Devotions

Before the cross, most people did not have direct access to God; only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. Now Jesus’ death on the cross has made a path for us into the Father’s presence. God tore right through the veil that had always separated us from him. He can come out and embrace mankind, including prodigals and sinners, with no interference.

Consider Israel’s miraculous deliverance. As God’s people crossed over the Red Sea onto dry land, they saw the waves crash down on their enemy behind them. It was a glorious moment, and they held a mighty praise meeting with dancing, singing and thanksgiving. “We’re free! God has delivered us from the hand of oppression.”

Their first test came just a few days later, but they ended up murmuring and complaining, totally dissatisfied with the outcome. Yes, they had known God’s deliverance, but they didn’t yet understand his great love for them.

Israel’s story represents our own deliverance from the bondage and guilt of sin. We know that Satan was defeated at the cross and that we were set free from his iron grip. Yet God had something even greater in mind. You see, he never meant for Israel to just camp on the victory side of the Red Sea. His ultimate purpose in bringing them out of Egypt was to take them into the promised land of Canaan. He brought them out to bring them into his love and embrace in the home he had prepared for them.

Here is the key: You cannot serve the Lord in peace and freedom until you see his delight in your deliverance…until you realize that every wall has been removed at the cross…until you know that your sinful past has been wiped away. God says, “I want you to move on! Come now into the fullness that awaits you in my presence!”

As God’s children, we rejoice in the wonderful benefits of the cross. We have moved out of Egypt and are standing on the “victory side” of our Red Sea trial. We thank God continually for casting our oppressor into the sea. Now let us make sure that we don’t miss God’s ultimate purpose for us: to bring us into the Holy of Holies, to himself.

The days of the Gentiles are almost over. God has given us plenty of warning that the Spirit will not forever strive with the rebellious. But before this generation comes under the retribution of almighty God, a great restoration is prophesied.

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:25 NKJV).

The psalmist David said the righteous shall “be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit...whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3). However, that promise is only to those who refuse to walk in the way of sinners and are devoted students of God's Word. “The ungodly are not so,” said David (v. 4). They become weak and withered, blown about by every wind of doctrine. The compromisers are like withered trees, diseased and corrupted with every kind of worm.

This is a picture of many professing Christians in God's house today. They neglect their Bible reading; they become too preoccupied to pray and build themselves up in the faith; they become cozy with the ungodly and take their seat among the scornful.

An army of cankerworms has been eating away at the lives of these backslidden Christians. Outwardly they appear as trees planted by the water, but inwardly they are corrupted, weak and diseased. They are drying up spiritually and no longer bear fruit. Sin is eating away deep within those who have strayed from the presence of the Lord.

God has told us how he is going to bring about this great restoration. First, he will pour out his Holy Spirit in abundant ways that will bring health and strength back to all the trees in his forest. The worm of sin will begin to lose its power as God's people get back to Bible reading. A powerful revelation of the Lord's new covenant will make God's people as bold as lions. Yes, believe it! A revival of spiritual strength and divine health is going to be poured out from on high.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil. …Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:19-20, 22, NKJV).

There are two sides to Christ’s work at Calvary. One is to the benefit of man, and the other is to the benefit of God.

We are well acquainted with the benefit on the human side. The cross of Christ has provided us with forgiveness of our sins. We are given the power of victory over bondage and dominion over sin. We are supplied with mercy and grace, and we are given the promise of eternal life. The cross has given us the means of escape from the terrors of sin and hell.

I thank God for this benefit of the cross and for the wonderful relief it brings. I rejoice that it is preached in churches all over the world, yet there is another aspect of the cross, one that benefits God.

We understand very little about the delight of the Father that was made possible by the cross. Many Christians have learned to come boldly before God for forgiveness, for supply of needs or for answers to prayer. Yet they lack boldness to come before him with the intent of simply communing with him, an aspect that is just as crucial in their walk with the Lord. He is delighted when a prodigal comes home or when his people just want to spend time with him in worship and meditation. His delight brings us liberty, rest, peace and joy.

The most glorious moment in history was when the temple veil was rent in two on the day that Christ died. It was at this moment that the benefit to God burst forth. In the instant that the temple veil separating man from God’s holy presence was torn asunder, something incredible happened. From that point on, not only was man able to enter into the Lord’s presence, but God could come out to man.

To live the holistic life that God has designed for us, we sometimes have to first address the negative. I'm a pretty positive guy, but I think we need to get to the core of the issue.

Soren Kierkegaard called it existential dread. It's an anxiety that is not based on “my job is not going well” or “I wish my marriage was better.” Rather, it's something deep inside the soul which senses that something's missing. We in ministry hear this a lot. People will confess, “I feel like there should be more to life. It’s not as wonderful as I expected it to be.” It’s often true for new Christians. We receive God’s precious promises, yet the reality of our life is still far from perfect. It's an angst of soul and the opposite of joy, peace, contentment and happiness.

In America, we particularly suffer from this dissatisfaction with life. The gap is even wider because we are so prosperous and can access almost anything instantaneously. When we travel to some of the poorer countries around the world, we see that their expectations are simply to wake up and be able to breathe and have clean water. If those needs are met, they are content. I'm not saying high expectations are bad, but our expectations are unrealistic compared with life’s reality. It’s that glaring gap that causes this dread.

Because of our relative prosperity, we may hesitate to ask God to help us with our angst since it’s a “first world” problem, that it isn’t a valid need compared to other countries’ struggles for basic survival. We may even feel guilty for being anxious, but that isn’t how God sees it. The good news is that he understands that regardless of who we are or where we come from, we all experience the same human needs. His design is for us to be healthy in body, mind and spirit.

This is what our ministry is all about. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says the gospel is holistic: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV).

God understands our complexities and limitations. No matter where we are broken, he can and will bring us into wholeness in him.

A promise is never better or worse than the character of the one who's making it. A believer's faith can never rise higher than who he sees God to be. If we're sitting here singing songs that we're going to see a victory, then the blood shall never lose its power. If these are words and songs that we actually believe because we believe in the character of God, then our faith begins to rise up with that.

An inadequate view of God has to result in weak faith because faith depends upon the character of God, and that's why this is so important.

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet wrote that fear was beginning to fill the land. Isaiah knew the men who were stepping into power and that many of them were corrupt; the people didn't know what to do, and backsliding was taking place in their nation. They were being faced with outside enemies from Assyria and Babylon. With all of this mounting up, the people were starting to fear.

He said, “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” (Isaiah 40:9, ESV). In the next 20 to 25 verses, Isaiah began to unpack the greatness of God, saying stuff like “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?” (Isaiah 40:10-12).

From verse 13 down, Isaiah listed over and over again how great and powerful God is, and this links back to our ability to trust God’s promises. Remember what Isaiah said in verse nine. "Do not be afraid. Here is your God.” When fear begins to grip our minds and hearts, this is how we respond. We lift our eyes to the great God who saves.

_{After pastoring an inner-city congregation in Detroit for thirty years, Pastor Tim served at Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC for five years and pastored in Lafayette, Louisiana, for five years. He became Senior Pastor of Times Square Church in May of 2020.}