The choice is ours, and while there is yet time to make it, let us do so. Will we add our voices to the assembly of saints telling the demons to go, or look on the day of our brother’s calamity, and wash our hands of his blood?

Therefore I pray:

Father in Heaven, 

We have shown ourselves weak in Your sight. We have no strength left to fight, because the armor of Your Word has been broken, twisted, dented, and bent to suit the kingdoms of world. 

Even so, even now, the Devourer consumes us, speaking vile things with his mouth full. He has given the pride of his heart free reign to curse, spit, revile, belittle, and strike those in his path that testify to him that his works are evil.

He has infiltrated our institutions of power as well as our streets, our souls as well as our flesh, our minds as well as our hearts, and because we have turned from You we can no longer resist him.

We have become proud and boastful, wicked and adulterous, fools that speak words having a hint of truth, but in fact, lead the hearer astray.

As we witness the prophecies of Christ unfolding, let us hold fast to all that is good in You, and each other, as we are yet called to be Your servants, priests, ministers, and prophets. Let the wheat be separated from the chaff among these, that hearts may be turned, ears opened, minds changed, and spirits renewed, refreshed, and rejoicing.

We know by faith that You will answer prayers that seek Your best will for us. and equip us to go where we are needed, speaking the Truth of Your Word to power boldly, as You give us what to say, so that none are refuted or can find fault in us or our words. Do not make this nation a byword, that when the world looks on its ruins says among themselves, “How great was its fall,” and marvel at our folly.

You uphold us by the strength of Your right arm, nor let our words fall to the ground as we give You the honor and glory due Your majesty, remembering that we are but dust and only inherit eternal life through Your mercy and grace.

Deliver us from this hour, Father, and restore our hearts as we repent, humbled hearts and contrite spirits, that You may make us new.

In righteousness, peace, and joy may we honor You.

Amen.

Devotional 172: Be Strong

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1 Chronicles 19:10-13

10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. 12 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

Joab finds himself in battle because David did an act of kindness, but the ruler to whom he extended the kindness listened to his council, and shamed David’s emissaries culturally to the point where they couldn’t return from their mission. David would not see them shamed for their own sake; he told them to stay elsewhere until their beards grew back, so they had to live apart from their homes and families until they could be restored. No doubt they endured the scorn of the people of the city until that time.

Now we are here.  It has been a tumultuous year, and the normally tranquil passing of winter into spring has become like the pot of the three witches of Macbeth, adding all manner of foul things to it in order to deceive those prone to temptation and pride, destroying everything good around them to capture a moment in time for their own greed and glory. By giving in, they lose the very thing they sought, and are brought down to great sin and shame.

It will be hard for any believer worth the title to deny that in this time of pandemic, international chaos, and filial hatred, we are in the midst of a battle. As believers called out of the world to minister the Gospel to it, this is not a time to hide. Jesus tells us no one who starts to plow and looks back is fit for kingdom service. (Luke 9:62)

In order to be effective, and see what the harvest would yield, we must be strong not just for our sakes, but for the places where we live, work, and play. We must be strong for those around us having a difficult time keeping it together. We must set aside differences, knowing that the kingdom will be made up of all nations. More importantly, we are not to try to display such strength in our own might. The church, if it does not act in this hour, insulating itself and calling for earthly, flawed, and sinful men to lead us out of that which they helped create, will be found wanting and judged accordingly.

So like Joab, we prepare for battle and go out. We must be prepared to fortify one another wherever needed or we face certain defeat. We are still to do acts of kindness in the midst of the fight if and when we can, even if we are shamed for it. If we believe we suffer ill for the kingdom, the Lord assures us it will be to our credit as profitable servants. (Matthew 5:11)

Our enemy is not weak. He is busy, prolific, and makes those who give in to him defile their flesh as he devours their souls. (1 Peter 5:8)

So let us stand together and pray, above all, that the Lord do what is good in His sight.

If He is good, faithful, just, righteous, and true, then when we call on His Name and seek His hand to deliver us, He will respond. The earth is His, after all, and everything that dwells on it. He will respond to contrite hearts and upright spirits. (Psalm 51:17) He will respond to those who earnestly seek Him in the midst of their despair. (Luke 18:15) He has set before us blessings and curses, and told us to choose. We are, in our freedom, bound by His commandments, statutes, and conditions. We are ultimately subject to His will, whether we deny, qualify, or believe in His very existence.

So let us not fight in our own strength, but pray His will upon the battle. Let us not be wise in our own eyes, lest we shamed. Let us fortify each other and go where we are needed to seek and save the lost, our works shining before men that they may see and we can point them to G-d, that they too might come to glorify Him through the Son, and save their souls through faith in Him.

Therefore I pray:

Father in Heaven,

Forgive us, for we have been a wicked and adulterous nation, serving money and pride as we honored You with our lips, but not our hearts. Our love grew cold and covered over as we corrupted Your Word to suit our purposes, that we might pursue the pleasures of flesh under the guise of heavenly servitude.

But You, Father, see as clearly in the darkest night as You do in the noonday sun.

Our hearts were hard soil, and our ears would not hear.

You have again scattered Your church as You did after Pentecost when those who walked with Jesus became complacent ministering among their own, and enjoying the time, but t were not in the field sowing. And so You struck them with persecutions to make them flee and go where You needed them.

It is no different now, and we must heed the call as the prophecies of Christ unfold. But let us glean wisdom from Your Word, and help us to set aside that which would keep us from working together to prepare once more the way of the Lion of Judah, and not the lamb of G-d. We must move swiftly, for lions are faster than lambs.

As Joab prepared his warriors, let us prepare. As he exhorted them, so let us exhort one another. And as he surrendered the battle to Your sovereign will, let us do likewise.

