Devotions

There is much talk these days about the fearful condition of our world. Nation after nation is troubled, on the brink of economic disaster. Yet amid all the fear and turmoil, God is still loving and saving lost souls.

His marvelous work of salvation never changes — it is not affected by the economy. His wooing, convicting Holy Spirit isn’t hindered by conditions on Wall Street or by teetering global finances. God’s saving power has never been limited by shrinking bank accounts.

The fact is, our Lord never amends His promises. They are always “yes and amen” at all times and in every circumstance (see 2 Corinthians 1:20). God didn’t promise to provide all our needs except when we are unemployed. And He didn’t promise to be Jehovah Jireh, our provider, except when economic times get scary.

Our Lord’s promises never change! And that includes His promise about saving the lost. When God commanded us to go into all the world to win the lost, He did not include an exemption clause. He didn't say, “Preach the gospel of my Son Jesus Christ to all nations — except in hard times.” And He never said, “Believe for the salvation of many — except when there is a great shaking in the world.”

Thank God, He has never said the world is too wicked, too hardhearted, too given over to lust to be reached by His Good News. At no time in history has the Lord ever limited His tender mercies — and He never will. Right now, America and the rest of the world could still be spared judgment — if there is true repentance. Of course, such repentance would require a great humbling and a mass return to the Lord. But our God has never rescinded His amazing offer of mercy.

When the children of Israel were in the wilderness they were tormented by thirst and began to argue with Moses. “‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us…?’ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.’ So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on” (Exodus 17:3-6, NLT).

The details of this scene — and of God’s compassion for the people — is replayed through Jesus’ sacrifice. Christ is the rock that was struck for our transgressions when we were lost and wandering. And He is the living water that sustains us. Paul tells us, “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago… For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1, 4, NLT).

The scene in the wilderness demonstrates what Jesus does for grumbling people: He takes on their punishment. He declares, “I’ll stand condemned for them; I’ll be scourged; I’ll be nailed to the cross in their place — all so they might receive abundant life.” Some Christians forfeit this awesome gift by holding on to bitterness. Paul goes on to say, “Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. These things happened as a warning to us” (10:5-6).

Our lives can wither away in bitterness, or we can be revived by the beautiful grace God offers us — it is our choice.

The great temptation in Christianity today is to make our message so palatable to the masses that we lose the element of fire.  “John answered, saying to all, ‘I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose . . . [who] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire’” (Luke 3:16).

We create services filled with candy and fluff. But that will not extend the kingdom and see Jesus glorified. People cannot come to God without the fiery work of the Holy Spirit.

I’ll never forget a personal experience with God years ago when I was new to the ministry. I was praying alone before a Tuesday evening service. At that time, the church was housed in a little rundown building, and I knew we would have fewer than ten people attending that night’s prayer meeting. I had been praying that God would draw more people to the church and increase the enthusiasm of the congregation.

As I prayed, the Holy Spirit worked. He went right to my core and seemed to say, “The main problem is not the lack of people and their spiritual immaturity. You’re the one who needs to be changed. You’re lacking in compassion for the people, and you do not love them the way I want you to. In your insecurity, you’re just trying to get through another meeting.”

Talk about fire! Talk about penetration! That wasn’t easy to hear. I ended up on my face before God. I had come to ask God to help me with the problems of all the people of the church, and instead His fire penetrated to my problem.

When the Spirit works in our lives, He keeps us away from superficial excuses and the blame games we like to play. Fire burns away the false and leads us to the truth.

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson. 

As I read through the Old Testament, I find my faith greatly encouraged by the example David set. I am awed by his determination to hear from God in the midst of his perilous times.

After one battle, David and his army were making a three-day trip back home when their village was suddenly raided by the Amalekites. This fierce enemy kidnapped the families of David and his men and burned down the whole town. Imagine the scene as they returned: “So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive” (1 Samuel 30:3).

I picture these mighty men walking about stunned and bewildered, crying out in agony, “How could this happen? Why would God allow it?”

“Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep” (30:4, my italics).

This scene from David’s life shows us there is most certainly a time to weep when calamity strikes. After all, this was no small disaster. It wasn’t just the loss of homes, cattle or crops that caused David’s mighty men to weep; they would soon get over that. Rather, it was the threat to their beloved wives and children that pierced their very souls. And what followed this scene could have been even more disastrous for David: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved” (30:6).

Beloved, even the most godly among us can experience a trembling of heart, a sudden rush of fear, when a terrible crisis comes. At such a time, it isn’t a sin to have a moment of deep anxiety. But the Lord wants every weary, troubled heart to hear: “Fear not! Take courage, for the Lord is a Savior to His people.”

Isaiah cried, “Lord, You are our Father and we all are Your people! Reveal Yourself and touch us once more” (see Isaiah 64:8-9).

Centuries later, the same cry was heard among another remnant — the 120 believers who had gathered in a rented room in Jerusalem. It was a time much like Isaiah’s day — a period of great religious observance, with multitudes flocking to the temple from all over Israel. There was grand pageantry, and the synagogues teemed with religious people. Yet the people were going through the motions, merely observing the rituals.

You may wonder, “How could this be? This was the generation that had sat under the fiery preaching of John the Baptist. A generation that had beheld God in flesh — Jesus — walking among them, working miracles.” Yet they were lifeless, dry, empty.

Jesus Himself had wept over these highly religious people. He cried, “You have the very appearance of godliness, and you go about doing charitable things. But inside you’re dead.” They weren’t stirred by the signs and wonders Jesus performed. They weren’t moved when He cast out demons, freeing people who had suffered demonic bondage for years. And in the end, they rejected Him, turning away from God’s offer of grace.

Yet the Lord never gave up on His people. Jesus prophesied to His 120 disciples, “I am going to rain down my Spirit on all flesh.” To prepare them for this, He instructed, “Go to Jerusalem and tarry there until I come.”

Christ’s message to His followers was essentially this: “When you’re together, fire is going to fall on the whole gathering, and your hearts will melt. My supernatural fire is going to remove all mountains — in your neighbors, your fellow Jews and in all nations. Hardness and unbelief will dissolve, with thousands saved in one hour. The very mention of My name will convict and convince multitudes.”