pathoflifedevotions

May 7, 2017May 4, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 7, 2017

Cities

The word “city” is rooted in the same source as “citizen,” “civic,” and “civilization.”
In ancient villages the work was much the same from generation to generation; progress was not high on the agenda. Skills were passed down by elders to younger folk. Except for the occasional trip to a nearby city, the long work days bound people together in community, reinforced by the Sabbath and the various holidays.

In ancient cities, and today, civilization is on the move. Progress is the agenda—improvement is the traffic in the busy streets. More of this, more of that, more time to do more things, more money, more, more, more.

All the while the civilized city dweller dreams of the country, the quaint village, the beach town and the beach itself, the mountain lodge with vast windows to look upon vast vistas of created things so far from the city.

The Psalmist explores the cities in his world and compares them to the City of God—Zion.
Zion began as a mountain—the Hill of the Lord—and became King David’s temporary tabernacle housing the Ark of the Covenant, and then Solomon’s Temple where the Shekinah of God rested in a little room, secure behind a heavy veil. Then it was a city—the City of David—where holy history, present power and promised prosperity trafficked together in the narrow streets.

The Psalmist speaks of the advantages of citizenship in Zion. “This one was born in Zion.” This fact granted immediate status, one greater than birthplaces with different names, to the People of God.

There were walls, and city gates, and law enforcement, and politicians whose job it was to keep the peace in and the enemies out. But the true security of Zion was the veracity of their covenant-keeping God. He was their Lawgiver, their gate, their walls against profane insurgents.

The city is also a biblical metaphor for the church.
The source word for church means, “the called out ones.” Because each Christ-follower has an inner light set ablaze by the Abiding Spirit of God, we become a shining City on a Hill that cannot be ignored when collect together to worship.

But what has this to do with Zion?

If you read every passage in the Bible that refers to Zion, as I have done, you will likely agree with my conclusion: What does “Zion” mean? It is the dwelling and ruling place of God.

So Heaven is Zion, uncompromised, untainted, unassailed and we spiritually ascend to Mt. Zion as we worship in Spirit and in Truth.
The church on earth is a part of Zion when Jesus takes residence in her and when she gives the reins of power over to Him.

Blessed is the one who is born again in Zion!

This is a civilization based on Truth.
Our citizenship is registered in heaven.
Our civic duty is to worship and serve the Lord.
There are no ghettos or darkened streets or alleyways.
The Peace of Christ rules in every boardroom.
The Plan of God is seen in every yearly projection.
The Power of God flows through every connection and line.

I know this is a millennial vision of a time yet to come. But can’t we have a little of it in the church today?

Scriptures:
Psalm 87 NIV
He has set his foundation on the holy mountain; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God: “I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me — Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush — and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.'” Indeed, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, the Most High himself will establish her.” The Lord will write in the register of the peoples: “This one was born in Zion.” As they make music they will sing, “All my fountains are in you.”
Psalm 9:11 NIV
Sing praises to the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 46:4 NIV
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Psalm 48:1-3;12-14 NIV
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. … is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. …Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
Psalm 50:2 NIV
From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
Hebrews 12:22-24 NIV
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God…
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as we pray each day for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done on earth, help us to remember the City of God is here—Your Glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle! We are her citizens, responsible keepers of the City. Just as surely as Zion is in heaven, it is also here on earth. Let me about the business of Your City today, the commerce of grace, the industry of hope and the keeping of the Peace of Christ. Amen and Amen.

Song:
Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Words: John Newton; Music: Joseph Haydn

1. Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God.
God, whose word cannot be broken, formed thee for his own abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded, thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

2. See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy sons and daughters and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, never fails from age to age.

3. Round each habitation hovering, see the cloud and fire appear
For a glory and a covering, showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day,
Safe they feed upon the manna which God gives them when they pray.

4. Savior, since of Zion’s city I through grace a member am,
Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in your name.
Fading are the world’s best pleasures, all its boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasures none but Zion’s children know.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

May 6, 2017May 4, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 6, 2017

Undivided

The fragrance of flowers is everywhere.
Soft music and quiet conversation also scent the air in the chapel with anticipation of the entrance of the bride. Finally all the groomsmen are in place, the bridesmaids are in position, and a nervous trio of men: preacher, best man, and groom, are secretly glad the parade has ended. Suddenly the organist turns a page, the music swells and the whole gathering stands on cue.

