pathoflifedevotions Devotions, October

October 5, 2017 “Circumstance”

Circumstance

Circumstances; we all have them and we must sort them out every day.
This sorting of circumstances is a type of prayer.

Definitions include:

  • A condition or fact attending an event and having some bearing on it;
  • A determining or modifying factor.
  • A condition or fact that determines or must be considered in the determining of a course of action.
  • The sum of determining factors beyond willful control.

The omnipresence of circumstances yields a bevy of clichés in our speech:

  • “Circumstances permitting,”
  • “Under the circumstances,”
  • “Pomp and circumstance,”
  • “A victim of circumstance,” and
  • “Face the circumstances.”

Sorting it all out.
Our ability to live through each day with any degree of self-determination depends on our ability to sort out the conditions and facts we will face. As free will agents, there are many things we can control, enough of them to count—and to count on—to give us courage to get out of bed, cleanup, dress for the day, and even to go out the door and start the car. Free will is a gift from God and He enables those who worship Him to do this regularly and with great redeeming effect upon the world.

However, some of the circumstances we face are well beyond our ability to control.
The person without Christ must file these things safely away from the conscious mind in order to function. If the unbeliever cannot do this, the burden of life becomes too great to bear. That person must find relief in an altered state of consciousness, using anything from alcohol to drugs to soul-numbing addictions, to suicide.

The Christ-follower is never left alone to face the circumstances of his/her life. The worshiper of Jesus does not stand in awe of the Lord from a distance, but is held close in a secure embrace. There are no circumstances beyond the Lord’s control.

In prayer this morning, sort out the circumstances you will face today.
Renew your vows of discipline to fully engage the fruit of the Spirit called self-control. Look for opportunities throughout the day to change the circumstances others may face. Look squarely, fearlessly, into the circumstances beyond your control and place them in the hands of your Lord. He can handle anything.

Scriptures:
Psalm 61 NKJV
Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name … So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may daily perform my vows.
Ephesians 1:22-23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Romans 8:28-29
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Philippains 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for seeing what I cannot see, hearing what I cannot hear, and knowing what is beyond my capacity to know. You already know what circumstances will come my way today. Nothing that happens will surprise or alarm You. Lord, sometimes circumstances rush at me so fast and in such numbers that my heart is overwhelmed, like a dry gully in a sudden, violent rain. But in such times, You are my Rock, Lord Jesus, my high tower of safety and you always welcome me, fears and all. “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” From the vantage point of Your towering greatness, I can see that the storms and floods are no real threat to me, because I am in You. Lord, Jesus, my all-in-all. Amen.

Song:
Living by Faith
Words: James Wells; Music: R.E. Winsett

1. I care not today what the morrow may bring,
If shadow or sunshine or rain,
The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,
And all of my worries are vain.

Refrain:
Living by faith in Jesus above,
Trusting, confiding in His great love;
From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.

2. Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise,
Obscuring the brightness of life,
I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies—
The Master looks on at the strife.

Refrain

3. I know that He safely will carry me through,
No matter what evils betide;
Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,
If Jesus walks close to my side.

Refrain

4. Our Lord will return for His loved ones some day,
Our troubles will then all be o’er;
The Master so gently will lead us away,
Beyond that blest heavenly shore.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, October

October 4, 2017 “Tuning”

tuning 23b

Tuning

On Stage
In the few minutes just before the concert, the stage is alive with the sounds of a symphony orchestra warming up. Each player has a routine involving mouthpieces and reeds, bows and resin, buzzing brass, and tapping tympani. They flex their fingers and lick their lips getting ready to make music. After the warm up comes the tune up. The oboist plays the standard pitch: “A440.” All the other players listen carefully and then match the sound of their instruments to that standard.

The conductor strides to the podium to the applause of the crowd. He bows, accepting their acclaim. He shakes hands with the concert master, steps to the podium and lifts his baton to the air. He has the attention of everyone, concert-goer and concert-player alike. He gives his preparatory beat; the baton goes down and the music begins.

On the Platform
Warming up and tuning up are a part of life in church music, also. The worship leader doesn’t come to the platform (For some reason stages are often called platforms in church.) to the applause of the congregation nor does he/she shake the hand of the lead guitarist, but there is a warm-up-tune-up routine.

Worship music requires an additional step—a spiritual warm up and tune up.
It is important that Christian singers and players get warmed up to the Lord and in tune with the Holy Spirit before they try to make the music of the Kingdom of God. There is a spiritual dimension to this type of music making that cannot be ignored. It is as important to the success of our spiritual music making as the musical elements are to the professional orchestra.

Heaven’s Standard Pitch
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries instrumental music came into its own. The symphony orchestra came to maturity as more than an accompaniment group for choirs, soloists, and opera. The Age of Inventions—the Industrial Revolution—produced brass and woodwind instruments that could be effectively tuned with the strings. To help with the process of tuning, a standard pitch was developed. While the exact vibrations varied somewhat, A440 was the standard.

In the making of music in the courts of the King of kings, there is also a standard pitch—humility. Calvary, like the industrial revolution, has redesigned us from the flaws of sin and made it possible for us to make an offering to please the Lord—one of humility.

Proud hearts cannot tune.
Musically, a technical problem with an instrument or a shortcoming on the part of the musician can interfere with the tuning and spoil the performance. In the same way, on a spiritual level, attitudes and improper motivations can spoil the music of worship. In more than 50 years of leading Christian singers and players, I have found my greatest trials and challenges have come from the hearts of my musicians, not their voices and instruments. Now, I am teaching and writing and my primary mission is to teach the next generation of musicians and worship leaders. In this capacity, I find myself preaching a gospel of humility, humility with excellence. I am on a crusade against pride in the music ministry.

  • I have seen it ruin too many anointed ones.
  • I have seen it destroy too many creative communities within the church.

Proud hearts cannot tune. They cannot match the pitch of the Holy Spirit for they are at cross purposes with God. They are proudly building their own kingdom, not God’s.

Conflict and Resolution
Music moves in divinely determined patterns—that is one thing that makes it a comfort to us—no matter how far the song may go away from home, it will return there eventually. There are two terms that describe the roaming and returning aspects of a piece of music:

  • Dissonance is the clash of notes sounding together.
  • Consonance is the agreement of notes sounding together. This serves to resolve the conflict of the dissonance, relieving the tension.

Dissonance
Pride makes people sound bad together. Oh, their voices and instruments may be beautiful and well regulated, but their hearts are not in tune. God Himself is resisting them because of their pride. The dissonance of hearts must be resolved if the music is to attract the Lord and be blessed by His grace.

Consonance
Humility holds worship teams together. Conflicts happen, like dissonant chords in a song, but they are quickly resolved to consonance. A good musician learns how to step up and play the music demanded when the time comes for it to be played. A worship musician needs this skill, but also the ability step back and get out of the way. The neat thing about our humility is that when we step out of the way, Jesus can be more clearly seen.

When we are getting ready to make the Lord’s music, let’s tune our hearts to Heaven’s Standard Pitch.

Scriptures:
Psalm 57:7 NIV
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
Psalm 33:1-3 NKJV
Rejoice in the Lord , O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
James 4:1-6 NKJV
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ”God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Malachi 3:1-3 NKJV
“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, tune my heart to Yours. Just as I would stay in rhythm with Your heartbeat, I want to stay in tune with Your mind. Alert me when my pitch falls lower than Yours or rises higher. Help me tune to the standard pitch of heaven—humility. When I am humble before You, I receive Your wonderful grace and assistance. When pride rears its ugly face in me, You oppose me. I want the music we make to be beautiful, so that You might be pleased and others may be healed in its sound.
Amen.

Song:
Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord
Composer: Bob Hudson
Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord.
Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord.
And He shall lift you up (higher and higher.)
And He shall lift you up.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

October 3, 2017 “Calling”

Calling

Following Christ
At the heart of the believer’s relationship with the Lord is a sense that He has called us to follow Him.  The promises of the New Covenant are those of a personal relationship with God.  We are not following a philosophy as best we can; we are following the Master who has called us personally to follow Him closely.  We know His voice and recognize His authority.  We trust His judgment as we voluntarily submit to His Lordship.

Daily Staff Meeting
If we choose to, we can have a personal staff meeting with the Lord each day in morning prayer.  If we listen, we can hear His voice throughout the day warning us, guiding us and revealing His great heart to us.  As the day closes and we meet with Him again for evening prayer, we sense His pleasure or His pain at the day just past.  We can feel what Jesus feels and rest peacefully in His faithfulness.

There are some things every believer is called to do:

  • To read and understand the Word of God,
  • To praise and worship the Lord Most High,
  • To witness to those who do not know Him through holy living and intercessory prayer,
  • To serve others; (even leaders are called to be servant-leaders)
  • To do good work as the Lord’s crafts-persons, and
  • To take our place in the company of the Redeemed to honor God and touch a hurting humanity.

There are also specific things the Lord calls individuals to do.

  • Some are called to make music or create some other art.
  • Others are called to teach.
  • Still others have been called to lead the church.
  • Some people are called to work in retail sales and some are called to manage businesses.
  • The Lord calls some to be involved in health care.
  • Craftspeople are called to make things and repair things.

There is no end to the possibilities of occupations the Lord has designed His people to do.  Just as King David appointed priests and Levites to make the music of worship at David’s Tabernacle. King Jesus appoints His followers to places of responsibility and blessing.  Some doubt this, saying we just need to love God, live by the Word, and do our best.  The scriptures indicate otherwise:

  • The words of the writer to the Hebrews encourage us to hear the calling of the Lord through the details of each day.
  • Jesus said His sheep would know His voice.
  • In the Revelation Jesus encourages us to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

You heard Him, too!
Just like those ancient fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, and others of low estate, who heard Jesus say, “Follow me!” you have heard Him, too.  Even if your are not sure that the job you go today is one God has called you to do, you can go to that job sure that He has called you to integrity and faithfulness, and to life in the power of the Spirit.  He has appointed you to greatness today.  If He is the only one to witness your success, that is more than enough.

Scriptures:
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life…
Hebrews 1:1
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…
Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
1 Chronicles 16:4-5
He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:
2 Peter 1:10-11
Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:1
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Matthew 4:18-20
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”  At once they left their nets and followed him.
John 21:15-22
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”  Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”  The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.  … Then he said to him, “Follow me!”  … You must follow me.”
Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, there is no voice like Your voice. It sounds everywhere: in creation, in circumstances, in the storm and in the still after the storm, even in the words of others when they are touched by Your Spirit. The two places where I hear Your call most clearly and in the Word and in my spirit, deep in my inmost part. You have promised to write the Word into my heart and that You have done. I hear Your call. It is a fixed milestone in my life; other considerations may fade, but Your call remains clear. It is the central organizing point of my life. Help me not only hear You today, but follow You as well. Following You is success, regardless of any outcome. Thank You, Lord! Amen.

Song:
A Charge to Keep Have I
Words: Charles Wesley; Music Lowell Mason

1 A charge to keep I have, a God to glorify,
a never-dying soul to save, and fit it for the sky.

2 To serve the present age, my calling to fulfill,
O may it all my pow’rs engage to do my Master’s will!

3 Arm me with jealous care as in Thy sight to live,
and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare a strict account to give!

4 Help me to watch and pray,and still on Thee rely,
O let me not my trust betray,but press to realms on high.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, October

October 2, 2017 “Craftsmanship”

Craftsmanship

Sweat runs down his dirty face.
There is nothing divine about it, just human sweat, the immediate product of human toil. A contract had been made and must now be honored by the craftsman’s skill and his sweat. Shops, generally, are not comfort zones. They are hot, noisy stalls where work gets done with little thought given to the comfort of the worker. Productivity is the guiding principle.

Look beyond the sweat on the craftsman’s face; look at his hands. There you find the main product of his endeavors. Something is taking shape beneath his skillful fingers. From worthless bits of material he is fashioning something useful; order out of chaos. Soon the contract will be fulfilled, the sweat forgotten in the joy of creation.

Who is the craftsman described above? The King, of course.
It is no accident that Jesus spent most of His life as a carpenter. In this he identifies with us. We are craftsmen, too. Not carpenters, perhaps, but craftsmen nonetheless. We all make things;

  • salesmen make sales;
  • homemakers make homes;
  • teachers make scholars;
  • students make grades;
  • repairmen make repairs;
  • CEO’s make salaries (and organizations); on and on it could go.

Wherever our “shop” may be located, whatever the product, we can do that work as unto the Lord.

The Bible tells us to in what I call the Colossians Credo:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,…work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…

Your “spiritual” work is more than just what you do at church.
The Lord longs to make your workplace a sanctuary, a dwelling place for Him by His Spirit. He can do that when you do your work as praise and worship unto the King. Like all worship, He has promised to inhabit it and to be enthroned upon it. And, He can make your shop a sanctuary because He has had His own.

He still has His own shop.
It is called the church. He is in the business of taking broken lives and putting them back together again. When we worship, His skillful fingers are at work, shaping us into His own image.

Scriptures
Psalm 139:13-18 NKJV
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.
Ephesians 2:4-10
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Colossians 3:17;23-24 NIV
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.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I dedicate the work of my hands to You today. I consecrate my concentration to Your cause today. Inhabit the work of my hands. Be enthroned upon the thoughts and intents of my heart. Fill me with the creativity of Your Holy Spirit Who has all knowledge. Let me be a problem solver and not a problem today. As I rejoice in my work today, let that joy be my strength. May others see the craftsmanship of my life and know that You are its source. May the thoughts of my heart, the meditations of my mind and the work of my hands be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer! For Your Glory, Lord! Amen.

Song:
Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated
Words: Henri A.C. Malan; Music: Lowell Mason

1. Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days, 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.

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.

4.Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use Every pow’r 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.

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.

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 28, “Providing”

Providing

Jehovah Jireh
At one of the most heartbreaking moments in all of Old Testament history God revealed one of the most heart-building covenant names—Jehovah Jireh, The Lord Who Will Provide.

At the summit of the mountain of testing, Mt. Moriah, Abraham was resigned to the demand of God.  Perhaps he had sharpened the blade of his knife to reduce the pain he would inflict on his only son, Isaac, to bring about a quick and merciful death.  Just as Abraham raised his strong arm to plunge the knife into his long awaited promise, the voice of an angel stopped him and spoke for God—

“Do not lay a hand on the boy!”

Abraham had passed the most demanding test imaginable. 
Another voice split the wind at the summit of Moriah: the bleating of a lamb caught in a thicket.  Jehovah had indeed provided a lamb, fulfilling the promise Abraham had made to Isaac as they climbed the mountain trail.  Abraham learned something more about this God who met with him and spoke with him—He was the God who provides.

Today so many of us will go off to work like we do every weekday. 
In this we are following the image of God in us—we are those who provide.  This provision goes far beyond paychecks and retirement accounts.  Those who work outside the home provide resources needed inside the home.  Those whose work keeps them in the home provide resources needed outside the home as they send out their family members rested, clothed, and fed—ready to meet the world.  As we work, we are providers.

However, our provision to the needs of others does not flow from our own capacity—we are sharing with others what God has shared with us.  Abraham brought the wood, fire, and Isaac, but God put the lamb in the thicket.  We provide what we can because God has already provided what we need.

The Psalmist said that God-Who-Provides does so for all of creation.

Psalm 145:13-16
The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.   The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

It is said that the one who provides for the family “brings home the bacon.”  True enough, but God made the pig, the pig farmer, the pig processor, the pan and the gas or electric to cook it on, or the microwave to nuke it in.

There is a flow to all of this, a flow of grace and provision.  And the whole thing makes the Father smile.

Scriptures:
Luke 12:32NKJV
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom…”
Genesis 22:9-14
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”  “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
Matthew 6:11
Give us today our daily bread.
1 Timothy 5:7-8
Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? … But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the Holy Scriptures tell the story of Abraham and Isaac—You lived it. Somehow, Your Father restrained His mighty hand as cruel men abused You and nailed You to the cross. A multitude of angels held their weapons in check as Satan had his day. Though each angel wanted to, none cried out to stop this murder. The knife that Isaac was spared became the rusty Roman nails that pierced Your hands and feet, the bits of iron in the whip cut Your back and the poison spear that tore Your side. All the while, You, Father God, were providing: love for a world that hated You; forgiveness for a humanity soaked in sin, and life for those living in a culture of death. I rest amazed in Your provision. All I will ever need is found in You! Thank You, Lord. Amen

Song:
Doxology
Traditional

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above you heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen.

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 27, 2017 “Anyway”

Anyway

One of the first pastors I worked for was a pilot licensed to fly small planes.
I was in awe of this of course. Once he tried to assure me that it was no mysterious gifting. He said you could teach a chimpanzee to fly a plane but what you could not teach him was how to adjust to the changing situation.

Situations do change, either to our delight (“Finally!”) or to our dismay (“I never saw this coming!”). And sometimes things do not change with similar results: “I knew I could count on this!” or “I am beating my head against a wall!”

Jesus described life as shifting sands. He was correct. Those who make their daily choices based on what happened the night before are at the mercy of the winds and sands and desert mirages—images they see shimmering on the horizon that aren’t real at all.

Jesus offered us an alternative—solid Rock!
He is the Rock that stands unaltered by the winds of the moment. He is the Rock that laughs at the waves incessant casting of themselves upon Him only to break up and slink back out to sea, take a breath and try again. He is the Rock and the foundation of our lives, when we build upon Him.

How do we do that?
It isn’t a mystery but it is beyond the abilities of chimps:

  • Listen to Him (Read His Book—the Bible is the story of Jesus from beginning to new beginning!)
  • Take Him as Lord and Savior and follow Him.
  • Receive His Spirit as your abiding Helper. You cannot do this on your own.
  • Spend time with Him, both just you and Him, and with the church He is building.
  • Do what He has called you to do, in His time, in His way and in His love.
  • Join His family. You can’t follow Him without being a part of the “Called-Out-Ones.”

So, what does all this mean?

  • If the politics of the day are crazy, we will be sane anyway.
  • If the world is cruel, we will be kind anyway.
  • When the world is full of prejudice, we will love anyway.
  • When the economy is falling, we will rise both to give and to receive anyway.
  • When the media tells lies, we will tell the truth anyway.
  • When the moral climate is polluted with filth, we will breathe the clean air of heaven anyway.
  • When people swear using the name of God in vain, we will praise His name anyway.
  • When the earth is shaking, we will stand anyway.
  • When the world is crashing, we will fly anyway.

Jesus teaches us to fly and the Holy Spirit leads us to adjust to the changing situation.

Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 2:12 NIV
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
2 Corinthians 4:7-11 NKJV
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
Matthew 7:24-27 NIV
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Galatians 6:7-10 NKJV
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Colossians 3:15-17; 23-25 NKJV
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Philippians 4:8-9 NIV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, “Pilot me!” the old song said. It is a good prayer. Take the controls, Lord. You know the flight plan. You know the plane and the instruments. You take account of the changing things: fuel, winds, altitude, and emergency landing strips if needed. No detail of this trip escapes Your notice. You know every mile of this journey before it slips beneath us on the ground. When this day surprises me, I will continue on anyway. When things confuse me, I will keep believing You anyway. Help me trust You, Lord, and help me to obey what I know to do even as situations change around me. For Your glory, Lord. Amen

Song:
Trust and Obey
Words: John H. Stammis; Music: Daniel B. Towner

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

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

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

4. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved

pathoflifedevotions Devotions, September

September 23, 2017 “Peace”

Peace

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And watch Jesus tear down some walls.

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

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to be a peace maker. Help me know when to speak and what to say. Help me know when to be silent and what to pray. Let Your peace that is beyond all understanding emanate from my heart, through my face and hands to be seen and felt by those I contact. When gossip comes my way let it end with me. When strife rise up before me, let the defend the right and defuse the wrong thus ending the strife. There is so little peace in this world. Let me be a peacemaker. Then I will truly be a child of God. Amen.

Song:
Prayer of Saint Francis
Music by Sarah McLachlan

Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy

O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it’s in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen

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 20, 2017 “Opportunity”

Opportunity

What Constitutes an Opportunity?
Sometimes an opportunity is an event, a moment that must be seized for it will quickly pass. At other times an opportunity presents itself as a gathering of individuals who need what we can do as much as we need what they can do. Together we have an opportunity we would not have separately.

On the Lord’s Day when we came together as the church to honor the Lord with acts of worship, our multiplied praises afforded us an opportunity to sense the presence of the Lord in a communal way. Every hour of every day the church is a community of faith, bound together in the name and power of Christ by the Holy Spirit. On the Lord’s day when we come together in one place, our awareness of the Monday-Saturday reality of our community is heightened. If we could all remember what an opportunity this is, we would treasure our time together in public worship.

Opportunities Each Day
Today, as the week continues different kinds of opportunity will come to us individually:

  • We will renew relationships with co-workers, those we like and those we don’t like as well as those who like us and those who don’t like us.
  • There will be work for us to do, opportunities to demonstrate our craftsmanship and skill. Work is also an opportunity to honor the Lord as we do our work in the name of the Lord, with all our energy, and as unto the Lord and not unto men.
  • As we work our way through the week, conversations will turn to spiritual things. These times are opportunities to speak the truth of God into people’s lives. We must be gentle and let the weight of the Word have its effect.
  • When people come to us with their problems, we have the opportunity to minister the healing power of Christ to them as we lovingly listen to their stories. The Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say.
  • Temptations may confront us. Times of trial are opportunities to obey the Lord and not our fleshly appetites.

It is likely this week will bring us

  •  “second miles” to walk with someone,
  • “cloaks to surrender to a someone who has already borrowed our shirt,
  •  enemies to pray for and do good deeds for, and
  • even a cheek or two to turn when we have already been struck once.
  • Needy people will cross our path and we will feel prompted to help.

All of these events are opportunities to please the Lord.

The Lord’s Prayer
In the prayer Jesus gave us, there is an overriding awareness of the opportunities the day will bring:

  • “Your will be done…”
  •  “Give us this day…”
  •  “Forgive us…as we forgive…”
  • “…the time of trial…
  •  “…deliver us from evil…”

Opportunities Today
Each day presents us with opportunites to do God’s will, to depend upon Him, to forgive others, to resist tempation, and to live holy lives in an evil world. We cannot know what the week will bring except for this: we know it will be filled with opportunities to please the Lord. What joy it will be to feel His smile as we worship, work, and witness in His name and by His power.

Scriptures:
Colossians 3:16-17; 23-24
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, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Ephesians 5:15-20
Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 6:7-10
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me keep my eyes open today for the opportunities You send my way. There will be good words for me to say, meaningful deeds for me to perform, ordinary duties for me to attend to, and people You put in my path for me to bless. Just as every hour is filled with minutes, this day will be filled with opportunities to life up Your name with my life. How the world needs to see You! I pray that you will be visible in me today. This is my great opportunity! For Your Glory, Lord! Amen.

Song:
Make Me a Blessing
Words: Ira B. Wilson; Music: George S. Schuler

1. Out in the highways and byways of life,
many are weary and sad; are weary and sad
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife
Making the sorrowing glad.

Refrain:
Make me a blessing, Make me a blessing,
Out of my life May Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O savior, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today.

2. Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love;
Tell of His pow’r to forgive;
Others will trust Him if only you prove
True ev’ry moment you live.

Refrain:

3. Give as ’twas given to you in your need;
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed;
Unto your mission be true.

Refrain

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

© 2017 Stephen R. Phifer All Rights Reserved