pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 20, 2017

Repentance

He sits there shivering in his sin-cloak.
He is covered by these rags but they are no shield against the cold. Alone, so alone. He hears no music to entertain him. No colors or shapes distract his abused mind. On the other side of the room a cheap lamp is on the verge of exhaustion. The only voice he hears is that of the Accuser rehearsing his guilt, reading the charges against him over and over until the din of this silent indictment envelopes him completely.

The only movie playing in his mind unfolds scene after scene, sequence after sequence of sin after sin:

  • his own words and deeds—profanities cloaked in humor,
  • his passions parading as aesthetics,
  • his hate and prejudice crammed deep into his heart, remaining unspoken,
  • his selfishness—the wolf dressed like a lamb—masquerading as service, and
  • his greed giving no space to charity.

Something somebody said has plunged him into this depressing study, this contemplation of his past. Desperately he tries to turn his thinking in a different direction—the future! It is there, waiting and full of promises. Things could be different tomorrow. He could be different. Past is not necessarily prologue. Change is possible—isn’t it?

Try as he will, thoughts of the past spread outside the lines of the future he was trying to paint. Now, in addition to the guilt that assaulted him before, his thoughts throw open a window to the freezing winds of failed attempts at personal reformation. Like a year filled with Januaries, his life is littered with broken resolutions, frozen in failure.

Shaking, he tries his best to close that window and lock out that frigid blast of guilt but it will not close.

Someone, somewhere is praying for him, calling his name out to a listening Savior.

An old children’s song comes to mind: “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” This simple song of memory begins to muffle the noise of the Accuser’s recording. The Bible! He searches his mind for things he had once known. The Holy Spirit is there to help him remember fragments—but in this dark room fragments are mighty things:

  • “For God so love the world…”
  • “The wages of sin…the gift of God…”
  • “If we confess our sins…”

With a faith he barely knew was there, he starts turning each accusation of guilt into a prayer of repentance. Through the open window a grace-breeze clears the room and the chamber begins to warm. The nearly useless lamp seems to surge in light just as a long unused smile dances lightly on his lips.

Suddenly he can breathe again, and not just the newly clean air in the room but a different oxygen that flies straight to his spirit. He breathes more deeply than he can ever remember breathing. He needs the air for he is now singing, his spirit draped in shining white robes: “Jesus loves me this I know!

Scriptures:
Psalm 51 NIV
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Mark 1:14-15 NIV
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
1 John 1:9-10 NKJV
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us
Romans 10:8-11 NIV
“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Prayer of Repentance
from the Book of Common Prayer (adapted SRP)
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.

Song:
Jesus, I Come to Thee
Words and Music: William T. Sleeper

1.Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus I come, Jesus I come;
Into thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

2.Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress to jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

3.Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come;
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward for aye on wings like a dove,

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 6, 2017

April 6, 2017

Peace

Peace is not passive. 
Peace needs to be made, kept, and embraced.  We obtain peace from God through action on our part by active faith—choosing to act on the promises of God.

Jesus is our peace, Paul said, for He has broken down the walls life builds between us and others, between us and life.  But walls don’t come down for us until we obey the commands of the Lord.

The first two are simple and lead to success in all the others:

  1. Love God with the sum total of our humanity, and,
  2. Love others as we do ourselves.

Jesus said success in all the other requirements of living with God flow from these two.  Peace and faith are integrally related to each other.

There is a spiritual progression from no peace to much peace:

  • Our confidence in God’s faithfulness to His promises gives us peace when He seems to be paying no attention to us at all.
  • Faith is ours according to the depth of our knowledge of the Word of God.
  • The more we know of the Word of God the more of His peace we enjoy.
  • The greater our availability to the Holy Spirit, the more we will know about Jesus, the church, worship, service, humility, and the Kingdom of God.

We make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit through regular prayer and Bible reading and through an unbreakable commitment to the local church in worship, fellowship, and service.  Faithfulness to God provides peace that passes all understanding.

Peace is not accidental; sometimes it must be made. 
Jesus said those who made peace would be called the children of God.  The most obvious meaning of this is to help peace come to others through the ministry of reconciliation.  Those who foment conflicts among people are not doing the work of the Kingdom.  Believers are called to help bring an end to conflicts by fairness, truth-telling, and by being a friend and good listener.

Peace is not passive; sometimes we need to go get it.
Isaiah said that those who fill their minds with the things of God will have not just peace, but perfect peace.  When peace has flown from our lives we should deliberately go to the Book or to the place of prayer and pour truth about who God is and what He has promised into our minds. With that rehearsal of eternal truth, the peace we need will flood our souls.

Peace is not passive; sometimes we have to keep it.
One of the most ancient of Christian ministries was called “the passing of the peace.”  At a special time in a worship services believers turned to embrace each other with the words, “The Peace of Christ be with you.”  The one who was embraced responded with, “And also with you.”  In the early church this part the worship service was considered so important and so powerful it was reserved for only those who had been baptized into full fellowship with the church.  Perhaps it is time to return to this ancient spirituality.  The personal touch, the kind prayer, the good will in this moment of sharing would surely promote peace within the church.  Church strife could be avoided and the proper focus of each believer could be maintained—loving God and loving people.

On this day, don’t wait for wait passively for peace.  If you don’t have it,

  • Embrace it (go get it.)
  • Make it (speak peace to others.)
  • Keep it (do the work of the Kingdom.)

And watch Jesus tear down some walls.

Scriptures

Ephesians 2:14-18
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Romans 14:17-19
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Prayer:
St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Songs of Peace
He Is Our Peace 
Composer: Kandela Groves

He is our peace who has broken down every wall
He is our peace, He is our peace
He is our peace who has broken down every wall
He is our peace, He is our peace.

Cast all your cares on Him for He careth for you
He is our peace, He is our peace
Cast all your cares on Him for He careth for you
He is our peace, He is our peace.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 4, 2017

Life

Searching for Life

  • Powerful telescopes search far out into space looking for signs of life.
  • Powerful microscopes peer into the smallest of spaces looking for the mysteries of life.
  • Here on earth scientists scrape the surface and probe the depths of this globe for clues of how things and people lived and died before our time.
  • Secular prophets study current trends and
  • pagan fortune tellers read palms to try and see how life will be lived in the future.

For the follower of Christ the search is simple—life is a gift from God.
The breath in our bodies came from the Spirit of God, giving us a life that is unique in all of creation—one that lasts for all time.  This life must not be lived as an animal lives, following instinct:

  • the will to survive, and
  • the avoidance of pain.

Neither is our life like that of plants: thoughtless, responding to wind and rain and sunlight only to perish with the passing of time.

Ruach— Hebrew for the Breath of God
The breath of God in us, first given to Adam and now passed through the generations to each of us, gives purpose to the life we live.  We are not the center of our world.  As the solar system revolves around the sun, the believer’s life revolves around the Son of God.  His will is our highest goal, not our survival and pleasure.  Wealth and prominence are not the measures of the life we are called to live for Jesus.  Jesus’ approval is the reward we seek.

The life we are called to live for Jesus is one of joy, an unusual joy that gives strength.  We have a guaranteed eternal destination and s daily walk with God to take us there.  We share a community with others who follow Jesus, and we are noted for the love we share together.  This life is more than physical systems: air coming and going through us, blood coursing in us, and the systematic transformation of food into energy.

It is even more than the sum total of our thoughts and words spoken each day.

  • Our real nourishment comes from the Bread of Heaven.
  • Our wisdom is from the Living Word.
  • The animating spirit within us is itself animated by the Holy Spirit.
  • According to scripture, we have the mind of Christ.
  • The life we live we live by faith in the Son of God.
  • Our innocence before men, healing through time, and justification before God are ours the through the power of the Blood of Jesus.

We have no need of telescopes or microscopes to find the life we enjoy.  We simply inhale the Breath of God, gaze into our hearts, and find Jesus there.

Scriptures

Romans 6:23 NKJV
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Luke 12:15
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Genesis 2:6-7
…the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Psalm 16:11
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Matthew 10:39; 19:17
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
… If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
Luke  21:19
By standing firm you will gain life.

Prayer of Confession:
John’s Testimony of Christ
John 1:1-5; 1 John 1:1-3; John 1:10-14
(from The Book of Daily Worship, adapted SRP)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. 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. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 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:
My Life Is In You
Words and Music: Daniel Gardner

My life is in You, Lord,
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You. (Repeat)

I will praise You with all of my heart.
I will praise You with all of my hope.
With all of my life, and all of my strength.
All of my hope is in You.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 1, 2017

Privilege

Yesterday, duty; today, privilege—these two things are not opposites. 
The dictionary definition of privilege: “…a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor: prerogative; especially: such a right or immunity attached specifically to a position or an office.”

Our duty to God is an extreme privilege—one reserved for those who enter into the New Covenant, the Jesus Covenant.  The Bible calls our privileges mysteries: knowledge, access, and peace unavailable until Jesus completed His mission on the earth.

Our privileges are many:

  • Above all, the real and complete forgiveness of our sins,
  • The active and thorough regeneration of the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence,
  • The ready access to the Throne Room of God Most High through Jesus—the privilege of prayer,
  • The amazing partnership we enjoy with God Almighty as we obey His will and our human efforts are sanctified in the natural world and amplified in the spiritual realm to advance God’s Kingdom which is coming and His will which is being done on this earth even as it is in heaven.
  • The permeating prize of the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts, and
  • The privilege of a hope beyond the reach of wrongdoers and above the temporary storms of circumstance.

Our Privileges in Christ
When we call upon Jesus in repentance and accept Him as Savior and King, the record of our sins is expunged from the heavenly books.  The spotless record of Jesus is inscribed next to our name and we stand before God as if we had never sinned.  This is privilege.

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in all His power would not just visit us when we need a special touch (Oh, He does do that!) but to abide with us constantly as a holy fire fueling our life in Christ.  This is privilege.

Jesus gave us a prayer.  He told us where and when and how to pray.  He based our prayers on the character of the Father who knows our needs and has already set up answers to our petitions and set them in motion before we started praying and while we keep on praying.  This is privilege.

The Lord has called each of us to worship, Word, and witness, and He has also called us to specific tasks.  Some of these are temporary assignments and others last a lifetime.  None of these assignments is meant to be done in our own strength.  We are privileged to be guided by the wisdom of God and empowered by the Spirit of God as we work.  Such anointing is privilege.

We are called to peace, not strife, not turmoil, not tension, not fear, not dread, not doom, and certainly not gloom.  The game of life we play has an umpire—the peace of Christ.  That is what Paul meant when he told us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts—let His peace be the umpire.  Let the close calls be determined by the truth, the peace, the presence of Christ.  This is privilege.

Life isn’t fair.
Even with the Peace of Christ as the umpire, events sometimes go against us.  Sometimes we fail to live up to our privileges.  In those times, too, we have hope.  The game isn’t over.  We will win in the end.  We will reap someday if we keep on sowing the good seed.  This hope, this guarantee of a harvest is a privilege.

So, we can do our duty today, knowing how privileged we are.  The mystery hidden from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and the kings, Isaiah, and all the prophets—“Christ in us the hope of glory”—is our amazing privilege of grace.

Scriptures

Colossians 1:24-27
I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Ephesians 3:7-12
…this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
James 3:17-18
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You made me a person of privilege. Totally without reference to my own merit, You have invited me to know You, to hear Your voice, to feel Your touch, and to be ruled by Your peace. Such is too much for me to imagine and I wouldn’t even try except that I am so desperate for You. I need you, Lord, more today than yesterday, and tomorrow will find me needing You yet again, even more desperately. Yet, Your are here—living in my heart! Your Spirit abides with my Spirit. You bring the Father near. Lord Jesus, You made me a person of privilege. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song:
I Need You More
Words and Music: Lindell Cooley

I need You more, More than yesterday
I need You Lord, More than words can say
I need You more, Than ever before
I need You Lord. I need You Lord.

More than the air I breathe,
More than the song I sing,
More than the next heartbeat,
More than anything.
And Lord as time goes by I’ll be by Your side
Cause I never want to go back To my old life

Right here in Your presence Is where I belong
This old broken heart Has finally found a home
And I’ll never be alone

I need You more, More than yesterday
I need You Lord, More than words can say
I need You more, Than ever before
I need You Lord. I need You Lord.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 30, 2017

Grief

Losses must be grieved.
The greater the loss, the more devastating the grief.  In His grace, the Lord provides a healing context for our grief. We learn about this from the Gospel narrative.

The long Sabbath day between the crucifixion and the first day of the week was a day of grief like no other. The anonymous faces in the Jerusalem crowds who had only seen Jesus or heard His voice grieved the loss of a hope, mild though it may have been, that Messiah would come and deliver them from the iron grip of Rome. Those who were once were blind, deaf, dumb, sick, and lame who could now see, hear, speak, work, and walk in fullness of health had lost their healer.  They must have grieved their loss even in their new found health.

Mary of Magdala was one of these.
She had been possessed by seven demons and had served at the pleasure of countless cruel men, yet the life she knew before Jesus was stark and empty.  Her grief at the loss of Him threatened to return her to that desolate state.  Grief compounded by fear would have made her a fountain or tears if she had had any tears left to shed.

The disciples scattered, each grieving in his own way.
James and John, the “Sons of Thunder,” were silent, unable to think, or to imagine life without Jesus.  Peter, the third member of the inner circle of the disciples, could not stop thinking, remembering his sniveling denials, trembling leaf-like before strangers and a servant girl, pleading no knowledge of the man on trial.  He, the boaster, the leader, the confessor, was now the broken, the liar, and the coward.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany
This family grieved the loss of a true friend and more than that, the loss of hope; His absence was more commanding than His presence had been.

  • Mary could still smell the aroma of the perfume on her hands from the alabaster jar she had broken.  Her premonition of His death did little to comfort her now that it had actually happened.
  • Martha thought of all the meals she had prepared for Him and the joyful way He had consumed her offerings.  He made a meal of life, living each day to its fullest.  The thought of never serving Him again, was almost more than she could bear.
  • Lazarus knew more than the others about where Jesus went when breath left His body.  He tried to imagine what Jesus’ entrance into Abraham’s bosom would be like—surely those dead and waiting there would live again—he had!

Mary and the Family of Jesus
Grief had touched the family of Jesus once before, when Joseph died.  When death claimed the man who helped Jesus grow to be a man, a craftsman, a businessman, a responsible and loving man who could shoulder a man’s responsibility, Jesus comforted the rest of the family.  Who would comfort them now?

Mary had lived most of her life treasuring things in her heart that most people never imagined.
She knew the awful prophecies of Isaiah about how Messiah must suffer and bear the sins of all.  She remembered the words of the old man Simeon at the Temple on the day that she and Joseph presented Jesus to the Lord, “A sword shall pierce your heart.”  On this Sabbath she felt the sharp blade of the sword.  Unlike the others, Mary’s grief was tinged with hope.  She had learned to listen carefully to the words of her Son and to remember them.  He predicted His death, surely enough, but usually with another prediction—he would come back from death in three days.  Even in her weakened condition, exhausted from the horrid spectacle of the trials, scourging, and crucifixion, this hope restrained her grief.  Perhaps she was the only one of His follower who rested any at all on that Saturday.

That Saturday of grief slowly melted into night.  The mocking sun, with it empty promise of light, retreated in shame beneath the western horizon.  The darkness somehow did not feel the same.  Perhaps tomorrow…

Scriptures:
Luke 2:34-35
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Mark 10:33-34
“We are going up to Jerusalem…and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”
Luke 23:54-56
It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your redemption is so complete You even provide a context of hope in which we can grieve our losses. You give us hope as the antidote for our grief and as we focus on You the antidote takes effect and our grief is abated. Losses will come to us in this life, but You have walked this path before and even now You are our Companion-in-the-way. Many time in each our lives we feel like we occupy the days between the empty cross and the empty tomb, days of grief to be sure, but also days of hope. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Song:
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Words: Bernard of Clairvaux; Music: Passion Chorale (Hassler)

1. O sacred head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, your only crown.
O sacred head, what glory and blessing you have known!
Yet, though despised and gory, I claim you as my own.

2. My Lord, what you did suffer was all for sinner’s gain;
Mine was the transgression, but yours the deadly pain.
So here I kneel, my Savior, for I deserve your place;
Look on me with thy favor and save me by your grace.

3. What language shall I borrow to thank you, dearest Friend,
For this, your dying sorrow, your pity without end?
Lord, make me yours forever,a loyal servant true,
And let me never, never outlive my love to you.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 27, 2017

Participation

The story of Jesus is unique among religious literature. 
Instead of mankind desperately seeking God, God came to earth as a man to break the in barrier between God and man.  Instead of poets dreaming up gods of their own imaginations, God revealed exactly who He is: the face, the voice, the touch of Jesus.  The glory of Jesus is not a glory to be achieved; it is a glory to simply behold in humility, repentance, and faith.

The Table of the Lord demonstrates our participation in the mystery of redemption.  One of the Greek words for participation is koinoneo which means

“to have a share of, to share with, take part in” is translated “to be partaker of”
(Vine’s Dictionary of NT Words)

Koinoneo emphasizes the fellowship resulting from shared experiences and beliefs.  Somehow, when we come to the table we do not just observe a memorial of the ministry of Jesus.  We actually participate in the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.  What are these mysteries?  They are summed up by Paul in seven words:

“…Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

This is the theme of everything said and done at the Last Supper.  This meal marked the passing of the Passover and the coming of “The Great Thanksgiving”—the Eucharist.  No longer a celebration of a deliverance from in the distant past, our Fellowship Meal (koinoneo) is a participation in a current deliverance from sin and destruction.

Jesus said we should participate in the bread and the cup as a remembrance of Him.  Our English word, “remembrance” comes from the Greek word, anamnesis which means:

“a remembrance” (“again”) …not “in memory of” but in an affectionate calling of the Person Himself to mind; (b) of the “remembrance” of sins… is not simply an external bringing to “remembrance,” but an awakening of mind. (Vine’s Dictionary)

At the Lord’s Table we do more than remember, we participate.
The Holy Spirit ministers to us as we believe in Jesus’ Body and Blood, His substance and His life.  He told us in John chapter six what it meant to eat and drink of His substance and life—it is to believe—this is the work of God.

John 6:28-29
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

At that Last Passover and First Communion, Jesus spoke of our participation in the New Covenant:

  • We would enjoy the complete forgiveness of sins.
  • We would engage in a life empowered by the Holy Spirit.
  • We would be branches in Him, the True Vine, bearing much fruit.
  • We would be destined for eternal life in His Father’s house.
  • We would have the opportunity to be one with Him as He is one with the Father.

He prayed that we would seize the opportunity.

As we consider the events of the final week of Jesus’ ministry of this earth, we do more than remember, we participate.  We are there

  • at the table,
  • in the Garden,
  • at the arrest,
  • through the night of trials in the courts of men,
  • on the road to Calvary,
  • at the cross,
  • in the storm and darkness,
  • hearing His last words,
  • seeing Him lifeless and still, silent,
  • weeping at the tomb through the night, and
  • rejoicing in the dawn of a new day, a New Covenant and a new life!

The story of Jesus is unique among religious literature.

Scriptures:
Mark 14:22-26
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”  When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
2 Peter 1:4
… he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
1 Corinthians 10:15-17
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?  Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Colossians 1:24-27
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.  I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.  To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are more than the leader of my religion, the philosopher whose words I try to follow, or my hero from history. You are my Deliverer, my Savior, my best Friend, my King, my Counselor, and my Companion in the way. Today I will listen to Your voice sounding in music of Your creation, in the words of friends, and in the silences in between. I believe in the power of your substance—Your Word, Your presence, Your strength. I believe in the power of Your life—the Holy Spirit, the force of divine creation and restoration of what has been lost. I will carefully place my feet in Your footprints clearly seen in the path of life before me. In Your Matchless Name, Amen.

Song:
Break Thou the Bread of Life
Words: Mary A. Lathbury; Music: William F. Sherwin

1. Break now the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
as once you broke the loaves beside the sea.
Beyond the sacred page I seek you, Lord;
my spirit waits for you, O living Word.

2. Bless your own word of truth, dear Lord, to me,
as when you blessed the bread by Galilee.
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
and I shall find my peace, my All in all!

3. You are the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
your holy word the truth that rescues me.
Give me to eat and live with you above;
teach me to love your truth, for you are love.

4. O send your Spirit now, dear Lord, to me,
that he may touch my eyes and make me see.
Show me the truth made plain within your Word,
for in your book revealed I see you, Lord.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 19, 2017

 

Plans

Plans are mental constructs.
We might write them down, chart them on a wall, or fill a handy notebook with them, but they are products of the mind with no real substance of their own until we put them in motion.

In The Gift of Asher Lev, the second of his two books about the divinely gifted young artist who comes up in a system that does not recognize his gift as one from God, the author, Chaim Potok, places a question in the mouth of Asher’s wife: “Is there a plan, Asher?”

It is a good question to ask. All too often we feel we have the right plan for our lives, the one the Lord has given us when circumstances seem to turn against us.

A Terribly White Christmas
I remember one Christmas when we worked for months on a beautiful musical celebration of the story by Carolina Christian Arts—our production ministry at the church I was serving. When the planned weekend came a snow storm came with it. We had to cancel opening night and opened instead on a Sunday afternoon when every other church in town was closed because of the storm.

This was disappointing to all of us but my theology was shaken. I planned for every contingency I could imagine but the weather was out of my control. Why would God let us go through the agony of creation without the ecstasy of presentation? All we wanted to do was tell His story.

I still don’t know the answer.

Sometimes we label and sort out our plans:

  • Plan A,
  • Plan B, and
  • Worst Case Scenario.

As we pray and think through this season of Lent, a question often comes to mind: “All this suffering of Jesus on our behalf, was it Plan A, or was it some sort of divine improvisation because of the unexpected entrance of sin into the world?”

It was so from before the beginning.
Be assured, the Plan of Salvation is Plan A. God’s motivations are lost in the blinding light of His divinity and are certainly “beyond finding out” by mortals like us.

We can, however, gain insight into a certain depth of the Creator’s reasons for this plan. Since we are made in His image and since we each have a deep need for fellowship, I believe it is safe to believe that God has a deep desire for fellowship as well.

In 1927, the Poet James Weldon Johnson put these words into the Creator’s mouth:

“And God stepped out on space, And he looked around and said: I’m lonely –I’ll make me a world.”

This is art not scripture but I suspect it is pretty close to the truth.
All that we think about in Lent and in the Holy Week comes from God’s plan from the beginning to create us, to give us free will to choose or reject Him, and to provide a way back to Him.

Is there a plan?—Yes.
Once the evil snake was loosed in the world, the heel of the Seed of Mary had to be bruised so that He could then crush Satan’s head.

We should not think of the Passion of the Christ as another sad tragedy—a brilliant young man of peace struck down by violence. This is the plan of God no longer hidden in clouds of majesty or promised in prophecies of old. This is the plan of God set in motion.

Scriptures:
Genesis 3:14-15 NKJV
So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
Ephesians 1:3-10 The Message
How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people — free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
Proverbs 16:9; 19:21 NKJV
A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord ‘s counsel — that will stand.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back from captivity.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your throne sits above the realm of time, founded upon eternity itself. Your wisdom is, as the prophet declared, “past finding out.” Though billions of individuals roam this planet, You know each of us by name. We each have a lodging place in Your heart and in Your great mind there is a plan for each one of us. Today, You will turn another page in Your plan for me. Help me see and obey. If I cannot see it, help me do what I know is right anyway. I trust in Your plan for me, seen or unseen, understood or a mystery. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

Song:
Trust and Obey
Words and Music: John H. Sammis

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will, he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.

Refrain

3. But we never can prove the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor he shows, for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

4. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
What he says we will do, where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 18, 2017

Redeemed

The opposite of redeemed is ruined.
For a creature that was designed to exist in a state of being “a little lower than the angels,” we have made an amazing mess of things. We can’t plead innocence, saying we didn’t ruin things; it was Adam and Eve. That is technically true but it is no acquittal. It is not even a verdict of “not guilty.” We come into this world filled with the potential for ruination which is quickly set in motion.

The home, intended as a safe haven, has been invaded by media and malice, anger and abuse, hunger and hatred, neglect and negativity and has for too many children become a danger zone. Even in the best of homes, children have to be taught to be truthful, unselfish, considerate, respectful, and thoughtful of others. These things do not come naturally to us. As Oscar Hammerstein said of prejudice in the musical play, “South Pacific,” these things have to be carefully taught.

A Slow Ruination
Though Adam and Eve were created whole, they failed to live in obedience to God, tempted by the one tree of which they must not partake. That tiny harvest of forbidden fruit ruined them. Like them, each child comes into this world with a clean slate, a record free from accounts of evils done. At some point, the child will find his or her one tree that is forbidden and with full knowledge that it is wrong, pluck its sweet fruit and consume it. From this point the ledger will begin to fill with deeds and attitudes right and wrong, good and bad. In supreme irony, as the child grows in stature and intellect, the list of sins grows as well—a slow ruination at work in the background of a fast-developing life.

Other, more blessed processes are also in motion.

  • Prayers from parents, relatives, pastors, and other Christian friends are at work.
  • The Holy Spirit is on the scene speaking to the child in quiet, surprising moments.
  • Christian music is on in the car and in the home—the words of the godly poets flying like arrows to the heart of the child.
  • Pastors and teachers get the child’s attention and tell them things the world will never tell them. They embrace each child and become the arms of Christ to them. They listen to the children and show them that God is there and He is concerned.

At some point many  who have been ruined will be redeemed.
When the work of the Spirit and the fallen nature of the child are both at work, they are on a collision course.

  • That collision may occur in a Sunday School room as it did for me at age five. It may happen during a worship service or in the quietness of a child’s room just before going to sleep.
  • Some children may live to be adults before the prayers of the saints, the words of the witnesses, and the pursuit of the Spirit collides with their ruination.
  • The result is the same—redemption. Sadly, many will never reach that moment.

The Verdict Is Innocent
Jesus came to redeem us, to clear our record of wrong and restore us a new verdict before God. The verdict goes beyond “not guilty” to “innocent.” How can this be? It is because to be redeemed is to not only be restored from ruination, but it is to stand before God as if we had never sinned. It is the sentence pronounced at the end of the Creation Week—“Good. Very Good.”

Scriptures:
Psalm 107:1-32 NIV
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this — those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. …Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
Colossians 2:13-15 NIV
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross
Ephesians 1:3-9 NIV
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ… In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the prayers of saints I have yet to meet who prayed my forbears and me into Your presence. Thank for the divine encounter I had with You as a child—knowing Your presence has been the central reality of my life. Thank You for my parents, pastors, teachers, and friends who instructed me with words and by example in the ways that would please You. Thank You, Lord for saving me from ruin and giving me, instead, a wonderful, on-going redemption.

Song of Testimony:
Redeemed
Words: Fanny Crosby; Music William J. Kirkpatrick

1. Redeemed—how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.

Refrain:
Redeemed! Redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Redeemed! Redeemed! His child and forever I am.

2. Redeemed and so happy in Jesus, no language my rapture can tell;
I know that the Light of His presence with me doth continually dwell.

Refrain

3. I think of my blessed Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long;
I sing for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.

Refrain

4. I know I shall see in His beauty the King in whose law I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps and giveth me songs in the night.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 12, 2017

Shadows

Shadows may seem like illusions but they are very real.
Something through which light cannot pass blocks the source of illumination and casts a shadow.

  • On a clear day, we trace the progress of the sun by the length and shape of the shadow of our house.
  • A cloudy day is a day of shadows from horizon to horizon, the sun is hidden behind the overcast skies and the whole world below turns in shadow.
  • Riding in a plane, high above the earth, we can sometimes see the shadow of the plane racing across the ground far below, wiggling wildly as it traces the topography of the earth, effortlessly climbing hills, exploring canyons, and running across lakes and streams.

Shadows tell us truths.
They may not carry much weight as they stretch longer and longer as the day draws to a close, but shadows carry important information:

  • The day begins in long shadows from the east, signally that we have a fresh set of mercies from the hand of the Lord.
  • Clouds pass between us and the noonday sun, gathering for an afternoon of rain by the barrel, bolts of lightning, and blasting breezes to make us run for cover.
  • As the storm passes, light streams through the retreating clouds casting colors, not shadows, as a rainbow circles part of the earth with a promise.

The Scriptures tell us of certain shadows:

  • There is a valley we must all walk through where death casts a long shadow. We do not fear for this shadow cannot harm us deeply, it can only signal that life itself is a shadow on the earth. Life is an earthly shadow cast by a heavenly light, a spiritual lighthouse, guiding us through dangerous waters and seeing us safely home.
  • There is a blessed shadow—the Shadow of His Wings! Here we are safe from all harms, covered by grace, cooled by hope against the heat of the day, and blanketed in peace, the peace of Christ.
  • There is also the shadow of Peter. The Bible says that sometimes in the streets of that ancient world, the shadow of Peter passed over the sick folks and they were healed. The influence of the Spirit-filled man of God had a healing impact on the world through which he walked.

And so it must be with us today.
Fearing no shadows in the valley of death, we live and move and have our being beneath the shadow of the wings of Almighty God. As we pass through streets and alleyways of this life, we cast a healing shadow on those in our path.

Sometimes shadows of circumstance may obscure our steps but, like the warmth of the sun, hidden by clouds but still emanating life to the earth below, the Spirit of God leads us through the shadows. We can be sure of our destination.

Shadows may seem like illusions but they are very real.

Scriptures:
Psalm 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling — even the Lord, who is my refuge — then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
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, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Acts 5:12-16 NIV
The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I stand today in the shadow of great men and women—family, preachers, teachers, craftsmen and artists, writers—good and/or godly people You have put in my path. Their shadows have provided me a safe place to learn from them, a place where I can look within my own heart to see any shadows lurking there that need to flee from the light of Your will for me. I realize that I, too, cast a shadow on others. Let my shadow be a healing shadow, a respite from the heat of the day. This is only possible because I rest beneath the shadow of Your wings. As my time runs across the ground like the shadow of a speeding jet, help it matter to someone. In Your lovely Name, Amen.

Song:
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
Words: Fanny Crosby; Music: Robert Lowry

1. All the way my Savior leads me; What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know whate’er betide me, Jesus doeth all things well.

2. All the way my Savior leads me; Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial, Feeds me with the living bread:
Though my weary steps may falter, And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see.

3. All the way my Savior leads me; Oh the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised In my Father’s house above:
When my spirit, clothed immortal, Wings its flight to realm of day,
This my song through endless ages: Jesus led me all the way.

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