pathoflifedevotions Devotions, October

October 10, 2017 “Doing”

Doing

A King’s Last Command
King David, sensing death nearby, whispered to his chosen son Solomon a word of advice that would make his life a blessing.  “My son, do the work…”

Some people are good at planning things to do, but seldom get around to actually doing them.  Others talk a good job but never seem to be caught actually working.  Still others carefully time their entrances and exits when the work ends or when it is just getting started so that to the casual observer it looks like they have done something but they really haven’t done anything.  There are also dreamers who imagine themselves as productive people but their deeds are also merely dreams.

We can’t do anything about those kinds of people.  We can only make sure we are not found in their company.  If we have made plans, let us get busy doing what is necessary to achieve the plans.  If we can “talk the talk,” let’s make sure we also, “walk the walk.”  Let’s put as much thought into finding out what needs to be done and lending our strengths and efforts to the tasks as others do avoiding work.  Let’s bring our heads down out of the clouds and get our hands dirty with the work that must be done.

Wisdom for the Ages
King David’s charge to his son Solomon as the moment of this transfer of power is one of the most useful pieces of instruction in the Bible.  Twice David told his son to, “Do the work.”  This is wisdom for the ages.

When we see those we admire for their great abilities, there is more than talent on display.  We are observing the effective work of someone who has “done the work” it took to develop talent into skill.

  • Talent, the ability to readily learn to do something, is God’s gift to us.
  • Skill, the ability to do something well, is our gift to God.

One of the most amazing things about watching an orchestra play in concert is the realization that in the space of an hour or so of musical presentation, we are reaping the benefits of countless hours of lessons and practice, drills and rehearsals on the part of the players.  One doesn’t learn to play an instrument well without “doing the work.”

Faith without Works
In the New Testament the Lord’s brother warns us that our faith is demonstrated by what we do, not just by what we know and certainly not by what we say.  The apostle makes it clear that each believer has work to do for God, not to earn his/her salvation by good deeds outweighing bad ones, but by demonstrated the power of the redeemed life.  We are called to be more than good planners, exciting talkers, clever work avoiders, or useless dreamers.  We are called to me people of good hearts and good deeds.  Our hearts have been cleansed by the washing of the water and the Word and our daily deeds are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This week, do not be a hearer only; be a doer!  Hear King David whispering across the ages of time, “Do the work!”

Scriptures:
1 Chronicles 28:9-10; 20-21
“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.”… David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
1 Peter 3:11
… turn from evil and do good…
James 1:22-25; 2:18-19
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does…Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.
Hebrews 13:16
… do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth… Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Colossians 3:17; 23-25
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Ephesians 2:9-10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, all around me today, there is work to be done for You. Help me to see it and to do my part of it. Some tasks are one-time events and therefore are opportunities not to be missed. Other work is part of a longer process. These jobs won’t be finished today but the work we do today is important to the final result. Help me function as a problem solver on the job today. Give me the solutions my co-workers are looking for. Help me esteem my fellow workers as brothers and sisters. Let me be the kind of person they can count on. May the work of my hands be praise and worship unto You, today! For Your glory, Lord! Amen.

Song:
Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated
Words: Frances Ridley Havergal; Music: Henri Cesar Malan

1 Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.

2 Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.

3 Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own; it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.

6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 30, 2017 “Investigate”

Investigate

Each of us has a bit of the snoop in us.
We like to find things out, to investigate matters, to ask questions that provide insight into a mystery. For some this is a life’s work. The professional may be a scientist, an explorer, a reporter, a policeman or government agent, a student or anyone whose work and main interest is investigation. Some who do not make a living at it, may be amateur sleuths, hobbyists, or students who investigate things for fun. At the bottom of the list of perpetual investigators would be gossips, whose natural curiosity has mutating into malice.

A Gift from God
Curiosity, as the old saying goes, may have killed a cat or two, but it is really a gift from God. We were created to be inquisitive. The desire to discover how something works is deep in the human heart. The need to understand what we see, hear, and taste is a prime mover of the human mind.

For all the ages of people on the earth, the night sky has prompted awe and wonder peppered as it is with clear points of light all moving in each its own way. Some even stream fire as they race to an appointment primitive people could only wonder about. God placed a huge bright disk in the night sky and made it appear to change shapes regularly and move lazily from horizon to horizon, sometimes hiding behind clouds and at other lines pulling on our brains with tides of wonder as the moon pulls the waters of the seas. Why would God do something like that? Surely it was to cause us to wonder, to imagine and eventually to actually go there, a journey made possible by mankind’s desire to investigate.

“The heavens are telling…”
The marvels of creation are a testament to who God is and to the precision of His handiwork. From the tiniest particles of matter, light, and energy to the vast reaches of an ever-expanding universe, God the Creator, has given us a cosmos designed for investigation. Like the whole of creation, the flower of all creation, the human being, is so minute in the mysteries of life in the cell, so complex in the workings of mind, and so spectacular in the capabilities of the body, that investigators have been compelled to explore the cell, probe the soul, and to celebrate the arts and athletics of mankind. It must delight the Lord God when we unravel a mystery He has hidden for us to explore.

As just one example, think of the ability to fly.
The desire to fly like the birds predated the discovery of powered flight by thousands of years, years of experimentation and investigation. Surely no one smiled a bigger smile than the Lord at Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903. The same could be said for the multigenerational searches that led to discoveries that benefitted mankind. When we investigate creation, we are doing the work God put us here to do.

Are You and Investigator?
Do not protest that you are not a scientist or inventor or explorer so there is nothing for you to investigate.

  • Remember The Book. God has given us a detailed, demanding document for our investigation. Asking questions of God is an ancient spirituality that delights Him.
  • The Psalms are full of questions, some answered and some not. The faith God wants us to enjoy is one of asking, inquiring, seeking, finding, listening, and receiving.
  • Even the silence of God on a matter tells us much if we are truly investigating.
  • The heart of God is revealed in Jesus; if you want to know who God is, investigate Jesus.

Follow your God-given desire to know and to understand. Ask in faith instead of cynicism or doubt and you will receive. Never lose the wonder of the night sky with its stunning stars and mystifying moon, for the heavens are still telling of the glory of God!

Scriptures:
Psalm 19:1-6
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
Psalm 24:1-2
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
Psalm 40:4-5
Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.
Psalm 89:5-8
The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
Genesis 1:1-2
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, It gives You great joy when I investigate Your goodness, Your creation, and Your plan for me. Help me be consistent in my consumption of Your Word. Excite my curiosity concerning Your world. Assist me to look deep into my own heart as the Holy Spirit illumines my mind. Let there be no wicked ways in me. Give me insight into the hearts of the people in my life so that I might serve them better. Show me Your ways, O Lord! Show me Your ways. For Your Kingdom, Lord. Amen.

Song:
Show Me Your Ways
Words and Music: Russell Fragar

Show me Your ways That I may walk with You
Show me Your ways I put my hope in You
The cry of my heart Is to love You more
To live with the Touch of Your hand
Stronger each day Show me Your ways

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 26, 2017 “Magalene”

Magdalene

She had not slept, really.
O there were periods of unconsciousness, of fitful, restless nothingness, but no real sleep. It was still dark as she looked in on the Lord’s mother. This Mary from Magdala would have to awaken the Mary from Nazareth. They had to go to the tomb.

As she gently shook Mary’s shoulder, the older woman’s deep breathing shallowed into a sigh. She turned and smiled at the younger woman. Mother Mary’s eyes were as red as any in this company of care-givers. They had fed Jesus, clothed Him, boarded Him, listened to Him and loved Him through His amazing life, and amazingly, through an agonizing death. They had clothed Him one final time in the linen of the grave.

Without speaking they prepared for their journey. Mary Magdalene’s thoughts raced through her tired brain. Random words of scripture confronted her. Since she was a little girl, like all the girls in Magdala, Mary had prayed the Psalms, memorizing them. Throughout her life, at the oddest times, words from the Psalms would suddenly spring to the front of her mind. For a woman who had fallen into a life of sin, these sudden bursts of scripture were a nuisance. But since Jesus delivered her, she welcomed them.

This morning it was this:

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; My body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.

She would not let herself think of Jesus, still and cold, in that dark stone tomb. The words continued to assault her.

“You will not abandon me to the grave.”

She knew something of the grave. She had lived her own living death, like a tomb guarded by seven demons. They forced her, controlled her, used her. She remembered when Jesus found her. When she heard the voice of Jesus, quiet and clear, slicing through the hellish din of her seven tormentors, they screamed in agony at His presence but were powerless before Him. At his calm command they fled Mary’s soul. As light seeped into her darkness, she saw Jesus’ face for the first time. Her empty soul flooded with one question:

What would this strong man demand of her?

In His face she saw no reason to fear. She emerged from her private tomb into a world of peace and light, of rest and security. It was all in His face! He would not force her. He would never use her. His Lordship over her would be a reign of peace, not terror, of disciplined joy, not shackles and bruises and broken promises.

Now He was in His own tomb. Her memories shrank into the reality she had to face. The voice inside spoke again.

“…nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.”

In the darkness of her soul, her thoughts began to break down. It was all an illusion, the foolish dreams of foolish women who had believed the words of a man. As long as Jesus was in that tomb, Mary’s sins were still in her soul. The emptiness of the tomb-life was nothing compared to the emptiness she felt at the foot of the cross.

“My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”

Silently, shrouded in black against the pale dawn sky, the women arrived at the tomb. The earth began to shake. An angel in shining raiment appeared and rolled the heavy stone away. Each feminine heart stopped as each woman ceased to breathe—a brief moment of death for each of them.

“Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.”

Their hearts started beating again as they resumed breathing, a brief moment of resurrection for each of them. The angel told them to go and tell the men.

As they went, Jesus met them. He even called Mary of Magdala by name. She fell at his feet as Jesus swept away the darkness of her soul. It was not all a foolish dream.

“Do not cling to me, Mary. But go and tell the others.”

She obeyed. But she would always cling to Him, in prayer as she found Him in the ancient psalms, and in life as His presence was with her always. There were no broken promises from this man!

Scriptures:
Mark 16: 10; 1-9
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away — for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples — and Peter — that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
John 20:11-18
But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord,* and that He had spoken these things to her.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, let this day have a touch of “Resurrection Day” in it. I will cling to You as Mary Magdalene did. You are my hope, my strength, my victory, my cause for rejoicing. May I never forget all that You have done for me and may I always remember Your unfailing promises to me. Let me live today like it is Easter morn! Amen and Amen.

Song:
He Arose
Words and Music: Robert Lowry

1. Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,
waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain:
Up from the grave he arose; with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2. Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,
vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain

3. Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 21, 2017 “Need”

Need

Desires and Needs
The desires of the heart and the requirements of our work and play can sometimes work against each other producing a state of confusion.  If we really want something, it feels like we need it.  If we have a goal to reach, there are certain things the quest requires.  We want to reach the goal so much this also feels like a need.

Need, however, is much simpler than the desires/requirements state of confusion.  Desires and requirements are noisy little nuisances that clamor through our days distracting us here and there according to the conflicted hungers of the human body and soul.  Need, on the other hand, is a quiet, persistent call to survival, not entertainment or achievement.

Human need can be expressed with a very short list of physical needs:

  • Air,
  • Water,
  • Food,
  • Shelter, and
  • Clothing.

The spiritual life has an even simpler expression of need—Jesus:

  • His grace,
  • His truth,
  • His Spirit,
  • His presence,
  • His power, and
  • His church.

A Method to see the Difference
Prayer is a method for sorting out the confusion that sometimes exists when we deal with desires, task requirements, and real needs.  The Lord has promised to meet all our needs.  When we ask for something in prayer and it does not happen, it may be that that thing is just a desire and not really a need.  When we are attempting to do what God has called us to do and that work requires things that we ask for in prayer but do not receive, this also may be an indication that those things may not be requirements after all.  God will show other ways to do His work as He supplies what we really need.  Of course there is a third possible explanation for not having what we need when we have prayed for it; perhaps it just isn’t God’s time yet.  We hear it said that there are three answers to prayer: yes, no, and wait.  There is much truth in this.

Two Sets of Needs
There are two sets of needs that should concern us:

  • our needs and
  • the needs of those we care about.

God has covenanted with us to supply all our needs.  He also wants to use us to supply what others within our sphere of influence need.

  • Bread winners in the home provide the human needs listed above for the rest of the family.
  • The spiritual head of the family supplies regular access to Jesus so that spiritual needs can be met.
  • The household of faith, the family of God must be our concern as well.  Supporting the local church in offerings and service is one of the ways God uses us to meet the needs of others.

By exalting the name of Jesus with our worship, our work, and our witness, thereby touching a hurting humanity with the Good News about Jesus, we help meet the greatest need of others—a relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Scriptures:
Matthew 6:6-8; 31-34
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Philemon 4:10-13; 19
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
James 2:14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
2 Corinthians 8:13-15
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your promise to meet all my needs. As I delight in You, even the desires of my heart change into Your desires for me. You have promised me those as well. Help me to delight in You today! Change the desires of my heart to match the desires of Your heart. Cleanse me from selfish motives and ungodly desires. Let me echo Your great prayers: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done,” here and now, just as it is in heaven. I will “seek first Your kingdom and righteous” and I know all me needs will be met. You are my sufficiency! Thank You, Lord! Amen.

Song:
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Words: Thomas O. Chisholm; Music: William M. Runyan

1. “Great is thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changtest not, thy compassions, they fail not.
As Thou hast been Thou forever will be.

Refrain:
“Great is thy faithfulness!” “Great is thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided–
“Great is thy faithfulness!” Lord unto me!

2. Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above.
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 12, 2017 “Tribute”

Tribute

We honor our friends when they achieve notable milestones.
We give tribute to the great ones we have known when they pass from this world to the regions beyond.  Praise is really our tribute to the Lord, our detailed exposition of His glory and our gratitude for His impact on our lives.

Early in the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry an outstanding tribute was given to Him by Mary of Bethany.  She possessed a container of a valuable ointment called Nard.  The container itself reflected the value its contents; it was a superb jar of alabaster, a white semi-translucent mineral used for fine vases and decorative items.    It was her most prized possession.

Jesus often stayed in their home in Bethany to rest from the rigors of public ministry and private mentorship.  The Bible says that Mary and her sister, Martha, made Jesus welcomed in their home.  Her brother was the famous one who had been raised from death at Jesus’ command.  Mary’s accustomed place was at the feet of Jesus, listening to His every word.

On this night, her sensitive heart was deeply troubled.
She seems to have been the only one who heard Jesus’ frequent predictions of His coming sacrifice.  Overcome with love and grief she broke her alabaster jar and lavished its contents on Jesus.  With this act of worship she earned the rebuke of the disciples and the commendation of the Lord.

A Lesson in Worship
The details of just where and exactly when she paid tribute to her Savior are not clear in the Bible.  The important things are crystal clear and from these details we learn much about worshiping the Lord Jesus.

  • True worship is costly. Tribute literally means a payment of money as a sign of submission or allegiance.
  • True worship is willingly given.  No one forced Mary to make this tribute; her love compelled her.
  • True worship demands our best gifts.  God is worthy of nothing less.
  • True worship blesses the Lord.  Of all His followers, Mary touched the Lord’s heart in a special, meaningful way.  Our worship matters to the Lord Jesus.

Hear the words of commendation Jesus gave her when the disciples rebuked her:

  • “She has done a beautiful thing to me.”
  • “She did what she could.”
  • “She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.”
  • “I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Our worship is our tribute to the Lord Jesus. 
We can do something beautiful to Him as we give Him the best of our talents, skills, words, time, and energies.  We can praise Him at the limits of our abilities.  We can be in tune with the moment-by-moment leadership of the Spirit, sensing as Mary did, the significance of every day.

When we gather with the church to minister to Jesus, each of us breaks our own alabaster jar and lavishes it on Jesus in tribute to Him.  As we do this, the Gospel is empowered by the Holy Spirit to reach our part of the world.  Souls will be born into His Kingdom and that is the greatest tribute of all.

Scriptures:
Luke 10:38-42 NKJV
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
John 12:1-6
Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Matthew 26:8-13
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I don’t have to wait for Sunday services to break my alabaster jar! I do it now! I focus my heart on You. I open it and pour its contents on You in the most profound love I can express. If there are hard places in my heart, I invite You, Holy Spirit to break them. I want nothing between us, Lord except love. I break my heart open, even the dark, hidden places that only You and I know about. I want that darkness to flow out of me—a catharsis of worship, of pain, of bitterness, of confusion—whatever abides there that is not Your plan for me. I will wait in Your presence for the ministry of the Spirit to do this breaking, emptying, and filling work in me. Lord, this is the greatest tribute I can bring today. In Your Holy Name, Amen.

Song:
Change My Heart, O God
Words and Music: Eddie Espinova

Change my heart, O God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God.
May I be like You.

You are the Potter.
I am the clay.
Mold me and make me.
This is what I pray.

Change my heart, O God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God.
May I be like You.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 6, “Growth”

Growth

As a child we never had to think about growth.
It just happened as we ate and played and went to school and played and slept only to wake up to do it all again another day.  The only ones who worried about our growth were our moms and dads, and maybe just our moms.  It seemed like we always grew out of our dress shoes on a Sunday morning or we always had to buy new clothes that were too big at the beginning of the school because our mom knew we would grow into them. When the first baby tooth turned loose it scared us until we found out it was a natural part of growth and that new ones—permanent ones!—would replace them.  Some of us still remember the pains in the calves of our legs at night that our moms called “growing pains.”

In a few years growing up stopped and we were as tall as we were ever going to be.  At precisely that moment, whether we knew it or not, the battle to keep from growing out began.  We will fight against that kind of growth the rest of our lives.

From School to Life
Most of our growing up years involved schooling, first in the basics of communication, numbers, and a fundamental sense of who we were as citizens.  After varying numbers of years we were graduated from the school system never to return.

The learning processes, however, did not stop.  We had to learn how to live and how to make a living.  Some of us kept going to schools that specialized in skills, facts, and concepts to help us become productive members of society.  Our mental growth became our responsibility and we either reaped the rewards for growth or we suffered the consequences of the lack of knowledge and skills that locked us into poverty and dependency on others.

Spiritual Growth
Like so many other physical dimensions of life, there is a spiritual parallel to physical and mental growth.

  • The Bible is clear that we should grow up in the knowledge and skills required to be a productive member of the Kingdom of God.
  • Christian maturity doesn’t happen just because time passes.  It is all too common to find believers in Jesus who are advanced in years but still have not grown up in God.

Christian growth is not automatic or accidental—it is intentional.   We need spiritual food and exercise.

  • The Bible says the Word of God is both baby food and adult food—milk and meat.
  • Jesus said believing in Him at the Table of the Lord was like taking bread and wine for the spirit.
  • Jesus said that doing the will of God was “food” that the disciples knew nothing about.
  • Jesus told us the Holy Spirit would be a well of living water flowing inside of us.

If we regularly partake of the spiritual food and drink of unending life the Lord offers, we will grow.  We will mature and no longer be aged children.  To grow strong demands disciplined, consistent exercise.  Spiritual strength is the same; spiritual disciplines are a sure thing—if we do them we will have unlimited spiritual growth.

More than the Passing of Time
It is time to put away any childish notion that the passing time will make us grow in the Lord.  It just isn’t so.  For the disciplined believer who serves the Lord growth does not have to diminish with the passing of time, we can grow spiritually even as the outward person fades.  One day we will draw a final weak breath of earthly atmosphere and the next breath will be laden with the scent of glory and our growth in spirit will continue for all eternity.

Scriptures:
1 Peter 2:1-3
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Ephesians 4:14-16
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
John 4:32-34
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”  …”My food… is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
John 6:28-29; 32-36
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…I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me grow in You today! When this day ends and this allotted sunshine fades, may the evening find me stronger than I am at this moment. May my knowledge of You be deeper and sweeter and may I look back on a day of obedience to Your will. As I rest tonight in the safety of Your grace, may my unconscious mind consolidate the day’s learning into permanent growth. Tomorrow, I will start all over again, but I will be different for today, by Your Spirit, I will have experienced growth! All for You Lord Jesus, all for You! Amen.

Song:
More about Jesus
Words: Eliza E. Hewitt; Music: John R. Sweney

1. More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of his saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

Refrain:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

2. More about Jesus let me learn,
More of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.

3. More about Jesus in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing his voice in ev’ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine.

4. More about Jesus on his throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More if His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of peace.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 5, 2017 “Clarity”

Clarity

A heavy fog is a dangerous impediment to orderly travel.
Some drivers ignore the fog and continue to drive at their normal above-the-speed-limit speeds, a practice that is very hard to understand.

  • Fogs turn the presumed safety of multi-lane highways into a blinding menace. In the fog brakes scream and smoke, crashes, unseen but clearly heard, fill the thick air and lives slide and crash as our suppressed terrors become real though still unseen.
  • Daylight brings the horror into view, cars and trucks frozen at odd angles up and down, often merged into mangled sculptures of meetings missed, promises broken, lives interrupted, ended or hanging by a thread, and the occasional miracle of someone simply walking away unscratched.

Even on a clear sunny day, life can become a fogbound journey.
The way ahead is obscured by clouds hanging low to the ground, even to our shoe tops and we cannot see which step to take next.

We need clarity.

We need a fresh wind of the Spirit of God to blow our way, clearing the path before us.

Jesus told us the Holy Spirit moved like the wind in ways beyond our understanding but obvious in their effect in our journey. Like a morning fog, the warmth of the Word and the soft breezes of the Spirit can clear the air for us at the beginning of each day.

Why do we choose the fog over the sweet clarity of the Word of God?
It is not as though all our questions are answered.

  • Mysterious remain, things about God or life that lie just beyond our ability to understand.
  • But mysteries never form a fog bank. They are high flying clouds that momentarily hide the sun only to see it reemerge in light and warmth.

Mysteries cast only fleeting shadows on the path before us. The light behind them is constant and clear.

Of course, we must not be a fogbank to others.
In prayer ask the Lord to show you if your witness has clarity. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit breathe away any fog in your way of living that diffuses the light He has put in you.

Clarity from Him and clarity in witness to Him are ministries of the Holy Spirit.

Scriptures:
John 3:7-8
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Job 28:23-28
God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. And he said to man, ‘The fear of the Lord-that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'”
Job 37:21-24
Now no one can look at the sun, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”
Psalm 68:1-3
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.
Psalm 135:6-7
The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Jerermiah 51:15-16
“He made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Acts 2:1
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting…

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my constant source of light. When clouds of circumstance hide Your light from me, it is only for a little while. The Bible clearly states that nothing has and nothing ever will extinguish Your light. If today should be one that is overcast, send the refreshing winds of Your Spirit to blow away the cloud cover. And Lord, help me today that I will not cloud the vision of anyone else; not a seeker desperately seeking Your light or a fellow believer looking to me for help. Keep us all safe on the dangerous roads we must travel even when the fog rolls in. Safe in You, Lord Jesus. Safe in You! Amen.

Song:
Open My Eyes that I May See
Words and Music: Clara H. Scott

1. Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes; illumine me,
Spirit divine!

2. Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear.
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears; illumine me,
Spirit divine!

3. Open my mouth, and let me bear
gladly the warm truth everywhere.
Open my heart, and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart; illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 4, 2017 “Water

Water

Water is not alive but life is not possible without it.
The most far-reaching telescopes man has invented scan the depths of the universe looking for planets or moons than host the water cycle: vapor to liquid to solid—for without water, there can be no life as we know it. The human body can go many times longer without food than without water.

Water itself is not alive but life is not possible without it.
Water is also a major biblical metaphor for the spiritual life, both that of God and that of humankind. The flow of the Life of God is seen as similar to the flow of water:

  • The River of God that strengthens the individual and makes the city glad, (Psalms)
  • The River of Life flowing from the Throne of God, (Ezekiel 43; 47; Revelation 22)
  • The inner spring of Living Water in the believer’s Heart, (John 3) and
  • The River of the Spirit of God flowing from deep within the Christ-follower to bless the world (John 7)

The Bible even makes it clear that the life itself is in the blood. Science tells us that our blood is more than 90% water.

When and Where
If we are alive it is because our blood is flowing. If the earth itself is alive it is because the water cycle is in motion. God is alive and His Spirit is flowing, A Healing Stream from His Mighty Throne. Worship leaders don’t have to make it flow; the Life of God flows because it is the Life of God. Worshipers simply have to plunge into the flow.

God’s creativity flows in all of creation from the smallest particle of the atom rushing in its miniscule circle to the stars in their courses. The will of Jesus is the force scientist call gravity. How can I say this? The New Testament says that “He holds all things together.” The world sparkles with the colors God invented and all that is alive throbs with the life He supplies.
Where? The River of Life flows from the heart of God.

When? Now, unceasingly, something beyond the reach of time, it is a flow undiminished by floods past and always full to flow in each moment as it comes.

The only remaining question is the flow of our life:
Where? From within where Jesus lives and reigns,

  • a well of fresh life,
  • a spring of His Spirit to animate ours.

When? When we tend the spring.

  • In the Secret Place of Prayer,
  • in the Sanctuary of Worship,
  •  in the public space of service, the water of our life—mixed with His—flows like a river, a river of blessing.

And thus we know we are alive.

Water itself is not alive but life is not possible without it.

Scriptures:
Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water. Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, that I might behold your power and your glory. For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; my lips shall give you praise. So will I bless you as long as I live and lift up my hands in your Name. My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips, When I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the night watches. For you have been my helper, and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice. My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast.
Leviticus 17:11 KJV
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Psalm 1:1-3; 46:4-5 NIV
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Ezekiel 47:1-2; 9 NIV
The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. …so where the river flows everything will live.
Revelation 22:1-5 NIV
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. 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.
John 4:13-14; 7:37-38 NIV
“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.”
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, asthe Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I approach Your Throne with my praise and worship, ministering to You with the Living Sacrifice of Praise. I do this because it is the pattern of heaven, revealed to Moses in the mountain and seen on earth in the Tabernacle he built. My thanksgiving is the gateway to Your presence. I my humble praise brings Your majesty even closer. By Your holy blood I pass through the torn veil into the Holy of Holies. There in the stillness of Your Covenantal Love, all I need I find in You. And there beneath Your Holy Throne a spring bubbles with new life—the fountainhead of the River of Life! Thank You, Lord!

Song:
A Healing Stream
Words and Music: Stephen Phifer

Refrain:
There’s a healing stream from the Throne of God;
Enter in. Enter in.
Pain is swept away in this healing flood.
Enter in. Enter In.

Verse:
We enter in when we praise Him.
The waters flow in our worship of Him.
Through us a healing stream,
It’s the power of His presence!

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions August, Devotions

August 31, 2017 “Family”

Family

Before there was church, there was family. 
Before there was a synagogue, a temple, or a tabernacle, there was the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  For generations the God’s chosen people were called the Children of Israel instead of the nation of Israel.  Family is the foundation of human existence.

The family today is like a track meet.
Each one runs his/her own race during the week, each on his/her own track with the chalk lines clearly drawn.  The starting gun sounds each morning and the finish line tape snaps each evening.  The runner huffs and puffs, rests for the night, and runs again tomorrow.  On Saturday, there is a great temptation to run a more recreational race, perhaps at a more leisurely pace and not in such demanding straight lines, but still an individual race, pursuing individual pleasures.

In addition to morning and evening conclaves at the breakfast and dinner tables, there is a greater chance on a Saturday for the runners to find time to be together, at least as individual pursuits will allow.

Wisdom from Antiquity
It is hard to imagine the pace of life for the Children of Israel as they emerged from Egypt and from slavery.  Surely life was lived at a slower pace.  It doesn’t really matter now, but a bit of wisdom from that time is all the more relevant in our technology-driven, super-sized lives today.  That ancient family of God was instructed to let the Word of God permeate family life.

Deut 6:4-9
…These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home … Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Our homes and our families should be saturated with the Word of God.

  • We must respect each other and treat one another by biblical principles.
  • There must be absolutely no difference between the public posture of worship and witness and the private practice of the same.

The truth children learn at home and in the House of God is the only antidote for the poisonous lies that saturate modern life.  The home must be a haven of truth, of rest, of safety, of peace—and not just any peace—the peace of God.

The last verses in the Old Testament predict a New Covenant that flows from a godly love in each family.

Malachi 4:5-6
… He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

We see the predicted curse all around us as modern life continues to erode family ties.  The Christian home must deliberately strengthen those ties that bind.

In quiet moments today, look for ways to openly love and affirm those most precious of all people—your family.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Malachi 4:5-6
“See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
Colossians 3:15-21
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, sensitize my heart! Help me love my family the way they should be loved. Help me be all that is needed. Let me be an encouragement to them. I want to be kind and true, dependable and faithful. Lord, show me how to fill the home with Your Word and show us how to honor You with our schedules. You are the Solid Rock, the Sure Foundation upon which our home stands. As storms rage and winds assail our home—You will keep us safe. Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken, the beautiful binding power of the Holy Spirit! Let us rest easy with our hope and faith in You. Amen and Amen.

Song:
Bind Us Together
Words and Music by Bob Gillman

Refrain:
Bind us together Lord
Bind us together with cords
That cannot be broken
Bind us together Lord
Bind us together Lord
Bind us together with love

1. There is only one God
There is only one King
There is only one body
That is why we can sing

Refrain
2. Made for the glory of God
Purchased by His precious Son
Born with the right to be clean
For Jesus the vict’ry has won

Refrain
3. You are the fam’ly of God
You are the promise divine
You are God’s chosen desire
You are the glorious new wine

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions August, Devotions

August 30, 2017 “Fellowship”

Fellowship

Christian spirituality is more than an individual faith, it is a corporate reality as well—a fellowship.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved