pathoflifedevotions August, Devotions

August 7, 2017 “Tabernacle”

Tabernacle

Constancy
The wilderness nights were never completely dark for the Israelites as they made their torturous way from Egypt to the Promised Land. Just so, the daytime skies were never cloudless without shelter from the sun.

  • Each night, camping in the wilderness, the Shekinah Glory of the Lord lit the sky above the Holiest room in the Tabernacle they had built as the dwelling place of God.
  • Every day the Shekinah appeared as a pillar of cloud.
  • On the days when the cloud was still, they remained in camp.
  • On the days when the cloud began to move, they broke camp and followed it.

There was no council meeting to decide what to do. No opinion poll was consulted. No vote was taken. Everyone knew the drill and they obeyed. Collect the morning’s manna, pack up the stuff, and move.

A Dwelling and the Act of Dwelling
The word, “tabernacle” is both and noun and a verb: It refers to a tent-like dwelling and it means to dwell in or take up residence in.

The Poet asks the question, “Who will enjoy the tabernacle of God?” In other words, “Who will dwell where God dwells? And, “In whom will God set up His tabernacle—His tent—His Dwelling-place?”

There are no questions more fundamental to the Path of Life than these.

If living is separated from its source—our Creator God—it becomes death, a living death. Such is the condition of the human race: separated from God by the sinfulness deep in our nature–this is called iniquity in the Bible, meaning “lawlessness”—and by the sins we commit. God cannot “tabernacle” with sin and iniquity. His proximity to wickedness would destroy the hapless sinner.

Because of the Blood
The Lord could shine each night and tower each day above the Israelites in the wilderness because blood had been shed at each passageway in the Tabernacle leading to the secluded room called the Holy of Holies, This was the Holiest Place where no sin could dwell. The New Testament principle, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin,” has always been the case.

Today there is a New Covenant—the Jesus Covenant—made in His sinless blood for all the sins of mankind and for humanities fallen sinful nature. Through Him our sins are cast away forever.

Our Tabernacle
In the dark, wilderness night of human experience, a bright pillar of fire shines. In the baking wilderness days of the journey of mankind out of slavery in search of a Promised Land of Liberty, a shining pillar of a cloud beckons those who will see. There is a Dwelling Place for a Holy God in an unholy world—a Tabernacle for our wilderness. His name is Jesus—God with us!

  • He is our Dwelling Place and He Dwells within us!
  • He is the Gate of Thanksgiving.
  • He is the subject of the praise in the Courts of Praise.
  • He is the Table of Bread and the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place.
  • His Spirit is the oil in the Golden Lamps burning there.
  • His human body was the torn veil, riven in two when He cried “It is finished!” from the cross.
  • He is the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Word of God and the Rod of Aaron that came to life—the Anointing of the Spirit.

Through Jesus, our nights are never completely dark and our days always have a sheltering sky as we walk the Path of Life.

Scriptures:
Psalm 15
Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? who may abide upon your holy hill? Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, who speaks the truth from his heart. There is no guile upon his tongue; he does no evil to his friend; he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor. In his sight the wicked is rejected, but he honors those who fear the Lord. He has sworn to do no wrong and does not take back his word. He does not give his money in hope of gain, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things shall never be overthrown.
Hebrews 8:1-6; 10:19-22 NKJV
Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. … who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Revelation 21:1-7 NKJV
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my Dwelling Place, my fire by night and my guiding cloud by day. I will rest in the warmth of Your Covenant and walk in the covering of Your Loving-kindness. You dwell at the center of the church and of my life. Around me are my brothers and sisters, and my spiritual fathers and mothers in the faith; I am not alone. I have yet to cross the Jordan to enter into the Land of Promise above but I know that is my destiny. As I move or rest, Your promises remain in force and You are always faithful. Here on earth I find Your Dwelling Place and soon I will find an eternal dwelling place with You in heaven. Behold! The Tabernacle of God is with us!” Thank You, Lord Jesus!

Song:
In the Presence of Jehovah
Words and Music: Geron and Becky Davis

In the presence of Jehovah,
God Almighty, Prince of Peace.
Troubles vanish. Hearts are mended,
In the presence of the King.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, July

July 25, 2017 “Satisfied”

Satisfied

Hunger drove the multitude to wilderness and there, in the presence of Jesus, they were satisfied. In the beginning, food was not the object of their quest—they wanted more of what this man Jesus seemed to have. They were the children of Abraham in covenant with Jehovah God yet the lives they led were markedly different from the lives their religious heroes had led. God’s record was wonderful—He:

  • freed their forefathers from Egyptian bondage and opened the sea for them with Moses,
  • made the Jordan pile up in a heap for the people with Joshua, and He
  • made the walls of a hostile city crumble at the sound of trumpets.

Why weren’t these Romans added to this list of nations subdued by the hand of God?

It is true the fathers had failed to live up to the covenant, chasing the nasty little gods of the nations and neglecting the True Worship of the One True God. It is also true that God had punished them with captivity. But He had then restored them to the land. Things were different now. Unbroken worship in the second Temple and now in this new one Herod had built was their record now—so why were they still in bondage?

God had promised a Messiah to be their deliverer—was this man Jesus, the One? He worked miracles and taught of a higher Kingdom, just beyond the reach of their minds. This deep, spiritual hunger preceded their need for food and sent them deep into the wilderness and late into the day.

As if descending from a mountain of hope to a valley of hunger the multitude (by count, five thousand men along with women and children) realized that they were in trouble. To me, they were a metaphor for the nation of Israel—hungry for God yet surrounded by a hostile wilderness populated by enemies and corrupt in the heart.

Jesus is the master of the crisis; feeding a multitude was no challenge for Him. He did not need help or advice but he asked His disciples what to do. The best they could produce was a little 1st Century Boy Scout who came prepared with lunch for one. Five lumps of bread and two fresh(?) fish were enough for Jesus.

When all was done,

“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls
broken pieces that were left over.”

Today this miracle still feeds our hopes, as if those baskets of leftover bread and fish were still being passed among us. Life does not have to be an endless hunger. Satisfaction eludes us only when we follow the wrong crowds to the wrong meetings to the wrong source. When we follow Jesus, our hunger can be assuaged and our thirst can be slaked—He is the One who satisfies.

The Poet provides us with two items on the menu:

“The beauty of Your house,” and, “the holiness of Your Temple.”

The human heart hungers for beauty as much as for meat and drink.

  • When we see the world as God’s Creation, His “House,” we have a constant source of context for the beauty around us.
  • The human spirit hungers for holiness—the nearness of God, the purity of His character, the safety of His name.

Hunger drives the multitudes today and of wildernesses there are many. Those who follow Jesus and linger in His presence—where beauty and holiness abound—are those who are satisfied.

Scriptures:
Psalm 65
You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem. To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, because of their transgressions. Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out. Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there! they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house, by the holiness of your temple. Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness, O God of our salvation, O Hope of all the ends of the earth and of the seas that are far away. You make fast the mountains by your power; they are girded about with might. You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the clamor of the peoples. Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy. You visit the earth and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous; the river of God is full of water. You prepare the grain, for so you provide for the earth. You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase. You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty. May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, and the hills be clothed with joy. May the meadows cover themselves with flocks, and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; let them shout for joy and sing.
Matthew 14:15-21 NIV
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 5:6 NIV
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, there is a hollowness in me, a void so large only You can fill it. Forgive me for all the times when I have turned away from the table You have spread for me in the presence of my enemies. Sometimes a little taste of Your provision is so sweet that I fail to take in all that You are giving out. The little boy’s lunch is multiplied in Your hands and under the power of Your blessing to become all that I need today. But this day will consume all of this day’s repast so that tonight, and certainly tomorrow, I will be empty again. Only when I turn to you with my hand outstretched will I be satisfied on this wilderness journey. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

Song:
Come and Dine
Words and Music C.B. Widmeyer and S.H. Bolton

1. Jesus has a table spread where the saints of God is fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine;”
With His manna He doth feed, And supplies our every need:
O ‘tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time!

Refrain:
“Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine;”
You may feast at Jesus’s table all the time;
He who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine!”

2. The disciples came to land, thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called to them, “Come and dine;”
There they found their hearts’ desire, bread and fish upon the fire,
Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.

Refrain

3. Soon the Lamb will take His bride to be ever at His side;
All the hosts of heaven will assembled be;
O, ‘Twill be a glorious sight, all the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus they will feast eternally.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, July

July 19, 2017 “Altar”

Altar

God has chosen to meet people at altars of prayer.
God’s record is quite good.

  • He met with Abel at the altar of sacrifice.
  • He blessed Noah and his family at the altar they built on newly dried land.
  • He rescued Isaac from the deadly obedient hand of Abraham at an altar high on the mountain that would one day be called Zion.

On and on we could go for God was faithful to the altar of prayer whenever men were faithful there, too.

When Moses brought down the divine plan for God’s dwelling place in the earth, an altar was prescribed to stand at the entrance. Prayer, thus begun in the Outer Court was renewed in the Holy Place with an altar of incense and with such sacrifices God was well pleased. His Shekinah inhabited the Tabernacle as His presence was revealed at the center of the nation. From this high altar of prayer a cloud of glory ruled the day and a holy fire illumined the wilderness night.

God meets people at the altar of prayer.

The Altar of God Demands Response.
Altars are all but invisible these days. We may look at our church platforms and see nothing that looks anything like an altar. Do not be alarmed. The Altar of God is more than a piece of furniture. Just as worship has been liberated from restriction of time and place, prayer is made of “spirit and in truth,” not wood or stone. The Altar of God is the humble human heart reaching for Him in faith.

Faith is a necessity.
We can stand in awe of His creation and marvel at the detail of His handiwork but there is no salvation in admiration from a distance.

  • We can be touched by people who carry His name but some of them carry it poorly. Their hands bear no healing power.
  • We can even read the Bible, but if we do not read in faith, if cynicism is our guide as we try to make the Holy Book say what we want it to say, we will not see His face.
  • We can stand in the midst of a crowd enveloped in the worship of others, but if our hearts are closed, if we are in the audience but not in the congregation, Jesus will be there but He will pass us by.

There was a song we used to sing:

Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by.
You’ll find he’s not too busy to answer your cry.
He’s passing by this moment your needs to supply.
Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by.

The song got it right.

Prayer is reaching out to touch the Lord. Prayer makes an altar out of wherever we are standing, or sitting, or kneeling, or walking around. God meets us at the altar of prayer when our hearts become the altar of prayer.

Reaching Out
We reach out and touch the Lord in so many ways:

  • At our private altar of prayer each day,
  • As we prayerfully read the Bible,
  • With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with the saints on the Lord’s Day,
  • When the church unites in prayer for the needs of the community and the world, and
  • When the church gathers to pray at the altars.

The Lord’s Day is a day for heartfelt prayer, not empty routine, for reaching out and touching the Lord, not just singing songs and watching the platform people present their program.

Altars are all but invisible these days. But if we are to reach out and touch the Lord we had better find one, make one, and use one for prayer.

God has chosen to meet with people at the altar of prayer.

Scriptures:
Psalm 43
Give judgment for me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked. … Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling; That I may go to the altar of God, to the God of my joy and gladness; and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God. Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? and why are you so disquieted within me? Put your trust in God; for I will yet give thanks to him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Genesis 8:20-21 NIV
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Genesis 22:9-14 NIV
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
Psalm 26:6-8 NIV
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.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, take my heart as an altar today, a meeting place for You and for me. Here I repent of sins and attitudes and carelessness and here I am forgiven. Here, at this altar, the fire of heaven will fall on me, unseen and without sensation, Your fiery Spirit will purge my life and consume my soul in redemption. How precious is Your altar today. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song:
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Words: William Walford; Music: William B. Bradbury

1. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

2. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

3. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

4. Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, July

July 18, 2017 “Springs”

Springs

Springs are natural sources.
They are self-sufficient, requiring no pumps or pipes, no acts of congress to create or engineer’s blueprints to build, no helping human hands to handle, or leaders to keep them motivated. They simply do as their name describes—they spring—from mountain sides and desert floors, from flowering meadows and at the bottom of clear water pools.

The Psalmist has a message for artists, (he mentions musicians but this applies to all artists) those who create new and better things in the Kingdom of God. Remember where the springs are found—In Zion! I’m not talking about the Holy Land; in the New Covenant Mt. Zion refers to the place where God lives and rules. So let me rephrase:

Creative people! Remember where your springs are found—in the Kingdom of God!

All of My Springs Are In You
The springs in our faith are many. The Word of God is a whole field of springs:

  • The Life of Christ—drink deeply here and often.
  • The Psalms—every human emotion is brought before the Throne of God here.
  • The Histories—the inspiration and admonition of the accounts of the People of God and their enemies have much to say to us.
  • The Prophets—this steaming spring of passion for justice and purity mirrors our own times.
  • The Wisdom Literature—well-crafted wells of godly truth and human observation full of irony and riddles are found here.
  • The Letters—these real words from real persons are inspired by the Spirit to speak to every generation.

Worship is a bubbling spring of strength:

  • Fellowship with God,
  • Fellowship with other believers, and
  • Shared ministry, joy, sorrow and hope.

Witness is a spring in the town square:

  • Making a public stand for the truth of God,
  • Touching a hurting soul with the compassion of Christ,
  • Telling the Jesus story with words and deeds, and
  • Living pure in a polluted world.

There are other springs.
The artist must go into the world to learn his/her craft but we must be in these arenas, not of them. Like the liberated slaves who escaped Egypt loaded with the riches of their oppressors, we must plunder this world of its corrupted gold and return it to the uses of God: music, dance, visual arts, dramatic arts, technology, narrative, poetry, and language itself.

We must not drink from the springs of profanity and cynicism, of despair and degradation, of hate and prejudice, of lust and self-absorption. These are poison springs.

The invitation of Jesus must never leave our minds:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”

All my springs are in You.

Scriptures:
Psalm 87 NKJV
His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion More than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God! “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.'” And of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her; And the Most High Himself shall establish her.” The LORD will record, When He registers the peoples: “This one was born there. “Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.”
John 4:13-14 NIV
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 7:37-41 NIV
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Christ.”
Revelation 21:6-8 NIV
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Psalm 84:5-7 NIV
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, (sorrow, weeping) they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am thirsty! It seems I must drink from the Spring of Living Water again today. I have tasted the bitter wine of this world and it left me thirsty still. As You promised, Living Water becomes in me a spring, flowing upward from my spirit to nourish my soul and refresh my physical being. It is a good thing that I cannot tank up on Living Water today and have enough for tomorrow. When I come to the Spring, it is a time of fellowship with You. Thank You, Lord.

Song:
Springs of Living Water
Words and Music: John W. Peterson

1. I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
And nothing satisfying there I found;
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,
Where springs of living water did abound.

Refrain:
Drinking at the springs of living water,
Happy now am I, My soul they satisfy;
Drinking at the springs of living water,
O wonderful and bountiful supply!

2. How sweet the living water from the hills of God,
It makes me glad and happy all the way;
Now glory, grace and blessing mark the path I’ve trod,
I’m shouting “Hallelujah” ev’ry day.

Refrain
3. O sinner, won’t you come today to Calvary?
A fountain there is flowing deep and wide;
The Savior now invites you to the water free,
Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, July

July 6, 2017 “How?”

How?

We all know this move.
There is a two-hand gesture, a dropped jaw and the “o” vowel formed with the lips that go with the question, “How?” This little piece of improvised human choreography accompanies the sudden need for a solution.

  • Some impossible task is demanded;
  • some totally new job must be done;
  • some inexplicable event has just unfolded before wide-open eyes and mouth and both palms outstretch to the sky, “How?”

This is usually followed by an oath, “—in the name of _________ how can we____________?”
Documentary evidence of this gesture and petition achieving anything at all is more than sketchy.

Truth be told, adults can suffer from over-stimulation as much as children.
We need solutions, too. We are often presented with new problems, challenges, and worst of all new unspoken expectations.

  • Bosses tend to send work to those who can get the job done.
  • They send problems to those who are good at finding solutions and
  • they assign puzzles that no one solve to the those who can unravel confusion and make the necessary connections.

In the process, the “chosen ones” feel like spreading their hands to heaven and asking, “How?”

For those who ask in faith—God has answers. When you are on speaking terms with the One who knows everything, you can get answers to your questions.

The poet poses this question: “How shall a young man cleanse his way?”
A commendable question to be sure. I want to meet young men like this one. They are swimming upstream in this generation and have earned my respect. I prefer these to those who seem to want to know how to pleasure their way through life, not cleanse it.

Whether in the ancient days of the Psalmist or in this post-modern age, the answer is the same:

“By keeping to Your words.”

The Bible it is unique among ancient books—it is up to this moment in truth. These are words here not only to be heard and read but to be kept.

The New Testament makes the most astounding claim—“We have the mind of Christ.”
We don’t have all of it but we have all we need. Not only the “How’s” but the “Why’s” are covered in the Book. God has communicated His heart to us in words, in saving deeds, and in human form by sending Jesus to show us how, and why to live.

Take the same gesture: palms uplifted to heaven, mouth and eyes open to all praise and possibilities and use a different word, no longer a question, “How?” but a confession of worship, “Hallelujah!”

Scriptures:
Psalm 119:9-16
How shall a young man cleanse his way? By keeping to your words. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commandments. I treasure your promise in my heart, that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; instruct me in your statutes. With my lips will I recite all the judgments of your mouth. I have taken greater delight in the way of your decrees than in all manner of riches. I will meditate on your commandments and give attention to your ways. My delight is in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 NIV
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
1 John 2:3-6; 18-19; 3:16-20; 23-24
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I am so glad that Your know how. No what is demanded of me today, the answer is in Your great mind. Give patience, concentration, insight, so that I might be a problem solver today. You know “how” and I ask You to show me “how.” Of course, if it takes more than today, help me keep listening tonight and tomorrow add in the days to come. Use the dreams of my sleep to speak to me. You have placed me in this position, help me prosper in it by showing me “how.” My hands are lifted to You in faith and my mouth is open and filled with praise. To God Be the Glory! Amen.

Song:
I Know Whom I Have Believed
Words: Daniel W. Whittle; Music: James McGranahan

1.I know not why God’s wondrous grace To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love Redeemed me for His own.

Refrain:
But “I know Whom I have believed, And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed Unto Him against that day.”

2. I know not how this saving faith To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word Wrought peace within my heart.

Refrain

3. I know not how the Spirit moves, Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word, Creating faith in Him.

Refrain

4. I know not what of good or ill May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days, Before His face I see.

Refrain

5. I know not when my Lord may come, At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him, Or meet Him in the air.
Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer
For more on Pride: “The Invisible Mountain”

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions July

July 3, 2017 “Mornings”

Mornings

Mornings are matters of perception.
We perceive the sun is moving but really it takes no effort at all for the sun to rise in the east. All it has to do is stay where God put it and burn until its allotted fuel runs out and chances are that will never happen.

Mornings for us, however, require effort. We are the ones who have to move. We move stiff muscles and crooked necks and rub our eyes which remain only half open. We stumble through our morning routine only half-conscious until the hot shower water baptizes us to a new life. Before long we might be singing, much to the annoyance of those nearby. We moved alright.

Some things are certain.
“As sure as the turnin’ of the earth,” mumbled John Wayne as the bitter Ethen Edwards in John Ford’s magnificent film, The Searchers, “We’ll find her.” He was searching for his niece lost in a raid by hostile Indians. His fatalistic measure of time was not the seeming motion of the sun, but the sure and certain turning of the earth.

And it is certain; we can be sure of many mornings to come. As sure as the turning of the earth they will come but the one uncertainty that remains is how many we will enjoy. How many will bring us pain we can’t rub away? How many mornings remain until our allotted fuel runs out as our inner fires cool to cold ashes?

Of course, we don’t know the answer.

So we have this one, this morning, another gift from God. We can make this one count.

  • We can be who God has called us to be.
  • We can do what God has called us to do.
  • We can plant seed where no one has sown before.
  • We can water the good seed others have planted.
  • Who knows? Before the night falls we could even bring in a harvest for the Lord Jesus!

Mornings are the product of the night, the inevitable consequence of darkness is the rising of the light. There may have been tears in the night, but there is joy in the morning. If there was fear in the darkness, it turns to faith in the morning sun.

One of these many mornings will begin the day of our translation. This mortal will put on immortality. This fading, corruptible body will be made new and better, impervious to the wear of time and the tear of circumstance, made like His glorified body. On that day we will see Jesus and those who left us on mornings past—a grand reunion that day will bring!

Mornings are full of promise—as sure as the turning of the earth.

Scriptures:
Psalm 30 NKJV
I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord , you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; And to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord , be my helper!” You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
2 Peter 1:19 NIV
…we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Ps 90:14-17 NIV
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 59:16-17 NIV
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.
Psalm 5:1-3 NIV
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O Lord , you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
Because of the Lord ‘s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
1 Corinthians 15:51-55 NKJV
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Grave, where is your victory?”

Prayer:
On this morning, Lord, Your mercies are new again! Today, as the scriptures say, You have “hemmed me in behind and before and laid Your hand upon me.” I will not fear this day for it has started well, here in Your presence, here in the Secret Place where You, my Father meet with me, knowing my every need before I even ask and yet asking is an act of fellowship with You. Clouds may hide the risen sun, but nothing will hide Your presence and faithfulness from me. I will not be guided by my senses or my emotions. I will walk by faith in You this morning and throughout the day. Amen.

Song:
Reunion Day
Words and Music: Stephen Phifer

Reunion Day! Yes, there will be
A gathering by the Crystal Sea
Where we will see
Those who’ve gone before,
Faces we adore,
Sweet voices, Lord, will sound once more
On Reunion Day!

Reunion Day! Oh, Reunion Day!
It can’t be long till we sing the song
Of the Redeemed.
Reunion Day! Reunion Day!
Soon the trump will sound.
We’ll find higher ground
On Reunion Day.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, June

June 29, 2017 “NightWatch”

NightWatch

We cannot imagine the world before electric lights. It was, shall we say, dark.
Each time the sun slipped over the western rim of the world, a gathering darkness crept across the land from the east. Only the thin flames of candles, the withering wicks of oil lamps, and an inconstant, silvery moon challenged the night. The stars, more than we can see these nights, decorated the darkness but did little else.

With darkness came fear and with the fear came the night-watch.

Someone had to stay awake through the night; it was filled with danger.
Evil people did evil things in the dark. In the military, in industry, in cities and in towns, watchmen take this job: police, firemen stationed near the alarm, emergency personnel on duty around the clock, and other folks who have trouble sleeping.

Mark Twain paints a poignant scene of the 19th Century night in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Huck and Jim are running downstream aboard a raft on the huge Mississippi River. They traveled at night, keeping time by the lights on the shore. Most of the candles and lanterns went out after midnight and when they started reappearing it signaled the approach of dawn. Some candles burned through the night, “Where there is sick folk, maybe.” Huck said.

Setting the Night-Watch is an ancient practice.
In the scriptures the watchman makes a powerful metaphor for an important aspect of pastoral leadership and priestly leadership in the home. There had to be a constant awareness while the town or the home was unaware and vulnerable to the villains and villainy of the dark hours of night. Someone would sleep in daylight so those who slept in darkness could do so in safety.

Still today, the darkness is real and it is an encroaching darkness. Parents and Pastors must be vigilant on the NightWatch for the darkness wants to steal the light in our homes and churches.

The problem is: we are only mortal and cannot go long without sleep.

Who can be our Night-Watch? The Lord and His friendly angels, of course.
We can rest and wake up rested. We can dream and wake to follow those dreams. Families can bond together and the Family of God can enter into that rest because Jesus and His mighty angels have the NightWatch.

Scriptures:
Psalm 119:145-152
I call with my whole heart; answer me, O Lord, that I may keep your statutes. I call to you; oh, that you would save me! I will keep your decrees. Early in the morning I cry out to you, for in your word is my trust. My eyes are open in the night watches, that I may meditate upon your promise. Hear my voice, O Lord, according to your loving-kindness; according to your judgments, give me life. They draw near who in malice persecute me; they are very far from your law. You, O Lord, are near at hand, and all your commandments are true. Long have I known from your decrees that you have established them forever.
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
John 3:19-21 NIV
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
John 1:3-5 NIV
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Revelation 22:3-5 NIV
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Romans 13:11-14 NIV
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Isaiah 21:11-12 NKJV
“Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” The watchman said, ‘The morning comes, and also the night.

Evening Prayers from the Book of Common Prayer:
Against Perils
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in Your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of Your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
For the Presence of Christ
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know You as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of Your love. Amen.
For Rest
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give Your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for Your love’s sake. Amen.

Song:
All Through the Night
Traditional Lullaby

1. Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night;

2. Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night.

3. Angels watching, e’er around thee,
All through the night
Midnight slumber close surround thee,
All through the night

4. Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night

5. While the moon her watch is keeping,
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping,
All through the night

6. O’er thy spirit gently stealing,
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling,
All through the night.

 

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer
For more on Pride: “The Invisible Mountain”

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, June

June 23, 2017 “Continually?”

Continually?

The sea—it never stops.
On the surface the waters never stop moving inland to crash on the beach. Underneath, the same water never ceases to slide back into the sea only to regroup and make another run.

It never stops. It is continuous. The sun is motionless but to us it never stops moving. Every single moment of time is sunrise somewhere and sunset somewhere else. The rotation of the earth is continuous.

“Continually” and “Continuously” are not synonyms; they mean different things:

  • Continually means to do something regularly and often.
  • Continuously means to do something without ever stopping.

Even though modern translations of the Bible use the word, “continually,” the Greek word actually means “continuously”—without ceasing.

The Poet instructs us, “Search for the Lord and his strength; continually seek his face,” but the meaning is “continuously,” without ceasing.

At first these biblical injunctions to do something continuously seem completely out of reason. Is there anything we can do continuously? I suppose good discipline allows us to do good things continually, that is, frequently, regularly, and so on. But continuously? Without ceasing?

The difference in the two words helps us understand two great sources of strength:

  • Those things we can do continually and
  • Those things we can do continuously.

Things We Can Do Continually
These are the activities of life, the things we do and then stop doing.

  • Reading,
  • Writing,
  • Arithmetic,
  • Making music
  • Exercising,
  • Resting, on and on we could go.

Things We Do Continuously
·

  • Breathe,
  • Think,
  • Listen, and
  • See.

It appears to me that these very human activities are continuous.

  • If we have stopped breathing, we are dead.
  • We never stop thinking. Even when we sleep the mind does not.
  • In the same way, we never stop listening.

If we extend the concept of sight beyond the recognition of light, to the recognition of images, when the lights go out or we close our eyes to sleep, we keep on seeing. The imagination is a widescreen technicolor film that never stops running.

In these miraculous continuous things we reveal the image of God in us.
The Lord is wonderfully continuous in His care for us. He never sleeps or slumbers, the Bible says, and His ears are always open when we pray the psalm says. His Spirit is the breath of life we breathe. His continuous heartbeat is the rhythm of the universe and of our bodies. The differences between continual and continuous help us understand the Christian life.

There are many things we must do continually:

  • Worship privately and publicly,
  • Read and live by the Word of God,
  • Be led of the Spirit in daily work and witness.

These things we do frequently and regularly:

There are few things that we must do continuously

  • Pray without ceasing—we must live in an attitude of thanksgiving and devotion to God.
  • Seek the Lord—this should never stop! We must live with all our antennae up and trained on the voice of the Spirit. God speaks through all creation.
  • Depend on the Lord—at all times in everything!
    These activities are not things we do often and regularly; they are life processes we do constantly.

For us, the sea will roll in and then it will roll out again, ceaselessly. The sun will faithfully rise to warm the earth each day. These are reminders of God’s constant care. As we breathe and pump blood, and think, and see with eyes of sight and imagination, we can continuously know the love of God.

Scriptures:
Psalm 105:1-4 NASU
Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad. Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.
Hebrews 13:15-16 NIV
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Luke 24:50-53 NIV
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Psalm 121 NIV
I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip —he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 34:15 NIV
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, In You I live and move and have my being. Sometimes I forget to take note of Your continuous faithfulness. Forgive me. Your love and care are the true constants in my life. Lord, help be faithful in the things I can do continually. As Your Spirit enables, I will do the continuous things: live in an attitude of prayer; listen at all times for the voice of the Spirit, seek Your face in all things, and look for Your truth in the details of each day. I want to serve you continually and live for You continuously. By Your Spirit, Amen.

Song:
Constantly Abiding
Words and Music: Anne S. Murphy

1. There’s a peace in my heart that the world never gave,
A peace it cannot take away.
Though the trials of this life may surround like a cloud,
I’ve a peace that has come there to stay!

Refrain:
Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
Constantly abiding, rapture divine.
He never leaves me lonely,
Whispers O so kind:
“I will never leave thee,” Jesus is mine.

2. All the world seemed to sing of a Savior and King,
When peace sweetly came to my heart;
Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day,
Blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art!

Refrain

3. This treasure I have in a temple of clay
While here on His footstool I roam.
But He’s coming to take me some glorious day,
Over there to my heavenly home,

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer
For more on Pride: “The Invisible Mountain”

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, June

June 21, 2017 “Pasture”

Pasture

Pastor and Pasture—Two Important Words
The word we use for a scene suitable as habitat for livestock with broad grasslands and maybe a split-rail fence is, “pastoral.” What is the link between those guys up there carefully not wearing suits with this rural vision? Care—Pastoral Care. The word “Pastor” means “shepherd”–One who cares for the sheep.

King David, poet laureate of the Scriptures, gives us the timeless metaphor:
“The Lord is my shepherd.”

The composer of Psalm 100 continues the metaphor:
“We are his people and the sheep of his pasture”

Believers are like sheep?
It may not be flattering to think of Christ-followers as sheep since these animals are not known for the qualities we think are most human: intelligence, creativity, independence, etc. But it is accurate. With all our excellent, highly “evolved” humanity we are still so like sheep. What we need is a good pasture, a safe, abundant place to live and make more sheep.

And, of course, we need a Shepherd. If it is unpleasant to think of ourselves as a dumb sheep, it is just as pleasant to think of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. He makes it OK to be a sheep. We have value because He loves us, is focused upon us, provides for us, disciplines us, and because we know His voice. When He calls us, we come to Him. At night when we need to sleep, He sings over us until we are at rest. When we need to move, He prods us and gets us going. When we need a cause, He gives us one worth moving for.

The pasture in which we are enclosed (not confined!) is His Kingdom.
It is expressed locally as a church, a congregation of fellow believers, a spiritual flock of spiritual sheep. Most are top notch sheep, but some are unruly and stay on the fringes of the flock. Others are stupid and move only by their baser instincts.

  • These self-absorbed sheep hear only the bleating of other sheep, not the Shepherd’s beautiful call.
  • They stay lost and confused and are always fighting.
  • When they wander too far from the safety of the Shepherd’s reach, they too easily and too often become the prey of the many predators sneaking around the pasture.

Out on the edges, there are false shepherds who are themselves predators.
There are also sheep who aren’t real sheep. These conspire to deceive the true sheep with promises of greener pastures outside the fence. They lie. They destroy but they are never satisfied; they never cease to patrol the edges. Some of them even win places in the flock, places where their lies can contaminate the grass, poison the still waters, and alienate the sheep from the Good Shepherd.

The safety of the sheep is in proximity.
Stay away from the edges. Snuggle in close to the Shepherd. Listen carefully to His voice and sing along with Him. Drink deeply from the still waters and feast on the nutrition He has led you to. There is no need to stray, no reason to starve or die of thirst, no reason to roam aimlessly through this world. The Lord is our Shepherd and we are the sheep of His Pasture.

Scriptures:
Psalm 100
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song. Know this: The Lord himself is God; he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; give thanks to him and call upon his Name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
Psalm 23 NIV
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
Mark 6:32-34 NIV
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things
John 10:14-15 NIV
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Matthew 7:15-16 NIV
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.
John 21:15-18 NIV
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my Shepherd! I am safe in Your fold, secure in Your flock, and cared for in Your nearness. Sometimes Your pasture is a noisy place. I will listen carefully for Your voice today. Your call is gentle and always true. Your loving-kindness is the staff in Your hand. Guide me with it, today! We will pause and drink from the still waters and rest in green pastures. We will feast at the table You provide in the face my enemies and no shadow of any valley shall give me fear. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Song:
Walking Beside the Still Waters
Words and Music: J.D. Phifer

1. Tired from the day’s pace of living,
Weak from the chaos of sin,
I go down by the still waters,
And talk things over with Him

Refrain:
Walking beside the still waters,
Problems of life will grow dim.
Walking beside the still waters,
Walking and talking with Him.

2. O how I long for that morning,
Free from the chaos of sin,
I’ll go down by those still waters,
And walk forever with Him.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer
For an article on things sheep should not believe: “Don’t Believe the Lies”

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, June

June 20, 2017 “Hidden”

Hidden

From time to time everyone feels like he or she is socked in by heavy fog.
I have two dangerous experiences with heavy fog:

  • A Ferry across the Mississippi In the early 1950’s my family and I were taking the car ferry across the big river from Helena, Arkansas to see mother’s family in Mississippi. Before we reached the eastern bank of the river a heavy fog enveloped us. The captain of the boat could not locate the landing on the Mississippi side. I was just a little guy but it really frightened me. I’m sure the fear I saw on the adults’ faces was part of my fear. I remember fingers of light, the searchlights on the ferry, reaching into the dense cloud trying to locate the landing. We missed it several times. Each miss required another trek upstream against the power of the mighty river, to make another run. Now I understand that the night was filled with fog and the river was packed with large sets of barges pushed downstream by towboats. A collision in the fog would have been a disaster.
  • A Fog on I-40 Decades later after a Christmas trip home to Arkansas, we made the long trek back to North Carolina. We started out at midnight intending to drive all night and part of the day to get home. (I was a young man in those days!) At Little Rock a heavy fog settled over everything. The visibility was zero. Driving the speed limit with zero visibility is not easy, even for a young man. I prayed and noticed a big truck in my lane. Without getting too close to him, I could barely make out his running lights. I held that position all the way across the Grand Prairie of Eastern Arkansas. When we crossed the Big River at Memphis the fog stayed behind and the rest of the trip was under a starry, winter sky.

When it seems God is hidden…
And so it seemed to be for the Psalmist.

“How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?”

The pain in this question is not some misty fog, easily penetrated by even a candle’s slender flame. His pain is real, substantial and, dare we say it?—unjust. Yes, the truth is—the righteous suffer.

  • Even if our God is Jehovah Who Provides, sometimes we go without.
  • Even when we serve Jehovah Rapha, The Lord who Heals, we still get sick and some of us live with disease.
  • Even when we are sure of His presence, sometimes it seems like He isn’t there at all.
  • There are times when we cannot feel the peace of Jehovah Shalom, or the victory of Jehovah Nissi, or the nearness of the Hosts of Heaven than surround Jehovah Saboath, or even the precious nearness of the One called Emmanuel.

This fog is real, too.
It is no mist or misunderstanding. Wrong has happened instead of right. Others have sinned and we are hurting for it. I cannot explain this fog. Like you, and like that boat on the river and that truck guiding me through the winter night, I can only go on,

  • step by step,
  • mile by mile,
  • chugging upstream for another try at a landing,
  • calling out to Him all the while
  • trusting God all the time for a safe journey and a secure landing, even when it seems He is far away, hidden from all my senses.

Let us hear the words of the Psalmist from deep in the fog, “Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen. “

The Lord-Who-Provides will provide. Like the lights on that big truck we have a dependable light to follow. The Lord-Who-Guides will guide us. Like the brave captain of the Mississippi River ferry boat, our Captain will see us safely across any river, through any fog.

Scriptures:
Psalm 89:46-52 NIV
How long, O Lord ? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men! What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O Lord, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.
1 Peter 2:19-22; 4:12-19 NIV
For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. … So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Psalm 139:7-12 NKJV
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
Psalm 51:10-12 NKJV
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Philippians 4:11-13 NKJV
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my Light, my Guide, my Captain. There is no fog so dense as to hinder Your radiance, Your leadership, Your command. Though life may threaten me, You will keep me safe. When It seems You are hidden from me, I know that it is just a feeling. Your name is Emmanuel—God with Us and it is always true. When darkness closes in, I know I will see a light—Your light—to guide me.. You said You will never leave or forsake us and it is true, no matter how thick the fog may be. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

Song:
Jesus Is the One
Words and Music: Adgar Pace and Gertie Rast

1. When the day is dark before you,
And the clouds are hanging low.
There is One who watches o’er you,
Ev’rywhere that you may go.

Refrain:
Jesus is the One, Yes, He’s the only One,
Let Him have His way until the day is done;
When He speaks you know, the clouds will have to go,
Just because He loves you so.

2. Oh, if you are sad and lonely,
Life is but an empty tomb.
Breathe a prayer to Jesus only,
He will drive away the gloom.

Refrain

3. When you come to cross the river,
He will be your Friend and Guide.
You can live with Him forever,
Over on the other side.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

Related Article: “The Rock Is Still Solid”