pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 12, 2017

Grace

Grace—a gift, a blessing, a touch from the hand of God—it is no wonder we deem it “amazing.”

Three “Angels”
Actually there are three angels in our lives, sisters of the Spirit who selflessly attend to us: Grace, Mercy, and Peace. They are quiet, these sisters, but quite thorough in their ministries, blessing us with God’s favor, forgiveness and fortitude.

Grace surrounds us, precedes us, follows after us, supports us, and covers us. Commonly defined as the “unmerited favor” of God, grace is a fact of our lives, so prevalent it is easy to lose our appreciation of it. Think of it—God, who is no respecter of persons, favors us! How He can do this is a mystery of His being. He is totally fair with all of mankind, yet some of us move about in a constant rain of grace, soaked by His favor. How can such a thing be?

Jesus is the answer.

Like John the Baptist’s testimony of Jesus, His own statements concerning His mission on this earth are grand and all inclusive:

  • John: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29-30)
  • Jesus: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
  • Jesus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

But there is a condition.
The grace of God is available to all the world, but some do not receive Him.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:10-13

Mysteries surround the dispensation of God’s grace in the world. Jesus told those who received Him to go into the whole world with the story of His grace.

  • Jesus: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
  • Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-17)

For those who have received Jesus and His grace, there remains a danger: We can be tempted to presume upon His grace rather than simply walking in it. There is a vast territory between trusting God and tempting God, between pursuing God’s grace and presuming upon it.

  • Pursuing God’s grace is a process of relationship—presuming upon it is self-centered arrogance.
  • Trusting God in everyday things pleases Him greatly; tempting Him in anything is strictly forbidden.
  • Trusting is humility in action, presuming is pride on display.

God resists—opposes!—the proud but gives Grace to the humble. There is a vast territory between God’s resistance and His help.

Today, if we will humble ourselves before the Lord, He will be drawn to us. He will help us—surround us, precede us, follow after us, support us, and cover us with Grace. We will hear our three sister-angels singing of God’s mercy, His peace, and His amazing grace.

Scriptures:
John 1:12-18; 10
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth… For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known…to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Titus 2:11
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
Romans 3:22-25
There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
James 4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Hebrews 4:16-5:1
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Matthew 4:7 NKJV
Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'”

Prayer:
Confession of Mercy and Blessing
Psalm 90:13-91:1 NLT (From The Book of Daily Prayer adapted SRP)
Lord Jesus, You come to me in mercy; Your love is my portion today. As this day begins, I feast on Your truth and presence and I will joyfully sing throughout the day and night of Your unfailing love. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us see Your miracles again; let our children see Your glory at work. And, Lord, show us Your approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!

Song:
Amazing Grace
Words: Isaac Newton; Music: Traditional

1. Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

2. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

3. Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me on.

4. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 11, 2017

Desires

The desires of the heart are sometimes stylish, parading themselves on the runway, like models in the latest fashions. At other times they are stealthy; words sneaking out of their hiding places in small talk as if no one is listening.

Where do these strutting mannequins come from? What is the source of these flat but revealing words?

The heart.

Until the deep work of the Spirit is done, the heart of each individual is a repository of ambition and anger, sin and sedition, and lofty ideals and low impulses. This depressing diagnosis comes from the Great Physician Himself.

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”

Rough words, but true.

The list of the heart’s desires is faithfully reported in Scripture and there is no need to report it here. This is the time and place for searching the soul. Where can we find the cure for this inborn sickness?

The answer is a heart transplant.

King Saul Was Given a New Heart.
Long before medical science figured out how to replace a defective heart with one in working order from another individual, the Holy Spirit had long ago perfected this surgery. It is said that Saul, a tall, good-looking, but timid man became the Great King Saul because God gave him a new heart. Wow! Now that is a gift. The rest of Saul’s story is a tragedy of a man who did not tend his new heart. He let it rot in his chest until all was lost, including his kingdom.

There Are More Stories to be Told.
But history tells many, many other stories of people who received a new heart when they invited the Lord Jesus in to take residence there. Hearts that were filled with evil, rage, and despair were replaced by “Kingdom hearts” full of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

And here is the best part—the old list of desires is replaced by an entirely new list! With the new heart, the desire for old things found on the road to hell pass away and a fervent longing for the new things found on the Path of Life takes its place. What is the trigger mechanism that initiates and renews this profound change?

Delight.

Specifically, delighting oneself in the Lord.

To delight in the Lord is to focus one’s life on Jesus;

  • to pursue His will, not ours;
  • to love Him with heart, soul, mind, and strength;
  • to listen to His word and
  • to obey Him as we can.

The Process of Delighting in the Lord is powerful.

  • This delighting process starves the old heart and feeds the new one.
  • It dulls the old mind and sharpens the new.
  • It mitigates the old desires and feeds the new passions.

Understand the Promise!
Some think this promise says that God will give us whatever we want. Far from saying such a thing, the promise is that we will get a brand new list of things we want, a new set of heart’s desires. And that is a different thing altogether!

In these days of repentance and seeking God’s face, let us delight in Him. As we do, we will no longer be embarrassed by the strutting of self or beset by the stealth of secret sins. We can rest in a pure heart, a gift from God, and we can let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our heart flow unhindered from our lives.

Scriptures:
Matthew 12:33-37; 15: 17-20 NIV
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. … For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks … the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Psalms 37:1-8
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret–it leads only to evil.

Prayer:
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God ,and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. … O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Song:
Create In Me a Clean Heart
Words and Music: Keith Green

Create in me a Clean Heart, Oh God
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a Clean Heart, Oh God
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, O Lord
And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto to me joy of Thy Salvation
And renew a right spirit within me.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 10, 2017

Glory(1)

A spectacular promise from the Bible is found in Isaiah 40:5 KJV

And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

This verse is also the text of one of the most beloved choruses in Handel’s Messiah. Handel’s music and this glorious promise came together, not by an accident of human creativity, but at the direction of the Holy Spirit. This promise needs to sing. It must be merged with a tune that will keep it in our minds and send it to our hearts.

Each Lord’s day we gather again with the people of God in the House of God to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

What is the point of it all?

  • Certainly not our glory,
  • Not our relaxation and enjoyment,
  • Not the precise presentation of our beliefs,
  • Not the exhibition of our artistic gifts,
  • Not the reestablishment of our standing before others,
  • Not the exercise of our ego,
  • Nor even for the healing of our wounded souls and battered bodies.

Public worship is about seeking the face of God as we try to express His holiness, majesty, compassion, wisdom, strength, goodness, mercy—His Glory!—with all the human resources we can muster. As the Psalmist said,

Psalm 103:1 NKJV
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

It is true that many benefits flow to us as we worship God in spirit and truth:

  • It may be that His glory will spill over on us.
  • We may be refreshed and relaxed in His Holy Presence.
  • Our heart-held beliefs will be publically proclaimed with the unction of the Spirit.
  • The fullness of our artistry will be demanded by the splendid task of worshiping God.
  • If we have fallen into pride, we will be humbled by worship; if shame has overtaken us, we will be elevated to our full value before God.
  • All the worshipers will stand on level ground before King Jesus–holy, level ground.
  • Our wounded souls will sing in tune with angels and with the spirits of those “just men made perfect” in the throne room of God as healing virtue flows from Jesus’ hands to our needs.

All these benefits are the blessings that should not be forgotten as we focus on giving glory to the Lord and not on receiving blessings from Him. The scriptures command that we give glory to the Lord.

How much glory?
The exact amount is this: the glory that is “due unto His name.” (Psalm 29:1-2) That means, all we can give and still more as the angels join us and the Spirit give us utterance. We have been called out of darkness into marvelous light for this purpose!

Call for the brass! Alert the percussion! Line up the woodwinds! Tune the strings! Signal the conductor, and count off the rhythm! It is time to give God glory!

Scriptures:
Psalm 29:1-2 NKJV
Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the
Ephesians 1:12 KJV
…we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits…
Psalm 150 NKJV
Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!
2 Chron 5:12-14
All the Levites who were musicians… raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.
Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Prayer/Song:
O the Glory of Your Presence
Words and Music: Steven Fry

Oh the glory of Your Presence,
We, Your Temple, give You reverence.
So arise to Your rest and be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace,
As Your presence now fills this place.

Jesus, all glorious, create in us a Temple,
Called as living stones where You’re enthroned.
As You rose from death in power,
So rise upon our worship,
Rise upon our praise and let the hand that saw You raised,
Cloth us in your glory, draw us by Your grace.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 9, 2017

Remembering

All Memories Are not the Same.
Some memories take up permanent residence in the heart and there is nothing, it seems, we can do to evict them. Others, perhaps memories with greater significance, seem determined to escape the confines the mind. We must regularly review and rehearse them to keep them on file.

It would be unbearable to remember everything—it would just be too much. Somewhere, lodged between all the other events, people, and words we have encountered thus far and those memories lodged too deep to expel, other memories reside so near the surface that they seem to evaporate like so much mist. Most of them do not become memories and that is a blessing.

Memories Affect the Present.
It would serve no purpose here to evaluate all the different kinds of memories each of us holds. It is broad enough to say that we remember

  • things that have happened to us,
  • things that have been said to us, and
  • things we ourselves have said or not said,
  • things we did or failed to do.

Some memories are comforting, running like pleasant movies in our head whenever we need an emotional lift. Others are so painful we must turn away from the screen in our mind, turn off the projector, or switch to some other, more pleasant narrative.

If we do not tend the pains of the past, they will visit us in the night, strange tales with characters and settings all confused and making use of bizarre symbolism to try and make us remember the causes of our pain and perhaps to do something about it.

Remembering is a function of prayer.

  • In the presence of the Lord, with His Word open before us, we deliberately re-read passages we have read for years and we remember. Along with the memory of what we heard God say long ago, we also hear new things to remember from now on.
  • When we consult the list of those who are depending on our intercession, we remember faces and voices that are dear to us and these memories add power to our prayers for them.
  • When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we recall “our sins” and “those have who have sinned against us.” It is time to search our memories for sins we have yet to repent of and to see that faces of those we are in the process of forgiving.
  • When we celebrate the Lord’s Table, we do so in remembrance of the sacrifices Jesus made for us somehow we are strengthened by His sustaining grace. In a holy reverse of memory we also anticipate the soon return of Jesus.

Remembering the Promises
Facing the challenges of everyday life, we must remember the promises of God, for sometimes events seem to be random and people are hostile. We must remember that God is faithful—He keeps His covenant!

Thanksgiving is the act of Remembering.
Thanksgiving and praise are essential parts of worship and they are the essence of remembering. Hearing ourselves rehearse the record of God’s faithfulness and calling to mind the excellence of our King and His Kingdom strengthens us for whatever might be ahead.

Remembering is a process of taking control of the mind, of selecting our thoughts, and of facing the dangers of the day ahead armed with Truth.

Scriptures:
Deuteronomy 8:11 NIV
Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
Psalm 77:1-6 NKJV
I cried out to God with my voice — To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah You hold my eyelids open;I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.

Prayers:
Lord Jesus, today I choose to remember. I remember the prophesies so ancient in origin and current in application: You came, born of a virgin, living a sinless life, showing us the Father, taking on our sins, dying on the cross, rising from the dead, ascending to heaven’s throne, sending Your Spirit to abide in us. I remember Your presence so warm in my heart as a child, so faithful in my life as a young man, so tested and true to me with my family, so near to me in this moment. I remember Your call on my life, the exciting doors You have opened, the painful ones You have closed. I remember Your name, Your cause, Your reward. Holy Spirit do not let me forget. Amen.

Song:
Standing on the Promises
Words and Music: R. Kelso Carter

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing, Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing, I’m Standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the Living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:

3. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

4. Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 8, 2017

Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship is a characteristic of the people of God.
Since the time of Moses it has been noted that God’s people do good work. In the days of the Old Testament, God used slavery in Egypt to transform His people from herdsmen to craftsmen. Under our blessed New Covenant, God’s people are still commanded to do good work because our craftsmanship is both worship and witness. Using the most inclusive of all terms, “whatsoever,” Paul declares that our work can and should be done as worship to the Lord. Jesus said that our good deeds (our work ethic) would be a constant witness to our Father in heaven.

The Image of God in Us
A biblical term for work is craftsmanship. It is part of imago dei, the image of God in us. God is The Maker and he has made each of us with a deep desire to make something out of our lives. Just about anything we do can be described in terms of “making:” homemaking, making repairs, making scholars, making musicians, making disciples, making sales, making deals, making an organization, etc.

Each kind of work has its own set of basic skills that must be mastered if one is to become a true craftsman. Each craft also has its own language and laws, principles and processes that must be learned. This process establishes an intergenerational structure of teaching, mentoring, and apprenticeship. The training time is as important as the lifetime we will spend making things.

Today, work has often been severed from worship and witness.
We tend to see our jobs as just a means to a paycheck or a career. In truth each of us has a calling, a life’s work that God has chosen us to do. We may make a living at it, or it may be a service to God and Mankind done after hours, but we have something God expects us to do.

Not for salvation, but for praise.
It is clear that we do not enter into this craft to earn our salvation. Judgment day will not being a balancing of our good works against our sins to gain entrance through Peter’s heavenly gate. That balance was done at a place call Calvary. If we have repented of our sins and confessed the Lordship of Christ, His perfect record has been applied to our name in heaven’s books.

We have holy work to do for better reasons than getting into heaven:

  • We want to please the Lord every day.
  • We want to obey Him in every way.
  • We want to advance His Kingdom.
  • We want to see His mercy, grace, and healing flow like a healing stream through this hurting world.

Today, whether you are in the training stage or you are a productive craftsman, do your work well. It is an act of worship and the work of your life is a shining witness to the love of the Father.

Scriptures:
Exodus 31:1-7; 35:35
Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel… and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts–to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab… to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you… filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers–all of them master craftsmen and designers.
Romans 12:6-8
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Colossians 3:17; 23-25
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the Psalmist prayed the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart would be acceptable in Your sight. I echo that timeless petition and I add this: let the work of my hands be pleasing to You and speak well of You to others. Give me such an integrity deep in my spirit, that it would be seen in my work. If there are problems, the Holy Spirit knows the solutions and He lives in me. Show me the answers so that I might be a problem solver in my work and not a problem causer. Guard my heart from pride in my work, for I would be misguided and mistaken to think that I am more than I am. I am Your servant, sent among men to do a work for You. I am awed by this privilege. In the Holiest Name, Amen.

Song:
In the Service of the King
Words: Alfred Ackley; Music: Bentley Ackley

1. I am happy in the service of the King. I am happy, Oh so happy;
I have peace and joy that nothing else can bring, In the service of the King.

Refrain:
In the service of the King, Every talent I will bring;
I have peace and joy and blessing in the service of the King.

2. I am happy in the service of the King. I am happy, Oh so happy;
Through the sunshine and the shadow I can sing, in the service of the King.

Refrain

3. I am happy in the service of the King. I am happy, Oh so happy;
To His guiding hand forever I will cling, in the service of the King.

Refrain

4. I am happy in the service of the King. I am happy, Oh so happy;
All that I possess to Him I gladly bring, in the service of the King.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 7, 2017

Breath

It is more than air, this breath we breathe.
There is something in us, the breath of life, that was imparted to us at the moment of the creation of Adam, that is different from the breath of animals. With this transfer from the being of God to the lifeless form of Adam, freshly fashioned from earth, Adam became a living being, a living soul, as the Old King James Version says. This was a separate act of creation; God spoke everything else into existence but Adam and Eve were handcrafted by Him. One of the definitions of “breathed into” is “inflated.” Spiritually, Adam was like a deflated balloon, flat, useless, full of nothing. But the breath of God changed all that. This is so personal, this personal inflation of a created being with the breath of its Creator.

Why? Why a separate creative process? Why so personal an impartation of life from God to mankind?

“The One Most Beloved”
There is a biblical term that has found its way into common use meaning for “the one most beloved;” “the apple of my eye.” God calls Israel this and expects us to consider His Word to be the apple of our eye.” “Most beloved” status in the heart of God is the result of this moment in the Garden of Eden when Adam came to life. This breath of life has been passed down to each of us, the children of Adam and Eve. We are designed to thrive on the breath of God, the Holy Spirit. One of Hebrew words for spirit is ruach, meaning the breath of God—His very life!

ruach OT:7307, “breath; air; strength; wind; breeze; spirit; courage; temper; Spirit.” (Vine’s Dictionary)

The breath in us is God’s living Spirit!

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” the Psalmist says. Praise is our purpose, the reason we have breath to breathe. We praise Him with:

  • Our songs of praise and worship,
  • Our witness to His story and His grace in our lives,
  • The integrity of our hearts,
  • The work of our hands, and
  • The obedience of our walk with Him.

So, when the music starts and you are given a song to sing with the Saints—go for it! Give it all you’ve got.

This is the reason you have breath within you!

Scriptures:
Genesis 2:7 NKJV
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Psalm 150 NIV
Praise the LORD.Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Mark 12:29-31 NIV
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I will praise You today! I will praise You whether I like or even know the songs we are asked to sing. My praise shall be as authentic in me as my breath. At Your holy inflation, my life was filled with Your life. When sin had caught me and left me struggling for air, You rescued me and returned me to Your Holy Presence, where I can breathe the clear air of heaven. I will not waste my breath on curses, or vile words, or empty musings that do not smell of Your sweetness. I will use the breath of life within me to sing of Your virtues, to proclaim Your excellence, to shout Your praise and to tell Your story! All for You, Lord Jesus! Amen.

Song:
Let Everything That Has Breath
Words and Music: Rich Gomez
(from Ron Kenoly’s album  “Lift Him Up”)

Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord
And let the living proclaim
Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord

Let every instrument Sound His praise
As all His people adore
Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord

I will open up my mouth And He will fill it with praise
I will magnify His name The name that stands
Above all names is Jesus

High sounding cymbals and trumpets of brass
The sound of one accord
Let everything that has breath
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord

My Lord has put a new song in my heart
It’s a song of praise to my God
And everyone who hears it will rejoice
Let everything that has breath
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 5, 2013, Clarity

Clarity

A heavy fog is a dangerous impediment to orderly travel.

Some drivers ignore the fog and continue to drive at their normal above-the-speed-limit speeds, a practice that is very hard to understand.

  • Fogs turn the presumed safety of multilane highways into a blinding menace. In the fog brakes scream and smoke, crashes, unseen but clearly heard, fill the thick air and lives slide and crash as our suppressed terrors become real though still unseen.
  • Daylight brings the horror into view, cars and trucks frozen at odd angles up and down, often merged into mangled sculptures of meetings missed, promises broken, lives interrupted, ended or hanging by a thread, and the occasional miracle of someone simply walking away unscratched.

Even on a clear sunny day, life can become a fogbound journey.

The way ahead is obscured by clouds hanging low to the ground, even to our shoe tops and we cannot see which step to take next.

We need clarity.

We need a fresh wind of the Spirit of God to blow our way, clearing the path before us.

Jesus told us the Holy Spirit moved like the wind in ways beyond our understanding but obvious in their effect in our journey. Like a morning fog, the warmth of the Word and the soft breezes of the Spirit can clear the air for us at the beginning of each day.

Why do we choose the fog over the sweet clarity of the Word of God?

It is not as though all our questions are answered.

  • Mysterious remain, things about God or life that lie just beyond our ability to understand.
  • But mysteries never form a fogbank. They are high flying clouds that momentarily hide the sun only to see it reemerge in light and warmth.

Mysteries cast only fleeting shadows on the path before us. The light behind them is constant and clear.

Of course, we must not be a fogbank to others.

In prayer ask the Lord to show you if your witness has clarity. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit breathe away any fog in your way of living that diffuses the light He has put in you.

Clarity from Him and clarity in witness to Him are ministries of the Holy Spirit.

Scriptures:

John 3:7-8

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Job 28:23-28

God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'”

Job 37:21-24

Now no one can look at the sun, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”

Ps 68:1-3

May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

Ps 135:6-7

The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Jer 51:15-16

“He made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Acts 2:1

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…

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You are my constant source of light.  When clouds of circumstance hide Your light from me, it is only for a little while.  The Bible clearly states that nothing has and nothing ever will extinguish Your light.  If today should be one that is overcast, send the refreshing winds of Your Spirit to blow away the cloud cover.  And Lord, help me today that I will not cloud the vision of anyone else; not a seeker desperately seeking Your light or a fellow believer looking to me for help.  Keep us all safe on the dangerous roads we must travel even when the fog rolls in.  Safe in You, Lord Jesus. Safe in You!  Amen.

Song:

Open My Eyes

Words and Music: Clara H. Scott

1. Open my eyes, that I may see

glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes; illumine me,
Spirit divine!

2. Open my ears, that I may hear

voices of truth thou sendest clear.
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears; illumine me,
Spirit divine!

3. Open my mouth, and let me bear

gladly the warm truth everywhere.
Open my heart, and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart; illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Semper Reformanda!

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

Feruary 5, 2017

Unity

Such a simple concept, unity—many as one.
The motto of the United States of America is E pluribus unum-“ meaning “out of many, one.” Musicians have adapted a French word, ensemble, meaning, “together” or “all at once” to express the idea of many voices or instruments achieving an artistic unity of expression. Not a difficult idea to grasp, but a challenging reality to achieve. Most of the time in musical or theatrical rehearsals is spent trying to become an ensemble—many functioning as one.

It is important to remember that Jesus prayed for our unity.
His prayer is recorded in John chapter seventeen. After His detailed teaching about the events crowding close upon Him—the week of His passion—and the more distant event of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would begin His New Covenant ministry in the hearts of those who would follow Him, Jesus prayed for our unity.

Yes, our unity. He prayed for the Apostles and for all who would come to know Him through their witness. So Jesus prayed for us!

And what did He ask for us? That we would be one—an ensemble of the spirit—singing one story in many languages until everyone has heard the tune.

Paul used another analogy, the human body.
It is made of many parts—and He didn’t know about the cell level of the human body!—but is really a unity, a unity with diversity. The human body had many members all functioning uniquely together as a single individual. There was to be no envy of one member for the position of another because all were equally vital to our health.

We live in a world beset by division. Markets depend on identifying separate groups and feeding the wants and needs of those people. If we are on the verge of being conquered, it is because we are being so thoroughly divided.

The Kingdom of God requires unity, unity with diversity.
Each of us is an individual with a path of life that God has promised to show us. We each have good works laid out for us to do in this world. But we are intended to operate from a common base, a community of faith wherein all our work adds up to the work of God in the world.

There is an anointing in unity that is destroyed by division. The Psalmist speaks of the anointing oil flowing on each one until we are all one.

This is necessary. It is the answer to the prayer of Jesus.

And it is, indeed, good and pleasant.

Scriptures:
Psalm 133 NKJV
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!  It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing — Life forevermore.
Ephesians 4:1-6 NIV
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 NIV
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
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.

Prayer:
(BCP) (adapted)
O God our light and salvation, who makes all free to worship you: May we ever strive to be faithful to your call, following the example of those faithful ones who have gone before us that we may faithfully set our hands to the Gospel plow, confident in the truth proclaimed by your Son Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Song:
We are One in The Spirit
Words and Music: Peter Scholtes

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 all 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.

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.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 4, 2017

Tranquility

There are three kinds of tranquility:

  1. The kind we imagine when life is anything but tranquil,
  2. The kind we enjoy when living is easy, and
  3. The real thing, a tranquility based in the facts of faith.

God gave each of us a powerful imagination.
As children we commute from the real world of grownups and ordinary things to the world created by our imagination with its surprising shapes, colors, characters and happenings seen only through our childish eyes. Grumpy adults call it day-dreaming and continually require us to awaken and come back to the world of their reality.

Why are we grumpy?

Life—reality—called us one too many times and we never found our way back to the tranquility of our day-dreams. Our imaginations were forced to live on in symbols in our dreams, dancing with our fears or celebrating our hopes, but forgotten when the alarm clock sounds.

Sometimes stories, in print or on the screen, beckon to our long-neglected imaginations to live vicariously with

  • heroes and anti-heroes,
  • maidens in distress and strong women making it big in a man’s world,
  • animals so familiar in their four-legged humanity that we understand them perfectly, or
  • even monsters and villains we love to hate as they trample the cities of our imaginary worlds or threaten to topple the fail-safe structures of our imaginary civilizations.

But none of the tranquility of escapism is really ours. Soon the book is closed, or the credits roll and it is back to real life and its troubles still there waiting for our return, problems still unsolved, dilemmas still undecided, pain never soothed, bills unpaid, and conflicts still raging.

We long for more than this.
In quite moments before sleep overtakes us, we think of tranquil places we have known, images of home, of yesteryear, of childhood or school days when life was simple and fun. Those memories lull us to sleep where dreams deal with our fears in more fantastical ways. It is strange that memories of peace give way so readily to frightful dreams, but this is the fleeting, shadowy world of tranquility as a sleepy time exercise.

The Real Thing
There are days when real tranquility is our lot for a day. No conflicts threaten the peace we feel. Bills are paid. Pain is gone. Work is going along nicely, thank you, and the ones we love appear to love us right back. We want to memorize moments like these so we can hold them in our minds forever and recall them when we need them.

Going Deeper
There is a tranquility that does not spring from either the circumstances of life or our imagination; there is a real tranquility of the spirit. This tranquility speaks from the deepest part of us regardless of what our list of “things to do today” may hold—disasters, dreams, or delightful prospects.

