Author: Christine Wyrtzen

The Lord of Hosts Is His Name

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Their redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.”  Jeremiah 50:32

Many of God’s children are fighting for their lives today.  They are in the center of a battle.  The strife is not about a difference of opinion but about good and evil; the kingdom of heaven versus the kingdom of darkness.  So much is at stake and it feels like life and death.  Perhaps they on their knees this morning, absolutely at the end of themselves.  They are weary from being battered.  They are disillusioned by a trail of broken promises.  They are confused because those who argue with them are clever and cunning.

King David’s enemies were powerful, physically, mentally, and even spiritually.  He also reached the end of himself.  His life hung in the balance and he knew he needed an advocate.  There was not a human one to be found.  No lawyers waited in the wings to take up his case in court.  He needed God.  Who better to argue for him, to plead his cause and sort out the cobweb of controversy to administer justice than Jehovah Sabaoth.  Jeremiah recognized His role as the Lord of hosts when Israel was oppressed and had no way out of captivity.  Today’s scripture captures Jeremiah’s great statement of faith.

The Lord of Hosts is also engaged on my behalf because He takes up the cause of His people.  He does it for people groups and He does it for individuals like you and me.  No cunning adversary will defeat Him nor deceive Him to be prejudiced against me.  Jesus knows me, knows my plight, knows my adversaries, and takes up my defense.  I will be vindicated in heaven’s perfect timetable.  It may be swift, it may occur in the next decade, or it may happen one day when God judges the earth.  I can trust my Commander in Chief to know when is the perfect time to implement justice.  In the meantime, I must believe that no one will get away with their evil deeds.  Though it may appear that way, they are held firmly on God’s leash.  My strength lies in Who it is that aligns Himself with me.

Are you weary of fighting your own battles?  Have your arguments been silenced by deep fatigue?  Have you lost your way?  The Commander of the angel armies is fighting for you.  He will redeem all that the locusts are consuming.  In the distance, the sound of horses can be heard.

Strengthen the man on his knees today, the one who cries out to you as his only hope.  Lift his head to see the armies of heaven.  Amen

The Hosts of Heaven Have My Back

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“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.”  Daniel 12:1

When ancient armies entered into battle, they sought to secure evidence that the gods favored them and would give them victory.  Military leaders offered sacrifices, even consulted the flight of birds and the entrails of animals for clues that might point to a coming success.  Armies brought soothsayers with them onto the battlefield so that they could interpret these signs.  Imagine how the hope of victory would energize a soldier.  When he was assured of success, he dared become bold with his sword.

God is gracious to reveal that the ultimate outcome for every single believer is victory, not defeat.  It is for salvation, not wrath.  This builds confidence into my steps today.  The gates of hell shall not prevail against me when I follow Jesus because, not only am I armed with the sword of the Word, but Jehovah Sabaoth and His armies of angels have my back.  I may suffer, appear to lose a skirmish or two, but victory is written into the storyline of every child of God.

The evangelist, Jack Wyrtzen, signed every letter “On the Victory Side.” He believed it and traveled to Eastern bloc countries with the Gospel by smuggling bibles behind their iron curtain.  He was willing to lose his life if discovered but death wouldn’t have been a defeat.  Knowing that, he enjoyed spiritual adrenaline.

He would encourage us today to shun fear and walk confidently.  Having traveled extensively to visit missionaries on the field, he heard many miracle stories.  They told him about God’s angelic interventions when they had faced life threatening situations.  And, I’m sure he told them of his divine encounters when he had crossed borders into communist countries.  Sometimes, Bibles had been in clear sight but customs officials were blind to them.

This is the time to make our boldest advances for the kingdom.  Time after time, God delivers us from the schemes of the enemy.  But not always!   In this life, Jesus said we will have tribulation.  At some point, we may not see Him intervene to preserve our earthly bodies.  But know this ~ martyrs are never casualties.  They are children of the King of Kings, carried safely to their eternal rest in God’s perfect providence.

I often live crippled by fear, like I don’t know who wins this present battle.  Forgive me.  I know better.  Amen.

Commander In Chief of the Angel Armies

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The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.  The LORD of hosts is with us.  Psalm 46:6-7

God identifies Himself as the “Lord of hosts” time after time in scripture.  The problem with growing up in the church is that one can hear this phrase but because of its familiarity, the power of the title is never appreciated.  Eugene Peterson’s, THE MESSAGE, translates “the God of hosts” as “the Lord of the angel armies.”  Now that grabs my attention and causes me to consider the implications of this God-declaration.

The critical points made are these:

  1. There are angels around even though I may not be aware of them.  I can be so consumed by the material world that I fail to realize the relevance of what is transpiring in the spiritual realm.  Scripture instructs every child of God to be cognizant of the fact that we are spiritual beings, part of a spiritual realm, citizens of a spiritual kingdom.  That reality is to define who I am and what I do.
  2. There are angel armies and there are also demon armies.  The battle between good and evil is being fought twenty-four hours a day.  There is a war being waged against me personally, against my family, against my church, and even against my city or town.  I can train to fight, appropriate the weapons God has provided in order to be victorious, or I can choose to remain passive and become a casualty.  There is no neutral ground, only winners and losers.
  3. God is the Lord, the commander, of the angel armies.  He wants me to know the chain of command and be comforted by the fact that His hosts of angels are carrying out orders within a hierarchy that is extremely well structured.  God loves His children and has not sent me, nor anyone else, to the front lines to be slaughtered.  He has provided angelic hosts to fight on my behalf, their activity fueled by prayer and faith.

God is not an anemic God.  He may be my Father, tender-hearted and full of mercy, but He is also a commander-in-chief, not to be trifled with.  The One who loved me enough to give His Son’s life to win my freedom is also the One to whom all of creation will one day bow.  I endeavor not to lose my head over things and situations that are temporary.

You, the Lord of the armies, the fiercest of warriors, have me in the palm of Your hand.  Now that gives significance to my day.  I engage in the battle with hope and expectations of victory.  With Jesus’ name on my lips, Amen

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He Welcomes It On His Shoulders

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…and the government will be upon his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6

When was the last time you said, “I wouldn’t want to carry that responsibility on my shoulders!”  Whatever it was that you were referring to, it was deemed too heavy to carry.

Our Prince of Peace doesn’t run from positions of power and authority.  This prophetic word (Isaiah 9:6) assures us that Jesus will shoulder the responsibility of ruling over a literal, earthly kingdom that encompasses all the governments and kingdoms of the world.  As His children, each of us will see it with our own eyes.  

Solomon was given divine wisdom, and we admire his discernment in ruling over complicated civil cases. We recall how he delivered a righteous judgment in the dispute between two women who claimed the same baby as their own. Only God could have inspired the idea Solomon employed to reveal the real mother.  

This embodies the essence of divine leadership. Jesus will govern justly, and the implications and examples are so extensive that we can regard them as countless. No sin will remain concealed. Every motive will be revealed. Every false accusation will prove ineffective. Every con artist will be unseated.  

Furthermore, every unfairness will be righted.  Every victim will have advocacy.  The poor will be fed.  The weak will be strengthened and promoted.  The ambitious and charismatic leader will be asked to serve as the humble are exalted.  

None of this will tire our King of Kings. He rules with ease. Righteousness is inherent to His nature. Those of us who live under His reign will embrace the peace that flows from His throne. We will breathe easily, never fearing the worst. All previous sources of anxiety will fade away in the joy of God’s kingdom. 

I’ll be safe then—and I’m safe now because You are already above all powers and authorities that dominate the front pages of the news. Hallelujah. Amen.

Why Peace Is Far From Me

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The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.  Isaiah 26:3

Under what conditions does Jesus promise peace?  This verse from Isaiah gives solid direction.  Those who are steadfast in their mind, who choose to trust, will be kept in perfect peace.  If I do not have peace, it is because my mind has taken a detour to a place of dis-trust.  I have allowed my interpretation of my circumstances to rule me, and subsequently, they have taken my emotions captive.  My beliefs are the problem, not Jesus’ inability to bring peace.

Jesus was the WORD and He grew to say many things.  My choice to dis-believe Him is what erodes a deep, inner calm.  I must be intentionally steadfast and resolved to trust Him implicitly despite the mounting evidence against His faithfulness.  He is God and He is always faithful, always loving, always true to His promises.  Upon these truths my life rests.  Period.  My theology can not be defined by circumstances.

To provide an illustration for how peace is found, here’s a personal example.

I once prayed over the course of a decade for God’s intervention in a certain area of my life.  During that time, I saw no evidence of His future provision.  I lived despairingly, but eventually, I believe the Spirit of God moved through me to confess this out loud:  “You are a faithful God who hears the prayers of Your child.  You answer every prayer with perfect love.  You hold Yourself responsible to meet my needs. I trust You and wait on You with full confidence that You will come and You will save.”  I confessed this often, many times a day.  Soon after, peace followed.  And soon after, so also did God’s deliverance.

I used to pray for peace as though it were all up to God.  I took no personal responsibility for laying the foundation of faith.  I let my mind wander where it wanted and my thoughts were often a cesspool of doubts and confusion.  I’m learning that peace of mind is always a two way street.  If I do my part, God’s promise of peace will descend upon my ragged spirit.

Oh Prince of Peace, I honor Your promises in every area of my life that still waits for Your deliverance.  Amen 

Peace – Take a Breath

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“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34

Devotion to Jesus can create chasms in relationships.  These words from Jesus are shocking if I cling exclusively to verses that speak of Jesus being the Prince of Peace.  Are these principles contradictory?  Not at all.  Jesus is Peace.  And He will bring peace to those in disharmony when they seek His face and embrace His truth in unity.  But there are just as many times when He will offend those closest to me.  When that happens, I must suffer for righteousness sake and Jesus’ words are an incentive for me to remain faithful.

Oppressors don’t have to be soldiers, beating down the doors of Christian households to take them away to be killed or tortured.  The ones who persecute can be family members, fellow employees, and even children who strain against a parent’s obedience to Jesus.

This devotional reaches out to you today if you are one who suffers in any way because you love Jesus.  When the fire of love and devotion cause you to walk upstream against around you, know that Jesus sees you and will reward you.  As a wife, you may suffer the scorn and ridicule of an unbelieving husband.  As a husband, you may experience the cold shoulder of a wife who wishes your values were more temporal.  As a child, you may feel disowned because your passion for Jesus alters the future your parents desire for you.  As an employee, you feel excluded by everyone around you who are all too willing to play corporate politics.  As a pastor, you feel that your job is in jeopardy because the majority of your congregations wants feel-good-messages rather than solid Bible teaching.

The Prince of Peace is in you and around you. Peace is promised and it can be yours even though His presence has disrupted the harmony of your relationships. Breathe deeply as the Spirit breathes over you today.  Do it, not once, but as a way of life.  

You had the peace of Your Father in the midst of disharmony with your family and religious leaders. Your Father promised peace but peace in Your troubled world. I follow Your example.  Amen

The Prince of Peace ~ The Advocate

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Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise.  Psalm 119:154

This very morning, someone is on their knees, weary from being battered, and is absolutely at the end of themselves.  Disillusioned by a trail of broken promises, confusion is crippling because their enemies are   clever and cunning. 

In times like this, each of us needs an advocate.  More often than not, there is not a human one to be found.  No lawyers wait in the wings to take up our case in court.  We need God.  Who better to argue for us, to plead our cause and sort out the cobwebs of controversy to administer justice.  Jeremiah even recognized God’s role as the heavenly attorney when Israel was oppressed and had no way out of captivity.  He said, “Their redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.”  Jeremiah 50:32

If fairness fails to be found on earth, I can assume my case has been lost and that will be the end of it.  How quickly I forget the promises in scripture.  The courts of heaven are engaged on my behalf.  The eternal advocate, Jesus, takes up the cause of his people.  He does it for people groups and He does it for individuals like me.  No cunning adversary will win in His courtroom.  No jury will be skewed.  No evidence will be misinterpreted.

If vindication is called for, I will come to see it in heaven’s perfect timetable.  Peace will come!  It may be swift, it may occur in the next decade, or it may happen one day when God judges the earth.  I can trust my advocate to know when.  In the meantime, I must believe that no one will get away with their evil deeds.  Though it may appear that peace is elusive, my peace really lies with the One who aligns Himself with me.

When your arguments have been silenced by deep fatigue, when it seems you’ve lost your way, remember this ~ You have an advocate and He is fighting for you.  Peace can be yours in the waiting.

Strengthen the one on her knees today, the one who cries out to you as her only hope.  Lift her head to see heaven’s courtroom.  Amen

Shalom Was Waiting

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He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.  Genesis 3:24  ESV

God drove them out of the garden and placed two cherubim angels at the garden gate.  Without an intervention of mercy, mankind would never again be in the presence of God.  We would never be stunned by His beauty and by His glory.  How heartbreaking this had to have been as they walked outside the garden, the streams of light and glory behind them.  As they looked over their shoulder, they saw an angel guarding the entrance to, what had once been, home.

We were born with the sting of this banishment written on our souls.  Sin held us in bondage.  God seemed far away.  We feared He was angry with us.  The pain of separation felt extreme and permanent.  The news was dire without the good news of the Gospel story.  As Adam and Eve walked away from the garden, God felt their plight and love overruled.  In fact, He had made a way for their restoration before He even created them.

 A merciful God, in the face of Jesus Christ, would come to end the separation between man and his Creator.  Until then, even in the temple, people would only worship God at a distance.  They could never go behind the curtain that separated sinful man from the holy of holies.  The curtain, made of blue, purple and scarlet threads, actually had cherubim embroidered into it, so significant were these angels who guarded God’s throne room.

When Jesus died, an earthshattering event occurred.  The curtain in the Jerusalem temple, 60 feet high, 30 feet wide, and 4 feet thick, was torn in two from top to bottom.  No man could have done this.  The moment Jesus died and the process of reconciliation was finished, the sound of ripping could be heard.

The way into the Garden of Eden is now open to any who have fallen into the arms of the One who bore their sins.  The pain of separation is over.  God’s wrath is non-existent toward those who embrace His Son.  The Father is love-driven and waits at the gate for a reunion. His blood has washed away the sins of Adam, we have been redeemed, and singing can be heard in the garden once again.

Help me start at the beginning when I share this story with others.  If I start with the cross, it’s incomplete.  How beautiful a story you’ve written – and each of your children are in the center of it!  Amen

Ownership Has Its Own Stresses

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Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.  Deuteronomy 10:14

Owning things can bring stress.  The more we have, the more there is to maintain.  Often, people ask to borrow our things.  Stress occurs when we lend something out – only to see it return far from the condition it left us.  It may be broken, or it may show signs of being carelessly mishandled.  When they return it without explanation or apology, we feel disrespected.  

Imagine what Adonai must feel as He sees how we perceive and care for everything that He provides for us.  Every single thing we have is a gift and is on loan.  We are stewards only.  Yet, I can often clutch the gift, even hoard it, and conveniently ignore whose it really is.  I might even feel that I’m the one who earned it and, therefore, I have every right to do with it what I want.  

The film Schindler’s List chronicled the heroic efforts of a German industrialist named Oskar Schindler. Through his unselfish activities, over a thousand Jews on the trains to Auschwitz were saved. After Schindler found out what was happening at Auschwitz, he began a systematic effort to save as many Jews as he could. For money, he could buy Jews to work in his factory which was supposed to be a part of the military machine of Germany. On one hand he was buying as many Jews as he could, and on the other hand he was deliberately sabotaging the ammunition produced in his factory. He entered the war as a financially wealthy industrialist; by the end of the war, he was basically financially bankrupt.

When the Germans surrendered, Schindler met with his workers and declared that at midnight they were all free to go. The most emotional scene of the film was when Schindler said good-bye to the financial manager of the plant, a Jew and his good and trusted friend. As he embraced his friend, Schindler sobbed and said, “I could have done more.” He looked at his automobile and asked, “Why did I save this? I could have bought 10 Jews with this.” Taking another small possession, he cried, “This would have saved another one. Why didn’t I do more?”

What is in my possession today that I’m prone to minimize?  I can’t imagine how it can serve the kingdom.  But God can, and will, use anything that is surrendered to Him.  Hot water, a tea bag, and an hour of my time can be life-saving to one who is despairing.  The Owner of all that we have just might expand our ministry today if we ask Him to show us why He’s blessed us with so much.  

We don’t clutch anything too tightly.  We’re more aware than ever that You have asked us to take care of Your things.  Show us what You had in mind.  Amen

Adonai, Adonai, Plus Obedience

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Not every person who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 7:21

There are many who profess that Jesus is Lord and almost as many who will say, “Jesus is my Lord.”  But words can be easy to speak.  Actions are a far better indicator of sincerity.  Faith without works is dead.  

Matthew recounted the story of Jesus telling a crowd that words do not translate as real faith.  The kingdom is not set up to be accessed that way.  While that’s sobering, we know that to be true about words.  Words alone can’t build any relationship, let alone the one with Jesus.    

Consider when a relationship is broken.  Words will be important to save it but on their own, healing will be limited.  Promises may be made but the ‘proof will be in the pudding’.   Trust will be rebuilt with works of love and sacrifice.  It will be the behavior of a person that reveals whether their words can be trusted. 

In heaven, some will be turned away from entering heaven and the reaction will be one of shock.  They will protest when they remind Jesus of all that they did in His name.  They will defend themselves and say that they professed the words, “Lord, Lord”, or “Adonai, Adonai,” but Jesus will tell them that they never gave up their life to His lordship.  Goals remained self-centered.  Choices were made without Him in mind.  Gospel songs were sung in community but only out of a need to fit in.  The trappings of religious life gave them a false sense of security.  The message for us is this ~ words alone don’t translate to saving faith.

Jesus is the Master and Owner of all things He created.  He invites us to be His bondslaves – the role for which we were created.  Ironically, it’s the role where true freedom exists.  Never will I thrive more than when bowing the knee to Adonai.  And for any I know who say the words but fail to live the life, I pray for them.  

In all things I am to do today, I will discern their importance to You.  It is not my life, but Yours.  Amen