Here comes the bride.

For Better or for Worse
Soon significant words are spoken that no one will remember and vows are exchanged that must be remembered forever. An official, legal declaration of marriage is pronounced followed by a kiss and a triumphant exit, arm-in-arm, by the newly-minted married couple. Legally, two hearts have been joined, no longer divided, but united in the sight of God and this company.

If all goes well every year these vows will be revisited: two hearts cemented together as one by a growing love and welded together by fires of devotion and the pressures of daily life. As long as their hearts remain undivided, so will their home, their family, and even their minds.

If all does not go well, something will divide these hearts. It may be work, inattention, or some other external force. Most likely it will be another person. There is no room for another man or another woman in the heart of a married person. A fissure such as this divides the heart, wounding it, often beyond repair. Too often, the divided heart divides the home. The hearts that were one in the eyes of God and this company are now two again, but now betrayed, broken and bleeding.

The marriage union is a picture of the union of God and His people.
This union is celebrated in worship.

Unity in worship brought the Glory of God down to earth at the dedication of the Solomon’s Temple and the power of the Spirit the Day of Pentecost.
The Psalms command all the generations to worship together.
Jesus prayed that we would be one—undivided.
Paul shared the secret of the church at Ephesus—Jesus tore down the walls between the cultures.
John saw a universal church from every tribe and tongue and nation gathered before the Throne of God and of the Lamb.

It is time to seek the Lord for an undivided heart of worship.
We should not be a reflection of the world, divided by conflicting goals and passions. We must rise in a unity that shines in brilliant, blinding light against the muddled, dark confusion of a world at war with itself, sliced like a pie into slivers of preference, race, income, education, age and taste. With undivided hearts in worship, we can lift Jesus high enough for the world to see Him in His glory.

We have yet to see the power of the church with an undivided heart of worship.

Scriptures:
Psalm 86 NIV
Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. …Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name… O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 NKJV
…indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD,…saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
Acts 2:1-4 NIV
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
John 17:20-22 NIV
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Ephesians 2:14-16 NIV
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
James 1:8 KJV
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You and the Father and the Spirit are One. On the night that You were betrayed You prayed that those who followed You one be One in the same way the Trinity is One. This can only be done by the Spirit of God. Lord, You know that by nature I have a divided heart with passions at war with each other and subconscious motivations of which I am not aware. Lord, unify my heart! Let my passion be pure and focused on You and Your Kingdom. Lord, the church today is divided often by our own plans. Make us One in the Spirit. Let the generations come together at Your Throne! Lord Jesus, only You can tear down the walls we have built. Lord, make us One! In Jesus’ name, amen!

Song:
They’ll Know We Are Christians
Words and Music: Peter Scholtes

1. We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord.
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord.
And we pray that our unity may one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

2. We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand.
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand.
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

3. We will work with each other; we will work side by side.
We will work with each other; we will work side by side.
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

4. All praise to the Father, from whom all things come.
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

May 5, 2017May 3, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 5, 2017

Ascending

The thing is—He didn’t stop!
He broke the gravitational pull of the earth He had created, passed through the stratosphere, and sailed by other of His little projects, suns and moons, stars and other things we don’t even know about yet. He didn’t stop until He reached the Throne of Heaven.

I remember celebrating when the race of human beings ascended to the moon in July of 1969. But we had to stop there. Humanists do their best to install mankind on the throne of the universe. “Man is the judge of all things.”

What a bleak prospect.

We need a higher standard than who man is and what man can do.
The coronation of sinful man on a throne demanding our obeisance is a short step downward to Francis Schaeffer’s “line of despair.” His scathing examination of 20th Century philosophies revealed that without God in our thinking each of us must cross a line leading only to meaninglessness. Without a Creator, creation is marvelous, random accident with no meaning.

On the other hand, we have The Ascension.

The followers of Christ might have called the days since their Last Supper with Jesus a roller coaster ride if they had known what that was.

He’s with us!
He’s arrested!
He’s pronounced guilty!
He’s dead and buried!
He’s back!
He’s full of promises!
He’s gone!
One more thing: He’s coming back!

They had the good sense to obey the Lord so they filed back into Jerusalem to wait for the Promise of the Father—the power to tell the world about Jesus.

Who shall ascend?
Centuries before, the Psalmist David spoke of a different kind of ascension. He asked the most fundamental worship questions: “Who shall ascend the Hill of the Lord” Who shall stand in the Holy Place?”

This is the joy and power of the New Covenant: Jesus ascended to the Throne of Heaven and now, in the wonder of “spirit and truth” worship, we ascend the mountain of revelation to stand with the throng before The Throne of God and of the Lamb.

Forget the technical help needed for flight. Focus on the story of Redemption and the face of our Redeemer. Empty your heart of its earthly passion, your mind of its temporal distractions, and your body of its time-driven tensions. Fill your resulting emptiness with the truth, the presence, the power, and the peace of Christ.

In others words: Ascend!
Don’t stop at the limits of Earth’s pull. Sail past the moon. Leave the stars behind and ascend to the Throne of God where Jesus dwells and reigns. In the process, you cross “the line of hope.” He welcomes you there with a smile on His lovely face.

He is the measure of all things.

Scriptures:
Psalm 24 NIV
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty — he is the King of glory.
Hebrews 12:22-24 NKJV
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Acts 1:1-12 NIV
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You have ascended on high—to the very Throne of Heaven. Let me hear the songs of the angels all through this day. “Holy, holy, holy!” Let Your holiness go before me and behind me today—no enemy can penetrate this cordon of defense. I will ascend this day, every step will be a step up. I hear Your upward call today and move in Your strength. When this day ends, I will have ascended. All for Your Glory, Lord. Amen.

Song:
We’re Marching to Zion
Words: Isaac Watts; Music: Robert Lowry

1. Come, we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known,
Join in a song with sweet accord, join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne, and thus surround the throne.

Refrain:
We’re marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion;
We’re marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God.

2. Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God,
But children of the heavenly King, but children of the heavenly King,
May speak their joys abroad, may speak their joys abroad.

Refrain

3. The hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heavenly fields, before we reach the heavenly fields,
Or walk he golden streets, or walk the golden streets.

Refrain

4. Then let our songs abound and every tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground, We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground,
To fairer worlds on high to fairer worlds on high.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

May 4, 2017May 3, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 4, 2017

Commands

Commands are great—if they are for someone else—dogs, students, soldiers.
The ability to give commands involves a commander and an individual who has surrendered his/her rights. Not the kind of thing for which most of us would volunteer. The one being commanded is at the mercy of the commander. If the commander is skillful and caring, the commands given will be wise and beneficial. If the commander is incompetent and cruel the commands given could be deadly:

Abusing the dog,
Confusing the students, and
Using up the soldiers.

In the Viet Nam era some young men of draft age fled to Canada to escape the loss of freedom that would subject them to a military system of command. Others submitted to the draft and then to the service, surrendering their freedom and doing as they were commanded. In this way they followed the example of their WWII fathers who set their rights aside to secure ours. They did as they were commanded and saved the world.

Starting at Mt. Sinai
This remarkable record of sacrifice of rights for the good of the community goes back to the foothills of Mt. Sinai. The Kingdom of God under the Law of Moses was expressed in commands. Ten of them summed up the morality and spirituality of the People of God. These were not guidelines or suggestions. They were the commands of One who had the authority to give them and to expect obedience. Moses was the leader of the people, but Jehovah God was the Commander.

The people were not like dogs, responding by instinct learned in repetitive drills. They were the beloved creations of a Commander who understood the chaos in the world where laws were of the moment and were the province of men whose moments indeed were fleeting.
They were not school children whose job it was to sit down and shut up while the teacher droned and drilled the lessons of the day. They were adult family members who were meant to partner with God to subdue and sustain a land flowing milk and honey.
They were not nameless pawns of war, so much fodder for the hungry animals of battle. There were battles to fight, enemies to rout, and strongholds to bring down but the fighting would be done in name of the Lord and in the power of His might.

The songwriters of the day often expressed love for the commands of God, and not just the Big Ten—but all of them. This love for Law may be difficult for us to understand. In their best moments the psalmists remembered what God had done:

He delivered them from Egypt.
At His command the Red Sea split open for them to walk through.
They had food that fell from the sky and water sweetened by a tree or spilling from a rock.

