Author: Christine Wyrtzen

What Did It Feel Like?

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And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

Jesus had a history of astounding religious leaders with his grasp of the scriptures. He was the Jewish boy wonder of Nazareth and when he was twelve, he went to Jerusalem and amazed them there as well. Having a grasp of the scriptures earned him respect and awe as the gifted son of Joseph and Mary. But this day in Nazareth, just as his public ministry began, the Jewish world was shaken up. They thought they knew Jesus but to hear Him pronounce Himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah 61 was shocking. Did Jesus have to take a deep breath to make this announcement? Did He momentarily deal with fear? He probably knew that rejection and controversy would follow.

At what actual point did Jesus learn that He was the Messiah? Perhaps Mary told him as a child but maybe not. Did He know it as He astounded religious leaders in Jerusalem at twelve years of age? We’re not told but there was a good indication that He was self-aware of His identity at that point. He referred to the temple as ‘His Father’s house.’ My husband, Ron, believes He always knew it since He was filled with the Holy Spirit from conception. Perhaps.

Fast forward to Luke and today’s scripture. To announce His divinity to family and friends had to shake up every relationship He had except the one with his mother and Joseph. How did He feel about that day? As One divine, we know He was bold to declare the truth and didn’t think twice about following God’s lead. But as Incarnate, did He experience any emotions that we might feel when we announce something we know will be controversial? Did He sleep the night before? Was it agonizing to think about possibly losing friends and long standing relationships?  This would change everything. His brothers would be embarrassed by His claims and remain so until after the resurrection. Three years is a long time to feel the scorn of your siblings. Jesus was gone before his brother, James, called himself a bond slave of Christ.

We are called to do bold things. Jesus paved the way for us in showing us how to weather the extreme fickleness of people. Those who hate you one day can align with you the next. Those who claim to love you today can turn, oftentimes on a dime, over your strong Christian beliefs. No matter how comfortable our life is today, we follow a Savior who shakes up with world with the many implications of the Gospel. Many are warmed by our unwavering allegiance to Christ but many more are repelled. God gives us grace to walk the walk – whether with family or strangers.

You infuse me with the grace and courage to follow Your lead. Amen

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Careful! Satan Quotes Scripture!

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And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Luke 4:9-12

One of the first things I need to know about my enemy is that he will regroup. If he doesn’t succeed after several tries to corrupt my trust in God, he will keep at it by looking for a more effective way to persuade me.

Satan came at Jesus with pretty clever ideas in the first two temptations. Jesus stood firm. But in the third temptation, Satan went for the jugular by quoting scripture. Jesus saw through the ruse and stood firm again by re-framing the scripture Satan used with another scripture.

rippedbible2One can prove almost anything with a bible verse if it is isolated it from its context and from the total revelation of God’s Word. Cults are formed on partial, misrepresented scriptures. Picking and choosing verses at whim and calling them ‘words from God’ is not living by faith. That’s not to say that God doesn’t, out of the clear blue, give us a verse. He does. But if this comprises my way of life to form my spiritual compass, I need to be careful.

Jesus balanced Satan’s use of scripture with another scripture. He did this while standing on holy ground – at the highest pinnacle of the holy temple. Yes, Satan is not above treading into churches and small groups to mis-quote the Word. He’ll invade my devotional time; he’ll even invade my prayer life. By taking God’s Word out of context, he’ll try to convince me of sin when I’m really under God’s favor. He’ll convince me that I’m about to be disciplined when I’m on the verge of being blessed. He’ll remind me of some Old Testament story when God judged severely if my view of God is more harsh than loving. He loves imbalance!

I can’t afford not to know my Bible. The reason Jesus was so skilled in wielding scriptures was because He spent his first thirty years in disciplined study. There was no shortcut for Him (even though He had the advantage of knowing His Father) and there is no shortcut for me. How can I tell if what I’m hearing is God’s Word or a false word? I have to look at the end result.  Am I encouraged to compromise or stay faithful? Am I drawn toward God or away from God? Am I fearful or more trusting? Am I repelled or more worshipful? Satan’s agenda is always to create a breach in the relationship between God and His child. If I keep that in mind, I can usually perceive whether there’s a snake in the grass.

Your Spirit inside of me knows what’s up when Satan tries to plant a bad seed. Lord, cause his words to be instantly revolting to me. Amen

Power and Powerlessness

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And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’ Luke 4:5-8

If I’m struck with a disease no one can cure, I feel powerless. If I’m trapped in a loveless marriage, I feel powerless. If I’m languishing under a mountain of debt and there is no way to repay it, I feel powerless.

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Powerlessness drives me to edge of utter despair. Feeling powerless is not a sin but what I choose to believe next determines whether faith will live or die.

Was Jesus struck with the temptation to feel powerless? I suspect the answer is yes when I consider that a wilderness is not something anyone can control. Jesus was powerless against a place with no water, no food, and no shelter. Powerlessness was another one of Satan’s attacks against Jesus. Just as Satan wanted Him to feed Himself prematurely by turning stones to bread, He also wanted Jesus to assume power and authority prematurely so there would be no need to go to the cross. But Jesus knew that suffering comes before glory.

Was He tempted to ease the pain of powerlessness by taking Satan’s bait? If He was tempted in every way that we are, I believe the answer is yes. But He understood that the avenue to this premature authority would mean satanic worship. Jesus, once again, saw through the lure, chose suffering, and quoted scripture to silence His tempter. He served the enemy legal papers by reminding him that there is only one God to worship.

Many never pray until they feel powerless. There is only One who is mighty to save when all else fails. Waiting for His salvation is the hard part. We never know if God’s saving hand will be immediate or deferred. We know that in some cases, our own glory also comes after suffering.

In whatever ways you are tempted to give up waiting on God today to go for some man-made, Satan-endorsed, remedy….stop. Your way of coping simply might be to stop hoping and to succumb to numbing despair. But those who hope in God will never be put to shame. Each of us could benefit by looking into the face of what traps us today to declare the following ~ “I am small and powerless but I rest in the hands of my powerful God. Never have I been safer. Never have I had a greater panorama of options.”

I don’t need to see. You look over the top of my cage and plan my victory. Amen

A Year With Jesus

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 Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.  John 21:25
There is so much more to be learned about Jesus.  Let me be clear though.  The Bible is complete and no more can ever be added to it.  Yet, God is still the revealer of mysteries within the multi-dimensional layers of His Word.  There is much the Holy Spirit desires to unveil about Jesus.  There are spellbinding discoveries and the King of glory will be on full display.  In 2017, I will embark on a year of study and meditation on the life of Jesus.  Each day’s devotional will capture a moment in time.
dark-lettersWhat if there were a new book released entitled, ‘One Thousand New Discoveries on the Person of Jesus?’  It would be a worldwide best seller.  But for what reason would it fly off the shelves?  I’m convinced that many unbelievers would buy it for pure historic value.  Jesus is the most influential person ever to have lived.  But many believers would purchase it so that they could learn interesting tidbits to share at their next Bible Study.  Sadly, they comprise the disciples who thrive at being reporters.
The notoriety of Jesus made me think about famous people who suffer from loneliness.  They struggle to know whom they can trust.  Many so-called friends who seem genuinely interested in them end up betraying them.  These faux friends draw close, invade their privacy, and then boast to their own circle of friends about what they learned.  They feast on the failures of the famous person and the disclosures that were made in private make these traitors feel significant.  They just can’t wait to whisper these secrets to others.  For those in the limelight, it’s very difficult to discern the motives of all who profess love and loyalty.
Jesus was, and is, famous.  Oh, that all Bible Study would be for the purpose of loving Him more, not reporting for self-interest.  Jesus waits for true seekers who want to draw close.  He waits to participate in the journey of anyone who desires to know Him better.  He waits to open blind eyes to His glory.  He waits to unveil spiritual food where it’s least expected.  At the beginning of this New Year, He is fully engaged.  He’s waiting and eager to speak, confirm, nudge, convict, embrace, and breathe His very life into every life-changing discovery ahead of us.
Are you on the edge of Your seat, Jesus?  I am.  Amen

The Most Important Thing We’ll Do All Day

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The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and strength,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

He will delight in the fear of the Lord

He will not judge by what His eyes see

Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

Righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

Isaiah 11:2-5

These verses from Isaiah are prophetic words about Jesus.  They describe Him beautifully and comprehensively.  As I read them, I understand that I am to bear His image.

In light of that, I customized a prayer for myself.  I experience it as more powerful when I pray it out loud.  I invite you to join me in the most important thing we’ll do all day.  I am in awe of the privilege we have to grow together – bearing the likeness of the One who began His earthly life in a stable.

Lord, I pray that Your Spirit will rest on me. Scripture says, “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55  Father, I want to be like Stephen.  Full of the Spirit.  Able to discern spiritual realities.  Able to see Your glory in everything around me.

I pray that I will have the spirit of wisdom and understanding. Scripture says, “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” I Kings 4:29 Lord, I pray that you will gift me with the same things.  I value wisdom and understanding above all things.

 I ask that you give me the spirit of counsel and strength. Scripture says, “I pray that You, the Father of glory, will give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 1:17 I acknowledge today that wisdom comes from You, not from me.  I am destitute without it and cry out with empty hands.

Give me the spirit of knowledge and the fear of You.  Scripture says, “Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God.” Deuteronomy 7:21  Lord, I do not need to fear any man or woman today.  No family member, no employer, no spouse, no friend.  You, God, are here and You live in me.  You are great and awesome and I can stand tall because I’m Yours.

I take delight in the fear of the Lord. Scripture says, “Then Hannah said, “My heart rejoices in the LORD and my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.”  I Samuel 2:1 Lord, Hannah cried out with this praise in the midst of deprivation.  I offer the same.  My soul may mourn, but my heart rejoices in who You are.  I delight in Your deliverance.

Don’t let me judge by what my eyes see. Scripture says, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  I Samuel 16:7 I am to bear Your image, Lord.  Help me see others’ souls – for each man’s soul will live forever – and you ache for all to come to Your table.  Let me extend Your invitation without judgment.

Help me refrain from making decisions by what my ears hear. Scripture says, “Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” Deuteronomy16:19 Father, when I show favoritism, I pervert Your justice.  Have mercy on me.  Keep my heart pure.

Let righteousness adorn me. Scripture says, “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6 This is the root of righteousness, Father.  I see that.  I am to believe You – believe You in the face of my own thoughts and opinions, believe Your promise of deliverance despite how hopeless things appear, believe You for Your provision of grace despite how overwhelmed I feel, believe that You will lead me on the right path though I am often void of direction.

Let faithfulness be as a belt around my waist. And finally Lord, Scripture says “You, the LORD, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness.”  Exodus 34:6″  You have promised to perform a supernatural work in me, to help me be like You.  May others say about me, “There’s _______________, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness.”  I do not want to mar Your image.  Empower me to obey as I stay close to You so that I can bear Your reflection.

I pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen

Journal Question:  What one attribute of Jesus do you desire more of in 2017?  How can you make this your focus and spiritual endeavor?  Make a plan.

A Crystal Chandelier

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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

My sister gave me an early Christmas present. She sent me a check that made it possible for me to do a total makeover on our dining room chandelier. Truth be told, I wasn’t even aware that the chandelier bothered me until she and I got into a discussion about settling for things we could really change.

The chandelier was there when we bought the house 16 years ago.   The light was very old. The shades were discolored, the parts were chipped, and the crystals were really made of plastic. However, I decided to keep the chandelier because it was very antique French-looking and I like that style. Over the years though, I learned to compensate for the chandelier in ways I wasn’t even aware of until Nancy and I talked. I kept the lights low while having dinner. I made the focal point the table settings or the table’s centerpiece. Settling and over-compensating had become a way of life.

chandelierNancy is the one who suggested a makeover. I’d never thought of it. Imagine my excitement when I discovered I could strip the chandelier down to the frame and replace all the parts. I was even able to buy a lot of lead crystals for almost no money from a lighting store that posted a small palette of crystals on eBay. So here’s the thing. When stripped bare, the frame turned out to be a real antique and quite stunning. Then, everything I added to it just made it more beautiful. By the time I began to add the crystals, I was almost speechless as I saw my chandelier come to life. The crystals even glistened in the moonlight that shone through the window. It’s the most fun I’ve had creating something in a long time.

The spiritual lessons have been numerous. It made me appreciate the ways God has often stripped my soul bare in order to re-make me in the image of Christ. It made me wonder how many times I’ve attempted to pretty myself up in order to look presentable as a way of overcompensating for my weaknesses. Ultimately though, I’ve been taken with crystals and the beauty of light. I remember that the Gospel is a jewel and that scripture tells me to ‘work out my salvation with fear and trembling.’ The picture in the Greek is to hold a prism up to the light and turn it every way possible to appreciate its many facets. Talk about relevant! The Gospel is stunning and so multi-faceted. I should never think I’ve arrived in appreciating it if I perceive it as simply one-dimensional.

As we gather around our table this Christmas, and as I see the crystals reflect the light of Christmas day, I will silently ponder the ‘Light of the world’ in all of His beauty.

Why would I ever hide You! You are on full display this Christmas. Open the eyes of the blind to behold Your light. Amen

When It Doesn’t Mean Anything

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Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.  Psalm 119:27 

I used to be immersed in a Bible-study environment.  My husband and I worked for a large Christian ministry for the first many years of our marriage.  There was a seminary on the premises as well as an adult conference facility.  The best Bible teachers, heavyweights for that time period, were frequent guests; Charles Ryrie, Vance Havner, Lehman Strauss.  The air was supercharged with excitement over who was going to be teaching next.  I was caught up in political correctness, feigning enthusiasm with the crowd.  I sat in the meetings, took notes, tried to psyche myself that what I was hearing was exciting yet, though I was certainly learning doctrine, my own soul was not affected by what I was hearing.  Did I go away and meditate on any of it?  No.  What consumed my thoughts was the need to belong to the crowd who thought it wonderful to be sitting under such excellent teaching.

Savoring BibleDavid asks for God’s help in today’s scripture.  He petitions for spiritual understanding of the scriptures so that he will be able to meditate in a heartfelt way.  Understanding precedes meditation.  Truth must always be a heart thing!

That’s what was lacking for me all those years.  Because scripture had never been personalized, and without personalization – scripture remains impersonal, the scripture was nothing more than a church history course.  I had to scan many chapters to find a verse that was, at the very least, inspirational.  On a good day, it was intellectually stimulating but the impact ended there.

How can we interact with the scriptures in a way where we are changed?  How can we become passionate about God’s Word?   Here’s a primer course.  1. Set aside 15 minutes with God.  2. Ask God to open your heart.  3. Take a short passage of scripture and meditate on it as you read it slowly.  Taste it and savor it.  4. Look for your head/heart conflict.  Do you know the truth of what you’re reading and yet you have to admit that your heart disbelieves it?   5. Define your need as a result of the conflict.  “I don’t believe this in my heart because . . . ”  6. Put it all together into a prayer.  Voice your need. Affirm the truth. Pray the scripture.

The supernatural power of God’s Word is rendered powerless in my life when I have no need of it.

Lord, transformation began when you showed me my need of You.  Thank you for every single crisis that drove me to you.  Amen

What Can Be Missing

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I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah  Psalm 32:5

Acknowledging our sin, while God requires it to be forgiven, can be a tricky thing.  I think about Cain’s confession to the Lord after killing his brother.  The pain he expressed had more to do with what he would suffer than what God suffered.  Cain said to the LORD, “Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden.  I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”  Genesis 4:13-14  There is no thought that God’s heart was broken when Cain killed Abel for doing something holy.  What’s missing in Cain’s response to God’s curse?  A real apology!  Cain never said, “I’m sorry.”  He only considers his own skin and the ways he will faint under his punishment.

flowers-sorryDo you know someone who expresses no remorse?  They are simply unable to recognize what their sin against another causes.  Many wives and husbands are cruel to each other.  Hurtful things are said and treacherous things are done.  When the one who feels betrayed speaks up, backs up, and expresses pain, remorse is absent.  But when the pain of consequences is felt, a token “Sorry!” is expressed.  There is an expectation that everything should be back to normal.  He, or she, fails to know the repercussions of his actions.

All throughout Israel’s history, God qualified the kinds of tears they cried.  God laid out the ground rules from the beginning.  “Obey me and you’ll be blessed.  Disobey and you’ll be led into captivity.”  They did well under the leadership of righteous kings for short periods of time.  Eventually though, they regressed and began to worship idols, throw their infants in the fire, and act disgracefully toward their God.  The consequences were felt.  God used enemies, like the Babylonians, to take His people as slaves.  In their great distress, they cried out to God to deliver them.  But God said, in essence, “You are not crying because you agree with me about your sin.  You’re crying because you hate captivity.”  Is this not like Cain?

I bring the message home to my own heart today.  How often have I said, “Father, I blew it.  I did ‘this’ and now I’ve lost what I treasured.  Forgive me.”  My apology was all about me, about what I lost.  I did not picture the face of my heartbroken Father.  Self-pity rather than remorse was expressed in my so-called apology.

Only You, LORD, can give me a true heart of repentance.  Amen

Who Can We Trust? Look Up!

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Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.  Psalm 20:7”

awesome-look-sun-and-moon-together-1Lord, forgive us for looking to broken cisterns for living water. As your children, we may live wanting, groaning for your kingdom to come, but we will not be crippled by uncertainty.  We will not succumb to the anxiety of second guessing our future.  Our leaders disappoint us but You rule perfectly.  Our joy and confidence is in Your Kingship.    Each of us pray this out loud today until our whole beings believe it.

You hold our family’s future in Your hands.  You hold our health in Your hands.  You hold our security in Your hands.  You hold our disappointments in Your hands.  You have our children’s names on the palm of Your hands.  You hold us all when we tremble in fear.  You’ve got us even when we’re skeptical that Your promises are true.  Increase our faith.

We bring our leaders and broken government to you in prayer and know that only You can change them.  As we wait, we give up all rights to know why we wait.  We trust Your sovereign rule in our lives.   Your plans for us are for good – to give us a future and a hope.  Praise be to You, magnificent, trustworthy, and all-powerful Jehovah.  Amen

My Post As An Ambassador

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I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me.  Psalm 119:19

High political leaders know they need ambassadors to represent them in other countries.  They look far and wide to discover the man or woman who will do the job well.  They must be well acquainted with the laws of their country, well acquainted with the wishes and strategies of the people in authority over them so that they will act successfully on their behalf.  Once chosen, there is a ‘sending’ and a mission that is unique to the country to which they’ve been called.

coa_of_us_embassy_prague_2257The ambassador leaves.  He makes his home in China, or Pakistan, or Kenya.  He does not look like anyone else nor truly live like anyone else there.  He abides by the laws of his new country but he is not a citizen.  He promotes and executes the policies of his country back home.  He speaks on behalf of the president, on behalf of the government, knowing that as he exerts his rule, his leaders back home back him up.  As long as he acts in accordance with his country’s principles, he is protected.

I am a sojourner.  Like David, I feel it.  I don’t track with the culture in which I live.  The values on earth are not in harmony with the values of heaven.  I’m an ambassador here, meant to represent my king and the laws of His kingdom.  As I rule my world with His principles, God has my back and I am protected.  I speak on behalf of God, act in His best interest, promote the laws of His kingdom.  No wonder David asks that God make his commandments known to Him.  To be in alignment with God’s precepts and live by them is to know peace and safety.  God is behind me and before me and when I’m finished representing Him here, when my time of influence has run its course, He will lead me safely home for permanent retirement in His kingdom.

My mission is clear today.  Help me rule well on your behalf.  Amen