Grace to Grace

Grace to Grace

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

If love endured that ancient cross
How precious is my Savior’s blood
The beauty of heaven wrapped in my shame
The image of love upon death’s frame

Grace to Grace, Hillsong

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2:

In the book of Numbers we read that even on the doorstep of the Promised Land the people grumbled and complained. They grew impatient. Again and again they complained and spoke out against God, the Lord who brought them out of Egypt. In Numbers 21:5: they say “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

They did not see the salvation of God.

So the Lord sent fiery serpents in their midst. They bit the people and many died.

The people realised their folly and with it the source of their present trouble. They went to Moses and repented asking, in their humility, for him to intercede with God on their behalf.

Moses went to the Lord in prayer and was instructed by God to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole – and all who looked upon it would be saved!

In the Garden of Eden a serpent speaks out against the plan and providence of the Lord. With that first bite of the forbidden fruit the sly serpent of sin bit the soul and death entered the world into the world.

In Romans 5:12: we read that sin entered the world through one man – and that sin came to all and through sin death.

That poison was in the blood – from generation to generation – in our DNA.

In talking about His purpose as the Messiah, in the third chapter of John during His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus brings up the story of the bronze snake. He compares Himself to the snake in verse 14-18: “ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

“Love endured that ancient cross…”

Jesus came and – to pardon our iniquity – He not only took our sin upon Him but rather became sin itself upon the Cross.

“The Beauty of Heaven wrapped in my shame…”

God stepped down from His throne – the Holy One of Heaven – and enrobed in frail and failing flesh He hung upon the Cross the very image of the snake who bit us. He was crucified for our transgressions as our transgression – as the very image of sin itself. All of our carnality pierced through – He shed His holiness in that moment – that moment where He cried out MY GOD, MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME!

(See also Psalm 22. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Messianic promise – His death bookended by the first and last lines of this Psalm!)

God separated Himself from Himself. Stripped of His holiness so that we may become whole. He was our weakness upon that cross – to become our strength. He was our infirmity – to become our healing. He was our poverty – to become our prosperity. He was our darkness – to become our light.

God separated Himself – His holiness – from Himself – and became our sin.

He became our sorrow so that He could become our joy. Our nakedness – to clothe us in righteousness. He became the burnt offering so that our ashes could make the clay of beauty.

The Beauty of Heaven hung upon that old rugged cross, clothed in my sin and shame – so that all who looked upon Him would be saved and have eternal life. He bore the wrath, condemnation and judgement that was for our account – the chastisement for our peace was upon Him. The trial, torment and terror of our sin fell upon His shoulders – He became the curse to become the Blessing (Numbers 6:22-27:).

No greater love will ever be found in the history of the world. No greater love will ever be found anywhere other than His Story.

Prayer: Oh Lord, My God – words cannot describe the awesome, awe-inspiring, almost terrifying thought of what You suffered for me to be here today. Words cannot describe the sacrifice, the price You paid for my peace. My soul trembles at the thought. Thank You Lord for Your love – for Your grace and for Your mercy. I pray that where words fall short You will see my gratitude in the life I live for You. Help me, through Your Spirit, to live a life worthy of the Life You gave – that all may see and know that You are the Lord of my life. Let Your love shine in me and through me. Let Your Kingdom come in me, through me and around me. Let my life be a worthy and acceptable sacrifice unto You. In the precious, beautiful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Holy Forever

Holy Forever

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“A thousand generations
Falling down in worship
To sing the song of
Ages to the Lamb
And all who’ve gone before us
And all who will believe
Will sing the song of
Ages to the Lamb”

Holy Forever, Chris Tomlin

“So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,
Will give You thanks forever;
We will show forth Your praise to all generations.”

Psalm 79:13

Asaph, or more likely one of the sons of Asaph – the author of numerous Psalms, a chief among the Levites and a prominent singer and seer in David’s court – pours out his heart for his people and his country in the patriotic and prophetic Psalm 79.

Spurgeon notes that the Psalm has three distinct divisions – the complaint (verse 1-4), the petition (5-12) and the praise (v13).

Describing the invasion of Judah and destruction of Jerusalem – strangers have come into the city, enemies have defiled the holy place – the enemy has brought death and destruction.

The Psalmist asks, as many prophets and poets before and after him – “How long will you remain angry?” – followed by an earnest petition for the tender mercy and lovingkindness of the Father’s heart, forgiveness, deliverance and atonement for their sins.

We most definitely find ourselves – pre-grace – in this same state. The Holy City of our hearts invaded by the nations, the Temple defiled by the enemy. We find ourselves in this same state: OH Lord, let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought low!

But God, in His infinite wisdom and providence, provided for us – through Christ Jesus – salvation and reconciliation with the Father.

I once was lost, but now I am found!

A theme I find quite often in the Psalms, but seldom in Christianity today is the promise of praise.

I pray for and with a lot of people on a daily basis and in the last year or so I have started encouraging those I intercede with to testify about the goodness of God when their prayers are answered.

We have to become a people of praise.

God is unchanging and eternal. He does not change. He has always been in the business of answering prayer, of touching hearts and turning lives around. He has always been and will always be the One who sees us, loves us, heals us, restores us, provides for us – He has always been and will always be worthy of our praise and our adoration.

Even if He didn’t do any of the things He does for us daily – all the millions of little miracles and blessings He pours out day after day – He has always been and will always be worthy of our praise and adoration!

My pastor, growing up, used to say: “even if God provided nothing more than just Jesus on the cross – just His grace and mercy – that would be more than enough for me to sing His praise forever!”

Jesus paid the ultimate price – He is worthy of the ultimate praise!

And your praise today has the potential to minister intergenerationally.

As a teenager in church I would marvel at the testimonies of the more mature Christians in the congregation. I spent a lot of time in prayer meetings as a young man – and was often the only youth attending. I spent a lot of time drinking tea and eating biscuits with my elders listening with wide eyes and a burning heart to the stories they told of revival way back when.

I remember doing hospital outreach where we used to pray for the sick and hand out tracts at a local hospital. I did this for four years – and the only other consistent members of the group were two older ladies who had seen the ups and downs of life.

The woman who headed up this prayer outreach had a real passion for this kind of ministry – she had been told that she only had a few months left to live – but here she was more than a decade later praying for the dying in intensive care and seeing them leave healed a few days later! Sharing the love of her Saviour and the Lover of her soul with any and all she encountered!

Many of these brothers and sisters have since passed on to be with the Lord – but their testimonies, their song of praise lives on in me.

They weren’t preachers, prophets or apostles – just everyday people who had seen God move and had made known His praise – and in this way they have touched generations, touched hearts, and will continue to do so for generations to come as their children, their grandchildren and so forth continue to recount these stories and add their own to this genealogy of grace.

Perhaps this is what Asaph meant in the closing lines of Psalm 79:

“So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,
Will give You thanks forever;
We will show forth Your praise to all generations.”

Prayer: Lord, let me be a faithful steward of the grace and the mercy that You pour out and into my life. You have delivered me, picked me up and out of the miry clay again and again – let my life be a blessing and a testimony to those around me. Give me boldness and an excitement to share who You are and what You mean to me with everyone I come across. Help me see opportunities to share Your love with others. Help me show forth Your praise and see not only nations but also generations come to You! In the Mighty Name of Jesus! Amen!

Here Comes The Glory

Here Comes The Glory

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“Heaven is here right now
Heaven is here right now
What we long to see
Is happening happening
Here right now
Heaven is here
Here comes Heaven”

Here Comes The Glory, David and Nicole Binion

“Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.”

Psalm 144:5

When Jesus started His ministry He went from place to place declaring: “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

It is easy for us to listen to this – as I did for a very long time – and think that Jesus was talking about a coming time where the Kingdom would be established on Earth… But the nearness described here is not temporal but rather spatial: “The Kingdom of Heaven is here and now, in your midst!”

The Psalms and the Prophets are filled with the desire of the people to SEE God – to see His Kingdom come.

Even the disciples ask Him in Acts 1:6 when it is that He will restore the kingdom (the basileia – dominion, authority and sovereignty) to Israel.

The Kingdom here refers to the sovereign theocratic rule of God that was originally established at Mt. Sinai.

Psalm 144:5: echoes this desire specifically when the psalmist asks God to bow the Heavens and set the mountains on fire. We read in Exodus 19 that after coming out of Egypt Moses led the people to the foot of the mountain to meet with God. It says in verse 18 that Mount Sinai was covered in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire.

It is here that God first institutes His theocratic government through His covenant with Moses and the Israelites.

David writes: “Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.” (Psalm 144:7-8:)

The disciples ask: Lord, when will You restore the Kingdom to Israel?

At this time Israel is drowning in the mighty waters of the Roman Empire – being ruled over by foreigners and corrupt officials.

Jesus’ answer is probably not very satisfying: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)

What Jesus is saying might not be what they were looking for – but it is what we all need: He wasn’t about to restore the kingdom to Israel – but was here to establish His Kingdom in their hearts and the heart of every believer to come.

We as the church cry out: Lord, when will You restore Your Kingdom?

We are drowning in the mighty waters of a sick and corrupted world with its political and moral philosophies running so contrary to the Word of God…

At Sinai God calls the Israelites – through faith and obedience – to be His treasured possession. A Kingdom of priests – a nation holy unto God.

When we open up our minds and hearts and allow God to step in and flood our lives, what we long to see starts happening – He transforms us. As His Kingdom comes in our lives it starts pouring out through us and we see His Kingdom come in the lives of those around us.

We see revival starting and this revival leads to awakening in society and a holy nation and royal priesthood is raised up – but it all starts with us today saying: Lord, come establish Your Kingdom in our hearts – come establish Your Kingdom in my life so that I may be Your witness in my Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the Earth.

It starts with us, today, resolving to pray – as individuals and together – like the disciples gathered in the upper room! It starts with us looking to and waiting on the Lord!

Prayer: Lord, today I open up my heart and ask You to flood my life. Come in and take over. Help me, through Your Spirit, live a life of faith and obedience. In doing so, my God, I pray that I will make a difference in the lives of those around me. Let Your Kingdom come in me, through me, and around me – let Your will be done. Come rule and reign in my life. In the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Talking to Jesus

Talking to Jesus

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“Grandma used to pray out loud
By her bed every night
To me, it sounded like mumbling
Like she was out of her mind
She said, “Boy, this kind of praying
Is what saved my life
You outta try it some time”
And now I know she was right”

Talking to Jesus, Maverick City.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

I grew up with parents who prayed.

They would make time, early in the morning, after waking up to seek the face of the Lord.

My dad had a simple philosophy – pray every where and all the time.

I often had to remind him to keep his eyes open while driving and praying.

My mom kept a regular and disciplined devotional time. She would sit in her room or in the downstairs lounge – where ever she could catch the most sun that day – and read her Bible and pray.

As children living in Dubai, whenever the Muslim call for prayer would sound throughout the city – broadcast over what felt like every speaker and every television set – my mom would switch off all the devices in the house, gather her three young boys and teach us to talk to Jesus.

As a teenager I started going to church more and more – it was very much a refuge for me.

I had a pastor who took me under his wing and to this day I maintain that he taught me everything I needed to know in regards to ministry – and it wasn’t the theology, or history, or practical ministry… It was much simpler and much deeper than that.

I spent a lot of time as a teenager and a young man sitting with him in his office just talking to Jesus.

As if face to face.

Sometimes for hours.

And the more time I have spent in prayer the more I have seen the Hand of God move in my life and the lives of those around me.

There were times where it felt like all I really had was a prayer – and God came through!

Still today I have never lost the habit of conversing with Jesus.

There are as many ways to approach prayer as there are shoe sizes. But all of them have this one thing in common – we’ve got to start talking to Jesus.

It doesn’t have to be a ritual. It doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated.

I often find myself sitting in the living room, doing household stuff, or walking outside – even in public – and a conversation starts.

It comes naturally. But only because of practice.

At first it might seem strange, it might feel a little awkward – just like building a relationship in the natural – but the more time spent in prayer the more it becomes nature.

Our prayers do not need to be perfect. They don’t need to be rehearsed or refined. They just need to be.

All we have to do is start talking. He will hear you.

He is always there – He is always on the line! His ears are always open. God does not slumber or sleep.

All you have to do is start talking.

I want to urge you to pray with others. I learnt a lot from my parents, from my mentor and from many others over the years – just by spending time with them in prayer.

If you are new to prayer – find someone to pray with in your family, your circle of friends or your community of faith. If you can’t find anyone in your immediate vicinity contact me and I will pray with you.

If you are a person who prays I would like to encourage you to pray with your children, pray with your family, pray with your friends so that they might learn and be encouraged through your effort and example.

Let us start talking to Jesus – as individuals but also as family.

Let us start talking to Jesus and introduce as many others to Him as we can as well.

Prayer: Lord, as I start talking to You today I pray that it won’t stop. I thank You Lord that Your ear and Your heart are turned towards me. You hear me when I call. As I spend time in prayer help me identify the ways in which I can grow and help others grow as well through effort and example. Help me make prayer as natural and essential as eating and breathing. In Jesus Name.

Raise a Hallelujah

Raise a Hallelujah

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Devotionals, Worship Reflections

“I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me”

Raise a Hallelujah, Jonathan and Melissa Helser

“15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! (Ruwa) For the Lord has given you the city!”

Joshua 6:15-16:

The word used for shout here in verse 16 (RUWA) implies – more than anything else – a shout of triumph or joy – especially in the Psalms where it is most often translated as joyful noise or triumph – eg. Psalm 47:1, 66:1, 81:1, 95:1-2, 98:4-6.

Ruwa is a joyful noise – it is a call to arms and a war cry – but one at which the very Heavens are mobilised.

As in the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho when the people of Israel blew their shofars and cried their cry of joyful triumph (RUWA) the Hand of God reached down and knocked down the legendary walls of this ancient city.

We read in 2 Chronicles 20 that a great army rose up against Judah – the Ammonites, the Moabites and their auxiliaries banded together and formed a formidable enemy.

In the face of this threat the Spirit of the Lord speaks through Jahaziel and in verse 17 we read: ”17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

Keeping the faith the people praised God in the face of their adversity. The Bible tells us that they sang together – the ‘worship team’ at the front of the procession – in a LOUD VOICE:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

for His love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 20:20-23)

On that day the Lord and His angel armies fought on behalf of His children.

In the New Testament Paul gives us this advice in his letter to the Philippians: ”4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil4:4-7:)

Jesus climbed that lonely hill, the place of the skull, Golgotha to tear up the death warrant that our sin had issued against us. On that day the Warrior-King of Heaven climbed the mountain of our condemnation and struck a fatal blow to death itself.

As Augustine said: “He endured death as a lamb; He devoured it as a lion.“

And on that cross where the God of Creation, stepped down from His throne and robed in flesh, became our salvation He cried: IT IS FINISHED.

Today we rest in the finished work of Christ. Our warfare is not so much the fighting for victory – but the standing strong in victory.

Do we struggle with temptation, habitual sin or even addiction?

Is our struggle grief, sorrow and mental malady?

Do we struggle with infirmity and illness?

Is our struggle fear and insecurity?

Rejoice in the Lord, take it to Him in prayer and petition with thanksgiving… and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Cry out to the Lord with joy and triumph knowing that He hears You, and He loves You – with the assurance that He is the One who fights for You!

In the face of our enemy we weaponize the melody of our praise – we shout louder than the unbelief – PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER!

As He has been – so He will be. Our Rock. Our Shield. Our Strong Tower in which we find refuge from the storms of life.

As He has been so He will be. Mighty God. Conqueror. Prince of Peace. Everlasting Father – our Victory.

Prayer: Lord, today I raise a Hallelujah! I shout, let God be praised for His mercy endures forever. As You have been so You will be. I declare today that there is victory in the name of Jesus. I thank You Lord that I can stand strong in You, with You as my foundation. I thank You Lord that You fight for me – on my behalf. In every struggle and in every storm You are right there by my side. Thank You Lord that I don’t have to face these things alone, but that I can rest in the knowledge that You have already worked the victory. Help me rest in You today. Let Your peace – that peace that surpasses all understanding – guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus today. In Your Mighty Name. Amen.