Impressive! Their God had the right to issue commands. His love for them formed the context for their obedience to the Law.

A New Context
Now we follow the same God with a New Covenant. If the commands begin to chafe a little or we find ourselves longing to taste a few of the world’s delights, let us remember what God has done:

Choosing a manger over a heavenly throne,
An example of the faithful, faith-filled life,
A cross and an empty tomb,
Sins forgiven and cast away, and
An Abiding Spirit who gives us the victory.

Jesus has won the right of command. God, give us the sense to obey.

Scriptures:
Psalm 119:97-120
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. … The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. … I stand in awe of your laws.
2 Timothy 2:1-5 NIV
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs — he wants to please his commanding officer.
John 14:21; 15:10-15 NIV
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” …If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.
1 John 5:2-5 NIV
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my commander! You have every right to send me on any mission You choose for me. It is my extreme privilege to obey Your commands. As I obey You, I will remain in Your love. How foolish it would be for ne to walk away from Your love! Help me know today that Your love is the context in which you command me. You see what is ahead; I cannot. Your formed me in the secret place of my mother’s womb with a plan in mind for me. Lord, I will follow You. Your commands and Your love are enough for me today. Amen.

Song:
Trust and Obey
Words: John H. Sammis; Music: Daniel B. Turner

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Refrain

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

May 3, 2017April 29, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 3, 2017

Skillful

Many Christ-followers are confused about skill.
We who refer to the power of the Holy Spirit as “The Anointing,” are sometimes suspicious of skill on an almost subconscious level. The last thing we want to do is try to minister “in the flesh” rather than “in the Spirit.” In a blaring contradiction we also seek out those who are skillful to learn their secrets and hopefully to emulate their successes. Often we pay lip service to skill while leaning heavily on the anointing. Other believers have no trouble with skill while they scratch their heads over this talk about the anointing.

The truth is the Kingdom of God is seldom a place of “either/or” and is most often a wonderful land of “both/and.”

Learning from King David
Turning to our leadership guide, Holy Scriptures, we can see that each force has its place. In Asaph’s wonderful history lesson we call Psalm 78, he concludes with this statement about his boss, King David. “…David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.”

King David functioned a like potter, skillfully molding a single peaceful Kingdom out of two waring ones. He was an administrator who recognized skillful leaders, put them in charge of their part of the work, and released them to do as their skills dictated.

It wasn’t foolproof. Sometimes it worked and at other times it failed.

He appointed skillful musicians in charge of planning and making music for the Tabernacle he pitched on Mt. Zion and soon the whole nation was singing the praises of God.
He commissioned the best cart-builders in his kingdom to make a cart to transport the Ark; a dead man was the result. God had a better plan that David had to discover.

Human skill is not the enemy of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In practical fact, they are partners.

There is a partnership between skill and anointing.
The errant theology that imagines a choice between skill and anointing springs from a poor definition of talent itself. Dictionaries refer to talent as a special, natural, innate aptitude. We often call skill talent: “He is a talented trumpet player,” and so on. What we really see is skill: talent developed into skill by discipline and preparation.

Talent, the ability to learn to do something, is God’s gift to us.
Skill, the ability to do something well, is our gift back to God.

So where does that leave us?

We must recognize the innate aptitudes God has given us.
We must find His will and get about the ongoing task of learning the skills required by that work.
We must always lean on the power of the Holy Spirit to do the work.

Like King David on his second and successful attempt to bring up the Ark, we can know the joy of ministering in power of the Spirit. David laid aside his kingly robes and danced before the Lord with all his might wearing the linen garment of the priests. He was dancing both in the flesh and in the Spirit.

How skillful of him!

