The Spiritual Life – Page 14 – The Path of Life Daily Devotions

April 24, 2017April 24, 2017 pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 24, 2017

Resolve

The admiral was right.
After his successful surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Admiral Yamamoto, of the Japanese imperial command refused to celebrate victory. He had lived and studied in America and knew something of her war making potential. Some historians believe the admiral expressed his fear with this statement, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” That “terrible resolve” destroyed the Japanese military machine in less than four years.

re·solve… to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something): I have resolved that I shall live to the full.

To resolve to do something is much deeper than making a simple decision.
We resolve to do something when a strong stimulus has affected us in a deep place. This is the kind of decision we write down and post on the bathroom mirror to be reviewed every day. We are determined that nothing will keep us from doing what we have resolved to do.

Today as we again turn our inner vision to Cause of Christ, there are some deep resolutions we need to make. Our continual contemplation of Calvary should fill us with a powerful resolve.

In view of the faithfulness of Jesus when he drank from the terrible cup of iniquity in the garden, we should resolve to live holy lives by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
With consideration for His willingness to endure the shame and suffering of the whole ordeal of the atonement, we must resolve to do whatever the Lord asks us to do for Him in this world. Our prayer should daily be, “not my will but Yours, Lord.”
In view of the mercy of God on vivid display at the Cross, we should resolve to continually offer ourselves to the Lord as living sacrifices of praise.

It is only reasonable that we do so

As we marvel at the amazing story of redemption in the Bible,

beginning from the unknown animal whose death supplied the covering for the naked guilt of Adam and Eve
to the salvation of Noah’s family through the waters of the Great Flood,
through the deliverances of the Children of Israel from the cruel slavery of Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, the forty years of God faithfulness to His faithless chosen ones in the wilderness,
to the crossing a the river Jordan and the conquest of Canaan,
to the miraculous ministries of the judges,
to the Kings, both those wise and righteous and those wicked and apostate,
to the warnings and promises of the prophets before and after the Babylonian captivity,
to the coming of the last and greatest of the prophets, John the Baptist, and finally,
to the entrance of Messiah on His earthly mission of salvation, not as conquering King but as suffering sin bearer, we must resolve to keep the story of God’s love alive!

We have a story to tell of God’s love and redemption.
Let us resolve to tell it, and tell it, and tell it again. No other story changes peoples’ hearts. No other narrative, brings reconciliation with God and peace between brothers and sisters. Only the Jesus Story dispels fear, quiets the storms of the soul, and clears the mind of falsehood.

In view of The Cause of Christ, we pledge to be the people of God, a priesthood of praise, warriors of worship, and craftsmen of the truth. Be it hereby resolved!

Scriptures:
Luke 9:51-52 NKJV
Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face.
Isaiah 50:7 KJV
For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
2 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 15:2; 58
As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain…
…Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-3
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Colossians3:2-4 NKJV
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, As Isaiah prophesied, the Bible tells us that You set your face like a flint, determined to go all the way the Cross to fulfill the Father’s plan. May we, may I, be no less resolved to take up my cross and follow You today. Holy Spirit put the steel in my backbone required to stand tall for the truth today. Light a fire in my eyes that will melt the frozen hearts who cross my path today. Give me a peace so deep it radiates hope to those who see no way out of the mess they have made of their lives. Project my voice above the noise of the culture’s clamoring so that I could be heard telling the old, old story that is still such Good News. I am thus resolved, my face set like a flint, to see what You will do. By Your Spirit, Lord. Amen.

Song:
I Am Resolved
Words: Palmer Hartsough; Music:James Fillmore

1. I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world’s delight;
Things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured my sight.

Refrain:
I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

2. I am resolved to go to the Savior, leaving my sin and strife;
He is the true one; He is the just one, He has the words of life.

Refrain

3. I am resolved, and who will go with me? Come, friends, without delay;
taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit, we’ll walk the heavenly way.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

April 4, 2017April 4, 2017 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

April 3, 2017March 30, 2017 pathoflifedevotions April, Devotions

April 3, 2017

Profit

“What’s in it for me?”
Undoubtedly this is a crass question, unworthy of our highest efforts.
Really? In human terms the question above speaks of pragmatic self-interest like other common sayings:

“I’m looking out for number one.”
“I’m gonna make hay while the sun shines.”
“The world be hanged! I’m getting mine while the getting is good.”
“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”
“Do unto others before they do unto you.”

Being cold-hearted and profit-driven are often equated in such thinking.

On a higher plane, each of us analyzes our efforts to determine success, failure, or ineffectiveness. The most sophisticated organizations ask very sophisticated questions about what’s in it for them.

The Lenten Season
Self-assessment is a proper and godly thing to do and it is an emphasis in this season. In business, in church, and in daily living, our methods must match our motivations. Because we are fallen, selfishness profit motivations lie somewhere beneath the surface. Prayerfully we root these out, cleansing our motivations from a selfish profit drive to a passion for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus spoke in terms of profit in one His most repeated questions.

Mark 8:36-38 NKJV
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Measuring Profit
We judge success in terms of numbers, increase of goods or wealth, acclaim, excellence of product, etc. The profits of the Kingdom of God are counted by spiritual computations. The coinage of the Christ’s Kingdom is not the same as that of the world. Spiritual things that may not register on a cash register or accrue in a bank account, count for much in God’s economy.

Faithfulness to one’s calling is success, regardless of the measurable outcome.
Ask the pastor or missionary who faithfully sow and water the Word with little harvest to show for the effort.

When he or she enters into the courts of heaven, the angels and saints will stand in silent homage as the faithful one comes before Jesus.
A hushed heaven awaits the words of Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” You have been faithful…”
As soon as the commendation is out or Jesus’s mouth the innumerable company of joyful angels and the gallery filled with those of earth who are now perfect will erupt into praises loud and high sounding, and dance to rhythms that rock the doorposts of glory.

Why? Numbers? Hardly. Money? Not at all. Earthly acclaim? It pales in comparison to the approval of Jesus. It will be the same for all the faithful, not just pastors and missionaries.

May this coming moment of commendation from the Lord Jesus motivate us to a life of faithfulness.

This is true profit.

Scriptures

Mark 8:36-38 NKJV
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 25:22-23
“The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NKJV
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Luke 12:16-21
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my reward. Your approval is what matters most in this life and the one to come. I renounce any selfish profit motive in my work. I know that you will provide my needs since I have made Your Kingdom my primary passion. Set me free to do what You call me to do from a pure heart with Your glory as my only goal. Your smile is my motivation, Your joy in me and my work is profit, indeed. Help me measure this life by the values of the next life. In Your Lovely Name, Amen.

Song:
Mansion over the Hilltop
Words and Music: Ira Stanphil

1. I’m satisfied with just a cottage below,
A little silver and a little gold.
But in that city where the ransomed will shine
I want a gold one that’s silver lined.

Refrain:
I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop
In that bright land where we’ll never grow old.
And some day yonder we will never more wander
But walk on streets that are purest gold.

2. Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely.
I’m not discouraged I’m heaven bound.
I’m but a pilgrim in search of the city.
I want a mansion, a harp and a crown.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

March 31, 2017March 29, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 31, 2017

Duty

Duty has friend named Hope.
Sometimes hope shines from an empty tomb. Sometimes it sings in the quiet following a violent storm. Sometimes hope whispers inside while the storm still rages outside.

Always, hope hardens the will as each day we perform our duty.

The Song of the Sparrow
Duty is not a thing of sadness, nor is it a thing of parades and marching bands. Duty is the quiet song of the sparrow in the morning, at noon, and in the late afternoon, as the worthless little brown birds fly joyfully from bush to bush, doing what God made them to do. They don’t get the press that eagles get, high on their perches or soaring almost too high to see. They don’t signal doom like circling buzzards or danger like the watching hawk. They don’t form graceful lines as they fly like geese overland or like pelicans over the sea. They do not make formations that we can discern. They fly close to the ground in short hops, almost falling even as they fly.
Yet, the Lord told us to observe and learn from birds as examples of the Father’s excellent care. Sparrows are the least of these. We are certainly more valuable to God than sparrows!

What God Looks For
He does not look for graceful arcs or impressive appearance or stunning skills. God looks for the one who will do his/her duty, day after day, night after night. The Lord prizes the one of the humble and contrite spirit who hits the mark and performs the job dependably at each opportunity.

What is our duty?
As His ultimate creation, each person has a duty to honor God. We honor God

Through consistent and faithful prayer,
Through constant consumption of the Word of God,
Through continuing compassion for others, andBy walking through the doors He opens for us and refusing to enter those He closes to us.

King Solomon’s Findings
King Solomon had the resources and the time to conduct a grand experiment to determine the meaning of life. Like a good researcher, he reported his findings in a thesis called “Ecclesiastes.” When life is lived in vain Solomon’s observations are bitter and realistic —it is like trying to eat the wind. His conclusion is the hope that strengthens the heart—love God and keep His commands; this is the whole duty of man.

King Jesus lived that life for us.
He did His duty, taking up the cross of God’s love and justice and bearing it to Calvary. His command to us signals the start of every day and shines like a bright star through every night—take up your cross—your duty—and follow me. That duty may seem small and little noted by others, but it is the brief flight of a sparrow that holds the intense attention of heaven.

We should not underestimate the power of consistent living. As we live faithfully each day, hope shines from an empty tomb, sings in the quiet following a violent storm, and whispers inside while the storm still rages outside.

Scriptures

Matthew 6:25-28; 33 RSV
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? …But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
Matthew 16:24-27
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Ecclessiates 1:12-14; 12:13 AMP
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied myself by heart and mind to seek and search out by [human] wisdom all human activity under heaven. It is a miserable business which God has given to the sons of man with which to busy themselves. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a striving after the wind and a feeding on wind. All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God’s providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.
Acts 23:1-2
Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”

Song:
The Sparrow Song
Words and Music: J.D. Phifer

1. When you are sad, downhearted and blue,
Think of how He cares for you.
When things look bad, your courage you lose,
Think of how He cares for you.

Refrain:
Think of the sparrow He feeds with such care,
The flower He waters with dew.
Dwell on the things He promised to do.
Think of how He cares for you.

2. When you are lost in realms of despair,
Think of how He cares for you.
When there’s a cross you know you must bear,
Think of how He cares for you.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

March 25, 2017March 25, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 25, 2017

Energy

The dictionary defines energy as “available power.”
To have the energy life demands, one must have reliable sources of power. So we exercise and eat and prepare for the day in ways that seek to get us energized.

Sleep is a source of energy. Food obviously fits into this category as does water, oxygen, vitamins, minerals, sugar, caffeine, and Wonder Bread. (In the 1950’s, Wonder Bread promised to build strong bodies eight ways!)

Our natural energy comes in specific types:

Physical energy,
Mental energy, and
Emotional energy.

These three forms of energy have their own sources and each of us must provide the raw materials these sources need to produce the physical, mental, and emotional energy life requires. If we do not, we risk losing the ability to function through:

Physical exhaustion,
Mental fatigue, and
Emotional burnout.

Spiritual Energy
There is also a spiritual dimension to the human life and a fourth type of energy—spiritual energy. This energy also has its sources:

Prayer,
The Word of God,
Praise and Worship, (Which, of course, are forms of prayer.)
Fellowship with other believers, and
Christian service.

Deny or Embrace?
People who deny the existence of the spiritual side of life still need the things of the spirit. They substitute physical, mental, and emotional activity for the spiritual activity for which their depleted spirits are starving. No matter how high the art, how sublime the culture, how elated the aftermath of the workout, none of these things satisfy the human spirit.

People who embrace the spiritual side of life face a danger as well—we can also substitute human activity for the action of the Holy Spirit.

We can deplete our physical beings by working in the Kingdom of God solely in our own power.
We can drain our brains of all life trying to manipulate people and events toward a “spiritual” outcome.
We can approach an emotional breakdown by trying to save the world or even our little corner of it.

Ruach—The Breath of God
The truth is this: when we gave our hearts to Him, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit came to live in us! We have the ruach, the Breath of Heaven in us! Talk about an energy source!

How do we tap this source? Two ways:

Christian Disciplines, (Prayer/Word/Worship/Service) and
Deeds of mercy.

The Christian discipline of daily prayer including worship and the Word is as essential to spiritual energy as diet, exercise, nutrition, hydration and breathing are to physical energy and study, fun, and concentration are to mental energy.

When we expend our energy to touch a hurting soul through witness or service, we are sharing Jesus’ favorite meal! He told the disciples after he had ministered life to the Woman at the Well, “I have food that you know nothing about–my nourishment is to do the will of my Father and finish His work.” Serving God does not cost us energy; it provides us energy.

With daily prayer and faithful service, we find an energy source that will never be depleted—and neither will we!

Scriptures:
John 4:31-34
…his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
2 Timothy 1:6-7
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Ephesians 3:16-17; 20-21: 6:10
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being…Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen….Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my strength! I stand in dangerous places because You are my safety. Help me build the structure of my life on You, the Solid Rock. In the cycle of day and night, You are my energy throughout each day and my rest every night. As the Bible says, I want to be “strong in the Lord and the power of Your might.” Grant me a constant source of spiritual energy as Your Spirit dwells within. I need Your wisdom to regulate my life so that I rest when it is time to rest and work when it is time to work—all in Your amazing grace. In Your powerful name, Amen.

Song:
Old Time Power
Words and Music: Charles D. Tillman

1. They were in an upper chamber,
They were all with one accord,
When the Holy Ghost descended
As was promised by the Lord.

Refrain:
O Lord, send the pow’r just now,
O Lord, send the pow’r just now;
O Lord, send the pow’r just now
And baptize every one.

2. Yes, the pow’r from Heav’n descended
With the sound of rushing wind;
Tongues of fire came down upon them,
As the Lord said He would send.

Refrain

3. Yes, this old-time pow’r was given
To our fathers who were true;
This is promised to believers,
And we all may have it too.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

March 21, 2017March 14, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 21, 2017

Watching

Big Brother or Guardian?
Nobody wants a “Big Brother” watching everything they do as depicted in George Orwell’s 1948 novel, “1984.” At the same time everyone wants a guardian, “Someone to Watch over Me,” as Ira Gershwin added lyrics to his brother George’s haunting tune.

So which is it for the Lord? Is He a hostile “Big Brother” or a loving, attentive, “Heavenly Father?”

“Big” he certainly is—“hostile” he definitely is not.

Children of Adam and Eve
We should not forget that we are the “apple of His eye,” meaning that God loves each of us supremely. We are the offspring of Adam and Eve who were fashioned in perfection and cared for in perfect love. They walked with the Lord in the cool of the day in a beautiful garden made for their delight.

In our fallen state, two things remain:

We need fellowship with God.
God desires fellowship with us.

This makes us different. All other creatures formed by His Word are free to frolic in the air, sea, and land God made for them. In His omniscience, God is certainly aware of all life and death processes on His earth.

I believe God is totally invested in us, in the human race.

Jesus, the Son, left the splendor of heaven choosing to dwell in the squalor of a sin-laden, violent earth because He possessed the greatest love.
He points the way to a Heavenly Father we should seek in the Secret Place of prayer because He already knows all of our needs.
The Father esteems each of us more than he does flowers in the field or birds in the air. We are the focus of His attention on this earth.
The Holy Spirit comes to abide in those who follow Jesus because of Calvary and the Empty Tomb.
He deals directly with the spirit in each of us, quickening our understanding of spiritual things and empowering our human efforts at ministry with the power of the Name of Jesus.
The Spirit of God gives the church miraculous gifts for worship and produces irresistible fruit in us so that we can actually live the life described in the Sermon on the Mount.
He lights a flame in each of us and makes all of us a shining City on a Hill.

God watches over us.
He never sleeps. He never slumbers. His eyes are always open toward us and His ears are always tuned to our hearts. We are secure because He is great. We have joy because His is strong. We have what need because He has the current list. Our lives are secure because we are the apple of His eye.

Scriptures:
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Deuteronomy 32:9-10 NIV
For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
Psalm 125
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil. Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. But those who turn to crooked ways the Lord will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.

Prayers of Confession:
Confession of Faith in the Father’s Care
(from The Book of Daily Prayer)
Look at the Birds
Matt 6:25-33 NLT (Adapted SRP)
I do not worry about everyday life — whether I have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? I look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because You, my heavenly Father, feed them. And I am far more valuable to You than they are. Can all my worries add a single moment to my life? Of course not.
Look at the Lilies
And I do not worry about my clothes. I look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if You care so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t You more surely care for me? I have enough faith to receive your constant care!
Look at the Father
So I don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? My heavenly Father already knows all my needs, and You will give me all I need from day to day because I live for You and make the Kingdom of God my primary concern. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Song:
God Will Take Care of You
Words and Music: Civilla D. Martin

1. Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

Refrain:
God will take care of you,
Through every day,
O’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

2. Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

3. No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one upon His breast,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

March 10, 2017March 9, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, March

March 10, 2017

Meditation

Our brains were created to think deeply about things.
They also enable us to do things by reflex, instantly responding to stimuli without thought. Athletes and musicians prove that if we drill an action enough that action can move from a thought-provided thing to an unthinking reflex. If this were not true nobody could ever play the infield well in baseball or play the B Major scale on any instrument at a fast tempo when a score required such virtuosity. Through repetition, we develop carefully considered actions into instant reflexes by a of process of drill and drill and drill again.

Most of the conscious action of our brains is neither reflex nor meditation. We simply give things as much thought as they require. It is as if we must reserve our brain power and not use it up unnecessarily. We can even divide our brains between two demanding activities such as daydreaming while we drive.

The mind God gave us is a marvelous instrument.
Man has yet to invent a computer with the memory capacity that a child’s brain possesses. Contained safely in a skull designed for light weight strength, supplied by blood and oxygen in precise quantities by the body connected below, the brain sits like the captain on the bridge of a great ship navigating our lives, keeping our balance, enabling us to walk and think and chew gum all at the same time.

Still there is more to us than a remarkable brain.
There is a spirit within us that searches for the Divine while the soul within in us perceives the world through the five senses. There is a brain skill that actually bridges the two; there is a level of conscious thought that can bless us spiritually—meditation.

Meditation is a natural skill that can be developed without reference to the Word of God or the Holy Spirit or even the human spirit.

If we meditate on base things, our brains will try to build our lives on these porous foundations.
If we feed our base urges, our brains will scheme and plan to put our bodies in the places where we can get into the most trouble.
If we open our hearts to evil spirits, they gain entrance into our spirit, binding us in chains and dragging us slowly to hell.

Meditation has a godly purpose.
However, if we put this deep function of the brain to its intended use, the spirit within in us can be greatly strengthened. In a striking parallel to physical training, our brains can train us in spiritual disciplines. In the New Covenant, the Lord promises to inscribe His word on our hearts. Meditating on the Word of God and the narrative of God does this. As we think deeply about the things of eternity, our time on earth becomes more manageable.

This takes time and commitment. It doesn’t happen by accident. The Bible tells us time and again to meditate on the things of God.

When we use our imaginations to place ourselves in the biblical narratives, their power is appreciated at a deeper level.
The Bible tells that contemplating the glory of God changes us!

This is time well spent, energy strategically placed, and a Covenantal promise fulfilled.

Scriptures:
Psalm 119:97-104 NIV
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
Psalm 1 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. Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP
And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
Philippians 4:8-9 NKJV
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true… noble, … just, …pure, … lovely, …of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Confession of Worship:
You are God
(from The Book of Common Prayer)
You are God: we praise You; You are the Lord; we acclaim You; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships You. To You all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of Your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise You. The noble fellowship of prophets praise You. The white‑robed army of martyrs praise You. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you; Father, of majesty unbounded, Your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. You, Christ, are the King of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.

When You became man to set us free You did not shun the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help Your people, bought with the price of Your own blood, and bring us with Your saints to glory everlasting. Amen.

Song:
Think about His Love
Words and Music: Walt Harrah

Think about His love; Think about His goodness.
Think about His grace that’s brought us through.
For as high as the heavens above
So great is the measure of our Father’s love;
Great is the measure of our Father’s love.

For a detailed article, Thinking Carefully about Jesus, go to: http://stevephifer.com/thinking-carefully-about-jesus/

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

January 22, 2017January 22, 2017 pathoflifedevotions Devotions, January

January 22

Reality

Some realities are beyond detection by the five senses; they cannot be seen, smelled, heard, felt, or tasted. Despite these sensual limitations, the realities of the spirit dimension of life are powerful in their effect on us every day. Realities of the senses will pass away as we do. Realities of the spirit will last forever.

A Spiritual Reality
Prayer, although it can be seen, heard, and even felt, is essentially a spiritual reality. The Book of Revelation suggests that the prayers of the saints of God are stored somewhere in heaven. We add to that supply each time we pray.

Think of it.

Our praise is collected before the Lord.
Our adoration accumulates in the presence of the Lord.
Our intercessions are invested with interest in the power of the Lord.

When the sensual reality of how we feel as we try to pray threatens to defeat us, we need to remember the heavenly container with our name on the label. Even when we don’t feel like praying and we pray anyway, those prayers add to the collection:

Our praise collection grows.
Our accumulated adoration of the Lord Jesus increases.
Our intercessions in behalf of those in need increase by the power of another day’s interest.

Daily prayer and Bible reading arm us in spiritual realities, preparing us to walk in the Spirit during the coming day.

The Sense of the Spirit
Like everyone else we live in the real world, the world of the five senses. Like everyone else we also live in the spiritual world. Most people are unaware of this dimension of reality, thinking that what they see, hear, touch, smell, and taste is all there is. Not so. When the Lord Jesus reigns on the throne of our lives and with daily communion with Him through prayer and His Word, we are spiritually prepared. We can live with a very real sixth sense, the sense of the spirit.

We can see the spiritual realities beyond physical realities around us and engage the full truth of each moment.
We can hear the voice of the Lord in the sounds of nature and in the voices of those around us.
We can feel the embrace of the Lord deep in our hearts in quiet moments of peace.
We can sense the sweet aroma of the Peace of the Lord in the clamor stressful moments.
We can “taste and see” that the Lord is good.

The world delivered to us by our five natural senses can be anything from delightful to terrifying. The spirit world made real to us by the Holy Spirit, is more dependable. It is a secure realm, ruled by the Prince of Peace.

Scriptures:
Revelation 5:6-9; 8:3-4
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders… Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
1 Corinthians 15:44-47
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
Ephesians 6:11-12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Galatians 5:16; 25-26 NKJV
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the ultimate reality. You created me so I am real, too! My problems are real problems and so are my potentials. My joys are genuine, and so are my tears. You have provided us with powerful imaginations but life is not imaginary; it is very, very real. Our five senses tell us about realities, and, we have another sense, a spiritual one, to help us recognize realities beyond our physical world. Thank You, Lord, that You have sent the Holy Spirit to abide in our souls, to guide us, inform us, inspire us, embolden us, and fill us with spiritual power. Tune my ear to hear the voice of the Spirit. Quicken my mind to comprehend what the Spirit says. As Your Spirit bears witness with my spirit, I am assured that I am indeed a child of God. Father, I choose to walk in Your Spirit today, fully aware of seen and unseen worlds and the reality of Your nearness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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

1. Open my eyes that I may see glimpse of truth Thou has for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp, and set me free.

Refrain:
Silently now I wait for Thee, Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

2. Open my eyes that I may hear voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear, Everything false will disappear.

Refrain

3. Open my eyes that I may bear gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart, and let me prepare love with Thy children thus to share.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer