"Truly God is good to Israel....But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled....Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You." (Psalm 73)
As I was reading our text this morning, all of a sudden a wave of attack came at me. "What are you doing here that is of any consequence? You are sitting in the comfort of your home, writing a little devotional and not knowing who all may be reading it. You pray from here for the nations, but what good is it really doing? You are living like some cloistered monk. You should be out there engaging people, doing something which others value, not some eccentric, weird religious stuff. The people who are really doing something are the ones Christians affirm, are successful, worthy of support." Then, on an online station came one of the greatest hymns of all time, "Fairest Lord Jesus." My love for Him overwhelmed me, tears, worship, thanksgiving, such appreciation. Isn't it amazing what a little focus on Jesus will do?!?! Some may have seen that beer commercial where the guys turn the labels on the bottles toward the football field to help their team make a key play. The scene ends with the words, "It's only weird if it doesn't work." Well, when this barrage came at me I just turned the Bible toward the Enemy, and the latter part of our text burst forth, "And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You."
There is always going to come to us a, "but as for me." What do you do in that hour, doubt your call, your salvation, or are you going to do what the psalmist records in verse 17, "----Until I went into the sanctuary of God"? It is in Jesus Christ and only in Jesus Christ, Who is our Sanctuary, where the conflict is won. Jesus won that battle in His Blood and Cross and Resurrection and Ascension and Soon Return. These "events" are all in the Eternal realm, not just the time/space world in which we so limit ourselves and to which we too often look. Life is a battle between these two realms. Defeat is in one, victory in the other, "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire but You."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your constant "response," Your "touch," which is really all I need. Amen.
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January 25: Washington, DC
As I was reading our text this morning, all of a sudden a wave of attack came at me. "What are you doing here that is of any consequence? You are sitting in the comfort of your home, writing a little devotional and not knowing who all may be reading it. You pray from here for the nations, but what good is it really doing? You are living like some cloistered monk. You should be out there engaging people, doing something which others value, not some eccentric, weird religious stuff. The people who are really doing something are the ones Christians affirm, are successful, worthy of support." Then, on an online station came one of the greatest hymns of all time, "Fairest Lord Jesus." My love for Him overwhelmed me, tears, worship, thanksgiving, such appreciation. Isn't it amazing what a little focus on Jesus will do?!?! Some may have seen that beer commercial where the guys turn the labels on the bottles toward the football field to help their team make a key play. The scene ends with the words, "It's only weird if it doesn't work." Well, when this barrage came at me I just turned the Bible toward the Enemy, and the latter part of our text burst forth, "And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You."
There is always going to come to us a, "but as for me." What do you do in that hour, doubt your call, your salvation, or are you going to do what the psalmist records in verse 17, "----Until I went into the sanctuary of God"? It is in Jesus Christ and only in Jesus Christ, Who is our Sanctuary, where the conflict is won. Jesus won that battle in His Blood and Cross and Resurrection and Ascension and Soon Return. These "events" are all in the Eternal realm, not just the time/space world in which we so limit ourselves and to which we too often look. Life is a battle between these two realms. Defeat is in one, victory in the other, "Whom have I in Heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire but You."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for Your constant "response," Your "touch," which is really all I need. Amen.
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January 25: Washington, DC
February 13 or 14: Washington, DC, Prayer and Holocaust Museum. If you will participate, let me know--12 people maximum
March 26-April 6: N. K. Mission
November: Berlin, Jerusalem
March 26-April 6: N. K. Mission
November: Berlin, Jerusalem
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
