Past Devotions

I am reading four books at present. One is “The Crucified Life” by A. W. Tozer (compiled and edited by James L. Snyder).  Its sub-title is “How to Live Out a Deeper Christian Experience.” Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God” may have been the most life-altering book I’ve ever read. I read it early in my Christian walk and it changed my entire perspective.

I highlighted one of the statements in “The Crucified Life,” chapter 4.  “Today we seek God and stop searching, whereas the early saints sought God, found Him and continued to seek more of Him.”

David said it this way:

Ps 143:6: “My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.” [NKJV]

Ps 63:8: “My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.” [KJV]

We are praying every day at the church for God’s Presence to not just visit but inhabit! We pray for 1 hour, from 6 to 7 PM MDT. We’ve asked others who are longing for God’s Presence to pray with us at that time. I am finding the further we move into this pursuit, the hungrier I have become. So much so that I began arriving at church one hour earlier to pray before anyone else gets there. Now I’m find that arriving one hour earlier isn’t enough. I want more time just so that I might worship Him.

I am hungry. I am thirsty for God. I want more of Him. I am tired of the status quo in our churches, I am tired of “normal!” I want the supernatural, but even more I just want Him!

Seven times in the Book of Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3, Jesus reminded the church: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  [NKJV]

So, are we listening?  Or have our ears grown dull? I wonder what kind of response I would get if I asked each person exiting church today, “What is the Spirit saying to the churches in our day?” I have no doubt, He is talking! But, are we listening.

I was reading one of my favorite stories this morning, found in 2 Kings 5. It is the story of Naaman, army commander for the king of Aram. A leper, he came to Elisha, the man of God, for healing. He was told to dip seven times in the River Jordan to be cleansed. After a bit of fussing he did just that and was cleansed.

Toward the end of the story, Naaman offered riches to Elisha, who refused them. After Naaman set off for home, Elisha’s servant got a bit greedy and caught up with Naaman. Using subterfuge, he received two talents of silver and two sets of clothing, which he later hid in his room. Elijah confronted him, having seen everything by the power of the Spirit of God and asked him a pointed question.

“Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants?” Then Elijah pronounced a judgment, “Naaman’s leprosy will clink to you and your descendants forever.”  [2 Kings 5:26-27 NIV]

Maybe Elijah’s question is for our time also? Maybe that is part of what God is saying to the church. We’ve grown rich but at what cost?

Walking out in public where large groups of people gather, I cannot help but notice how profane we have become. It is common to post on social media using words that would have made our mothers blush and our grandmothers swoon. While I don’t particularly like being exposed to such language, I can pretty much let most things go until I hear the name of my Lord used as a curse. When that happens, my soul weeps. The name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, is precious to my soul.

Ps 8:9: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  [NIV]

Ps 8:9: “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” [NKJV]

O LORD [Jehovah], our Lord [Adonai], how majestic/excellent [addiyr: powerful] is your name in all the earth!

The New Testament says it this way, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [Phil 2:10-11 NKJV]

The name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, is not only precious, it is powerful!  One day everyone, the repentant and unrepentant, wherever they are, will bow the knee and confess His Lordship.

How wonderful to know that the knees of those who love the Lord, you and me, have already bowed to His name, willingly and in surrender to His Eternal Lordship.

O JESUS, our CHRIST, how precious and powerful is your name in all the earth and heavens. Amen.

It’s the beginning of April. Spring has sprung, or at least is trying to do so. Three months of the New Year are already gone.  Anyone remember what good intentions or resolutions they had at the beginning of the year?  Anyone still working on them?  I think I know the answer to that one.

It is so easy to slide back into old patterns, the behaviors we may not like but which seem to cling to us.  It is so much easier to go back than to push forward. Psalm 1 paints a picture of a person who so readily slides into evil habits and attitudes. “Blessed is the [man or woman] who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” [vs1 NIV]

It begins with a walk with the wicked (ungodly).  We draw up alongside and we listen to them and their arguments and invitations. “Come along with me,” they say, “what can it hurt?”

Pretty soon we find that we are standing around with sinners (one accounted guilty). We aren’t just listening anymore to their counsel, now we’re hanging with them.  But the slide doesn’t stop there.

Before long, we are seated comfortably with mockers (scornful). Just whom are they mocking? They are mocking the very God who loves them and died to save them. In the end we find ourselves sitting with them and joining in their contempt and disdain.

What a sad state for anyone to find themselves in.

Andrew, mentioned among the disciples of Jesus was first a disciple of John the Baptizer.  John the Baptizer was baptizing at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan. He had two of his disciples with him, one was Andrew, the other unnamed is believed to have been John the Gospel writer.  When the Baptizer identifies Jesus as God’s Lamb, Andrew and the unnamed disciple begin to follow Jesus. They are Jesus’ first disciples. You can read about it in John 1:35-42a.

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.” [Vs 41-42a NIV]

That’s the thing Andrew was good at—bringing people to Jesus.  Whenever Andrew is mentioned as an individual, he’s bringing someone to Jesus. He brought his brother first, then he brought the boy with the fish and loaves to feed the 5000. When Greeks came to Philip seeking an audience with Jesus, it was Andrew who took them to Him.

There is no mention of his death in the NT, but tradition has it that he was crucified at Patrae in Achaea on an X-shaped cross. He had protested that he was unworthy to be executed on a cross that was the same shape on which Jesus died.  It is said he took two agonizing days to die.

Andrew’s legacy is that he was probably the first to follow Christ and that he simply “brought people to Jesus.” Not a bad legacy to have.

At church we have begun a 40-day Pursing His Presence Prayer Gathering. We are praying every night from 6-7 PM MDT, six nights a week at the church, and at home on Saturdays. Our pursuit is not of revival, but of the Reviver.  We want to see the gifts flow, but more importantly we want to flow with the Gift-Giver.  We have seen a few drops of this, but I’m not satisfied with a few drops. I want a mighty flood of Christ’s presence among us.  Wherever Jesus walked, healings, deliverances, and power followed Him.

But more than that, I just want to see Jesus more fully, deeply, up close. A few of us prayed every night from 6-7 PM MDT for 14 days prior to the Easter holiday and it created in me a desire for more. So, we have extended it to Pentecost Sunday. (I wonder what will happen then?)

I am falling in love with the Savior more each time we pray. I am hungry for more of Him. I want to know the anointing that flows through Christ, but even more, I want to know Christ!

In Matthew 22:42, Jesus questioned the religious leaders, “What do you think about the Christ?”  In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say I am?” and Peter responded, “You are the Christ.”

In Phil 3:10-11, Paul cried out, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” [NIV]

The more I pray for His Presence, the more Paul’s cry resounds in my own soul … I want to know Christ!

I woke up Monday morning tired, sore, too much sugar in my system, facing not only a messy but a dirty house that’s been neglected for a bit, laundry, Walmart, and the beginning of a 40-day prayer gathering (from today through Pentecost, May 20). I think I had more on my to-do list, but my brain was a bit too foggy still from a rough night of sleep.

This year’s Holy Week seemed busier. My first reaction was “Glad that’s done!” Then I realized that, thankfully, it’s not “done.” The Easter holiday may be behind me with all its demands, but Resurrection is still with me in all its joys.

One thought kept resounding on Sunday and was still with me Monday morning. I posted that thought on Facebook … “how wonderful it is to know A Risen Lord – Jesus the Christ. I wonder what those who don’t know Him actually celebrated Easter Sunday? Without Christ, Easter is nothing to celebrate!”

Apart from Christ there is no joy in resurrection. People may carry the mistaken impression that just dying gets you to heaven and into the presence of God; but, without Christ, just dying gets you to judgment and into the presence of the Eternal Judge. There is no joy in that!

The same Jesus who promised that He would rise from the dead after three days, also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  [John 14:6 NIV]

Rising from the dead brought confirmation to both claims!  Thank you, Lord Jesus!

For the last three decades, I have used the same Bible Reading Plan to read through my Bible each year. Each day there are two chapters from the Old Testament, one Psalm or Proverb, and one chapter from the New Testament. Sometimes how those chapters fall on a given day provide a remarkable contrast.

Recently, I read Ecclesiastes 1 & 2, and Ephesians 1. Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon. The kingdom reached its earthly peak under Solomon. It was rich and powerful. If you have a chance, read Ecclesiastes 1 & 2.  You will notice the reoccurrence of certain words; one the KJV translates as “vanity,” the NIV “meaningless,” and the new Christian Standard, “futility.”

Solomon, wealthy, powerful, must have clearly been depressed by life the day he wrote.  Made me hang my head just reading about it.

But then I read Ephesians 1, written by Paul, who often described himself as “the prisoner of the Lord.” This is the Paul who recounted his numerous trials and tribulations, the beatings and shipwrecks he suffered and said he had learned to be content no matter what the circumstances. If you have time today, also read Ephesians 1 and compare Paul’s language with Solomon.

Paul’s words: “Every spiritual blessing in Christ…adopted as sons (and daughters)…glorious grace which He has freely given us…redemption…forgiveness…God’s grace lavished on us with wisdom and understanding…chosen…praise of His glory…the promised Holy Spirit guaranteeing our inheritance…hope to which He has called you…riches of His glorious inheritance…incomparably great power for us…the fullness of Him who fills everything.”

And that’s just Chapter 1!  Oh, the glorious life we find in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior! Thank you, Lord.

Christ is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!

The redemption of the entire creation rested on this.

This was the Father’s certification that the work done by His Son on the Cross was accepted.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

The cry resounds throughout the cosmos. “He is not here! He is Risen” The cry resounds in the heart of every man, woman and child that has by faith appropriated the work of Christ Jesus for them.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

He’s alive! Now I am a new creation. No longer bound by sin, guilt, and death. I live because Christ lives in me.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

The quietness of the Saturday between the cross and resurrection always touches my soul. I’ve experienced many a day following a death and funeral. After the shock of the death and all the busyness work to get things ready for a burial, suddenly there is nothing to do but think and grieve.

We don’t know much about what went on this day because even the scriptures are quiet about what it held. We do know that Pilate placed a guard on the tomb. “’Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” [Matt 27:65-66 NIV]

We also know that it was the Sabbath, so nothing could be done. “But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” [Luke 23:56 NIV]

I always wonder if they talked or just sat in stony silence. I think there must have been plenty of tears and a plethora of regrets for those who abandoned Him in His final hours. I wonder if any remembered Jesus’ words that He would rise after three days, and if they did remember, did they speak them out loud?

For me this Saturday is unlike what they experienced. I know that Jesus rose from the dead!  I know that I am alive because of His cross and resurrection. I grieve my part in His death; but I glory as I remember that tomorrow we will celebrate the fact that death could not hold Him – and because it could not hold Him, it cannot hold me! Praise His Wonderful Name! Jesus the Christ, Redeemer, Savior, Friend.

Redeemer, Savior, Friend:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxSxsd6xVBs