We place our times in Your hand as we go out to make war, to do work, to guard the supplies, to tend the animals in our care, and minister to the children and elders under our watch that You gave into our hands, whether they be of our blood or not.

And above all, Father, we pray that in the midst of this fight, as seek Your face, as we ask, trust, and believe no matter how it looks to us, You will gather the saved  from the harvest fields, and do what is good in Your sight.

In righteousness, peace, and joy may we honor You.

Amen.

Devotional 169: I Feared the People

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1 Samuel 15:20-24

20 And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22 So Samuel said:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

In the military there are chains of command that must be adhered to if there’s to be order in the camp. If one is to move up in the ranks apart from his peers, one must be prepared to take the criticism and be able to handle the one who will eventually rebel, either out of jealousy, pride, or genuine dislike.

In battle, those same qualities must be displayed if there is to be victory.

G-d placed on Saul a mission of genocide to be done with the Amalekites troubling Israel and being an unfruitful branch of His creation. Saul’s problem was the he loved the adoration of the people, and was unable to say ‘no’ to them even when he was commanded by the Lord to do something that involved standing against his own.

Christ himself warned us of such displays when He told the disciples to beware of doing good things and making an outward show of piety to receive the praises of men.

 “They have their reward.” (Matthew 6:1-2)

A look at any modern day trend of pop culture reflects the fickle shallowness of the human heart.

The politics of the day also reflect this trend: the voice of ‘the people’ based on all manner of things can cower a leader into fearful compromises that please the few but are not in the best interests of all, and as long as that continues to be the case, the figurative shepherd is being pastured by the flock.

We are commanded, then, to pray for our leaders, that they don’t succumb to this temptation. In that, however, we ourselves are tempted to pray for the leaders we agree with, that they might contend with the ones we don’t. That isn’t the solution.

G-d is not small, and if we pray in faith, we must ask for what would seem to be an impossible change in having our leaders work in their gifts, but be of one accord: to serve and make a difference for those under their leadership, to give respect and honor to each other, and glory for all good things to G-d.

The land needs healing, revival, and fellowship under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth and convicts us when we go astray and are tempted to backslide.

In these times, common ground is not only possible to find, but necessary. So is being of one accord. If we are obedient to do this, G-d will give the increase. (1 Corinthians 3: 1-10) 

Today, let us look for ways to start over, make an impact, and be the faithful but uncompromising servants of the Lord according to our callings.

Let us start from where we are and begin, not fearing the people, but our Father in Heaven, with reverence and holy obedience to do that which He has commanded of us: to love one another, as He loves us.

Therefore I pray:

Father in Heaven,

We consider it no small, light thing to be called by You to lead. Mankind’s Deliverer was Himself hated and despised for it, but endured all that was prophesied of Him so that we might be reconciled to You.

You are unrelenting regarding us walking in two worlds: to obey is better than sacrifice, we cannot serve You and money, and we are not to be lukewarm in our faith in Christ and the way of Your salvation, that we might be reconciled to You in the age to come.

But the voices of the people are many, loud, and shrill, and breath out murderous threats against those who would testify that their works are evil, and will not receive the truth in love.

We embrace the barriers and run to the spiritual strongholds that bind us as the prince of this world battles the Lord of the Universe. Give us fresh eyes, clean hearts, and right spirits to destroy those barriers. Let our works shine before men so they glorify You, and You only.

We would be fruitful harvesters, smart investors of our talents, and good servants that we might enter into our Father’s rest, the prodigal sons and daughters that are the works of Your hands.

Comfort us today, O G-d, that we are remembered in the Book of Life, and that we are to pray for our enemies, heaping coals on them.

Remind us to give, pray, and fast in secret, be angry and not sin against ourselves and each other as we rejoice openly with those who rejoice, and grieve with those who grieve.

We thank You, Father, in spite of our circumstances whether good or bad, for every good thing. We rest in Your promise of deliverance from the bad, and rescue from the evil sent to do us harm.

Placing our faith and love in the Son, we look to the hills for our help in this time, being still, knowing that You are G-d, and that we are well loved by You so that we need not fear, and we are not ashamed of the Gospel.

In righteousness, peace, and joy may we honor You.

Amen.

 

 

 

Devotional 167: Blessed is She Who Believed (Mother’s Day)

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Luke 1:39-45

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Your Mother believes for you, ponders things in her heart about you, thinks and dreams about who you’ll be and what you’ll become, and yes, worries about what happens to you when she leaves this world.

It doesn’t matter if she’s your biological mom, though that would be the best case scenario. We all know that even Jesus said family isn’t always defined by blood, but by those who do the Father’s will.

Whoever she turned out to be for you, whoever she may be that poured into you for all she saw in you that could do well in the world, and be good for the world, remember her.

Honor her memory if she’s no longer here, and be with her in whatever way you can if she’s still here. Treasure the time. It doesn’t come back.

Happy Mother’s Day.

 

Therefore I pray:

Father in Heaven: 

     Bless the mother’s who believed by faith in Your promises for the children, 

and bless the ones you’ve called to be in the lives of those whose mother’s rejected them.

      Bless their hands, hearts, minds, and grant them rest from worry. 

      Fill them with Your peace, and reassure them with Your presence.

     Bless and sanctify the works of their hands, and the words of wisdom and love they impart to their children.

     Bless them as they stand in the gap, interceding for the wayward, praying for their redemption and return to home, and to You.

     Bless the ones who’ve lost their children, and comfort them especially. Dry their tears, heal their hearts, and strengthen them according to their need.

    Bless the mothers of the nations of the world, that we might know a more tender side to a harsh existence, even though there are spiritual swords that pierce their spiritual souls. 

    Let them be honored the way Christ honored Your chosen one.

   We ask this in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

   In righteousness, peace, and joy may we honor You. 

   Amen.