Scriptures:
Psalm 78:56-72 NKJV
Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God…When God heard this, He was furious, And greatly abhorred Israel, So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, The tent He had placed among men, And delivered His strength into captivity, And His glory into the enemy’s hand. He also gave His people over to the sword, And was furious with His inheritance. …Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, Like a mighty man who shouts because of wine. And He beat back His enemies; He put them to a perpetual reproach. Moreover He rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved. And He built His sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which He has established forever. He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
1 Chronicles 15:22 NIV
Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.
Psalm 33:3 NIV
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
Galatians 3:3-4
Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
2 Corinthians 4:7-8 NKJV
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the talent You invested in me. Thank You for the wonderful grace of teachers and colleagues of similar giftings who have taught me over the years. If I have gained any skill, I offer it back to You in praise, worship, and obedience. Help me be evermore skillful in serving You. And when I have done my best, Lord, please add the power of Your Spirit to my art, to my obedience. Don’t let my music linger at the human level of entertainment or even art. Take it deeper into the spirit of those who hear me so that a spiritual work may be done. Let me live in this partnership of skill and anointing. All for You, Lord Jesus. All for You! Amen.

Song:
Anointing, Fall on Me
Words and Music: Donn Thomas

Anointing, fall on me. Anointing, fall on me.
Let the power of the Holy Ghost fall on me.

Touch my hands, my mouth and my heart.
Fill my life, Lord, every part.
Let the power of the Holy Ghost fall on me.
Anointing, fall on me.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

May 2, 2017April 29, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 2, 2017

Countenance

The countenance is more than just the face.
It is the look on the face—the expression. It is the angle of the mouth, the direction of the eye brows and most of all it is the look in the eyes. It is has been rightly said they are windows to the soul. They are like the Table of Contents for the heart.

Countenance requires proximity—nearness. We can recognize a form at a distance and a face at closer range, but the eyes can only be studied from close proximity.

Made for Better Things
Our Creator installed many desires into our hearts, desires which pull us toward Him. Even as accountability becomes our burden and we drift far from God through our sin and self-interest, there is a mechanism in us, like a radio receiver constantly monitoring signals from home. It keeps blinking its little red light, reminding us that we were made for better things.

We were made to fellowship with God, not run from Him.
Our design was that of a co-worker with God in the ongoing processes of creation, not that of a rebel, malcontent or a sluggard.
We are not created to combat the Spirit but to walk in the Spirit.
Our organs of speech were not activated so that we could gripe and complain but that we would tell the Life-Story, the Gospel.
These magnificent machines we call our bodies are not intended lie about useless while age, unseen and unsuspected, gradually drains us dry until bitter and brittle, we are wasted.

Our bodies are intended to be vessels of honor in the House of God fit for the Master’s use, earthen vessels to be sure but brimming with treasure and power and love, redeeming each moment until Christ appears in the sky.

He wanted more.
Moses saw amazing things:

a blazing bush that would not burn away,
signs and wonders before Pharoah,
a sea fleeing from his shepherd’s rod and a people delivered; the army that pursued them proving itself to be no navy at all, and
the clouded majesty of Sinai.

But he wanted more. His internal receptor buzzed and beeped with the awareness of the proximity of God and he wanted more. He wanted to see the face of God, the glory of God. God put him on a rock and then into the rock, covered him with his hand and passed by before him. Under the rules of the Old Covenant, He did not see God’s face for even Moses was guilty before God and sin always keeps the face of God away. Still the vision of Jehovah passing before him, lit all the dials on his internal machine until the glory of it glowed through his countenance. When he descended from Sinai, Moses wore a veil over his face to hide the fading glory.

Jehovah’s Smile and His Frown
The Jewish nation was sometimes glorious in obedience to the Covenant and God smiled on them. At other times they sinned and their hearts and minds were darkened by the distance of God from them. They could not see His face and could barely make out His form. They cried out in their psalms to see His countenance again.

Jesus made a New Covenant in His blood.
Through Him our sins are gone—removed from us through repentance and faith in Christ. We can now do what Moses could not do—we can look upon the face and the countenance of God. This time the glory does not fade. This is the flame of the lamp Jesus talked about making us the light of the world, a hilltop city illuminating the night.

A beam of glory, His countenance shines in us.

Scriptures:
Exodus 33:18-23 NIV
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
2 Corinthians 3:4-18 NKJV
And we have such trust through Christ toward God… who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. …Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech — unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I stand in awe of You. I have sensed Your frown, Your disappointment in me when I have sinned against You “by what I have done and what I have left undone.” I have also sensed Your smile, Your approval of me when my song has touched You, when my praise is the broken alabaster jar. In either case Your countenance is always loving. Your eyes see me in truth and pour Your love on me anyway. Your sweet Spirit calls me nearer inviting me to gaze into Your countenance. Set me to glowing today, Lord! Amen and amen.

