pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 11, 2017

Deceitfulness

Truth in motion.
There is no place for deceit in the Kingdom of God. The militant song the church marches to says this: “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! His truth is marching on!”

Truth. Not spin. Not nuanced nonsense. Not smoke and mirrors.

  • Truth in motion: from revelation to revelation, from glory to glory, and from strength to strength.
  • Truth in motion: Requiring none of the devices demanded by the making of illusions.
  • It is not reality television—it is reality itself.

It has many level and each of them is an entry level truth for someone:
The truth of God is not simple but it is direct.  God’s truth is

  • the science of creation,
  • the theme of the arts,
  • the calculations of mathematics,
  • the hope of philosophy,
  • the story of History,
  • the therapy of the soul,
  • the health of the body, and
  • the peace of the mind.

A Liberating Force
Jesus said knowing the truth was a liberating force, breaking chains and shattering prison walls, reversing this human condition from slavery to significance. He also said that the work God wants us to do is to believe, meaning to embrace the truth and to go into action—Truth in motion in our own lives.

There are other “truths” that change direction with the winds of culture.
The believer can see the difference between truth and untruth by the direction of the winds—is the change leading toward God’s truth or away from it?

Today we see two worldwide movements predicted by Scripture,

  1. one toward God—the Great Outpouring of Holy Spirit, (Joel 2; Acts 2) and
  2. the other away from God—the Great Apostasy. (2 Tim 2:3)

We must be certain that our truth is moving us toward God and not away from Him.

Truth and the Kingdom of God
King David, speaking about his own administration, provided no wiggle room. Likewise in the Kingdom of the Son of David there is no place for deceitfulness in Christian leadership.

  • We must be People of the Truth with no guile or deceit anywhere in our philosophies or methods.
  • We cannot tell the truth about Jesus by engaging in dubious and doubtful devices.
  • We are to tell the truth, not handle it.

Jesus told us how to lead—truth from the heart out—truth tempered with compassion—truth in motion: His truth—marching on in our lives.

Scriptures:
Psalm 101 KNJV
I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O Lord , I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure. My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Matthew 5:33-37 NIV
… ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Ephesians 4:14-16 NIV
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
2 Corinthians 4:2-3 NIV
… by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Matthew 20:25-26
Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.
John 8:31-32 NIV
… “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 6:29 NIV
… “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to be a person of truth, even when it hurts. When You walked this earth, that’s who You were. As You occupy the Throne of Heaven, You remain the essence of Truth. Your trust is not static—it is dynamic—in constant motion. Help me today to be as stable as the stars, as pliable as the planets, and as fruitful as the earth in season. If random events pepper my day, help me remember that these interruptions are subject to Your will; these irritants may simply be the movement of truth in a surprising direction. I want to hear the drum beat of Truth so I can march along in perfect step. Glory Hallelujah!

Song:
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Words: Harriet Beecher Stowe; Music: John William Steffe
Last Stanza: Tom Brooks

1. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord,
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He hath loosed his fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on

Refrain:
Glory! Glory ! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah
Glory! Glory ! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on

2. I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
His day is marching on.

Refrain

3. I have read a fiery Gospel writ in burnished rows of steel,
“As ye deal with My contemners (scorners) so with you My grace shall deal,”
Let the Hero born of woman crush the serpent with His heel,
Since God is marching on.

Refrain

4. He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat,
He is sitting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat,
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet,
Our God is marching on.

Refrain

5. In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me,
As He died to make men holy let us live to make men free,
His truth is marching on.

Refrain

6. I can almost hear the trumpet sound—The Lord’s return is near!
But there’s still so many people lost and now they’ve got to hear.
Lord, please give me one more hour, one more day just one more year.
With Your Truth we’re marching on!

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 10, 2017

Chosen!

Surely the relentless days of sheep keeping ran together for the youngest son of Jesse.
It is most likely that he had no idea that the day of Samuel’s visit to the family farm would be any different for him. He wasn’t invited to the sacrifice. Jesse had a strong grasp on the situation. Everyone knew that King Saul was in big trouble. He felt sure that God would find the next king among Jesse’s impressive collection of young men. Still this had nothing to do with young David. Somebody needed to watch the flock and David was really good at that so let him stay in the field and write some more of those songs.

The Prophet Who Mumbled
The ceremony was a strange one as the old Prophet Samuel with a horn of anointing oil in his hand went down the row of fine young men. No one knows how many passes he made before stopping in front of Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse. The moment that Samuel used to look deep into the eyes of Eliab was at least an hour long for those looking on. The frown on the wrinkled face of the last judge of Israel did nothing to reassure Jesse or his brood. The old man was heard by all but understood by none as he mumbled a conversation with God.

The frown became a slow rotation of the head from right to left, increasing in speed and violence. A familiar voice in the old man’s heart told him that God saw things differently than men. He was looking inside for something that was absent from Eliab. Jesse was numb and barely breathing as his next two sons, Abinadab and Shammah, each one every bit as striking in appearance as their older brother, got the same treatment.

Samuel made it through all seven sons with the same mumbling result. He knew God’s voice and that the chosen one had to be here somewhere. Inquiries revealed the existence of David out in the fields. This must have annoyed Samuel because he wouldn’t let anyone sit down until David was arrived.

The young man’s appearance was striking, even more handsome than his vaunted brothers.
The Prophet locked eyes with him and as he did his heart began to race. He saw something deep in David’s eyes that only God had seen before. The eyes were clear. Unclouded by mixed motives and undimmed by selfish schemes, they were windows to a soul that knew something of God. This was the heart of one who pursued the heart of God.

Quickly, the horn of oil was lifted high and upturned to splash its holy contents on the head of this shepherd boy who would become the King. The oil signified that he had been chosen for the position.

  • He would go into battle in the power of the Name of the Lord as giants and pagan armies would prove unable to defeat him.
  • He would lead the people of God with a skillful hand and a musical heart.
  • His heart would be called one that is after—meaning it was fashioned in the likeness of—the heart of God.
  • But when that likeness failed him and he sinned against God, his heart continued to pursue the heart of God in repentance.

When Jesus Walks among Us
Like Samuel, the Lord Jesus walks the well-ordered ranks of worshipers gathered together, holding a vial of precious oil, looking for hearts that are true. He has an anointing for each of us—a person to be, and a work to do—a calling, a selection that defines the life we should live. When God chooses, we call that the anointing. God does not leave us to serve Him in our ability—He empowers us to do what He calls us to do. This empowerment is also called the anointing.

It is the business of each of us to return the searching gaze of God, looking deep into His heart. For the anointing flows when the heart of the worshiper connects with the heart of God.

Scriptures:
1 Samuel 16:1-13
The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen any of these.’ Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’ He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
1 John 2:20; 27 NIV
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth….As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, my life is no accident. It can only be a miracle that every man, woman, and child on earth has been chosen. We are chosen for salvation for Your died for all. We have been packed with talents and interests that we discover in play as children and in work as adults. These gifts are indications of what You have put us on earth—Your Divine Choice for Us! I want to walk in your anointing today. I want to sow the good seed and water the young plants, tend those who are threatened by confusing weeds, and I want to harvest the ripened fruit of ministry. This is somehow done in a mysterious connection between my humanity and Your divinity, my skills and Your anointing for thus You have chosen me! Thank You, Lord! Amen.

Song:
Spirit of the Living God
Words and Music: David Iverson

Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me,
Melt me. Mold me. Fill me. Use men.
Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions April, May

May 9, 2017

Established

There are those among us who know how to get things done.
The Lord we serve certainly belongs in that group. When God establishes something we can count on it.

Early in the week, it is good to review our holdings, to remember what things have been established in our lives by the hand of God. He has established a New Covenant with us with four outstanding promises:

  1. The forgiveness of sins,
  2. A close relationship with Him,
  3. An intuition about spiritual things, and
  4. His very Word written into our hearts.

These are some of the realities established in the New Covenant:

  • We need not fear the darkness. There is a lamp for each step we take and a light for the pathway ahead. His Word is established in the heavens.
  • He has given His name as a prayer, a praise, and a powerful defense. To whisper His name, is to summon angels, to touch the hem of His garment, and to break the Alabaster jar. All who would dare oppose us, tremble at the sound of His name, or at least they should, and for sure they will.
  • He strikes the key for a song for us to sing in the night that soothes the troubled soul.
  • He has established our comings and our goings from this time forward and forevermore.
  • He has hemmed us in behind and before and laid His hand upon us.

With this partial list of all that God has established for His people, we can face the week with courage and strength. We can expect things to go well for us and if they don’t, we will not despair because we know our footsteps are ordered of the Lord and that He has plans for us to prosper in the ways that really count

The Lord has established New Covenant worship with these blessings:

  • He has established Gates of Thanksgiving—let us proceed through them in gratitude to face the day.
  • He has established Courts of Praise—let us dwell in them today, rejoicing in the Lord.
  • He has established a Holy Place of Worship, the Word, and Prayer—let every word and deed today be adoration for Him, as we boldly place our petitions before Him.
  • He has established the Holy of Holies—let us live and move and have our being in the beauty of His holiness.

Institutions may fail. Plans may go awry. Friends may fail us and foes assail us, but our God can never fail. His Kingdom is established and secure.

Remember, He knows how to get things done.

Scriptures:
Psalm 89
I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.'” The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. …The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. You created the north and the south… Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt (them.) Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel. Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people. I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. No enemy will subject him to tribute; no wicked man will oppress him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted. I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth… Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.
Genesis 17:3-8 NIV
Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, …I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Hebrews 8:10-12 NIV
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have confidence in You today. The things You have established in Your New Covenant with us are unfailing. Time has not weakened them. Use has not eroded them. Like Your mercies, they are new every morning. If there is any randomness in these things, we have contributed it. Help me be intentional and faithful to You today. Don’t let my distraction or my weak will stop me short of the life You have established for me. I want to walk in Your fullness today. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song of Praise
Our Great Savior
Words and Music: J. Wilbur Chapman

1. Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole

Refrain:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

2. Jesus! what a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my strength, my vict’ry wins.

Refrain

3 Jesus! what a help in sorrow!
While the billows o’er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Refrain

3 Jesus! what a help in sorrow!
While the billows o’er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Refrain

4 Jesus! what a guide and keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night o’ertakes me,
He, my pilot, hears my cry.

Refrain

5 Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find,
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, May

May 8, 2017

Nations

The Big Blue Marble
It is said, and we have seen the pictures to prove it, that from the surface of the moon the earth looks like a big blue marble. Imaginative computer artists have shown us what our world looks like from deeper in space—just a blinking dot of light. These realizations make us feel small and perhaps insignificant.

For the Christ-follower images of earth from space cause us to be even more amazed at grace. To think that God “out there” who made all of creation would take notice of each of us individually, seems completely out of the realm of reason—except for one image—that of a cross, empty now with no helpless victim attached, and yet full of meaning, telling us that God loves us.

“What is man that you are mindful of him, O Lord?”
The question has been around since people first sensed a connection between the glittering night sky and the stirring deep in the human heart that tells us we are not here by accident. The Good News is that God made the universe and us, too! There in the secret place He knit us together. It was not a meaningless hobby of His—it was a purposeful act of destiny for us.

  • God made us.
  • God loves us.
  • God has work for us to do.

What work could that be?

If God loves people, then He must also love nations.
Reading in the Old Testament, God’s concern for the nations of the world is clear. He raised the nation of Israel up to be a witness to the pagan, god-cluttered world of the ancients that there is One True God. This chosen nation would also bring a Savior to the whole world.

God loves people and God loves nations. The world isn’t a big blue marble to Him, nor is it a distant speck of light. He has invaded our space and is standing by. Today we must call upon Him while He draws near. We must love Him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength.

We have a story to tell to the nations—His story—the narrative that gives life and the saga that rescues from danger.

No one else is appointed this task. Angels might have been excellent witnesses but that is not their job. The heavens are telling the glory of God yet it seems most people don’t understand the love of God that shines in the stars or reflects from the moon. People need faces and voices and hands that are tender.

And that is why we are here on this Big Blue Marble.

Scriptures:
Psalm 67 NIV
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways
may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O
God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule
the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Psalm 8:3-8 NIV
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
Mark 16:15-18 NIV
He said to them, “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. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of the Harvest. You have called the Church to speak to the world, to the nations of men, to the cultures of peoples of the Earth. Help us learn their languages so we can tell them Your story. Send Your chosen ones to the nations of this earth and to the islands of sea. Call each of us to go and to send. You gave us Your Holy Spirit so that we might be Your witnesses starting with our neighbors and our neighborhoods, extending to our towns and nations and to the ends of the earth. This we must do. In Your holy name! Amen.

Song:
We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations
Words and Music: H. Ernest Nichol

1. We’ve a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right,
A story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.

Refrain:
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright;
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
The kingdom of love and light.

2. We’ve a song to be sung to the nations,
That shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
A song that shall conquer evil
And shatter the spear and sword,
And shatter the spear and sword.

Refrain

3. We’ve a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigneth above
Hath sent us his Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.

Refrain

4. We’ve a Savior to show to the nations,
Who the path of sorrow hath trod,
That all of the world’s great peoples
Might come to the truth of God,
Might come to the truth of God.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

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

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

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

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

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

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

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

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

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

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

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

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved