salvation

40 Days of Praise — Day 14

/ taethne

HOLY, HOLY HOLY  by Reginald Heber

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty, Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who wert and art and evermore shall be

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see

Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love and purity

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty, All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity

What a magnificent, majestic song to sing in praise to God! Yes, all the saints do adore Him, the God of our Salvation. When we stand before the throne we will cast down our crowns at His feet, acknowledging that He and He alone is worthy of any honor. The great angels and other heavenly creatures also will bow in reverence, honor and awe before our great God.

               We cannot see Him now. To witness His holy glory would destroy us. Our sinful bodies are simply not capable of withstanding His perfect presence. One day, we will have a new body and be cleansed from all sin but for now, He is hidden from our sight. Now, we see as through a glass darkly, but then we will see clearly.

               At the coming of the Lord Jesus, when this present heaven and earth pass away and everything is made new, only those who belong to the Lord will inhabit the universe. All His works will praise His name. All will give Him the glory He deserves.

               Every time I sing this song, I am swept up in emotion as I reflect on how wonderful and amazing God is. I sing this with all my heart and mind, praying that He takes joy in my offering to Him. Early in the morning, in the middle of the afternoon, late in the evening, all are appropriate times to ring out praise to our most holy God.

               Most high and holy God, I offer to You everything I have. Nothing I am or will be is in any way a worthy gift to such a magnificent God, but all I have I give to You. You alone are worthy of praise and glory and majesty. I bow before Your glorious throne.

40 Days of Praise –Day 13

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AMAZING GRACE by John Newton

Amazing grace how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come

‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home

The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures

He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures

Yea when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease

I shall possess within the veil, A life of joy and peace

The world shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun refuse to shine

But God who called me here below, Shall be forever mine

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Than when we’ve first begun

I find it ironic that almost everyone sings a version of Amazing Grace. Just perusing music sites, it seems every star has released a version of this song at one time or another, even though most of those people have never experienced God’s saving grace.

                               ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear.

               To fear God is the beginning of wisdom. Fear of His just punishment for sin. When I reflected on John 3:17-18, it made John 3:16 come alive. I was already condemned and facing eternal punishment.

                               And grace my fears relieved.

               God’s grace, given to me when I turned my life over to His Son’s Lordship, granted to me eternal life. There is now no condemnation for I am safely in the family of God. So precious, that grace given the hour, the very second I first believed.

               Upon hearing the call of God our Shepherd, here in this world, we will experience His reality face to face in the next. His word, His promises, secures our hope for an eternity with Him in heaven.

               Unless a person has experienced God’s saving grace, they really have no idea what this song is about. Far from just being a good hymn, it hammers home to us that our only hope is to be found in Christ alone.

            Lord, Your grace is totally amazing. That You could extend grace and mercy to us just completely overwhelms me. You, the perfect, holy Creator of the Universe, extending grace to one such as myself, selfish, arrogant, sinful is simply … amazing.

            Thank you for saving me by Your grace and extending to me the faith necessary to believe.

40 Days of Praise — Day 12

/ taethne

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY by Katherine Hankey

I love to tell the story of unseen things above, Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love

I love to tell the story because I know ’tis true, It satisfies my longings like nothing else can do

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems. Than all our golden fancies of all our golden dreams

I love to tell the story, it did so much for me, And that is just the reason, I tell it now to thee

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat, What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet

I love to tell the story, for some have never heard, The message of salvation, from God’s own holy word

I love to tell the story for those who know it best, Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest

And when, in scenes of glory, I sing a new, new song, ‘Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long

REFAIN:

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory, To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love

The history of this hymn and her sister hymn Tell Me the Old, Old Story is fascinating. Taken from a long poem, some fifty stanzas written by Katherine Hankey, both songs draw a person to realize just how precious sharing the gospel truly is.

The first reason to tell the gospel story is, of course, because some have never heard. How sad that some 2,000 years after being given the command to go into all the world we have not been completely obedient.

Another reason is also mentioned in the hymn. Those who know the gospel best still long to hear it again and again. It never gets old. It still amazes everyone when they reflect on the depth of love that God has for us. We still marvel at Jesus’ sacrificial death. We still cry on Good Friday and jump and shout triumphantly on Easter Sunday.

When we arrive in heaven, our song – the song of redemption, will be unique in the cosmos; and we will never get tired of it.

Lord, I love to tell the story of Your salvation. From the choosing of Mary and Joseph as Your earthly parents to the birth in Bethlehem to the cross on Calvary, the story is marvelous and amazing. How deep Your love is. How merciful Your actions. Help me to tell the old, old story, both to those who have never heard and to those who long to hear it again.

40 Days of Praise — Day 11

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COME THOU FOUNT by Robert Robinson

Come, thou fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise mine Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’m come

And I hope by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God

He to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor, Daily I’m constrained to be

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love

Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above

Of all the hymns this is probably my favorite. Prone to wander – yes, that is me. Prone to leave the God I love. Why? That is the question, isn’t it. Why do we leave the place where we are safest? Why do we leave the One who has given us everything we need to live a godly life?

O, the depths the human soul has sunk to! Even when brought into a transforming relationship with the God of the Universe we still seek to go our own way. Yes, I will raise my Ebenezer, knowing full well it is only by His help, His grace and power that I have come as far as I have. Only by His help, grace and power will I arrive at the destination He has planned for me. I need to pray for Him to daily bind me to Him. Not to keep me from experiencing a wonderful life, but to keep me from danger and harm. To keep me close to Him, the Savior of Life and every good blessing.

If I cannot keep myself close to Him, and I have proven over and over that I cannot, I can ask Him to keep close to me.

Bend my heart to Thee Lord, I pray. Fetter my wandering feet so they do not leave Your path. You have said you will never leave me nor forsake me and I appreciate that very much. Forgive my sins, I pray, and draw me close to your side.

40 Days of Praise — Day 10

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I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH by Jesse Pounds

I know that my Redeemer liveth, And on the earth again shall stand

I know eternal life He giveth, That grace and power are in His hand

I know His promise never faileth, The Word He speaks, it cannot die

Though cruel death, my flesh assaileth, Yet I shall see Him by and by

I know my mansion, He prepareth, That where He is, there I may be

O wondrous thought, for me He careth, And He at last will come for me

REFRAIN:

I know, I know, that Jesus liveth, And on the earth, again shall stand

I know, I know, that life He giveth, That grace and power are in His hand

Taken from the words of Job the Wise, the title of this hymn says it all. Because Jesus lives, we have assurance of eternal life. What sets Jesus apart from all other religious teachers is that He rose from the dead, proving Himself to be God.

One day, he is coming back to judge the living and the dead. He will come back to earth to redeem His own and to destroy both our adversary and death itself.

Jesus has promised us that when we die we will go to be with Him in paradise. This gives great assurance and hope to all believers when they stand at death’s doorway. We face the grave with joy, not terror. For us, death has lost its sting and becomes a transition from one home to another. That is why, although we grieve in sorrow for a loved one who has died, we do not mourn as one without hope. We know that we will see our fellow believers again and fellowship with them forever.

Grace and power are definitely in His hand. Power to conquer death. Power to judge all men. Power to traverse the universe. Grace is His to bestow on His children, those who believe in Him for salvation. What a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord.

Thank you, Lord, for the testimony of Scripture, of the eyewitness accounts of the Resurrected Christ. By this we know and are assured of the conquering of death by Your hand. What a wonderful truth to cling to – You live and are coming back for us.

40 Days of Praise — Day 9

/ taethne

JESUS PAID IT ALL by Elvina Hall

I hear the Savior say, “Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all.”

For nothing good have I, Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white, In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him, My robe, His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side, I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots  And melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed, My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,” Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne, I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down, All down at Jesus’ feet.

REFRAIN:

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Regrettably, I usually hear this hymn only during the response or invitation time at church. The words are so true, so biblical, it should be sung much more often. I especially love the words of verse 5. I want to shout those words as I ascend to heaven, “Jesus died my soul to save.”

Jesus accomplished everything necessary for our salvation. No more sacrifice to pay the penalty for sin is needed. There are no works we can do to pay for our salvation as it is already paid for. Only His power can replace a heart of stone, cold and indifferent to spiritual realities, with a heart open and responsive to the Holy Spirit.

Only Jesus can bring new life to one who is spiritually dead. Only Jesus can bring sight to one who is spiritually blind. Only He can cleanse our sin-stained soul and make it holy and bright.

In Jesus and Jesus alone is salvation found. There is no other name, no other system, no other achievement, no other religious teaching than His atoning death that can bring about salvation. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe.

Lord, thank you for purchasing my salvation. Thank you for caring enough to redeem my sin-stained and sickened soul. I praise you for cleansing with and making me whole. Thank you for shedding Your holy blood for the remission of my sins.

40 Days of Praise — Day 4

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Continuing our devotional 40 Days of Praise, available through Amazon and Audible.

LORD, LIKE A PUBLICAN I STAND by Thomas Raffles

Lord, like the publican I stand

And lift my heart to Thee

Thy pardoning grace, O God, command

Be merciful to me

I smite upon my anxious breast

O’er whelmed with agony

O save my soul by sin oppressed

Be merciful to me

My guilt, my shame, I all confess

I have no hope nor plea

But Jesus’ blood and righteousness

Be merciful to me

Here at the cross I still would wait

Nor from its shelter flee

But Thou, O God, in mercy great Art merciful to me

This hymn is not as widely known as the majority of others in this devotional, but it is very powerful and moving. The words of this hymn are taken straight out of the gospel of Luke, chapter 18. The author, Thomas Raffles, shows us what is necessary to obtain God’s pardoning grace and mercy – confession and repentance.

Throwing himself at the foot of God’s throne, confessing the agony of his sinful soul, the penitent tax-collector pleads for mercy based on Jesus’ atonement. He stands in contrast to the Pharisee who assumed that because he was religious, he was in good standing with God. The tax-collector knew that righteous works were not enough to find pardon before a God who demands perfection. All he can hope for is to confess all of his sins, all of his unrighteousness and throw himself on the mercy of the Heavenly Court. As he does, he finds Jesus’ mercy and saving power.

What a wonderful picture this song gives us of the hope that is found in Jesus. As you go before God’s throne today, like the publican call upon His mercy and confess your sins. You, too, will find the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood washing away your sins and making you justified in the sight of God.

Lord, here I stand, naked before you. You know me, my ways, my thoughts, my deceitful heart. I can offer no excuse. I can offer no works that are pure to atone for my sins. I repent and cast myself on your mercy. Be merciful to me Lord, a sinner.

40 Days of Praise — Day 2

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Todays devotional features one of my favorite hymns. As always, you can find my books on Amazon and Audible.

Rock of Ages by Augustus Toplady

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me find myself in Thee

Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed

Be of sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure

Not the labor of my hands, Can fulfill Thy laws demands

Could my zeal no languor know, Could my tears forever flow

These for sin could not atone, Thou must save and Thou alone

In my hand no price I bring, Simply to Thy cross I’ll cling

Naked, come to Thee for dress, Helpless, look to Thee for grace

Foul, I to the fountain fly, Wash me Savior, lest I die

While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes shall close in death

When I rise to worlds unknown, And behold Thee on Thy throne

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee

One of the greatest hymns of all time, Rock of Ages packs deep spiritual truths in its short stanzas. The Rock of Ages is, of course, Jesus Christ, the One who was cleft for us on the cross. He was pierced for our transgressions and by His stripes we are healed. To Him alone we must go for salvation. The final part of verse one, though, is truly deep:

Be of sin the double cure,

Save from wrath and make me pure

God’s wrath is poured out on the sinner. Even now they are under His condemnation (John 3:17). The precious blood of Jesus, poured out on the penitent crying for mercy and salvation, satisfies the wrath of God the Father. Not only that, but it cleanses us from all unrighteousness, hence “the double cure.” So much truth packed into so few words.

The rest of the song hammers home the inability of man to save himself, whether by works, (labor of hands) enthusiasm, (zeal) or by sorrow (tears). Only Jesus, alone, can save. This is the great truth about our Lord. Not only can He save, but He does save.

One early, alternate version of the first stanza ended like this: Be of sin the double cure, cleanse me from its guilt and power. While this version is not used as often, it also contains a great truth. Sin is a terrible power that makes all of us stand guilty before God. Truly, we need to fly to the fountain filled with the blood of Jesus to be washed clean.

As you spend time in prayer and contemplation, thank Jesus for His saving grace. Thank Him for substituting Himself for you on the cross, taking the wrath of God in your place and being willing to save.

Thank you Father, for sending Your Son as the means of salvation. Thank you Jesus for atoning for our sins by paying sin’s penalty. Be our Rock, we pray, where we can find shelter for all eternity.

A Heart Hungry To Worship Part 15

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This is the final installation in this series. Hopefully God has been able to use this to draw you into a closer relationship with Him.

Worship is not about us and how we feel; it is about giving God the honor due His name. His Word, not our feelings, define that “honor”, which is due Him.[1]

Chapter 14

In Spirit and in Truth

            At the end of the second chapter, a question was raised: “What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth?” Subsequent chapters have helped to lay the foundation for the answer to that question, which we will now consider. We will look at each of the terms Jesus used: worship, spirit, and truth, in order.

                                    Worship

            The word Jesus uses  for worship in John 4:24 is proskuneo in Greek (or shachah in Hebrew). It means to “bow down” or “prostrate” oneself. The connotation is to engage in an act of humility, submission and reverence toward God.

            In His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus pointed out to her that the Samaritan’s idea of worshipping God was wrong. “You worship what you do not know, we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”[2] The Samaritans worshipped God through ritual. For them, God was not personal. He was viewed as the Creator but not as their Father. Jesus was very deliberate in addressing God as Father (3 times in a row) emphasizing the personal nature of the relationship. He was trying to show her what was missing in her worship – a personal touch.

            The only way true worship of God can take place is for a person to enter into a personal relationship with Him. God has to become their Father and they His children. The Samaritans knew God’s name, but not His character, personality or purposes. This is true of many people today. They know of God, but they do not know God personally for they have never experienced His salvation.

            Unless a person accepts God’s salvation, he or she cannot enter into a filial (family) relationship with Him. Without this personal relationship, one cannot worship Him correctly. “In other words, one can know and worship God by experiencing His salvation which is in Jesus and which enables the worshipper to call God “abba”, Father.”[3]

            This is one reason why Jesus Christ came to Earth. He came to personalize God and to model the type of relationship with Him that God desires.

In Spirit

            Christ, in the statement He made to the Samaritan woman, makes worship a matter of the heart, not ritual or tradition. Worship has sincerity at its core. It is the response of one’s spirit to the Spirit of God, a communing of one to the other. While worship can be planned, most often it is spontaneous, a response to proximity with God.

            The New Testament uses different phrases to illustrate what it means when a person submits their life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Phrases such as “born again”, “born from above,” or “becoming a new creation” serve to convey the idea of what it means to become a child of God. The language of adoption is also used, with God the Father shown as adopting sons and daughters into His Kingdom, out of the kingdom of this world.

Those who have experienced this adoption, this being “born again”, are the only ones who can worship God in spirit because the spirit now in them is the Spirit of God. You see, at the moment of salvation a wonderful event occurs. God recreates us spiritually (we are born anew) which allows us to interact with Him intimately. This is what Jesus was telling the Samaritan woman. She did not need to worry about where to worship. She needed to understand how to be able to worship. She needed to experience a rebirth, spiritually. Jesus had a very similar conversation with a man called Nicodemus in John, chapter 3.

Intellectual, erudite, skilled in rhetoric and theology, Nicodemus came to Jesus seeking answers. Nicodemus was “the” teacher of Israel, their premier religious instructor. He had heard Jesus speak, he had seen the miracles Jesus had performed, and he accepted the truth that Jesus was a man sent by God, yet he was not a Christian. He did not accept that Jesus was more than a man sent from God, that Jesus was God in the flesh.

When Nicodemus approached Jesus, he gave him a very sincere compliment. He was met by a very confrontational reply, “Unless you are born again, you will not see the kingdom of God.”  Jesus tells the premier religious teacher in Israel that he is not going to be in God’s Kingdom unless he experiences a spiritual rebirth. The word Jesus uses for rebirth means a transformation so complete that it will allow a person to enter another world and adapt to its conditions. He is telling Nicodemus that he needs to undergo a complete metamorphosis in order to enter the Kingdom of God. He is saying to Nicodemus, “Unless you allow me to spiritually transform you, you will not be able to survive in the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is insisting that Nicodemus undergoes a spiritual change from who he is currently, to what he needs to be. To Nicodemus, this statement is staggering. He understands what Jesus is implying, that his religion was futile. Nicodemus was a Pharisee. Pharisees tended to be hyper-legalists who externalized religion. They pursued a form of godliness that had no basis in reality. They were fanatically religious, striving to obey over 600 laws. For a Pharisee, salvation was obtained by works, doing things that they believed were pleasing to God. Being born again is something Nicodemus cannot do. Being born is something that happens to you, not something you do for yourself.

Nicodemus and Jesus did have something in common. Both were Jewish teachers. Jewish teachers taught spiritual truths in symbols. Nicodemus understands Jesus’ symbolism and answers back in kind. “How can a man, whose habits and ways of thinking have been fixed for so long, really be expected to change radically? Physical rebirth is impossible so is spiritual rebirth any more feasible? I can’t start over again. It’s too late. I’ve gone too far in my religious system to change now. I’d have to start all over again. My case is hopeless.”

Many people feel that way. Unlike Dinah, from chapter 3, they are too steeped in their religious tradition to be willing to change. They feel trapped and hopeless by beliefs that they have held all their lives and yet they are unwilling to change. It is not that they cannot change; it is that they will not change unless they allow God’s Spirit to convert them.

In order to satisfy the hunger of their hearts, in order to worship God correctly, they must allow God to transform their life spiritually. The new birth must come from the Holy Spirit of God. A person needs to be spiritually purified and spiritually reborn, and only the Spirit of God can only accomplish this.

We aren’t told how Nicodemus reacts to what he is told. He understands that Jesus is telling him that the new birth must be experienced in order to be understood. None of his scholarly wisdom will explain it. Only by immersing himself in Jesus will he be able to understand salvation.

Nicodemus knew about Jesus, had listened to Jesus, admired Jesus and complimented Jesus, but he did not know Jesus. He needed Jesus to transform his life through being born again.

Those whose hearts hunger to worship God must allow God to transform their life first. Then, they will be able to worship Him spirit to spirit. They will be able to hear Him and understand Him when He speaks. They will experience closeness, a sense of belonging, a kindred-ness with God that surpasses anything they could have imagined.  This is what Jesus means when He tells us we have to worship in spirit.

                        In Truth

            The second criteria Jesus says is necessary to be able to worship God is found in the phrase, “and in truth.” Knowing whom to worship, Jesus, is of supreme importance. To worship in ignorance makes a sham of religion.

            Truth, in biblical terms, is whatever is in harmony with the nature and will of God. The essence of true worship must be on God’s terms and He has revealed that the only worship He will accept is that which is based through Jesus Christ. The revelation of God in Christ is absolute truth.

            The issue is not where a person worships, but how they worship and whom they worship. The how is in spirit. The who is Jesus. Worship is more than just emotion. Too many people confuse the terms praise and worship. Praise is rooted in emotion. Worship is grounded in knowledge – the knowledge of God’s Word and the knowledge of God’s Son.

            By gaining a proper understanding of what Jesus said to the woman at the well, a person can come to worship God properly. A person can no longer sustain the argument that the format or form of worship does not matter. Jesus clearly states that it does. It must come from the spirit and it has to be rooted in God’s revealed truth. Not truth as a person feels it should be (subjective), but as it actually is, measured by divine revelation via the Bible (objective). When knowledge of God is deficient, worship of Him will also be deficient.

            Since God has decreed that He will only accept worship that is grounded in and which flows through Jesus, this makes Christianity the only religion accepted by God. No other form of worship is accepted. A person cannot decide to worship God in whatever way he or she wants to. They did not make the standard. No religion can develop rules that make worship to God possible, because worship is rooted in and through the person of Jesus. Truth cannot be found in the Koran, Baghivad Gita, Pearl of Great Price or other religious works, because they do not contain the historical record of Jesus Christ and the truth of His life. Truth is not perception. Truth is an absolute.

            To worship God in spirit and in truth requires a person to come to God on His terms, surrendering their life to His Son Jesus, accepting His forgiveness and cleansing from sin. At that moment, the heart is renewed, God’s Spirit comes in, and fellowship begins with God that will last for an eternity.

            It is a wonderful thing to experience the transforming person of Jesus Christ. Just ask the Samaritan woman and her neighbors.

Conclusion

The common denominator in each person’s story is the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit’s power, people were drawn to the truth of Jesus Christ, had their spiritual eyes opened, their minds illuminated to understand Scripture and experienced forgiveness and cleansing. Though each of them came from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences, the same Spirit drew them into a relationship, or deeper into a relationship, with their Savior.

Those who had given up on life found a new purpose. Those who were lonely and afraid experienced a Savior who will never leave or abandon them. Those searching for spiritual answers found their answers in Jesus Christ. Those who saw life as a duty to be fulfilled instead found life as an adventure to be enjoyed and experienced.

The God of the universe created each individual. He knows our personalities. He knows our life, the choices we make and the struggles we face. In fact, you cannot disappoint God. Disappointment comes from unmet expectations. Since God knows everything that will ever happen, since He knows everything you will ever say or do before you say or do it, you cannot disappoint Him. He knows all about you and still reaches out to draw you into a relationship with Him.

There is no one so bad, so evil, so immoral that He cannot redeem him or her. There is no one so tainted by sin that He cannot cleanse. There is no one so far away, so lost, that He cannot find. God made people with both the capacity and the desire to worship Him. His Holy Spirit calls to people and will guide them into a knowledge of how to worship the Living God if they will submit to Him.

St. Augustine of Hippo said it most eloquently. “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and drawn us to You. Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You. “[4]

Do you have a heart that is restless? Does your heart hunger for God? Perhaps you might echo St. Augustine’s cry:

“My heart is listening, Lord. Open the ears of my heart and say to my soul – I am your salvation. Let me run towards this voice and seize hold of You.”[5]

Satisfy the hunger of your heart by opening yourself up to the Spirit of God.

[1] Dean G. Thomas

[2] John 4:22

[3] Jey Kanagaraj: Worship, Sacrifice and Mission:Themes Interlocked in John, Indian Journal of Theology V.40.1&2 1998

[4] Confession of St. Augustine, Book 1, Chapter 1

[5] Ibid

A Heart Hungry To Worship Part 13

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An exorcism is tantamount to a miracle – an extraordinary intervention of God.[1]

Chapter 12

Mary Magdalene’s Story

Nighttime was terrifying for Mary. In the daylight hours, she could sometimes still the tormenting voices that spoke to her, telling her to do disgusting, destructive things that revolted her. At night, though, alone in the darkness, Mary could not help hearing them. Try as she might, she could not quiet them from her mind. Mary was desperate for help. In her despair, she often thought of ending her miserable life, but she never seemed to be able to follow through on any of her plans. Mary was a truly wretched soul in need of a Savior.

Mary Magdalene’s story is one of the most poignant and intriguing in Scripture. Very little is revealed of her personal life, but what is recorded shows us a woman living in spiritual bondage. Her transformation into a dedicated disciple gives hope to all who live lives controlled by forces beyond their power to overcome.

Unfortunately, Mary’s biography has taken on a life of its own. She has been depicted as everything from a reformed prostitute to the secret wife of Jesus. Much of the muddled information about her comes from misidentification of several individuals named Mary in the Bible as well as fictional stories written in the first two centuries about her. Even today, fictional accounts such as Dan Brown’s stories and movies add untrue details to her life. The Biblical record only speaks of her life before she met Christ briefly and then shows us glimpses of how prominent a role she plays in early Christianity.

The Mary Magdalene of the Holy Scriptures was healed of a terrible condition by Jesus. She was possessed by seven demonic spirits[2] that were exorcised by the Son of God. Her devotion to Jesus Christ sprung from the gratitude she had to Him for giving her back her life.

Whether or not a person believes in demonic possession is irrelevant. The Bible presents possession from evil spirits as fact. There are a total of 14 places in the New Testament where demonic activity is discussed. Jesus spent a lot of time in His ministry freeing people whose lives, like Mary’s, were enslaved to demons. The gospel accounts all agree that possession is quite real and that the Son of God has power over evil spirits.

Can you imagine what life was like for Mary? I have dealt with individuals whose lives were being systematically destroyed by a single demonic entity. Nothing in my experience or imagination can begin to comprehend just how thoroughly miserable Mary Magdalene’s life would have been, but I can extrapolate some things from examples of demonic possession found in the pages of the New Testament.

Mary’s self-esteem would have been degraded. Her will and desires were under the control of outside forces stronger than she was. To be dominated by not just one, but seven, unclean spirits, would have been exposure to evil on a scale permanently damaging to her psyche. In a very real sense, she was a slave. From what we see in various accounts throughout the four gospels and the book of Acts, those who were under the influence of evil spirits had other issues as well.

While no two possessions were identical, you can look at each of them and see the different kinds of effects the spirits had. Some people became violent, such as in the encounter between Jesus and the man from Gaderea.[3] Other possessed people in the New Testament lost the ability to speak, [4]had violent seizures, [5]suffered physical deformities, [6]and showed distinct personality shifts.[7]Still accounts in the Bible dealing with possessed individuals show them having supernatural knowledge, [8]superhuman strength, [9]and causing depression.[10]

Exactly what Mary experienced during the time she was possessed cannot be known for certain, although Luke 8:2 uses the word infirmities,[11]which always refers to physical sickness when used in a sentence with either the word(s) healed or demons. She did, at the very least, suffer physical sickness, loss of her will and tormenting thoughts. We can reasonably assume that years of illness would have led to depression and despair. With seven spirits in her, those problems would have been exponentially multiplied.

Mary needed a Savior. She found one in Jesus. He freed her from captivity. He gave her a new life, a life that contained joy, inner peace and purpose. When Jesus was crucified and buried, she was crushed. Her grief was as extreme as her devotion. How great was her joy at seeing the Resurrected Christ! How magnificent the privilege of being the first person to whom He appears!

When Mary became a follower of Jesus, she became fully sold out to Him. Two groups of disciples followed Jesus. The first group consisted of men, led primarily by Peter, as well as James and John. The second group consisted of women, led by Mary Magdalene. While other woman are listed, in every list Mary Magdalene’s name comes first, just as Peter’s does when the male disciples are mentioned. That is why I surmise that she was a leader. These women financially supported a lot of Jesus’ ministry.[12]

Do you see how far Mary Magdalene has come? From a wretched, tortured past, she has been cleansed, freed and taken up a position of responsibility. Her story shows us that no one is beyond the reach of Jesus. He comes to her, heals her and allows her a place of honorable service.

How does Mary relate to Renee? Both women were controlled by influences beyond their power to control. Both were outcasts – Mary because she was possessed, Renee because of how she viewed herself. Mary and Renee each found freedom in Christ, and devoted the rest of their days to worshipping Him through service. I believe Renee was influenced by the spirits in the idols she owned, just as Mary was by the seven demonic spirits Jesus cast from her. The dramatic change in the lives of both women stands as a powerful testimony to the healing power of Jesus.

There are many people, from all lifestyles, who would give anything to worship the Lord God, but they are unable to because of the control our Adversary has over their lives. It is good news to know that Jesus seeks them out and brings healing to them. Jesus breaks the chains of spiritual bondage; He sets free those who are captive to the Enemy so that they, too, can worship God the Father.

No one has to give in to despair, discouragement or hopelessness. That is one of the great truths of Christianity. It is one reason why the story of Christ’s redemption is good news. Not only does belief in Him grant us eternal life, but a life worth living here and now. Mary’s story reminds us that in Jesus Christ we find purpose, hope, comfort and a life full of exciting opportunities of service to Him. Whom do you know who could use good news like this? Go and tell them.

[1] Gabriele Nanni, http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2005/02/18/vatican_backs_exorcism_course/

[2] Luke 8:2

[3] Luke 8:26

[4] Luke 11:14

[5] Luke 9:39

[6] Luke 13:11

[7] Luke 8:28-35, Mark 1:23-24

[8] Acts 16:16-18

[9] Matthew 8:28, Luke 8:29

[10] 1 Samuel 16:14-23

[11] In Greek, astheneia

[12] Luke 8:3