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Daily Devotion June 14th

SUNDAY 14th

Ephesians 2

Two weeks ago, I shared via video these thoughts which I had prepared as a devotion for today, with the hope that we will soon be able to gather again. We are still having to wait patiently, continue to pray that this will soon be able to happen,

In Ephesians verses 19-22 we read ‘So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.’

Isn’t it wonderful to know that because of what God has done for us we are being built together or knitted together as a body of people, in particular in our local church setting as Emmanuel Pentecostal Church but also into the universal body of Christ, the Church which he is building.

As you are aware, we are living temporarily with Nicola and Cameron, while we wait for our house to be completed. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the lockdown commenced and the building work was suspended. This means that instead of completing in mid-May, it has been moved on to at least late July or into August. Building was supposed to have recommenced sometime mid-May, but we have since discovered it started on site just this week 9th June.

The lockdown has affected life in so many different way, especially for us as Church meaning that we cannot gather together, but the good news is that while the lockdown has been happening and the building of homes has been suspended the Lord Jesus Christ has continued with his building programme, he hasn’t stopped, the heavenly Father hasn’t furloughed him!

The Church is not able to gather, but it does not mean the building of it has to stop. In Matthew 16 when Jesus said he would build his Church he declared that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it, that is, they would not prevent it from happening. The gates of Hell, can mean anything that would seek to obstruct its progress and growth, and the Pandemic is something that the Devil would love to use to seek to disrupt the Church and the building of it. But the good news is that although Church can’t gather, so much is happening through media and technology that is helping to continue the building and growth of the Church and we thank God for all the different methods and means being used. The gates of hell will not prevail.

But the day is coming when the Pandemic will pass, and the restrictions will be lifted, partially lifted at first until eventually we can return to being gathered Church as God intended. What has been happening over the last few months as good as it may seem to be with on-line church etc, must not become the new normal, it must only be seen as a temporary measure while we heed the advice given by those in authority.

I have heard and read statements that folk are saying how wonderful that Church is finally being what it is meant to be, outside of the four walls of a building, actually that is not entirely true, for true Church is a gathered church. It is reflected in the image given in Scripture of a body, joined-together not dislocated. And however good an on-line service might be it is not truly gathered Church. What is happening at this moment is like a stop gap, making the most or the best out of our present situation – and we thank God for the way that he is blessing the efforts of Churches at this time, but Church is supposed to be gathered, together, not isolated in our living rooms watching a screen but being united not just spiritually but physically together in fellowship.

It is essential that as a result of this extended period of time when we have not been coming together that we do not become complacent thinking that we don’t need Church gatherings, or that instead of getting up and going to our local Church we will search for an on-line service which we can just watch at leisure while still even perhaps doing other things at the same time or even switching off if we are not enjoying!

Gathered Church is where we come together to shut ourselves in as it were from everything else that would distract us to draw near to the presence of God in corporate worship and praise.

Gathered Church is essential, as I’ve already mentioned, on-line church must not become in the words of the phrase that is being used so often today ‘the new norm’ for it can never do for us spiritually what gathered Church can do, for that is the place where we see each other, we bless each other, we encourage each-other and we seek to build each other up. There is something about togetherness that isolation cannot do.

Gathered Church is also a place of accountability, it is the place whereby we can measure our spiritual growth, it is the place where we can be seen to be still participating in the life of Christ, it is the place where the shepherd or pastor can more easily look over the flock and seek to minister to the individual or to the collective need.

Gathered Church is the place where we should be seeking to take communion together, where we should be seeking to pray together and where we should be instructed or taught together and is of course the place where we have fellowship together.

I would guess that during this time of restriction and isolation, we would all list at the top the one thing we have missed most is not being able to go to visit family, not being able to see parents, children, grand-children and friends. One of the first things we will want to do is to go and see them if they live local enough! In the same way we should be missing our spiritual family, and we should be eager in our hearts if we truly care for one another to be able to meet again, to gather again as gathered Church as the family of God in Emmanuel Pentecostal Church.