Song:
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Words and Music: Michael W. Smith

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up,
Shining in the light of Your glory.
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy.

Holy, holy, holy.
We cry holy, holy, holy.
You are holy, holy, holy.
I want to see you.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 1, 2017

Splendor

Splendor is beauty on a magnificent scale.
The human heart longs for beauty from small to large, from intimate to public, from fleeting to lasting, from silent to deafening, and from earthly to heavenly.

We long to see beautiful eyes in a beautiful face and hear beautiful words from a beautiful voice, especially when we love the one who owns that face and voice.
We cannot step out of the door into a clear night with a full moon without stopping in our tracks to look upon such celestial beauty—shining moon, deep black sky, and silent stars blinking their promises of worlds yet to be found.
We collect works of beauty in museums and erect them on public squares.
We pay money to hear them and marvel at those whose years and hours of preparation have enabled them to perform masterworks.
We produce plays and films to tell beautiful stories again and again because these stories so often are our stories, or we want them to be.
We hold books in our hands: laws, constitutions, declarations—the documents of our chosen civilization—caressing beauty that extends beyond words to deeds and promises and civil expectations.

Taking what we can get.
The human heart takes what it can get of beauty, certain that with whatever portion we find, something will be missing. Beauty is not perfection; flaws are part of the charm beauty holds. Flaws are little chunks of failure that we, who may not be beautiful, can grasp and use to regain our balance, almost overcome otherwise by beauty.

This is the good news:

There is a beauty we can hold without fear or feelings of rejection.
There is a song that is simple in its perfection yet profound in its meaning.
There is a gallery of beauty where we are invited to enter, to share it, see it, hear it, and receive it deep into our longing souls.

Splendor shines forth.
This place is Zion, the place where God Almighty lives and rules, the place we come to when we worship. The writer to the Hebrews describes this place in terms of splendor. The psalmists keep returning to the word “splendor” to describe Zion. They knew it wasn’t a tent or a palace or even a magnificent temple. Zion is beautiful beyond man’s ability to design and construct. The music there is higher and lower and faster and slower than any music we can make. It takes angels to make this music.

And yet, there is a anthem that only people can sing—the Song of the Redeemed. And that is the song the church will sing every Lord’s Day.

As we do, our beauty-starved souls will feed on true splendor.

Scriptures:
Psalm 96 NIV
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
Hebrews 12:22-24 NIV
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Isaiah 6:1-4 NIV
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
Revelation 4:2-11
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders…Day and night they never stop saying:” Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the source of all beauty. You are the end of every search, the object of every quest. When a man or a woman or a child imagines something beautiful, it is merely a small fraction of the whole of Your Creation. Even these bits of splendor feed our souls. Give us the wisdom to pass through the riven veil of grace, torn at the moment of Your death on the cross. Take us through even the wonders of creation to behold Your beauty and that of Your throne. Here is splendor built for time and eternity, rich and satisfying in this moment and filled with promise for tomorrow. Amen and amen.

Song:
O Worship the King
Words: Robert Grant

1. O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

2. O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space!
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

3. Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

4. Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!

5. O measureless Might, unchangeable Love,
whom angels delight to worship above!
Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze,
in true adoration shall sing to your praise!

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

April 30, 2017April 30, 2017 pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 30, 2017

Declare

Declarations are usually made by officials.
The mayor of a city will declare a day to honor a visiting dignitary or an outstanding citizen. The leader of a country can declare a day for prayer, or a moratorium on some unwanted behavior. Upon reentry into one country, when going through customs, a traveler to some other country will have to declare the goods he or she purchased.

We may not see ourselves as leaders or dignitaries or outstanding citizens and we haven’t been anywhere or bought anything to demand a trip through customs. Why are we commanded to declare something? What power do we possess to seize a day in honor of someone we love? Who will listen if we declare a day of prayer? What foreign goods do we have in our possession?

Commanded to Declare
In the most unlikely of circumstances, we are invited, really we are commanded, to declare the glory of the Lord! The first day of the week has been declared to be the Lord’s Day, an accumulated day of Rest and Worship (Old Covenant) and a day to Celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus (New Covenant. ) When we declare His glory, we are choosing to share in the joy of the church and in the faithfulness of God to His people through His covenants.

It is important that we open our mouths to make this declaration.

There is a time for silent meditation; this is not that time.
Some moments call for inner contemplation; these are not those moments.

The Lord’s day is a day to declare with a loud voice in the company of the saints the wonders of God for all to hear.

We do this best with songs.
Songs of declaration are not songs about us; they are about the Lord. The words are filled with truth about who God is and what He has done. We proclaim His excellence, integrity, holiness, mercy, faithfulness, truth, power, and His love. We must lift our voices over the noise of a fallen creation. Our unison song must penetrate the din of lies all around us. Our soaring harmonies must stretch from low bass to highest soprano to dominate the sound spectrum, allowing no other melodies and chords and cadences to be heard.

The Song of the Heart
Before our song can overcome the cacophony of sin, it must originate in the deepest part of us—our hearts where Jesus lives by the power of the Spirit.

When our hearts have seen the King, we can witness to His glory with our voices.
When our minds are filled with Him, our mouths will be filled with His praise.

Those who do not know Him simply cannot declare His glory the way those who know God in their hearts can. It is as if the Holy Spirit amplifies the song of the redeemed so that all can hear, from the enemies of God to the friends of God.

Seek His glory in your heart. Declare His glory with your lips. Make the joyful noise that only you can make. Use the voice He has given you and use it to the full. There will be time to contemplate. There will be moments of meditation. But find a time early on this Lord’s Day to declare His glory!

Scriptures:
Ephesians 3:10-12
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
1 Peter 2:4-6; 9-10
As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Psalm 96 NKJV
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously.” Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Psalm 33:1-3
Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
Psalm 47:1-2
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!

Prayer:
Glory to God
From the Book of Common Prayer
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You for Your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Songs of Declaration:
We Declare That the Kingdom of God Is Here
Words and Music: Bob Fitts

We declare that the Kingdom of God is here
We declare that the Kingdom of God is here
Among you! Among you !

The blind see! The deaf hear!
The lame men are walking!
Sicknesses flee at His voice
The dead live again And the poor hear
The good news!
Jesus is King so rejoice!

We declare that the Kingdom of God is here
We declare that the Kingdom of God is here
Among you! Among you !

We Declare Your Majesty
Words and Music: Joseph Garlington

We declare your majesty!
We proclaim that your name is exalted;
For You reign magnificently, rule victoriously,
And Your power is shown throughout the earth.

And we exclaim, our God is mighty!
Lift up your name, for you are holy.
Sing it again, all honour and glory,
In adoration we bow before your throne.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

April 29, 2017April 29, 2017 pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 29, 2017

Collecting

To be human is to be a collector.
We just seem to accumulate things. Collections range from a garage filled with so much stuff you could never park a car there, to carefully indexed and displayed collections of books, paintings, model cars, guns, recordings, films, etc. People collect things. Some of us find it difficult to let go of the past and those boxes of random objects in the garage are all that’s left of it in the physical world. Others of us have become so fascinated by an object that we can’t seem to get enough of them.

On days of rest and recreation, our collections call to us.
A casual trip to the garage reminds us of all the boxes we need to go through so we quickly get back in the house. For those intentional collections, the possible ways to enjoy them are many:

We can just look at them, appreciating their value and meaning.
We can look for more of them online or out in the market place.
We can choose one or more of them to play with.
We can catch up on the indexing and cataloging for it seems we are always behind on that.

As a Christ-follower we also accumulate valuables:

Moments with the Master, times of presence and power filed neatly away in our hearts for times when we need to remember,
Truths eternal, packed into certain words and into the many names of God for times when enemies or errors confront us,
People we love and who love us in return, gifts of grace from God’s own hand for times when we need a human touch or a word from a friend, and
Blessings all around us, far outnumbering the things we still need, for every moment of every day, the provision of Jehovah Jireh, the Lord Who Provides.

The treasures we have accumulated speak peace to us, bring a smile to our face, relax the tension in the back of our neck, and give us pause in that wonderful gap between the work of the week and the worship of the Lord’s Day.

Follow your interests.
Collect wonderful things that fascinate you. If God made them, they were made for you to enjoy. If human beings made them and they are honorable, those artists and craftsmen have created from the image of God in them. That same image in you responds to their work and it is a good thing.

We must also look deeper than our various collections of things to the astounding accumulation of grace stored in our hearts, indexed in our minds, and available to our spirits. They are kept in heaven’s secure vaults where there are no moths, no decay, no thieves, and where nothing is ever lost.

To be human is to be a collector.

Scriptures:
Luke 12:32-33
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 13:52
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
Colossians 2:2-7
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Ephesians 1:18-19
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I love the Bible, that shinning collection of stories and words of wisdom and unbelievable poems and essays that brings You to me. I love the massive collection of worship songs Your people have written and sung through the ages, going all the way back to King David. I see Your Church as a collection of narratives, stories of grace so amazing and I see beyond their stories to the people in Your collection, people You have called out of darkness into Your marvelous light. I consider my own story, a narrative of Divine intervention, of miracles of miles and inches, of moments of astounding grace and most of all, the people in my life, good people and true. When I count my collection of blessings, there is no ending to them. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song:
Count Your Blessings
Words: Johnson Oatman; Music: E.O. Excell

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

Refrain

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Refrain

4. So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

April 28, 2017April 28, 2017 pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 28, 2017

Adversaries

No one goes through this life unopposed.
It just isn’t done. Sometimes the adversary is another person, or a corrupt system, or a rigged game, and sometimes we are our own adversary.

The Christ-follower can identify with the Prophet Daniel. In the spirit-world we face down hungry lions every day. This isn’t fantasy or paranoia; it is simply the truth. Sometimes a single lion will stalk us; at other times the whole pride of lions has our scent. Like the Prophet, a den of lions might be the reward we receive for being faithful to God. No matter the number of snarling beasts we face, their jaws are locked and there power over us is limited by the hand of God. They try to roar but can only mumble

Satan comes against the Church.
When Jesus promised that the “Gates of Hell” will not prevail against the church, he was telling us to look out for serious adversaries. The enemy of our souls doesn’t waste his limited offensive strength against strongholds he has already won. He comes against the church. Like a hapless legion of ignorant soldiers the armies of Hell have battered the church since it was founded on the Day of Pentecost. The church has taken more than her share of casualties in these assaults but she has never been stopped. Our adversaries take no delight in the addict, or the felon, or the atheist, or the humanist, and even—ironically enough—in the Satanist. Their focus is the church—you and me.

These adversaries want to spoil our worship and distract us.
They want to tempt us to sin. A church that is not holy is no threat to them.
They want our kids and grand-kids. They target them in every way.
They want us to be sick, overweight, depressed, and disagreeable, making us unable to do what God has called us to do even when we want to.
They want to divide us. Hell knows that the unity of spirit and purpose makes the church impregnable and unstoppable.

Our adversaries remember two days that we often forget:

The day of the dedication of the Temple, and
The Day of Pentecost.

On each of these days The Glory of the Lord fell. The trigger of these visitations was unity.

What are our adversaries, these tight-lipped lions up to? What is their strategy? They are charged with seeing that something like these two days never happens again so they deceive us into competing divisions.

What should our counter-strategy be?
We must undo the divisions culture has thrust upon us:

Old from young,
Rich from poor,
Worker from professional,
Dark skinned from light,
preacher from parishioner,

and be One again! One–just as Jesus prayed and just as the Bible commands.

When we are One–No adversary can defeat us!

Scriptures:
Psalm 71 NKJV
In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually… O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more…. My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; For they are confounded, For they are brought to shame Who seek my hurt.
1 Peter 5:8 NIV
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 NKJV
…indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord…that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
Acts 2:1-4 NKJV
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the Victor! The outcome has already been decided but prayer is the continuing battle. Worship is our warfare. Through praise we assault the strongholds of the enemy and see them weaken, crumble, and fall. Some are stubborn and so must I be, relentless in prayer, ever asking, seeking, knocking until the victory comes. Help me be faithful in this combat. And for Your church, make us one again! Undo the wicked strategies that divide us. Bind us together as One Army, ready for battle. In Your mighty name, Amen.

Song:
Onward Christian Soldiers
Words: Sabine Baring-Gould; Music: Arthur S. Sullivan

1.Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Refrain
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

2.At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Refrain

3.Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Refrain

5.Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never ‘gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Refrain

6.Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer