pathoflifedevotions April 18, Devotions

April 3 “Compassion”

Compassion

With only word-of-mouth and no advance man or professional handlers, how did Jesus attract and hold crowds?
The compelling factor in the earthly ministry of Jesus was not His oratory, His miracles, or His sterling team of helpers. It was His compassion. His ministry was not a show; it was a rescue. His teaching was not a debate; it was a deliverance. His presence was not a special effect; it was a visitation from heaven. He really cared! He healed people because their sickness broke His heart. He delivered people from demons because they were not made for them, but for God. He taught the truth because lies are terrible, destructive things. He spoke peace because tension and strife were everywhere.

Compassion with Power
It is one thing to feel compassion for those less fortunate than ourselves but Jesus had the power to do something about it! When He left for His next place of ministry, somehow two blind men followed Him. Their cry to Him indicated they believed He indeed was Messiah.

“Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus asked them if they had faith to believe in Him and His powerful compassion and they answered simply, “Yes.” As they stretched forth their necks, offering their sightless eyes to Him, He touched them saying,

“According to your faith let it be to you.”

Faith mixed with compassion can change things in this world. Immediately their eyes were opened. Darkness gave way to blessed light for each of these men. Many in the crowd began to feel the compassion of this man called Jesus and wondered if there was help for them, too.

Despite Jesus’ instructions to keep it quiet, the two men told everyone they saw. Emboldened by this miracle, a group of people brought a friend who was mute and demon-possessed. Jesus made short work of both afflictions to the further amazement of the crowd. Each of them said some version of:

“It was never seen like this in Israel!”

This tacit indictment of the leaders of the country was too much for the Pharisees standing by.

Compassion without Power
No doubt there were good men among the Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, and scribes who really cared for the people. Their compassion was limited by human weakness. They had no power to heal diseases or correct handicaps or expel demons. Their compassion was vocal but not substantial, an ecclesiastical pat on the back. Obviously they had to mount some sort of defense.

“He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

This hasty defense collapsed of its own weight. It made no sense for Satan to divide his kingdom and cast out his own demons.

A Flood of Compassion
There followed a deluge of healing grace leading to a flood of compassion charged with the power to make a difference. Doors to synagogues were opened to Jesus. Fields turned into amphitheaters and projecting rocks into pulpits as Jesus met the crowds preaching the gospel of the Kingdom.

As miracle after miracle occurred, the burden of the overwhelming need began to weigh heavy on Jesus. He saw the never-ending multitude as sheep with no shepherd. He turned to His disciples with an agonizing request.

“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

What did He mean? He was saying, “Share my compassion; I will give you power.”

Scriptures:
Matthew 9:27-38
When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country. As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Psalm 145:8-9
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You walked this earth in the compassion of Jehovah God, promised long before and lasting to this moment. You would be justified in turning to us in judgment but You have chosen mercy. Help me feel Your broken heart for those who have never heard of Your compassion. So many don’t believe that You exist or that You are good. Lord, send workers into this desperate harvest field, communicators who can tell the Good News, artists who can depict Your mercy, story-tellers who can tell Your story, and caregivers who can touch hurting souls with Your compassion. Until You come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

Song:
Reach out and Touch the Lord
Words and Music: Bill Harmon

Reach out and touch the Lord As He walks by.
You’ll find He’s not too busy To answer your cry.
He is passing by this moment Your needs to supply.
Reach out and touch the Lord As He walks by.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions April 18, Devotions

April 2 “Reports”

Reports

The only news service in those days was the one we still call the best: word of mouth.
Still in the vicinity of His hometown, Nazareth, two people came to Jesus with great needs because they had heard about Him. They occupied the opposite ends of society. He was a ruler and she was a poor woman, probably a widow with no family to care for her. Word of mouth had reached both the high and well-connected and the low and powerless. They had two things in common: problems they could not solve alone and the news about Jesus—He was the problem-solver, the Healer.

The Ruler
We know from other sources his name was Jairus, a ruler in the synagogue. Leaders in the synagogues had a problem with Jesus. His miracles were wonderful but He had a way of taking it too far, claiming to be Messiah. This threatened the leadership structure. Great personal need led Jairus to be more concerned with Jesus the Healer than Jesus the potential Messiah. Jairus’ daughter was ill to the point of death. Perhaps news of the healing of the Centurion’s servant prompted Jairus to reach out to Jesus. Unlike the Roman, he felt worthy to have Jesus come to his fine house. Jesus and His men started that way.

The Woman
Their progress was interrupted by the woman who had suffered with a blood disease for 12 years. The illness had broken her financially as well as physically. Hearing about Jesus turned her desperation into hope. She felt if she could just get close enough to touch His clothes, she would be healed. She gathered all her remaining strength to pursue Jesus through the streets. As the crowd jostled him, it tossed her about, sometimes forward but most often backwards. She never gave up, continuing to press through until with a final stretch of her ancient arm she lightly touched the hem of His robe.

Jesus stopped and looked around. He had felt her touch, the touch of faith. It was as powerful to Him as the Centurion’s confession of faith. More than just her touch, Jesus felt power flow from His body to hers bringing a flood of healing. When He stopped and inquired as to who had touched Him in faith, the crowd murmured and gradually gave way revealing the old woman standing taller than she had stood in decades, strong, whole, healed, and smiling. Jesus returned her smile:

“Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.”

And she was! The word-of-mouth-machine went into high gear.

At the Ruler’s House
When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house He was met by the sound of mourning; the man’s little girl had died. Professional mourners were already on the job. Seeing all this, Jesus went to work.

“Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.”

The mourners were not about to lose a job! They ridiculed His analysis so Jesus had them removed from the home. He went to her room, took her by the hand, and helped her to her feet. The mourners knew death but Jesus knew life!

“And the report of this went out into all that land.”

The only news service in those days was the one we still call the best: word of mouth.

Scriptures:
Matthew 9:18-26
While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am so glad that I have felt Your touch! When I was sick, You touched me and made me well. When I was afraid, Your touch comforted me and calmed my fears. When I was alone, I felt Your gentle touch deep in my aching heart. Your love keeps me going, Lord. I know I can count on You and Your wonderful love. I am so glad the news about You reached me! Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Song:
Let Me Touch Him
Words and Music: Vep Ellis

1. Let me touch Him let me touch Jesus.
Let me touch Him as He passes by.
Then when I shall reach out to others
They shall know Him they shall live and not die.

Refrain:
Oh to be His hand extended
Reaching out to the oppress’d.
Let me touch Him let me touch Jesus
So that others may know and be bless’d.

2. I was straying so far from Jesus.
I was lonely had no peace within.
Then the hand of my Saviour touched me.
Now I’m reaching to others in sin.

Refrain

3. There’s a river a river flowing
From within and to cleanse my soul.
And the flow sets my life to glowing,
Holy Spirit more than silver and gold.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

For an article based on this story go to: https://stevephifer.com/pressing-through/

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions April 18, Devotions

April 1 “Wineskins”

Wineskins

Jesus is called the Messenger of a New Covenant that would emerge from the Old.
Still at the dinner with “tax collectors and sinners,” probably at the home of Matthew, newly chosen as a disciple, Jesus taught about the New Covenant using the analogies of new and old wine and wineskins. We are told that wine, fermented juice of the grape, was a safer thing to drink than water in the first century. To keep the wine at peek potency, animal skins were used as containers. New wine was still in the fermenting process and would burst old wineskins that could no longer expand. New wine required new wineskins that were still soft and stretchable.

Power but not Flexibility
The Covenants before the Jesus Covenant, those of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and King David, could not rightly be called flexible. Worship happened in specified times and places with prescribed sacrifices given in great detail. Like old wine, it was powerful stuff but there was little room or need for innovation. Old wineskins were required.

Jesus changed all that when He said “a time was coming and now is” when true worshipers would worship God not in time and place but in Spirit and Truth. The Old Covenant structures of the Tabernacles and Temples would be replaced by a spiritual house—the Church—the Calvary-cleansed People of God, the Habitation of God by His Spirit. Churches have sprung up in the strangest places all over the world because of this flexible New Covenant which adapts itself to the cultures and languages of the believers. This New Covenant wine—the moving of the Holy Spirit—is such powerful stuff that new songs and methods and signs and wonders are needed to transport it from place to place.

The Disciples of John
Those who had repented in response to the call of John to prepare for the Kingdom of God asked Jesus a sincere question about fasting. These were not critics or cynics; they were sincere seekers of the Kingdom. They had patterned their lives after the serious message of John: a life of repentance and the disciplining of fleshly desires for the sake of the Kingdom. They were confused by the joy they saw in the followers of Jesus. It was like a new and potent wine leading to laughter and celebration. Why this difference in lifestyle?

The Bridegroom
Jesus was with them every day! His joy was complete and infectious. Blind people were seeing again and deaf people were hearing as people who once could not speak were singing. Those once lame were dancing as those formerly possessed by demons sat smiling in the presence of Jesus. This was a time for celebration, for feasting not fasting. Those times would come and the disciples of Jesus would do their duty, but not yet.

The New Covenant supplied garments of praise made from the new cloth of redeemed lives. The Spirit flowed from vats in the hearts of those whose sins were forgiven and the old ways could not contain the new.

The dinner at Matthew’s house was a foretaste of the Kingdom to Come, the one Jesus told them to pray for every day. For a moment it was on earth as it was in heaven.

Scriptures:
Matthew 9:14—17
Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.
John 4:23-24
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the Messenger of the New Covenant! You made this covenant in Your own blood, making it possible for us to worship in spirit and truth. You cleanse our hearts from sin, making them fitting hosts for the residence of the Holy Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is peace and freedom and joy! This is the new wine of the New Covenant! Help me to never substitute earthly wine but to drink deeply of the New Wine kept in these wonderful, creative new wineskins! You are the Joy of My Desire! I Love You, Lord Jesus!

Song:
Joy of My Desire
Words and Music: Jennifer Randolph

Joy of my desire, all consuming fire.
Lord of Glory Rose of Sharon Rare and sweet
You are now my peace, Comforter and friend,
wonderful, so beautiful, You are to me.

I worship You in spirit and in truth.
Lord, I worship You in spirit and in truth.
There will never be a friend as dear to me as You

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.
pathoflifedevotions April 18, Devotions

April 25 “Family”

Family

It took courage for Jesus to claim to be Messiah.
It took even more courage for Him to make this claim in His hometown synagogue. There was trouble at home. We don’t know when Joseph died but he is no longer mentioned in the narrative. Mary and her other children seemed to be divided in their opinion of Jesus. There is no doubt that Mary believed in Jesus and everything He said and did. After all, she had been visited by angels. She knew that Joseph was not the father of Jesus; He had been a true miracle child. Some claim that Mary and Joseph never consummated their marriage. The evidence in this passage disputes that. Mary and Joseph had four sons and more than one daughter. We are not given the breakdown of who believed in Him and who did not but it seems Mary was in the minority.

Unbelieving Family
It was all very hard to believe. It is likely that the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth before their marriage was like a dark cloud over the family. Small towns have long memories. Mary’s other children had to live with suspicions and snide remarks their whole lives. Perhaps they thought it would be better when Jesus finally left home. It was not to be. He didn’t leave quietly and fade into obscurity in some other town. No, He was preaching heresy and performing magic tricks all the way to Jerusalem and back. Why didn’t He just go away and stay away?

In the synagogue at Nazareth, the leaders gave Jesus one more chance; they invited Him to speak. As He spoke the inherent authority in His voice, manner, and message was undeniable. People quizzed Him about the miracles rumored to accompany Him everywhere. Was it all true? Either Jesus or someone else assured them it was all true. The people were astonished.

“Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?”

Obviously they were skeptical. They knew this man! He had always been on the strange side. He never disobeyed His parents. He never got in trouble as a child, unless some other boy lied about Him. He was always respectful and His carpentry work was without peer. Many of them had objects in their homes He had made for them. He had only one fault—He didn’t know His place. All of this notoriety was unseemly for a carpenter’s son.

Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary?
And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
And His sisters, are they not all with us?
Where then did this Man get all these things?”

This embarrassed Mary and broke Jesus’ heart. Then it got worse. From Luke we learn that at that time, or perhaps at a similar time, the good people of Nazareth rose up and sought to throw Jesus off a nearby hill. Jesus stopped them with a look, exited through the middle of them and no one dared oppose Him. His conclusion?

“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

The Price of Unbelief
The sick people of Nazareth went to bed that night with no divine touch to relieve their pain. The blind people still could not see,  the deaf ones could not hear, nor did those infested with demons find release. Why? Because these people refused to believe. How foolish. How tragic.

Scripture:
Matthew 13:53-58
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Luke 4:28-30
So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I believe. You said the work of God is to believe. I believe all of your story: born of a virgin, a life without sin, an atoning death, a spectacular resurrection, and Your ascension to the Throne of Heaven. I believe it all. As the angel said to Mary, “with God nothing is impossible.” I believe in Your will for my life. I believe You will be with me throughout the day ahead. I believe. I believe. That makes us family! Amen.

Song:
Only Believe
Traditional

Only believe. Only believe.
All things are possible, only believe.
Only believe. Only believe.
All things are possible, only believe.

Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe.
All things are possible, Lord I believe.
Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe.
All things are possible, Lord I believe.

Jesus is here. Jesus is here.
All things are possible, Jesus is here.
Jesus is here. Jesus is here.
All things are possible, Jesus is here.

Only believe. Only believe.
All things are possible, only believe.
Only believe. Only believe.
All things are possible, only believe.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2018 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

TheJesusStory devotions are also found at KingdomWinds.com.