In Scripture we see in Acts 2:42 that the early believers came together for prayer, fellowship, the breaking of bread and for prayer, Acts 3 tells us that Peter and John were going up to the temple for the hour of prayer, in Acts 4 after the authorities had forbidden Peter and John to teach the name of Jesus, they went to the other believers and they prayed together. In Acts 16 Paul went down to the riverside because he heard that there would be a gathered group meeting for prayer. In 1 Corinthians 16 Paul mentions the churches, he doesn’t use Church which represents the whole universal body but uses the word churches indicating that he saw the need for the Church to be gathered in groups as churches, local churches in a set place as a community of believers.

Obviously we see the gatherings in Scripture took place in various places, homes, temple, outside, today, we should value and appreciate that we have the freedom in this country at the moment to be able to have buildings, yes we may call them church buildings, but they are buildings where the church can gather together, a place where we gather for all the reasons I have mentioned above, and from that place whatever we may call it, to be able to reach out into the community with whatever God may have called the local church to do.

We are a sea of voices

We are an ocean of your praise

Gathered under one name

We are a tide that’s rising

And we cannot be contained

Gathered under one name

O for a thousand tongues to sing

The glories of our Lord, God Almighty

O to sing the Saviour’s praise

The triumph of His grace

You are worthy

You are worthy God

We have found our anthem

At the cross where sin was slain

Gathered under one name

Where every chain is broken

Every sorrow swept away

Gathered under one name

O for a thousand tongues to sing

The glories of our Lord, God Almighty

O to sing the Saviour’s praise

The triumph of His grace

You are worthy

You are worthy God

With all heaven sing

And all earth below

One holy King

One highest throne

Vertical Worship CCLI788682

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Daily Devotion April 27th

MONDAY 27th

Acts 2:1-13 – Receive

This is one of the pivotal chapters in Scripture, it is a moment of infilling, of impact and of outreach.

The disciples had been obedient to the instruction that Jesus had given them in the previous chapter 1:4, and they waited, and they prayed until the Day of Pentecost arrived ‘and suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.’

When we are told here that the ‘Day of Pentecost’ arrived it is referring to one of the feasts of the Children of Israel, which they observed throughout the year. It was also known as the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-16)

But now it was going to take on a more significant meaning, it was to be the moment in which the promised Holy Spirit would arrive and infill the waiting disciples / believers. Pentecost means ‘fiftieth’ and on this day, the fiftieth day after the resurrection a new Pentecost takes place. It is the pivotal moment when we can say that the Church was born, the moment when Jesus began to build his Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

I think that it is quite clear that Jesus intended and expects his Church to be Pentecostal, Spirit filled and Spirit empowered. Remember his instruction, they were not to leave Jerusalem until they had received power and the power would arrive when the Holy Spirit came upon them. (1:8)

We see the initial effect upon the waiting disciples in 2:3-4 ‘And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were ALL FILLED with the Holy Spirit and begun to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ They were filled and they spoke in other tongues. It is important to realise here, that they weren’t making up gibberish sounds, they weren’t uttering unintelligible sounds, (even though they themselves may not have understood) they were speaking in other known languages which they themselves didn’t know, languages different to their own language. Such is the incredible power of the Holy Spirit. We know this because of what it says in verses 6-7. ‘And at this sound the multitude came together (Because the Feast of Pentecost was taking place, Jerusalem would have been filled with visitors from afar) and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them (those filled with the Holy Spirit) speaking in his own language. (Italics mine) And they were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own language?’ And the account lists many of the regions and languages. WOW, what an incredible moment in time, what an incredible scene to have witnessed, what a mighty demonstration of the power of God. What a shift in the plan and purpose of God, in a period of 50 days, Jesus had died, had been buried, had risen again, had appeared many times, had returned to heaven and now a movement was born, the Church of Jesus Christ, inaugurated by the coming of the Holy Spirit, infilled with the power of the Holy Spirit and ready to go and infiltrate the kingdom of darkness and to see many delivered from it and brought into the kingdom of light.

They had waited, they had been filled, the power promised had been received, and as a result the disciples were ready to be propelled as witnesses, first into Jerusalem, then into Judea, then into Samaria and then to the end of the earth. Fulfilling the commission given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ. The story continues, two thousand years later and this devotion continues, tomorrow.

The whole wide world for Jesus!

This shall our watchword be,

Upon the highest mountain,

Down by the widest sea.

The whole wide world for Jesus!

To Him shall all men bow;

In city or in prairie,

The world for Jesus now.

The whole wide world, the whole wide world!

Proclaim the Gospel tidings thro’ the whole wide world!

Lift up the cross of Jesus, His banner be unfurled,

Till every tongue confess Him thro’ the whole wide world.

The whole wide world for Jesus!

Inspires us with the thought

That every son of Adam

Hath by His love been bought.

The whole wide world for Jesus!

O faint not by the way!

The cross shall surely conquer

In this our glorious day.

The whole wide world for Jesus!

The marching order sound;

Go ye and preach the gospel

Wherever man is found.

The whole wide world for Jesus!

Our banner is unfurled;

We battle now for Jesus,

And faith demands the world.

Catherine Johnson CCLI 788682

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Daily Devotion April 26th

Sunday 26th

Acts 1 – Wait

During this week we will look at some portions of Scripture in the book of Acts, concerning Pentecost and the subject of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and conclude with some verses from 1 Corinthians 12 and Galatians 5.

As a local Church in Gateshead, our name ‘Emmanuel Pentecostal Church’ identifies us as being a Pentecostal Church, which in turns identifies us as being a people of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should not only be Pentecostal in title but in practice as well.

A few weeks back in the devotions, I highlighted some of the ministries of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (April 2nd) As we look in the book of Acts during this week we will enlarge further, but for today a brief introduction.

Acts chapter one, starts by informing us that Jesus made many proofs to the disciples of his resurrection by appearing to them over a period of forty days. During this time, he instructed the disciples that they were not to depart from Jerusalem until they had received the Holy Spirit.

In verse 6 the disciples were more interested in the kingdom of Israel being restored to which Jesus replied (in my own words) ‘You don’t need to be concerned about these things, it’s all been sorted and arranged by my Father. What is important for you though is this, wait and when you have been baptised in the Holy Spirit you will receive power and you are going to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, then in Samaria and to the end of the world.’

Is it possible that like the disciples, we too can be preoccupied with other matters instead of the priority of Pentecost in our experience?

Immediately after Jesus had said this, he was taken up from out of their sight and a cloud took him up and back to heaven. This is what we refer to has the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, he had accomplished what he had been sent to do, and now he was returning, back to his Father.

The next verse is an encouraging verse because it confirms to the disciples what Jesus had already told them, (in John 14:1-3) 1:11 ‘This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ This was good news for the disciples, and it is good news for us today, it is good news, full-stop, but in the trouble-some days in which we are living, it is comforting and reassuring news, that the day is coming and it may be sooner than we realise when this same Jesus who the disciples saw being taken up into heaven is going to come again, and when he does we who are watching and waiting will be taken up so that we will forever be with our Lord. When Paul touches on this same subject in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 he adds at the end in verse 18 ‘Therefore encourage one another with these words.’ May we be encouraged ‘He is coming again’, Amen, even so come Lord Jesus.

The rest of chapter one continues with the disciples returning to the upper room, (v13) they spend a period of time in united fellowship, in one accord with others, including Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers (120 people altogether) devoting themselves to prayer. It was also there in the upper room, during this time of waiting that they appointed Matthias to replace Judas.

And there they waited, and there they prayed until we get to chapter two and verse one which says, ‘And when the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly . . .’

You may recall I talked about a ‘suddenly’ moment in an earlier devotion, (March 26th) when Paul and Silas were praying and singing at midnight and ‘suddenly’ there was an earthquake. (Acts 16:26) Well, here in Acts 2 there is a ‘suddenly’ moment, and this ‘suddenly’ moment was going to transform the disciples, they were about to receive and to be filled with the promised Holy Spirit and as a result things would never be the same again. But that is the subject for the rest of this week and I pray it is a subject that will not be contained within the boundaries of this week and our devotions but will be the ongoing experience for us as a Church, as a Pentecostal Church as we move forward with God into the future he has prepared for us until that moment when he comes again.

For today, as we embark on this week concerning the Holy Spirit, I jump forward to Acts 19 and ask the question that Paul asked the believers who he met with in Ephesus, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’

I was brought up in a Pentecostal Church, and when I was 18, I went to stay with a friend in Belfast, NI and while there I made contact with one of my dad’s cousins, David Greenow, who lived there and was a full time Evangelist, I knew him well as he frequently returned to Hereford to visit his family and to preach in the Church. We connected for a day and he took me to a few places, but there was one place and one moment that impacted me, it was like a bolt out of the blue. We went to Lough Neagh and as we stood looking across the lough, he turned to me and said, ‘Have you received the Holy Spirit? If not, why not, you belong to a Pentecostal Church.’ It was one of those moments where I knew that God by his Spirit was challenging me concerning my walk and relationship with him. Shamefully I had to reply, ‘No’ and he prayed with me and from that moment on I was desperate to seek and to be filled. I cannot point to a definitive moment when I received, until a while later at a youth conference while seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit someone praying with me just simply said, I believe you have already been filled, just be released and it happened, I began to speak with tongues as the Holy Spirit gave me the ability. Did something happen at the Lough?

How about you? The disciples had to stay at ‘home’ till they received, wouldn’t it be wonderful if during this time while we have to stay at ‘home’ we were filled either for the first time, or afresh by the Holy Spirit so that when gathered church happens again we will be equipped by the Holy Spirit’s power to take us forward.

They were gathered in an upper chamber,

as commanded by the risen Lord,

and the promise of the Father

there they sought with one accord,

when the Holy Ghost from heaven descended

like a rushing wind and tongues of fire:

so dear Lord, we seek Thy blessing,

come with glory now our hearts inspire.

Let the fire fall, let the fire fall,

let the fire from heaven fall;

we are waiting and expecting,

now in faith, dear Lord, we call;

let the fire fall, let the fire fall,

on Thy promise we depend;

from the glory of Thy presence

let the Pentecostal fire descend.

As Elijah we would raise the altar

for our testimony clear and true,

Christ the Saviour, loving Healer,

coming Lord, Baptizer too,

ever flowing grace and full salvation,

for a ruined race Thy love has planned;

for this blessed revelation,

for Thy written word we dare to stand.

‘This the covenanted promise given

to as many as the Lord shall call,

to the fathers and their children,

to Thy people, one and all;

so rejoicing in Thy word unfailing,

we draw nigh in faith Thy power to know –

come, O come, Thou burning Spirit,

set our hearts with heavenly fire aglow.

With a living coal from off Thy altar

touch our lips to swell Thy wondrous praise,

to extol Thee, bless, adore Thee,

and our songs of worship raise;

let the cloud of glory now descending

fill our hearts with holy ecstasy,

come in all Thy glorious fullness,

blessed Holy Spirit, have Thy way

H Tee CCLI 788682

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Daily Devotion April 24th

FRIDAY 24th

Psalm 123

This isn’t a very long Psalm and perhaps you are wondering why I have chosen it, it’s not because it is one of my favourites, but as I was going through the Psalms for this week the first verse caught my attention. ‘To you I lift my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!’

It then gives an illustration in verse 2 of the eyes of the servant looking towards their master, and the eyes of the maidservant towards their mistress. This gives us a picture of our dependency toward God.

We depend on many things in our lives, especially in modern living with the technological era in which we live – we depend on our electric supply (and gas and water), we depend on our fridges, freezers, micro-waves, kettles, washing machines, our cars or public transport, and today we seem to be unable to cope without a particular device called a mobile phone or laptop computer. Imagine how different our day would be by trying to manage without each of these things I have mentioned.

Over the last months we have become even more aware of so much that we have taken for granted, everyday things we do, activities we do etc  like shopping, meeting with family or friends, going out in the car, maybe the gym, or even popping out for a meal with others.

Things which we have built our lives around and of we have become dependent upon. Suddenly we have been stripped of these things and have had to re-manage how we live and organise our lives. There are many ways in which we can react, we could become angry, we could become rebellious, we could be resourceful etc. but one thing we can all be is pro-active. We can be determined to make the most out of a difficult situation. But there is something else that we who are believers can do, it is that we can take stock. We can take the situation and the time it gives us to re-evaluate our lives and in particular our relationship with God. As we think of all the things in this life that we have become so dependant upon how many of them have become an hinderance to us in our walk with and our dependency upon the Lord Jesus Christ without our realising it?

Let’s go back to the first verse, ‘To you I lift my eyes.’ Our eyes are incredible organs, they are very delicate and yet extremely powerful, it is with our eyes we have vison, through our eyes we see everything around us, it is through our eyes we can focus on things that are close or far away. Sight is precious. Every day, we who have our sight are looking, watching, and as a result are absorbing, taking in and learning. Every day we are seeing and as a result feeding our minds which in turn feeds our desires. There is a challenge here, as to how much of our time is spent using our eyes to watch, read, see things that are not really of any value, more so of any spiritual value?

Some modern smart phones give you a weekly report on your screen time, whether you have spent more screen time or less screen time in a week compared to the previous week. I wonder what the weekly report would be on how much time we have given to the Word of God and the things of God? It’s a challenge to me.

 ‘To you I Lift my eyes’ speaks of our dependency toward God, the other familiar Psalm 121, says ‘I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.’ We need to remember that these words are not just for the difficult and tough times, they are applicable for every moment of our lives. We need his help regardless of what our circumstances are because in this modern age, there is so much than can distract us and cause us to lose our dependency upon him.

There is one well known New Testament Scripture that talks of where our eyes should be looking, and with this scripture I will conclude this devotion, it’s in Hebrews 12:1-2 ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’

I lift my eyes

to the quiet hills

in the press of a busy day;

as green hills stand

in a dusty land

so God is my strength and stay.

I lift my eyes

to the quiet hills

to a calm that is mine to share;

secure and still

in the Father’s will

and kept by the Father’s care.

I lift my eyes

to the quiet hills

with a prayer as I turn to sleep;

by day, by night,

through the dark and light

my Shepherd will guard his sheep.

I lift my eyes

to the quiet hills

and my heart to the Father’s throne;

in all my ways

to the end of days

the Lord will preserve his own.

 Timothy Dudley-Smith (b. 1926) CCLI 788682

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Daily Devotion April 23rd

THURSDAY 23rd

Psalm 100

There are some Psalms that perhaps we can recall being used more frequently than others in Sunday morning worship services, and for me, when I hear particular Psalms, my mind immediately remembers individuals who I can recall who used to regularly read them or they take me back to a particular time  – they were the favourites. Psalm 8 immediately reminds me of a lovely lady called Sonia that worshipped in the Church in Wrexham. Psalm 103 reminds me of an elderly man who used to make us smile as youngsters because he always used to say Psalm one ought three instead of one hundred and three.

This Psalm for today, Psalm 100, takes me back to my childhood Church in Madley, a little village in Herefordshire, the same place as Mr one ought three attended. I can remember verse 2 being displayed on the wall as a motto, ‘Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!’

This Psalm like many other Psalms, calls us to ‘come and to worship the Lord’.

Come with a joyful noise – that means that not all noise is joyful!

Come with singing, there is something powerful about song, and I believe that there is something especially powerful about congregational singing.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, we of all people should be a thankful people when we think of what God has done for us.

Enter his courts with praise, his praise should always be on our lips.

It gives to us the core for a worship service. Joyful noise, singing, thanksgiving, praise and blessing. But it also says serve the LORD with gladness, everything we do in the service of the Church should be done unto the Lord with gladness and in verse 3, ‘Know that the LORD, He is God!’ We come together in worship to KNOW the Lord, I believe worship should draw us closer to the Lord, and also expand our understanding of who he is and of what he has done and is doing and yet will do for us. Worship should excite us, but it should also ignite us, because the more we worship in spirit and in truth, the greater should be our awareness of God in our lives and the stronger our desire should be to get to know him more.

Returning to verse three, it also says. ‘It is he who has made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.’

When we come to worship, we are coming to bow down before the great Creator. He not only deserves our worship, but he has the right to demand it! He has made us, we are his, this reminds me of 1 Corinthians 6:20 ‘For you were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body.’

We don’t belong to ourselves; we belong to God we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. There is a personal challenge to each of us here, as to glorifying God, in that we need to be careful that we don’t dishonour God through our actions, in the things which we do and the things we say each day.

Psalm 95:6-7 says, ‘Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.’

Then the final verse (100:5) reminds us ‘For the LORD is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.’ 

This is why we worship, why we praise, why we bring joyful noise / songs, and serve with gladness because the LORD who has made us is a GOOD God, he loves us with enduring love and he is faithful to all generations – as he was faithful 4000 years ago, 3000 years ago, 2000 years ago, 1000 years ago so he still is today and will be in 1000 years, 2000, 3000, 4000 . . . . Lamentations 3:22-23 ‘The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’

Why should we make, serve, come, know, enter and give – for many thousand reasons but in particular because of Gods steadfast love and faithfulness.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father

There is no shadow of turning with Thee

Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not

As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be

Great is Thy faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness

Morning by morning, new mercies I see

All I have needed Thy hands hath provided

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

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

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own great presence to cheer and to guide

Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Thomas Chisholm CCLI 788682

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Daily Devotion April 19th

Sunday 19th

Psalm 103

Yesterday we looked at a verse from Psalm 91, today and through this week I want to continue in the Psalms. I wonder if you were limited to choosing seven Psalms which ones would you choose? Perhaps that would be a good exercise today, to compile your personal list. I have chosen seven for this week, but I have not particularly chosen what would be my top seven simply because my list would include at least three that we won’t use this week. My list would include Psalm 1, has it’s always been one of my favourites, and Psalm 121 and Psalm 19.

Today I have chosen Psalm 103, verses 1-5. 

These first few verses in this psalm are probably verses that I quote or use more than any other in prayer, especially verse 1, verses 1-5, ‘Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’

Just pause for a moment or two and consider the wonder of these words.

‘Forget not all his benefits’ if I were to give a New Testament comparison, it would be Ephesians 1:3 ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places’ I have already mentioned about listing what would be your top seven Psalms, here is a bigger challenge, how about beginning to list the many benefits or blessings we have received in Christ.

In Psalm 139:17, David says ‘How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them.’ He then continues in the next verse, ‘IF I could count them, they are more than the sand!’ In an earlier Psalm he says, ‘You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you!’ (Psalm 40:5) If David could say these things before Calvary has happened, how much more so can we who have known the wonder of Calvary’s love and grace. His blessings towards us are like his thoughts toward us, they are more than the sand. 

‘Who forgives all your iniquity’ read what it says later in the same Psalm, verse 12, ‘as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.’  Re-read this and declare it loud and clear, if we have been to the cross in repentance, our sin HAS been removed and we have been justified by his precious blood! The devil can throw every accusation against us that he wants to, but not one accusation will stand as we remain firm in our position in Christ Jesus, because we have been forgiven and we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus himself,  who is standing in God’s presence on our behalf. 1 John 1:9 ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’

‘Who heals all your diseases’ ‘Oh dear’ this is a tricky one, if he heals all our diseases how come so many of the household of faith are sick and suffering? Well, no it’s not tricky for God does have the power to heal all our diseases – he has healed us from the worse of them all – the disease of sin which had left us spiritually dead and thanks to his death on the cross and the power of his resurrection, by grace we have been saved and we have been made spiritually alive again. (Ephesians 2) But alongside reading Scripture concerning healing we need to remind ourselves that although we have been made alive spiritually or quickened as the KJV says,  we are still living in a fallen world, and we still suffer some of the consequences of the fall, as Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 4:16 ‘So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.’ But thank God one of the blessing of being in Christ is that one day that which is wasting away, perishing, and decaying will be transformed into a glorious new eternal body. Another Scripture that should help us in this is Romans 8:23-25 ‘And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (See also 1 Corinthians 15:42-49) And although healing can and does take place in the present, the day is coming when all sickness and disease will be done away with – and as a result of what? – Christ’s redemptive work, and so he does heal all our diseases, sometimes it happens in the present but most definitely for every believer it will happen as we enter eternity. As I have said in an earlier devotion, (March 28th) if our healing doesn’t happen today, he gives us his grace to strengthen us in the present and as a sure and certain hope for the future.

‘Who redeems your life from the pit’ In the CSB* the word pit is capitalized to Pit, this then means it is referring to a specific place. It is referring to ‘Sheol’, the place of the dead, or the place where the dead go to. The psalmist is rejoicing that because of his hope and confidence in God, when he dies, he will not go to the place of the spiritually dead, because he has been redeemed from it. So where will he go? Well instead of the Pit those who are spiritually alive will go to Paradise! Remember what the response of Jesus was to the dying thief on the cross? ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise’ In other words instead of the PIT and as a result of Christ’s resurrection, we go to where the Saviour is and perhaps better to put it this way, we go into the PRESENCE of our Saviour. And we who are born again by the Spirit of God have been redeemed from the pit, from the place of the spiritually dead. For the unbeliever the Pit is not good news, because the New Testament enlarges further and talks of the unrighteous dead being raised and cast with the devil and his wicked angels into the Lake of Fire which will be a place of eternal punishment,(Revelation 20:7-15) but for us who are believers, our body may be temporarily placed in the ground, but our redeemed spirit / soul will enter into his presence awaiting the glorious resurrection day. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)

‘Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s’. Because of time I will sum these thought up by using Scripture, just ponder upon the wonder that instead of a golden crown studded with diamond on our heads, we have been crowned with something far more precious and valuable – the steadfast love and mercy of God.

Psalm 5:11-12 ‘But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favour as with a shield.’

Psalm 107:8-9 ‘Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.’

Matthew 5:6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’

Isaiah 40:30-31 ‘Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.’

Oh yes, my list which we will look at the rest of this week – Psalm 8, Psalm 23, Psalm 42, Psalm 100, Psalm 123, Psalm 34.

*CSB Christian Standard Bible

Lately I’ve been looking back, along this winding road 

To the old familiar markers of the mercies I have known 

I know it may sound simple but it’s more than a cliche

There’s no better way to tell you, than to say

God’s been good in my life

I feel blessed beyond my wildest dreams when I go to sleep each night

And though I’ve had my share of hard times, I wouldn’t change them if I could

‘Cause through it all, God’s been good

Times replay and I can see that I’ve cried some bitter tears 

But I felt His arms around me, as I faced my greatest fears

You see I’ve had more gains than losses and I’ve known more joy than hurt

As His grace rolled down upon me undeserved

For God has been my Father, my Savior and my Friend

His love was my beginning, and His love will be my end

I could spend forever trying to tell you everything He is

But the best thing I can say is this . . . God’s been good . . .’

Unknown CCLI 788682

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Devotions

Daily Devotion April 18th

SATURDAY 18th

Psalm 91

We return today to the theme I started yesterday of being covered.

It’s a word that gets used a lot today in reference to insurance. We need insurance to cover our car, our homes, our possessions, even our lives! Thank God we who are the redeemed of the Lord have not only cover, we have full cover!

In this psalm which is a favourite of many we see the word ‘cover’ used in verse 4. ‘He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.’ (NIV)

‘Covered with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.’ This paints a beautiful picture in our minds, I am sure we have all at some time seen a hen with a brood of chicks gathered under her feathers, having been brought up on a farm it was a sight I often saw as we had hens and ducks. If ever we would make our way toward a hen with her chicks, the closer we got the more protective she became until eventually she would make sure that all the brood were safely nestled under her wings and it didn’t matter whether she had just 2 or 3 chicks or a brood of ten, the protection was there for them all.

Now, of course we know God is Spirit, but often the Bible refers to God as if he has particular features, such as his hand that is not shortened that it cannot save, his eyes that are roaming the earth, his feet which use the earth has a footstool, these types are given in a way that we as humans can be enabled to understand about who God is. Not what he looks like, but who he is as God in his character and in his providential and saving care for mankind. We know he doesn’t have literal feathers, but it helps us to understand that he is a God who like the hen wants to protect his children.

Scripture is full of other similes that speak of God as a protector. For example, in Proverbs 18:10 we read ‘The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.’ In other word, his name covers us. But in Psalm 61:3 we read ’for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.’ The first says it is the NAME that is a strong tower, the second says ‘YOU’ that is God himself is a strong tower. We can understand in these examples that not only do we call on the name of the Lord for protection, but we can run into the Lord for protection.

We have just moved to the North East from North Wales and scattered along the coast in North Wales, in around 60 miles there is a string of castles including, Flint, Rhuddlan, Conwy, Caernarvon. These were built to be places of fortitude, refuge and protection. The people would fight from within the safety of the castle walls, and if an attack was impending, they would run to the safety of the castle walls.

We have One who is like a hen, waiting for us to run under his feathers for protection, but he is also like a castle, a fortress, and we can run into him for safety. We don’t have to fight our individual battles alone in our own strength, we can fight them from the safety of our Fortress, our Strong Tower. 

Consider some of these Psalms that remind us that Our God is a strong defence and a strong defender:

Psalm 3:3, Psalm 9:9, Psalm 16:1, Psalm 18:1-3, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 31:3, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 62:5-7, Psalm 71:1-3,

If there is anything we have learned over the past few months it is that anything that we try to build our lives upon and around in this world is very unstable, whatever protections we may have put in place they are but temporal, or maybe even worthless, whatever protection or help the government has put in place is temporal, as time moves on, the goal posts may be moved, the safety nets may break or fail, but not our Protector, not our Safety Net, Not our God. He is Constant, Firm and Dependable.

May we continually run under his feathers, may we continually run into his Name, may we continually run into Him.

We won’t fear the battle, we won’t fear the night

We will walk the valley with You by our side

You will go before us, You will lead the way

We have found a refuge, only You can save

Sing with joy now: our God is for us

The Father’s love is a strong and mighty fortress

Raise your voice now, no love is greater

Who can stand against us if our God is for us

Even when I stumble, even when I fall

Even when I turn back, still Your love is sure

You will not abandon, You will not forsake

You will cheer me onward with never-ending grace

Sing with joy now: our God is for us

The Father’s love is a strong and mighty fortress

Raise your voice now, no love is greater

Who can stand against us if our God is for us

Neither height nor depth can separate us

Hell and death will not defeat us

He who gave His son to free us

Holds me in His love

Neither height nor depth can separate us

Hell and death will not defeat us

He who gave His son to free us

Holds me in His love

Sing with joy now: our God is for us

The Father’s love is a strong and mighty fortress

Raise your voice now, no love is greater

Who can stand against us if our God is for us

Sing with joy now: our God is for us

The Father’s love is a strong and mighty fortress

Raise your voice now, no love is greater

Who can stand against us if our God is for us

City Alight CCLI 788682