This tranquility is based on the facts of our faith in God.

  • God loves us just as we are.
  • God has redeemed us as He found us and is transforming us into His likeness.
  • God has hemmed us in behind and before and has laid His hand on us.
  • No weapon formed against us shall prosper.
  • He knows the future and is already there.
  • God is One who keeps His covenant promises.

Let the seasons of life change the color of the landscape before us. Let the leaves bud, wave green in the summer wind, dry and die in autumn, and huddle to the ground in winter. We are blessed evergreen trees flourishing throughout the years of our lives. This reality is our tranquility, safe from storm, stealth, and savagery, because its source is the unchanging, unassailable character of God.

Scriptures:
John 14:27 NIV
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Matthew 7:24-25 NIV
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4 AMP
You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].
Colossians 3:15 NIV
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Song:
Wonderful Peace
Words: W.D. Cornell; Music: W.G. Cooper

1. Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls
O’er my soul like an infinite calm.

Refrain:
Peace! Peace! Wonderful peace,
Coming down from the Father above;
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray,
In fathomless billows of love.

3. I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
And His glory is flooding my soul.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 3, 2017

Advancement

However it is measured, daily progress is to be desired.
It is important to us to feel that we have advanced the cause of our lives, the purpose God has for us, and the dream or vision the Holy Spirit has given to us. At the beginning of the day we pray for advancement in these things. At the end of the day we look back, hoping to measure the advancement of the day. If we see progress, we can go to sleep dreaming of tomorrow’s tasks. If the day has been one of setbacks or frustrations, we worry ourselves to sleep searching our memories for unseen flaws of technique or hidden causes of the random nonsense that robbed the day of measurable progress.

Give it time.
Advancement isn’t always easy to judge. Many times what we need is a greater time reference than a single day. What may seem like a setback today may prove to be a necessary course correction in a few days. With time, frustrations can lead us to new understandings of the task we are attempting. Even people who we think have hindered our advancement may turn out to be friends not enemies, helpers, not hinderers.

To gain this more accurate perspective, we must pull the camera of our analysis of our work back to a wider view. It is possible that the energy we pour into worrying about an unproductive day may be wasted. Things can look completely different from a longer viewpoint. Tossing in bed and constant adjustment of our pillow can be relieved by reflecting on how the Lord Himself might judge the day just past.

Paul encourages us to ruminate, not on the possible setbacks of the day, but on the final victory in Christ that is guaranteed in the Covenantal Promises of God.

“…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”

Remember the Promises.
As we meditate on the promises of God, the energies wasted on worry can be more profitably spent on

  • praise in advance for what God has promised to do,
  • thanksgiving for what God has already done,
  • anticipation of what tomorrow may bring, and
  • confidence in God to see us through.

Perhaps it is time to replace our hunger for advancement with a quiet confidence in faithfulness.

We cannot always sense advancement, but we can always be faithful. If we have been faithful, we have advanced the cause of Christ.

It may be that we have to look to the right or the left to judge our progress. This is useful, but all we need is a glance or two. Keep looking up

  • to the vision,
  • to the dream,
  • to the prize, and most of all,
  • to the Lord.

True advancement comes only from Him.

Scriptures:
Psalm 75:6-7
No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
Proverbs 4:25-27
Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Isaiah 30:19-21
O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Galatians 6:9-10
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I take a constant delight in You. As I do You shape the desires deep in my heart. I long for each day to be one of progress, ever higher, ever deeper, ever greater and all of this in Your will and love for me. Help this day to be one of advancement—advancement of Your splendid Kingdom. Help me move in Righteousness for Your cause does not advance through sloth or wickedness. Help me operate from a base of profound Peace with no anxiety in my mind or fear in my heart. Strengthen me with the Joy of the Holy Spirit which gives me Your power for the tasks before me. For Your Kingdom’s sake, Amen.

Song:
Higher Ground
Words: Johnson Oatman; Music: Charles Gabriel

1. I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining everyday;
Still praying as I’m homeward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Refrain:
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith on heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2. My heart has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fear dismay;
Though some may dwell were these about, My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

Refrain

3. I want to live above the world, Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has heard the joyful sound, The song of saints on higher ground.

Refrain

4. I want to scale the utmost height, and catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till Heaven I’ve found, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved