I hope you had a nice Christmas yesterday.
When I was 17 years old, my father, who was a pastor, fell into adultery, left our home and his ministry, and remarried. It was very painful for my entire family. Though I have spoken of this a few times in GH15 posts, I didn’t say much about it publicly until he went to heaven; I didn’t want to embarrass or uncover him. Dad repented a few years after his fall, and was wonderfully restored to the Lord. We had a great relationship for the final 30 years of his life.
Several years ago, he wrote a wonderful devotional entitled The Gold That Washed Ashore (now out of print). In the book, I contributed a short quote from one of my books for each day. Dad was old school in his sermonizing, building masterpieces of homiletic eloquence. Each day this week, I’ll read one of his great devotionals, and then augment it with something from my writings. After Friday’s reading entitled The Nails of Calvary, we’ll take communion together.
These devotionals are more traditional in size, a little shorter than our normal Give Him 15 posts - this week, you may be Giving Him 10 - but they’re incredibly poignant, and our prayers of agreement will release great power. The title of today’s devotional is:
What Does He Look Like?
“And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle, His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength" (Revelation 1:13-16 KJV).
Dad Shares
“It is not the valley of sorrows that pictures the Lord; it is the eternal mountains that rise on either side. Preexistent before creation and coexistent with the Father, when the dateless ages were but a drift of foam on the mighty sea of time, Jesus Christ was royal and reigning Lord.
“We read Revelation 1:13-16 for a scriptural and spiritual description of Christ. It is deeply significant that there is not a sentence in the Gospels or Epistles describing the physical appearance of Jesus. The writers' thoughts were not centered on His human stature but on the mission, authority, accomplishments, and words of the eternal King.
“When John, the writer of Revelation, saw Jesus, he fell at His feet as if dead.
This glorious Redeemer responded by laying His right hand on him saying,
‘Fear not; I am the first and the last’ (v. 17).
“Banished to the Isle of Patmos, John needed this heavenly disclosure. The razor fangs of persecution had stolen earthly support, and the tight fingers of despair were crushing his heart. In the midst of his pain, this dazzling sight broke upon him, and he entered the glimmering halls of revelation.
“It was John who earlier recorded Christ's words, ‘Before Abraham was, I Am’ (John 8:58). The sun over Patmos dimmed in the splendors of that great I Am, whose brightness like a thousand suns rolled into one. No wonder John fell like a dead man.
“So, Christian friend, do not permit the trials of life to overcome you and drain you of your spiritual joy. Rather, let the misfortunes of time accentuate the fortunes of the forevers. Let these words change your heart as they did the grand old warrior on the barren Isle of Patmos: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last."’(1)
Dutch Shares from The Power of Hope:
“Hope deferred. . .produces fear and makes us uncertain of ourselves, our faith, and yes, sometimes our God.... At times, we find ourselves operating in fear and timidity, fleeing from the obstacles, adversities, and giants in our lives... as confidence erodes, often we magnify our enemies’ power above our strengths and abilities, and, though we wouldn’t want to admit it, even above that of God’s.
“Hope deferred distorts our vision. Looking at our enemies through hope deferred is like looking at them through a magnifying glass. ‘We became like grasshoppers in our own sight,’ the Israeli spies said (Numbers 13:33).
“Overreaction is usually next. Mark Twain once said, ‘I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.’”
Pray with me:
Father, this Christmas season is a great time to refocus and remind ourselves of Your greatness. “Son of Man,” Christ was still being called in John’s Revelation. But He who became and remains one of us is now, once again, also clothed in His undimmed glory, shining like the sun in its strength. His flaming eyes blaze with love for us, His voice like many waters calls our names, each one of us.
Our majestic King, white horse Rider, and Lion King, is also our Redeemer, Husband, and Protector. We are confident under His shadow, secure in His everlasting arms.
We know, Lord Jesus, You have also called us to reign with You, giving us Your scepter, Your keys of authority, Your name. In Your name, Yeshua, we call for the revival You so desire. This is why You came - to seek and save. You’re not a detached bystander; You involved Yourself! You showed up! And we know You’re going to do so again.
Now, great King of all the earth: demonstrate it! Show Your power, Your love, Your kindness. And show Your hatred of that which oppresses and wounds. Annihilate evil strongholds and free millions. We release this in Your name, from Your provision, and with Your authority. So be it!
Our decree:
We decree that the redeeming power of the great I Am is filling earth’s atmosphere, and freeing earth’s lost ones!
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