Key Principles for the Church: #1 Empowered

      The following devotionals based on the book of Acts were originally written to be used as a workbook in preparation for mission trips. However, as I wrote it, I discovered that many of the lessons and the key words are not only practical and applicable for mission trips but for the church as a whole and individual Christians in particular.

Key Principle #1: EMPOWERED (part 1)

Acts 1:1-8

“Who am I that You are mindful of me? That you hear me when I call

“Is it true that You are thinking of me? How You love me/ It’s amazing

“I am a friend of God / I am a friend of God / I am a friend of God

“He calls me friend”

Phillips, Craig, and Dean

            Do you remember having friends as a kid? It seems that having friends (or even just having one really good friend) was one of the biggest needs we had as children and even into our teenage years. But somewhere along the way, the importance of friendships goes by the wayside. Many people often say that they have never been able to establish the kind of friendships they had as children. If  you saw the 1986 movie “Stand By Me” you’ll undoubtedly remember at the very end of the movie, the writer is reflecting over his childhood, even as he watches his own son spending time with his friends. The writer, played by Richard Dreyfess, types onto his computer, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”

            Yes, Jesus calls us friends. “I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you,” (John 15:15). Christ demonstrated the ultimate proof of true friendship in pledging to lay down His life for His friends, and then He fulfilled that pledge on the cross. To be a friend of God is one of the greatest gifts of salvation. And Jesus wasn’t exclusive in his choice of friends. In Matthew 11:19, one of the deriding labels that the enemies of Christ attempted to pin on Him was that He was a “friend of publicans and sinners.” Wow! The social outcasts of Jesus’ day were His friends. It’s also interesting to note that not only did Jesus hang out with prostitutes, tax-collectors, and people with less than stellar reputations, he also hung out with the religious leaders. 

The Power of Being A Friend Of God

            Luke was the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles and he wrote both of the books of the New Testament to “Theophilus,” whose name means “Friend of God” or even “Lover of God.” We are told in the writings of the Apostle Paul that Luke was a physician and in the Gospel of Luke, we learn he was someone who sought to write things accurately and in order. His attention to detail is noteworthy and in portions of Acts, it is evident that he was an eyewitness himself to many of the events in the latter part of the book.

            Isn’t it amazing that when we read the Bible, we have in our very hands stories written down by eyewitnesses to some of the most amazing events in history, and here is Luke writing to you and me, and all who are God’s friend. Now we don’t know if Theophilus was a real person or a name that Luke gave to all who would read his two books. We’re never given a reason why Luke would write to a person otherwise never named in Scripture. So since we don’t know for sure, I rather like being called a “friend of God” and having a book entitled to me. So I want to invite you to curl up on your couch, turn on the reading lamp by your bed, or don your reading glasses at your desk and join with me in reading this personal and practical history lesson Luke is presenting about the early days of the church, written to us friends of God.

            Now remember, Jesus called us friends and the popularity of the Phillips, Craig, and Dean song indicates that I’m not the only one who likes being called God’s friend. And as I recall, my friends as a child, just like the ones in “Stand By Me,” weren’t perfect. We had our share of fights growing up. And as adults, my friends weren’t always there for me, and I know I’ve not always been a good friend myself. But as God’s friend, we have empowering privileges.

            The phrase of “I have friends in high places” (as opposed to that country ballad of “I have friends in low places”) conjures up an idea that having influential friends brings with it a certain degree of empowerment. The church today needs to remember that we have power from on high through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

        Some people get offended by the plethora of jokes about heaven, God, and Saint Peter at the pearly gates. If you are one of those people, I give you permission to tune out at this point. Three golfers were on a particularly difficult course which had both a hard bend and water between the tee and the hole.

        The first golfer took his shot and sure enough it landed right in the water. The golfer went up, put his club over the water hole, which immediately parted in two and the golfer went and hit his ball onto the green.

        The second golfer took a swing and the ball again went straight to the water, but stayed afloat long enough for the golfer to walk out on the water and hit the ball to sink it in the second shot.

         Finally the third golfer went to the tee, hit the ball right to the water, when a fish jumped up and caught the ball in its mouth. Immediately, an eagle swooped down, caught the fish and began to fly across the green. Suddenly lightning flashed from the clear blue sky, obliterating the eagle and the fish, but left the ball intact which then fell directly into the hole.

         With that, Moses looked at Jesus and said, “You know, I get really tired of playing Golf with your Dad.”

          You want talk about power? Now that’s power, but it's not on the golf course that we need that kind of power. We need supernatural power in the church and in our lives today. We need today to tap into that power Jesus promised would be ours in Acts 1:8,  “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” We get that kind of power by remembering that we are, like Theophilus, a friend of God.

A reminder as we approach Easter

We cannot give as He gave, 

But we can give and so save

'Twas the night before Christ was born

'Twas the night before Christ was born
by Tim McKeown

'Twas the night before Christ was born and all through the land
A tax was decreed for every child, woman and man...
Everyone went to his city. Joseph and Mary were there
In Bethlehem the city of David, with her child she would bear

Joseph, a just man, was all snug in his bed
When a dream of an angel came into his head
“Joseph, son of David, fear not when you wake from this nap
to take Mary as your wife despite all the flap:

For her Child conceived is of the Holy Ghost.
You shall call him JESUS, who shall save to the uttermost,"
So away to Bethlehem they went like a flash,
Without a place to stay and with very little cash

Now in the same country, shepherds were abiding in the field,
keeping watch o’er their flock by night, which was calm and still
When what to their wondering eyes should appear
The angel of the Lord, and they were filled with such fear

The glory of the Lord shone round about them that night
The angel brought good tidings of great joy, to relieve their fright
“Unto you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord, and a sign God chose.
You shall find the babe in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.”

Suddenly there appeared with the angel a heavenly host
Praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest most.
And on earth peace and good will to all men.”
When the angels left, the shepherds went straight to Bethlehem.

They found Mary, Joseph, and the babe in a stable within
They laid him in a manger; because there was no room at the inn.
Now all this was done, to fulfill the prophet of the Lord
“A virgin shall be with child, and be brought forth to the world
and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us.”
But his other name means Savior and that name is JESUS.

Now later there came wise men from a far
They came to Herod and said “We have seen His Star.
Where is he that is born to be the King of the Jews?”
They came to worship him but for Herod ‘twas not good news.

He sent them to Bethlehem to find the Christ child
The star led them to Him as He laid meek and mild
They fell in his presence, and worshipped the king
Their treasures, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, did they bring

And when they had seen Christ, they made known abroad
Great tidings of good news of the newly born Son of God.
And all who heard it wondered at those things which were told
By shepherds and kings, by young and by old,
All these things were pondered by Mary in her heart.
This is the true Christmas story, as told from the start

If you wish to be like the shepherds and kings, then search for Christ
And be like a manger, place him in the heart of your life.
You will be a true child of God and be precious in His sight,
So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Gospel of John Update

The Gospel According to John--One Day At A TimeMount Arbol at the Sea of Galilee, where the gospel begins and ends.

Several have asked if I was going to add any more to the Prayer portrait and the answer is yes, but I am coming down to the wire on the Gospel of John for New Believers and to be honest I have had to devote virtually all of my non-ministerial hours to finish up the editing.

Being a self-published book, I have solicited other editors to help me and many have but even with that, I found myself editing and re-editing my work, trying to take out anything that is not just right.

Most recently, my editor has sent some further revisions of my revisions, so I will be busy with this and after my final copy is in, I will put in the final five sessions on prayer to complete that series (yes I hope that also becomes a published work as well).

Pray for the following

* Visual Bible will grant use of pictures from the film "The Gospel of John" to be used similarly to the way that it was used on johnoneday.blogspot.com .

* That all flaws and misteaks misstakes mistakes will be found before publication.

* That I will know the difference between preferences which don't need to be changed and the smallest details that will encourage new and not-so-new believers to grow in their faith through reading the Gospel of John.

* That God will open up opportunities that will convince Lifeway or another publisher to grant national distribution for the glory of God.

Spirit-filled, the Seventh Portrait of Prayer

     I am now on the seventh week of seven prayer portraits. Each week at my  joining hearts devotionals blog we have looked at seven Old Testament events, gleaned from them portrayals of prayer, and accompanied with them on how they were reflected in the life of Jesus.

     I hope you have been inspired to be a better prayer warrior, and as we look into the final segment, being Spirit-filled in prayer and walk, I hope you are ready to engage in spiritual battle. Ezekiel breathes life into a valley of dry bones, revitalizing them to do battle. God did that with the nation of Israel. And He wants to do that with you.

     But revitalization only come first by prayers of faith and hearing by the word of the Lord.

     I am praying for God's people to get a God-sized vision of what He wants to do in our lives, in our church, in our "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the earth." I am praying for and asking you to pray that we seek God to do what only He can do. 

Would you join your hearts together with mine in prayer for a vision for His people. 

     I believe that vision can only be seen when we pray, and not until we have prayed. It will linger long after we first begin to pray. In order to get a vision, I have written for now seven weeks on seven portraits of prayer; portraits to enlarge our vision of where God wants to take us. 

     In New Testament, Jesus loved to teach with parables and in the Old Testament there are illustrations of encouragements for us to pray. These illustrations are what I call Portraits of Prayer.

     Power in Intercessory Prayer, illustrated by Moses' hands being held up by Aaron and Hur, while Joshua engages in battle below (Exodus 17). This battleground was a resting place, a testing place, without water and filled with conflict. But God wanted to forever memorialize it as where he placed his victorious banner held high. Do you have someone who regularly intercedes for you in prayer? Do you have someone for whom you regularly pray? Begin your study on prayer here and see an Old Testament portrait in the Power of Intercessory Prayer.

      Radiance of God's Glory in Prayer, portrayed by Moses' face which glowed with the shekinah glory of being in God's presence.When a Christian has a vibrant prayer life, it shows. There is a glow about a person who has been in prayer and in communion with a Holy, Loving God. How can we Christians create in our lives the essence of what occurred with Moses? Prayer produces within us a radiant glory of God which is reflected in our lives.

     Awestruck Worship of God in prayer is seen in the vision by Isaiah as the prophet sees God's magnificence in the Temple (Isaiah 6). This depiction majestically portrays how believers ought to come to God in prayer with a sense of reverential awe and respect for the exalted King who sits in glory upon the throne. The result of an awe-struck prayer life will result in divine revelations from the Lord. When we come into the prayerful presence of the Lord, it reveals not only His majesty, but our sinful sense of being undone.

     Yearning for God's Presence in Prayer is something which every believer should have. Psalm 42 paints a portrait of a deer panting for the water, and also our soul should long for God. Do you long for God’s presence? How greatly do you yearn for Him? A deer seeks water not only in times of great drought and thirst, but also when it needs shelter from danger, when it is fighting an opponent, and when it is sick with fever and needs refreshing coolness of water. Similarly, during times of spiritual isolation, battle, and affliction, we truly should develop a thirst for God’s presence, fulfilled in prayer. 

Earnest Expectation of God to answer our prayers and should expect great things from a great God. This portrait of prayer, found in Joshua 3, shows that the priest carrying the ark of God went to the very banks of the Jordan River, at flood time no less, and put their feet into its waters and only then did God recede the water. 

     Resolution to Pray, no matter what. When you think of a Biblical story of someone resolved to prayer, especially in the Old Testament, no more vivid picture can come to mind than that of Daniel openly prayed when told not pray to anyone other than the king of Persia. Jesus asked His disciples, could you not tarry with me for one hour in prayer. What makes you prayerless? Resolve to pray, no matter what.

     Spirit-filled Prayer. In this final portrait of the Old Testament, we see that God wants to bring to life a dead people. You cannot be spiritual without prayer and you cannot have a prayerful life and not be spiritually filled as seen in Ezekiel’s Valley of the Dry Bones.

Week Six, Resolve to Pray

In week six on "Seven Portraits in Prayer", we see the portrait of Daniel's resolve to pray, not matter what. (Use the overview guide below to follow the series on how we should pray, based on seven examples from the Old Testament).

Look with me as we gain insight and encouragement to pray without fainting or losing heart in our prayers to God (see Gal. 6:9). Jesus encouraged us to pray without fail (Luke 18). 

¹¹ To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² 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.

2 Thess. 1 (ESV)

     I am praying for God's people to get a God-sized vision of what He wants to do in our lives, in our church, in our "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the earth." I am praying for and asking you to pray that we seek God to do what only He can do. 

Would you join your hearts together with mine in prayer for a vision for His people. 

     I believe that vision can only be seen when we pray, and not until we have prayed. It will linger long after we first begin to pray. In order to get a vision, I am writing the next few weeks on portraits of prayer; portraits to enlarge our vision of where God wants to take us. 

     In New Testament, Jesus loved to teach with parables and in the Old Testament there are illustrations of encouragements for us to pray. These illustrations are what I call Portraits of Prayer.

     Power in Intercessory Prayer, illustrated by Moses' hands being held up by Aaron and Hur, while Joshua engages in battle below (Exodus 17). This battleground was a resting place, a testing place, without water and filled with conflict. But God wanted to forever memorialize it as where he placed his victorious banner held high. Do you have someone who regularly intercedes for you in prayer? Do you have someone for whom you regularly pray? Begin your study on prayer here and see an Old Testament portrait in the Power of Intercessory Prayer.

      Radiance of God's Glory in Prayer, portrayed by Moses' face which glowed with the shekinah glory of being in God's presence.When a Christian has a vibrant prayer life, it shows. There is a glow about a person who has been in prayer and in communion with a Holy, Loving God. How can we Christians create in our lives the essence of what occurred with Moses? Prayer produces within us a radiant glory of God which is reflected in our lives.

     Awestruck Worship of God in prayer is seen in the vision by Isaiah as the prophet sees God's magnificence in the Temple (Isaiah 6). This depiction majestically portrays how believers ought to come to God in prayer with a sense of reverential awe and respect for the exalted King who sits in glory upon the throne. The result of an awe-struck prayer life will result in divine revelations from the Lord. When we come into the prayerful presence of the Lord, it reveals not only His majesty, but our sinful sense of being undone.

     Yearning for God's Presence in Prayer is something which every believer should have. Psalm 42 paints a portrait of a deer panting for the water, and also our soul should long for God. Do you long for God’s presence? How greatly do you yearn for Him? A deer seeks water not only in times of great drought and thirst, but also when it needs shelter from danger, when it is fighting an opponent, and when it is sick with fever and needs refreshing coolness of water. Similarly, during times of spiritual isolation, battle, and affliction, we truly should develop a thirst for God’s presence, fulfilled in prayer. 

Earnest Expectation of God to answer our prayers and should expect great things from a great God. This portrait of prayer, found in Joshua 3, shows that the priest carrying the ark of God went to the very banks of the Jordan River, at flood time no less, and put their feet into its waters and only then did God recede the water. 

     Resolution to Pray, no matter what. When you think of a Biblical story of someone resolved to prayer, especially in the Old Testament, no more vivid picture can come to mind than that of Daniel openly prayed when told not pray to anyone other than the king of Persia. Jesus asked His disciples, could you not tarry with me for one hour in prayer. What makes you prayerless? Resolve to pray, no matter what.

     Spirit-filled Prayer. In this final portrait of the Old Testament, we see that God wants to bring to life a dead people. You cannot be spiritual without prayer and you cannot have a prayerful life and not be spiritually filled as seen in Ezekiel’s Valley of the Dry Bones.

Expect An Answer: Join us at Joiningheartsdevotionals.blogspot.com

We are now in week number five in our series on "Seven Portraits in Prayer." If you are just now getting involved in this series, please go to the beginning of this series and then follow daily, using the links below.

This week, we are discussing Expectant Prayer, based on Joshua 3, when the Israelites went to the flooded Jordan River, fully expecting God to part a path in the waters.

Sometimes we pray without expectation. Other times, we pray without an anticipation that He will answer us. Watch this clip. 

     I am praying for God's people to get a God-sized vision of what He wants to do in our lives, in our church, in our "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the earth." I am praying for and asking you to pray that we seek God to do what only He can do. 

Would you join your hearts together with mine in prayer for a vision for His people. 

     I believe that vision can only be seen when we pray, and not until we have prayed. It will linger long after we first begin to pray. In order to get a vision, I am writing the next few weeks on portraits of prayer; portraits to enlarge our vision of where God wants to take us. 

     In New Testament, Jesus loved to teach with parables and in the Old Testament there are illustrations of encouragements for us to pray. These illustrations are what I call Portraits of Prayer.

     Power in Intercessory Prayer, illustrated by Moses' hands being held up by Aaron and Hur, while Joshua engages in battle below (Exodus 17). This battleground was a resting place, a testing place, without water and filled with conflict. But God wanted to forever memorialize it as where he placed his victorious banner held high. Do you have someone who regularly intercedes for you in prayer? Do you have someone for whom you regularly pray? Begin your study on prayer here and see an Old Testament portrait in the Power of Intercessory Prayer.

      Radiance of God's Glory in Prayer, portrayed by Moses' face which glowed with the shekinah glory of being in God's presence.When a Christian has a vibrant prayer life, it shows. There is a glow about a person who has been in prayer and in communion with a Holy, Loving God. How can we Christians create in our lives the essence of what occurred with Moses? Prayer produces within us a radiant glory of God which is reflected in our lives.

     Awestruck Worship of God in prayer is seen in the vision by Isaiah as the prophet sees God's magnificence in the Temple (Isaiah 6). This depiction majestically portrays how believers ought to come to God in prayer with a sense of reverential awe and respect for the exalted King who sits in glory upon the throne. The result of an awe-struck prayer life will result in divine revelations from the Lord. When we come into the prayerful presence of the Lord, it reveals not only His majesty, but our sinful sense of being undone.

     Yearning for God's Presence in Prayer is something which every believer should have. Psalm 42 paints a portrait of a deer panting for the water, and also our soul should long for God. Do you long for God’s presence? How greatly do you yearn for Him? A deer seeks water not only in times of great drought and thirst, but also when it needs shelter from danger, when it is fighting an opponent, and when it is sick with fever and needs refreshing coolness of water. Similarly, during times of spiritual isolation, battle, and affliction, we truly should develop a thirst for God’s presence, fulfilled in prayer. 

Earnest Expectation of God to answer our prayers and should expect great things from a great God. This portrait of prayer, found in Joshua 3, shows that the priest carrying the ark of God went to the very banks of the Jordan River, at flood time no less, and put their feet into its waters and only then did God recede the water. 

     Resolution to Pray, no matter what. When you think of a Biblical story of someone resolved to prayer, especially in the Old Testament, no more vivid picture can come to mind than that of Daniel openly prayed when told not pray to anyone other than the king of Persia. Jesus asked His disciples, could you not tarry with me for one hour in prayer. What makes you prayerless? Resolve to pray, no matter what.

     Spirit-filled Prayer. In this final portrait of the Old Testament, we see that God wants to bring to life a dead people. You cannot be spiritual without prayer and you cannot have a prayerful life and not be spiritually filled as seen in Ezekiel’s Valley of the Dry Bones.

This week at Joining Hearts: Yearning

     Do you long for God’s presence? How greatly do you yearn for Him? The Bible draws a picture of a deer thirsting after water. In addition to times of great drought and thirst, a deer seeks water when in need of shelter from danger, when fighting an opponent in combat, and when sick with fever and in need of its refreshing coolness. Similarly, it is in times of spiritual isolation, battle, and affliction that we truly thirst for God’s presence in prayer.

¹ As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. ² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? ³ My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” ⁴ When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. ⁵Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. ⁶ O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. ⁷Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me. ⁸ The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me-- A prayer to the God of my life. ⁹ I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” ¹⁰ As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” ¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.                                                                                            

Psalm 42

Power in Prayer, click here

Radiance in Prayer, click here

Awestruck in Prayer, click here 

Yearning in Prayer, click here 

Expectancy in Prayer, coming Nov. 10

Resolution in Prayer, coming Nov. 17

Spirit-filled in Prayer, coming Nov. 24

     I am praying for God's people to get a God-sized vision of what He wants to do in our lives, in our church, in our "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and uttermost parts of the earth." I am praying for and asking you to pray that we seek God to do what only He can do. 

Would you join your hearts together with mine in prayer for a vision for His people. 

     I believe that vision can only be seen when we pray, and not until we have prayed. It will linger long after we first begin to pray. In order to get a vision, I am writing the next few weeks on portraits of prayer; portraits to enlarge our vision of where God wants to take us. 

     In New Testament, Jesus loved to teach with parables and in the Old Testament there are illustrations of encouragements for us to pray. These illustrations are what I call Portraits of Prayer.

     Power in Intercessory Prayer, illustrated by Moses' hands being held up by Aaron and Hur, while Joshua engages in battle below (Exodus 17). This battleground was a resting place, a testing place, without water and filled with conflict. But God wanted to forever memorialize it as where he placed his victorious banner held high.

      Radiance of God's Glory in Prayer, portrayed by Moses' face which glowed with the shekinah glory of being in God's presence.When a Christian has a vibrant prayer life, it shows. There is a glow about a person who has been in prayer and in communion with a Holy, Loving God. How can we Christians create in our lives the essence of what occurred with Moses? Prayer produces within us a radiant glory of God which is reflected in our lives.

     Awestruck Worship of God in prayer is seen in the vision by Isaiah as the prophet sees God's magnificence in the Temple (Isaiah 6). This depiction majestically portrays how believers ought to come to God in prayer with a sense of reverential awe and respect for the exalted King who sits in glory upon the throne. The result of an awe-struck prayer life will result in divine revelations from the Lord. When we come into the prayerful presence of the Lord, it reveals not only His majesty, but our sinful sense of being undone.

     Yearning for God's Presence in Prayer is something which every believer should have. Psalm 42 paints a portrait of a deer panting for the water, and also our soul should long for God. Do you long for God’s presence? How greatly do you yearn for Him? A deer seeks water not only in times of great drought and thirst, but also when it needs shelter from danger, when it is fighting an opponent, and when it is sick with fever and needs refreshing coolness of water. Similarly, during times of spiritual isolation, battle, and affliction, we truly should develop a thirst for God’s presence, fulfilled in prayer.

Earnest Expectation of God to answer our prayers and should expect great things from a great God. This portrait of prayer, found in Joshua 3, shows that the priest carrying the ark of God went to the very banks of the Jordan River, at flood time no less, and put their feet into its waters and only then did God recede the water. 

      Resolution to Pray, no matter what. When you think of a Biblical story of someone resolved to prayer, especially in the Old Testament, no more vivid picture can come to mind than that of Daniel openly prayed when told not pray to anyone other than the king of Persia. Jesus asked His disciples, could you not tarry with me for one hour in prayer. What makes you prayerless?

     Spirit-filled Prayer. In this final portrait of the Old Testament, we see that God wants to bring to life a dead people. You cannot be spiritual without prayer and you cannot have a prayerful life and not be spiritually filled as seen in Ezekiel’s Valley of the Dry Bones.

joiningheartsdevotionals.blogspot.com

Have you been there in prayer? Have you seen it in worship? Eyes closed but not so tight to hold in the joyful tears, hands raised, or maybe kneeling or even prostrate on the ground? The music really doesn’t matter. I have heard worship with the latest praise and the oldest hymns. I’ve seen worship in African dance, in Gaelic melodies, by youngest children to oldest saints.

I’ve opened my eyes after silent prayers, only to be disappointed that I was not in the throne room of heaven. I’ve even been so overwhelmed by God’s presence that I’ve literally fallen backwards in a brother’s house in Laguna Vista, Texas, and fallen on my knees in snowy drifts of Glorieta, New Mexico. I have danced at three in the morning, cried streams at the altar wondering what others must have thought, sat soberly and silently, meditating on a skilled pastor preaching his heart out, knowing that I would be forever changed by his words. I’ve laughed beside my grandmother’s casket, and wished my wife’s mother goodbye, envious of the face of my Savior I knew she would soon see.

All is worship. All is awesome. And I am awestruck.

     I am now sitting in solitude in the quietness of a hospital room with an I.V. in my arm, happily and humbly praising God in worship at His awesomeness, thankful for life, past, present, future and eternal.

I am wondering what Isaiah must have felt, being in the temple, mourning the death of a famed, faithful national leader yet suddenly surrounded by a living portrait of God so awesome that no Rembrandt could ever render, no Michelangelo could master, no. . . (well you get the idea).

Join me this week at www.joiningheartsdevotionals.blogspot.com and consider the awesome portrait in prayer of Isaiah, sitting in the temple, seeing the glory of God.

To start from the first portrait, click here. 

¹ In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. ² Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” ⁴ And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

⁵ So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” ⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. ⁷ And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” ⁸ Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

⁹ And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ ¹⁰ “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.” ¹¹ Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate, ¹²The Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. ¹³ But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.”

Isaiah 6

Redirecting to Joiningheartsdevotionals

I am temporarily vacating this blog as I concentrate on my latest project on "Portraits in Prayer."

For the latest Portrait in Prayer, click here or go to www.joiningheartsdevotionals.blogspot.com

Journaling and other Disciplines

     I sat in on our pastor’s new members class Sunday, and Pastor Randy mentioned several disciplines that growing Christians should have. They include “Prayer, Faithfulness in Church, Scripture Reading and Memorization, Journaling, Fasting and Tithing.” It put me in mind of the many who have listed various characteristics or “disciplines” of growing Christians.

     J.I. Packer’s book Rediscovering Holinesss (2000) summarizes various authors’ lists of disciplines, beginning with Richard Foster who popularized such lists in his book Celebration of Discipline (1978). In addition to the ones Randy listed, Foster included the disciplines of “Solitude, Submission, Service, Confession and Guidance”. Elisabeth Elliot’s list in Discipline: The Glad Surrender (1982) included “Body, Mind, Place (honoring others), Time, Possessions, Work, and Feelings.” R. Kent Hughes wrote Disciplines of a Godly Man (1991) added “Purity, Marriage, Fatherhood, Friendship, Mind, Devotion, Integrity, Tongue, Work, Perseverance, Leadership, Witness, and Ministry”. Donald Whitney in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (1991) added “Scripture Meditation, Application, Evangelism, Stewardship, and Learning.”

     No list is definitive. Several added to, left off or duplicated disciplines of other authors. Pastor Randy invited the class to list other disciplines to add to their own list. On my Discipleship Card, my essentials are “Daily in the Bible, Pray for Partners, Honored Family, Moral Purity, Witnessing, Physical Fitness, Tithe on Increase.”

     What about you? Do you have a list of “essential disciplines” for yourself?  Now, of course we are saved by grace and not by works, so don’t be legalistic. But we are saved for good works (Eph. 2:10), so as disciples, we should discipline ourselves.