pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 8, 2017

Innocence

Innocence can be shocking.
The preponderance of guilt in the world has conditioned us to expect hidden sin in everyone, to watch our backs in even the most polite company, and to suspect that what is going on is not what is really going on.

Then suddenly innocence appears before us:

  • A child with wide eyes and a wider smile, looking at us is if we might be innocent,
  • A pure-hearted person who without effort invites our trust,
  • A strong man who can weep without condescension for those who are weak,
  • A wounded healer whose scars can only be seen in kindness and strength.

The earth has seen such a shocking display of innocence before.

Jesus, the Innocent
Innocence came to the Temple as a 12 year old boy asking questions of the elders and giving answers to their questions. Innocence came to John in the Jordan, demanding to be baptized in repentance for sins he had not committed. John complied only when he understood that it was a baptism to fulfill all righteousness. Innocence was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit of God for more than a month of the most severe testing. Face to face with evil, Innocence spoke His Father’s words and a guilty devil had to slink away, defeated.

Innocence walked the earth in power and gentleness. Children came to Him instinctively, sensing without hesitation the warmth of His presence and the safety of His arms. The guilty shrank from Him, but not far. What remained in them of the Creator’s likeness drew them to proximity to the innocence they had long ago lost. Sinners found Him kind. Hypocrites found Him angry  with a whip or with stinging words, but His anger bore no malice toward them—only a commanding desire that the evil in them be stayed.

The brilliant found Innocence to be more so. The impaired somehow shared His strength. The lonely sensed He was a friend and companion. The abandoned felt as if they had been found. The blind could see truth in His voice. The deaf could hear life in His eyes. The sick found the strength to press through the crowd for a simple, healing touch. Soldiers could see the authority of Innocence. Politicians could see that Innocence was not fooled by the show.

Yet innocence could not restrain Judas in his scheme. The Temple guards muscled Him in the Garden and the guilty men who loved Him ran away. Innocence did not soften the bite of the nails in the Roman whips as they tore into the flesh on His back. Nor did it cushion the crush of the thorny crown they jammed onto His Head. The fists of His tormentors broke through His innocence and found their mark time and again. The insults of the crowd fell like cruel stones against His innocent heart as nails pierced hands that had never shed blood and feet that had never strayed.

And, most amazing of all, Innocence died.

It was not the end of the story, for Innocence would live again and Jesus the Christ would share His innocence with us.

Scriptures:
Psalm 26:1-8 NIV
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.
Psalm 19:12-14 NIV
Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Hebrews 4:14-16 NKJV
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
John 19:16 NIV
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

Prayer:
(from the Book of Common Prayer)
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Song:
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Words: Isaac Watts; Music: Traditional

1. When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died.
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my God.
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

3. See, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 7, 2017

Recapitulation

In some ways the story of Jesus is like the structure of a symphony.
The classic musical form calls for three distinct sections: the exposition, the development, and the recapitulation.

  • The first section introduces the themes;
  • the second section develops them and
  • the final section restates the themes in altered forms.

In other words the music ends where it began although the themes have been affected by the passage of the music through time. When the moment of recapitulation comes there is a great sense of satisfaction for the players and the listeners—a sense of coming home from a journey.

The Symphony of Grace
In the fullness of time, Jesus abandoned His throne of Glory to come to be our Redeemer and, when the work of Atonement was done, He returned to His rightful place in Glory. His was a glory surrendered, tested, and regained—a grand recapitulation in Glory!

What, exactly, is “Glory?”

In this Lenten season we continue to praise Him, as the Psalmist said, to “give Him the glory due His name.” It is only right that we do this. As the Book of Common Prayer says, “It is altogether fitting and proper that we should praise Him.”

As we praise Jesus, we ascribe glory to Him.
The Hebrew word for glory means weight, meaning, significance, copious splendor. (Strong’s OT:3519) If someone has all of these wonderful (glorious!) things, we cannot add to the “weight” of his/her incumbent worth. What we can do is measure the weight, recognize the significance, embrace the meaning, and express wonder at the splendor we see before us.

This is praise. This is worship.

And what is the measure we must use? Many people use all kinds of worship criteria:

  • Artistic quality,
  • Doctrinal depth,
  • Cultural relevance,
  • Creative innovation,
  • Traditional fidelity,
  • Personal approval and pleasure, or
  • Congregational acceptance.

The Psalmist will let none of these standards pass. He demands only one standard—

The Glory Due His Name!

When we judge our devotional acts by our abilities or understandings or even our passions, we inevitably come up short. All of these measuring tools are rooted in us, not it God Himself. We have to set before us a loftier goal—The Glory Due unto His Name!—not how much glory we can give, but how much glory does Jesus deserve. Complete recapitulation is the goal: to contemplate His current regality in the light of the glory He possessed before He made His incredible sojourn into the world He created.

A Higher Standard
When the glory-due-His-name is the standard we use to plan and present our worship, we will always do our best; nothing less is to even be considered. Like Mary’s Alabaster Box, our praise will be the finest we can give, our worship, the best of the best we possess. This is why singers and players rehearse. This is why worship in Spirit and in Truth must stretch every worshiper beyond his/her natural preferences to those of the Lord Jesus. Music becomes the tool for this work of art and only that—never again the work itself.

In His glorious recapitulation, Jesus, like the themes in a symphony, has been changed by the passage of time.

  • Before He came to earth there were no scars in His hands and feet.
  • There were no welts on his back or puncture wounds in His forehead or in His side.
  • He is the One who was slain but who lives again, the sinless One bearing the marks of our sins.

With a vision of the Glory of the Resurrected, recapitulated Jesus, the first followers of Christ turned the world upside down.

Well, it needs turning again, so we must see His glory and be changed!

Scriptures:
Psalm 29:1-2 KJV
Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
John 17:24 KJV
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NKJV
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.
Psalm 24:7-10
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!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as I behold Your glory, let Your Holy Spirit alter me—change me—fundamentally at levels too deep for me to reach by myself. I will read Your Word. I will rehearse Your promises. I will deeply reflect on Your story. As I do these things, You have promised to write the Word of God into my heart. As I do what I can do, You will do what only You can do—change me. I will behold Your glory and I will be changed; I will be different at the end of the process than at the beginning. In awe of You, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Song of Praise:
Down From His Glory
Words: William E.B. Clibbon; Music: Traditional O Solo Mio

1. Down from His glory, Ever living story,
My God and Savior came, And Jesus was His Name.
Born in a manger, To His own a stranger,
A Man of sorrows, tears and agony.

Refrain:
O how I love Him! How I adore Him!
My breath, my sunshine, my all in all.
The great Creator became my Savior,
And all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.

2. What condescension, Bringing us redemption;
That in the dead of night, Not one faint hope in sight,
God, gracious, tender, Laid aside His splendor,
Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul

Refrain

3. Without reluctance, Flesh and blood His substance,
He took the form of man, Revealed the hidden plan,
O glorious myst’ry Sacrifice of Calv’ry,
And now I know Thou art the great ‘I Am’

Refrain.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 6, 2017

Shelter

Jesus and His men were used to roughing it.
They probably spent most nights huddled around a couple of fires, the flames dancing in their eyes as they listened to Jesus speak softly, with need to project His voice to a crowd. There was something tender in His voice muffled by the heavy night air speaking visions of another world and truths that must be resident somewhere out there in the darkness beyond the fire’s light. The clear nights with multitudes of stars seeming almost to sing of the glory of the Lord, made thoughts of eternity seem almost within reach.

The day’s events were reviewed. Things they couldn’t laugh at in public were enjoyed with bursts of laughter that would cause others nearby who were likewise bedding down for the night to wonder who this band of twelve, no, thirteen men might be and what they might be up to.

Parables were explained. Deep silences followed the astounding words of Jesus. One simply could not answer; one could only consider. One by one the Disciples would find a place to make a bed as the fires and the conversation grew smaller and smaller. When all the men had found their places and the slow, deep breathing of sleep was all there was to hear, I can imagine that Jesus stood up and stirred the fires a little, perhaps adding some more wood. He would then have another conversation, this one with His father, one that could only be heard in His heart. Soon, even that conversation would end only to be continued before dawn as Jesus, tired from the day as any man would be, found a place to lay His head.

But what about bad weather?
In cold seasons and on stormy nights, Jesus and His men needed more shelter than the stars could provide, hidden as they were by clouds or bright as they were in the frigid winter air. Lodging was the shelter they needed; fires safely contained in stone and vented by chimneys of stone. This was the shelter they needed but the kind they seldom had.

The House at Bethany
This made the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany such a special shelter for them. It must have been a large house to accommodate so many.

  • It is easy to see that Martha’s hospitality gifts were vital to the whole enterprise.
  • Mary’s love for Jesus was itself like a fire that warmed and refreshed Him.
  • Lazarus, perhaps not as strong as his sisters, watched quietly and listened intently.

No Shelter in the Garden
On that last night after their last meal together, deep in the green of the Garden called Gethsemane, a silent storm raged in the heart of Jesus. His time had come. He had set His face like a flint toward the moment that was now upon Him. His sleeping disciples were no solace to Him. The Garden itself was no shelter from the interior storm–the icy winter of His soul.

There was no shelter for Him. He must face

  • the winds of wickedness,
  • the storms of Satan’s schemes,
  • the treachery of the traitor,
  • the swords of the soldiers and
  • He must face all of this alone.

The shelter of the Father’s wings promised in the Psalms was nowhere to be found.  There was no towering rock to give cover; no defense could be made against the madness of men.

No one was ever so alone, so exposed, so vulnerable as Jesus, without shelter on the night when sin ruled the world.

Scriptures:
Matthew 8:20 NIV
“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Mark 14:32-42 NIV
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba,e Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Matthew 7:24-25 NKJV
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus You are my shelter against the storm. You are my rock and my salvation in this weary land. I have built my house upon you. You promised that the rains would fall down, the waters would rise up and the winds would howl and blow against my house but it would not fall. It would not be swamped by the rising flood or break beneath the weight of the winds. Today I remember all Your nights under the stars with no soft bed to receive You. I call to mind all those cold or stormy nights when You found to place to lay Your head. I remember also Your agony in Gethsemane where no shelter could shield You from the tempest in the hearts of men. I want my heart to be to You a shelter like the home of Martha and her kin. Be welcome in my heart and find shelter there. Amen.

Song:
Till the Storm Passes By
Words and Music: Mosie Lister

1. In the dark of the midnight I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me and there’s no hiding place.
‘Mid the crash of the thunder, precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Refrain:
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

2. Many times Satan whispered, “There’s no need to try,
For there’s no end of sorrow, there’s no hope by and by.”
But I know Thou are with me, and tomorrow I’ll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.

Refrain
3. When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In the land where the tempest never comes, Lord may I
Dwell wee with Thee when the storm passes by.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 5, 2017

Forgiven

There is a deep healing in forgiveness.
In His home region of Capernaum, a crowd filled a house to hear Him speak of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps there were as many motives for being there as there were people: curiosity, despair, pain, desperation, boredom. Any crowd is a gathering of such emotions as well as one of names, faces, and stories.

Friends of a paralyzed man brought him to the door but not through it; it was blocked by people in the crowd, each one focused on his own situational paralysis with no thought for the invalid and his friends.

So they came through the roof.

This gained them the full attention of the Lord Jesus. He saw men of compassion, ingenuity, and organized strength. He saw their faith. He looked at their paralyzed friend and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

That was nice but it wasn’t what they came for. They needed for Jesus to break the brokenness of their friend, to relieve him of his misery and them of their burden. The paralysis was real—it was present and unrelenting. Sins? Everybody had sins. Forgiven sins would not make their friend any lighter in their tiring arms.

He crossed a line.
Others in the crowd were surprised by the line this “son of Joseph and Mary” had crossed. Miracles were wonderful to see. They brought hope for more miracles and a faint confidence in the Jehovah they had heard about all their lives. But forgiving sins? That was a whole different issue. Miracles could be seen, like mental before-and-after-photos today. But sins, forgiven or otherwise, were spiritual things, blurry to the mind and invisible to the eye. Anyway, miracles were useful to people but sin forgiving was only God’s business and it was best left to Him.

“Which is easier,” Jesus asked, “To heal the body or to forgive sins?”

He had a way with questions that tended to silence the questioners.

“So that you may believe in me,” Jesus turned to the man on the mat and his friends still breathing hard from the work, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”

He did exactly that, to the amazement of the crowd.

In this season of Lent, each of us tries to get to the real Jesus.  We need to touch Him, to see Him, and to be changed by Him.  We see His sufferings and beyond those we see His triumph–not just the crucifixion, but the empty cross and the forsaken tomb.

To look at the empty cross is like

  • Looking into the manger to see God in the flesh, or
  • reading the Gospels to see the Son of God at work, or
  • hearing the matchless music of His voice, or
  • beholding His glory in prayer and worship.

To do these things is to be changed. Not only are we forgiven—no longer guilty—but we are welcomed into His presence.

And we didn’t even have to come through the roof.

There is a deep healing in forgiveness.

Scriptures:
Mark 2:1-12 NIV
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
1 John 1:9-10 NIV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, all I have to do is believe in You, to somehow touch the hem of Your garment with my faith and repentance and I will be forgiven of my sins. Paralyzed by disobedience no longer, I can rise, take up my life and walk. As I walk in this amazing forgiveness today, help me also be a forgiver of those who have struck at me. My freewill offering today is one of humility, repentance, and thanksgiving. I will know your deliverance in my heart and see it in my friends. Amen.

Song:
The Healing Waters
Words: H.H. Helmar; Music: L.L. Pickett

1. Oh, the joy of sins forgiv’n, Oh, the bliss the blood-washed know,
Oh, the peace akin to Heav’n, Where the healing waters flow.

Refrain:
Where the healing waters flow, Where the joys celestial glow,
Oh, there’s peace and rest and love, Where the healing waters flow!

2. Now with Jesus crucified, At His feet I’m resting low;
Let me evermore abide Where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

3. O, this precious, perfect love! How it keeps the heart aglow,
Streaming from the fount above, Where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

4. Oh, to lean on Jesus’ breast, While the tempests come and go!
Here is blessèd peace and rest, Where the healing waters flow.

Refrain

5. Cleansed from every sin and stain, Whiter than the driven snow,
Now I sing my sweet refrain, Where the healing waters flow.
Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 4, 2017

Forsaken

Turning Points
They are not easily forgotten though at the moment they occur their significance might not be clearly seen. After an initial season of acceptance when crowds came to marvel at His words and deeds such a turning point in the earthly ministry of Jesus happened out it the wilderness of Galilee. The day after He famously fed the multitude Jesus attempted to make spiritual sense of this material miracle. The disappointed crowds turned away from Him and the downward spiral of forsaking began its inevitable plunge toward Calvary. The crowd broke up and wandered away, still hungry but contemptuous of His message: “I am the Bread of Heaven!” They did not know they needed Him more than another fish dinner.

Heart-broken, Jesus turned to the twelve to ask what must have been a painful question: “Will you also go away?”

Peter swallowed hard as he and the other chosen ones exchanged desperate glances. He said what needed to be said. “Lord to whom would we turn? You have the words of life. You are the Christ!”

Only a Few
So a multitude forsook Him and twelve men chose to follow on with Him. This was the beginning of His forsakenness. Even his own family, except of course for His mother, turned away from Him, refusing to believe. They asked Him to leave Galilee and head south to Judea, out of their hair and no longer a family embarrassment.

How it must have hurt to work miracles that ended the pain of the possessed, the poisoned, the paralyzed, the fearful and the frail with no relief for the pain in His heart. His smiles at these joyful deliverances hid the pain inside Him at the rejection of the religious leaders.

In the Season of Lent We Seek to Share His Pain.
This season of the Christian Year invites us to read the Psalms that describe the pain of being forsaken. This is a deep sort of rejection because it comes along after one has encountered Christ—professing interest and perhaps even love. But unexpected events or unpleasant lessons rub us the wrong way and we decide to abandon Him.

The crowds, His half-brothers and half-sisters, His former patrons in the carpenter’s shop, and the leaders of His faith, all forsook Him. Some even made the unbelievable journey from follower to detractor to enemy.

In Gethsemane’s garden even His Disciples could not watch with Him, letting sleep, perhaps with their bellies full from the Last Supper, overcome them.

He was alone: forsaken.

And thus He would be until He bowed His head to give up the ghost on the Cross.

In this He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah Jesus must have memorized as a boy in the Synagogue at Nazareth. “We hid our faces from Him.”

We must not repeat this injustice today. We must turn our faces toward Him.

Scriptures:
Isaiah 53:1-6 NKJ
Who has believed our report?…He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him… All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
John 6:61-7:5 NIV
When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, …The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. … From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea… For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
Hebrews 12:22-24 NIV
…you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant,

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are no longer forsaken; You occupy the Throne of Heaven. Thousands of angels in joyful assembly sing and play the music of Your praise. In an immense gallery witnesses, some who bear my family name, join the song of the angels. It seems I can hear them now: sweet voices from earth who overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of Their testimony harmonizing with the hosts of eternity. Help me always turn toward You in prayer. Help me to follow You and never again forsake You. Amen.

Song:
O for a Thousand Tongues
Words: Charles Wesley; Music: Carl Glazer

1. O for a thousand tongues to sing My Great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace.

2. Jesus! The Name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease,
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘This life and health and peace.

3. He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me.

4. Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb, Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come; And leap, ye lame, for joy.

5. My gracious Master and my God, Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad, The honors of Thy name.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 3, 2017

Foolishness

Seldom does “foolishness” sound a positive note. In musical terms the foolish song is usually dissonant or disjointed or pointless or pretentious, or simply silly.

But foolishness, like beauty, can be found “in the eye of the beholder.”
It is possible for the finest art or science or invention the hands and minds of men may produce to actually be only foolishness. When compared with the creativity and ingenuity of the Holy Spirit, “foolishness” is a predictable result of the arrogance of ignorant men and women. Foolishness may make millions of dollars, produce names and terms that become common usage and move whole civilizations to foolish pursuits wasting God-given talent and energy in what the poet Solomon called “vanity and vexation of spirit”—like eating the wind—an emptiness of soul and spirit.

And on the other side of the fence, the things of God are foolishness to the world.
This is not a hidden secret; the Bible comes right out and says it is so. So, what can we who are thought to be foolish because of the things we believe and know to be true do about this? Do we argue and with unbelievers to try and convince them of their foolishness?

For sure we must answer their questions; the Bible tells us to do that. But how do you answer someone who does not believe? If they don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God, no amount of scriptural evidence will convince them of the truth. What can we do?

Tell the Story!
My mentor, Dr. Robert E. Webber gave the best strategy I have heard for this ministry—Tell the Story! All spiritualties are based on a huge story, a meta-narrative, that tells the story of who made the world and why, why people exist, and what comes after death. (I recommend Bob’s last book, Who Gets to Narrate the World.)

During Lent we tell a tender and tragic part of the story of Redemption—the Passion of the Christ. To the world it is foolish to think of the trials and death of Jesus as anything other than another sad story of a brilliant young man who was so far ahead of his time, the world he challenged had to eliminate him.

Foolish it may be but this was not your everyday brilliant young man—

  • this was God come in the flesh.
  • This was sinless humanity here on the earth for the first time since Adam and Eve.
  • This story is about the greatest of injustices ever seen.

And it was no accident—it was the plan from the beginning.

  • He whom heaven worshiped would abandon the ivory palaces of another world to surface quietly in an obscure stable hewn from a rock in this world.
  • He who knew no sin of His own would drink deep of our many, many sins.
  • He would lay down His life for it was beyond the reach of the law, Jewish or Roman, to take it from Him.
  • Another tomb hewn from a rock could not hold Him for more than three days and He came into and out of death for all who are similarly destined for the grave.

Now He reigns, returned with scars to heaven’s throne, and there in Zion’s holy halls we worship Him forever.

Foolishness?

No. Truth!

Scriptures:
Ecclesiastes 2:17 KJV & AMP
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.
1 Corinthians 1:20-31 ESV
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Prayers:
Lord Jesus, You promised that the truth would set us free. Let me walk in that freedom today for I believe in You and Your amazing story:
The Apostles’ Creed
BCP (Adapted by are SRP)

  • I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
  • I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
  • I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Song:
Tell Me the Story of Jesus
Words: Fanny Crosby Music: John Sweeney

1. Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus Sang as they welcomed His birth,
“Glory to God in the highest! Peace and good tidings to earth.”
Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.

2. Fasting alone in the desert, Tell of the days that are past,
How for our sins He was tempted, Yet was triumphant at last.
Tell of the years of His labor, Tell of the sorrow He bore.
He was despised and afflicted, Homeless, rejected and poor.
Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.

3. Tell of the cross where they nailed Him, Writhing in anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid Him, Tell how He liveth again.
Love in that story so tender, Clearer than ever I see;
Stay, let me weep while you whisper, Love paid the ransom for me.
Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 2, 2017

Broken

“I am as useless as a broken pot.”
So said the Psalmist in a moment of weakness.

But “useless” and “broken” are not invariably linked. A broken piece of pottery may be utterly useless but a broken heart before the Lord can be a mighty weapon in His hand.

When we think of Jesus, we think often of a Garden,

  • not the beautiful, useful Garden of Delights called Eden, the place of our beginning, and
  • not the wonderful New Heaven and New Earth where we will walk with God once again in the cool of the day.
  • The Garden we must consider is the Garden of Brokenness—Gethsemane.

Here the seeds of our redemption—our usefulness—were planted in the good soil of a Savior’s broken heart and watered there by sweat tinged with blood.

He was absolutely alone.
Abandoned by his sleeping disciples, Jesus was alone in this Garden, alone to bear on His sinless shoulders the sins of mankind. He alone could seize in his healing hands the violence done at the hands of men. His innocent heart was the only heart qualified to take in the corruption of the human heart from Eve’s first taste of forbidden fruit to the terrible taste for blood that marks a fallen humanity. Only the lips that brought to us the life-giving Word of God could now embrace the bitter cup of deception and drain it dry.

So, the strongest man who would ever live was broken, “crushed” was the prophesy of Isaiah and the report of Jesus’ words to His followers in some translations.

Crushed, broken, grieved, exceedingly sorrowful, yes. But, useless? Never.

The Drama of Redemption
For centuries ignorant animals had gone under the knives of the priests on the altars of Jehovah. In their frightened eyes there was not a glimpse of understanding of what their substitutionary death would provide the men with sharp knives wearing colorful robes, glittering with jewels. These unknowing animals filled a role in the on-going drama of redemption. Thousands of them played the part of the One Final Lamb who would come and make the Final and complete sacrifice of brokenness.

If we could have looked into His eyes…
If we could have looked into the eyes of Jesus in this garden, we would have seen no such ignorance, no empty role playing. Jesus knew what it meant.

  • He had to hold back his goodness to take on our wickedness.
  • He had to restrain the strength of His flawless character to submit to the corruption of a deadly mix of religion and politics.
  • He allowed his humanity to be broken.
  • With the kiss of a friend, the soldiers took Him away, no doubt, in chains that He could have broken.

Don’t forget the angel.
Between the prayers of Jesus and the approach of the Temple Guards, another friend touched Jesus there in the Garden—an Angel of the Lord. In spiritual ways that we cannot understand, the Angel imparted strength to Jesus for the ordeal just beginning.

Why? So that even in His broken condition, Jesus would still be powerful in spirit, useful to all of us by not only bearing our sins far away, but be winning our redemption.

In this time of voluntary brokenness, may the Lord make us useful to His purposes.

Scriptures:
Psalm 31:12-13 NIV
I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.
Matthew 21:42-44 NIV
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Luke 22:39-44; Matthew 26:36-38 NIV
Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Psalm 51:17 NIV
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, life can be a crushing thing. Sometimes the pressure is so great and the violence is so relentless that it seems I will be broken. Much of my trouble has been my own doing. It helps me somehow to know that You allowed life to crush You and it was not the end of the story. You took the pressure and the violence, none of it your own doing, and let life do its worst. In three days, You rose again, conqueror of death and master of life. In these days of thoughtful prayer, help me feel things more deeply, both the crushing and the rising again! Thank You, Lord! Amen.

Song:
Broken and Spilled Out
Words and Music: Bill and Gloria Gaither

Lord You were God’s precious treasure His loved and His own perfect Son
Sent here to show me The love of the Father Just for love it was done
And though You were perfect and holy You gave up Yourself willingly
You spared no expense for my pardon You were used up and wasted for me

Broken and spilled out Just for love of me Jesus
God’s most precious treasure Lavished on me
You were broken and spilled out And poured at my feet
In sweet abandon Lord You were spilled out and used up for Me
In sweet abandon, let me be spilled out And used up for Thee.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 1, 2017 Ash Wednesday

March 1, 2017

Fasting

It was justice, of a sort.
Smudges of ash on my forehead in the rough shape of a cross, no, the Cross, the one cross that counts. So many crosses, so many executions, so many guilty souls departed this life from rough-hewn timbers, and perhaps, a much smaller number of innocent souls but with the same outcome. It was justice, of a sort—the Roman sort that kept the peace, Pax Romana, in the known world. All of them are nameless now, forgotten, all save One: Jesus of Nazareth. The actual wood of His cross has long ago rotted into dust. The blood He shed that day has long ago dried and returned as water to the cycle of life from death, life from death.

Yet somehow, that cross remains and that blood still saves.
Lifted to the sky as far as man can reach, the cross graces buildings as diverse as tall stone-cold cathedrals and small rickety wooden churches made of kindling standing in defiance of any threatening flame. The cross has become ornamental to fashion and glitters around the necks of sinners.

The blood is not so popular; it is too close to home. We have blood flowing in us and we want to keep it there, hidden from our eyes for we hate the sight of blood.

Now this—ashes in the shape of the cross on my forehead, expressing hope in the continuing power of that blood—the cleansing blood of Jesus—a spiritual force of forgiveness. It has never lost its power. That blood is my hope. So I take the sign of the cross in deep repentance. I will discipline my rebel flesh with fasting.

I will not speak of it or boast. It will be a secret between Him and me. Like that stone-cold cathedral and that rickety wooden little church, I have lifted His cross as high as I can.

Now, I must be still and let His blood do a deep work in me.

Scriptures:
Joel 1:13-14 NIV
Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
Matthew 6:16-18 NIV
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Acts 13:1-3 NKJV
Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

Prayers:
(from The Book of Common Prayer)
Prayer of Repentance
Most merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved You with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbor as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Prayer for the Adminstration of the Ashes
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Song:
Just As I Am
Words: Charlotte Elliot; Music: William Bradbury

1.Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come!

2. Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come.

3. Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come!

4. Just as I am, poor wretched blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee I find, O Lamb of God, I come!

5. Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come!

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 28, 2017

 

Splendor

The Infant’s Lament
Born in blood and pain, stretching and breathing air for the first time, each newborn sent up a cry. The delivery room responded to the infantile desperation with smiles all around. The father squeezed the hand of his wife and they shared a smile born in vows, songs, and flowers on their wedding day. Two became One and now they are Three. Nothing will remain unchanged by the baby’s shrill cry.

What is behind this primal utterance? What needs propel the infant’s lament? When pain or discomfort visit his/her little life, all a child can do is cry. It is up to the adults in the room to interpret the message. God supplies the mother with an internal system that somehow breaks the code. Fathers stand by, amazed and grateful.

In the wisdom of creation, God connected need with voice.
We cry, laugh, ponder aloud, sing, and mumble to ourselves. Why? because something deserves note and comment. At the worst this is whining; at best this is prayer.

What is the deep need that is so unrelenting? What do we want?

Whatever it is, it is the source of the blues, of jazz, or gospel—both Southern and Urban—of classical music, of story, of theatre, of film, of poetry, prose, and prayer.

In many ways the heart of man is like that newborn, breathing, hurting, crying out. Why?

I believe the Psalms give us the answer—we need the splendor of God.

“…worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness…”

Without the splendor of God we are left with the wasteland of a fallen creation.

  • Life is random without the Order of Creation.
  • Life is disturbing without the Peace of God.
  • Life is confusing without His Word.

We sense His splendor in

  • the rhythm of day and night,
  • the revolving wheel of the seasons,
  • the storm and its subsequent quiet, and in the
  • the rain and the rainbow.

God is in the details.
To read His Word is to examine the small print of the Covenant of Life He has made with us—God is in the details. To pray is to have an audience with the King of kings. To worship with the saints, is to imbibe our fill of the nectar of His grace, the splendor of His mercy.

In splendor He frames our days and guards our nights. In majesty, He surrounds us with angels in bivouac, swords drawn and eyes scanning every horizon.

In the continuing Jesus Story, we find blank pages whereupon we are to write our chapter. Like Jesus, born in blood and pain, we are destined for splendor.

Scriptures:
Psalm 29:1-2 NIV
Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
Psalm 96 NIV
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
Revelation 4:2-11 NKJV
Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.  Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.  And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.  The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Prayer:
The Highest Name
Eph. 1:17-23 (Adapted SRP, from The Book of Daily Worship)
Father, I ask that You may give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Jesus better. I pray also that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that You may know the hope to which You have called me, the riches of my glorious inheritance in the saints, and Your incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of Your mighty strength, which You exerted in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Father, You placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Song:
Victor’s Crown
Words and Music: Robert Gay

Refrain:
O the glory of Your Name, The splendor of Your Name
None can compare with the power of that Name
You are Jesus. You are Lord. You are God

Verse:
You have won the victor’s crown.
You have triumphed over sin and death.
Your Name is lifted high and rings Through all the earth.
Every demon spirit in hell trembles when Your name is heard.
And we Your church proclaim Your victory in the world.

Refrain:
O the glory of Your Name, The splendor of Your Name
None can compare with the power of that Name
You are Jesus. You are Lord. You are God

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, February

February 28

February 27, 2017

Fellowship

Child of God, you are never alone.
Christian spirituality is more than an individual faith, it is a corporate reality as well—a fellowship.

2 Corinthians 13:14
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

You are never alone. Even if all your friends and loved ones were taken from you, you would still not be alone. Our Christian fellowship is rooted in the fellowship within the Trinity:

  • The Father with the Son,
  • The Son with Father,
  • The Father with the Spirit,
  • The Spirit with the Father,
  • The Son with the Spirit, and
  • The Spirit with the Son.

We came from God.
The most amazing truth is that our very existence is rooted in the existence of the Triune God—we came from God. When Adam and Eve sinned and passed on their sinful nature to us, a barrier fell to earth and barred us from fellowship with God, just as the angel with the flaming sword barred re-entry into Eden. For centuries the sin barrier remained. The Old Covenant provided forgiveness in the innocent blood of animals. Fellowship with God was based in symbolic worship and the common bond of the Word of God.

It took a Roman cross on a Judean hill to break this barrier of sin—Jesus came as the final, innocent Lamb. Just as the veil in the Temple gave way to the mercy of God for all of mankind, the sin barrier between each of us and our Creator was destroyed by the death of the Lamb of God. When we repent of our sins and confess the Lordship of Christ, we are welcomed back into fellowship with Almighty God.

Fellowship, not isolation
As personal as our reception of communion with God may be, it is not done in isolation. Communion with God initiates communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter how alone you may feel, you cannot know who among your faith family is praying for you at any moment. The same Holy Spirit who abides in your heart, abides in their hearts, leading and empowering them. Their effectual, fervent prayers avail much—in your behalf.

The New Covenant disciple should enjoy close fellowship with a group of intimate friends from the church. These companions share our faith, our passions, our interests, and even our sense of humor. Some call this an accountability group and certainly our friends should function as that, but this fellowship goes deeper than that. Miles may separate these friends but distance does not break this fellowship. Words of affirmation and admonition as well as humorous comment and heartfelt confession sustain these relationships without reference to passing time or diminishing ability.

“In the midst of the congregation”
On the Lord’s Day we gather with the local expression of the whole family of God as our fellowship with God and His Covenant people draws us another step closer to heaven. One of the most important prepositional phrase in the Scripture is, “In the midst of the congregation.” If we are to feel the presence of God in our quiet, lonely moments when we are tempted to feel alone, we must be well schooled in the fellowship of Grace at all levels: Our fellowship with the church, with our closest friends, and our fellowship with God, Father, Son, and Spirit.

Scriptures:
Psalm 68:24-26
Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary. In front are the singers, after them the musicians, with them are the maidens playing tambourines. Praise God in the great congregation; praise the LORD in the assembly of Israel.
Psalm 111:1
Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
Psalm 26:12
My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD.
Psalm 52:9
I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.
1 John 1:7 7;3:14
…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
Matthew 28:20 NKJV
I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Even when I cannot feel Your presence I know You are still with me. You have promised to never leave me and You haven’t. Expand my heart, O Lord, that I might learn from You how to love and have fellowship with others. Help me pay closer attention to people around me, to hear a note in their voice that may be a call for help, to see a look that signals trouble within. Help me be an encourager of others, helping them to walk more closely with You. For when others do this, they are also closer to me, and as promised, walking together in the Light, we have fellowship with one another. For Your glory, Lord. Amen.

Song:
Song:
The Family of God
Words and Music: Bill Gaither

1. You will notice we say “brother and sister” ’round here,
It’s because we’re a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

Refrain:
I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God,
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family, The Family of God..

2. From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King,
No longer an outcast, a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I’m not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong!

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved