Devotions

As the hundred and twenty disciples gathered faithfully in the Upper Room, they weren’t just waiting for a date on the calendar. The Bible says, “They were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). This means they had come together as one body for one purpose: the hope of seeing Jesus’ promise fulfilled. Their cry was the same as in Isaiah’s day: “Lord, rip open the heavens and come down. Let all mountains of opposition, human and demonic, melt at Your presence, so the lost may be saved” (see Isaiah 64:1).

VISIBLE FIRE FELL

We know what happened: The Holy Ghost fell, with visible fire appearing on the disciples’ heads. This holy outpouring took them to the streets of Jerusalem, where thousands of lifeless religious people saw and heard what was happening. Immediately the Spirit fell on that crowd, melting every mountain of opposition. Peter stood up to preach, and suddenly those who had rejected Jesus — masses who had hardened their hearts — melted at the mention of Christ’s name. And three thousand people cried out to be saved.

GOD’S FOCUS

Consider what God was doing. All around the world at that time, there were wars, uprisings, great darkness, empires invading nations. Multiple millions were busy with commerce, as cargo ships and trade caravans traversed the globe. Yet, God’s interest and focus was on a hundred and twenty humble, praying saints gathered in a small, rented room. What does this tell us? Simply put, when God strikes a match, there must be kindling for it to catch fire. As His Spirit blew on those saints at Pentecost, a flickering flame became a fire that soon would cover the whole earth.

Once again, the same cry is rising all over the world today.

Isaiah’s prophetic messages were heard throughout the nation. During this time there were great religious gatherings, complete with choirs and orchestras and people filling the synagogues. The people were well versed in the Scriptures and kept all the ordinances. Yet, in spite of all this activity — all the teaching, pageantry and good works — the atmosphere in the synagogues was dead. Doing God’s work had become drudgery, for one reason only: There was nothing of His presence in their rituals.

The prophet Micah spoke for God:

“O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me” (Micah 6:3).

REND THE HEAVENS, LORD

The Lord was prodding His people, “Tell me, what have I done to burden you? I challenge you to testify of what I did to cause your lethargy.”

As Isaiah looked around, he was moved to say:

“There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. . . . Thy holy cities are a wilderness” (Isaiah 64:7, 10).

Essentially, Isaiah was saying, “Lord, You’ve blessed us with good teachers, music and programs. But we don’t have Your presence, Your fire, Your Holy Ghost power. I see no one calling out to You. Lord, rend the heavens! Come down and give us your touch.”

DEATH AMIDST PLENTY

Beloved, I suggest to you: What a picture of Christ’s church today. We have been blessed with more tools for evangelism than any other generation. We have more media outlets for the gospel — more books, websites, television and radio shows — than ever before.

Yet, it is still rare to come out of a church service today saying, “I was revived, made alive again, by being in God’s house.” Simply put, there is very little Holy Spirit power operating in much of the church. In my opinion, we are missing Isaiah’s cry: “Lord, reveal Yourself. Touch Your people once more.”

I am convinced the Lord is trying to break through to His people as never before.

As Scripture predicts, the devil has come down with great wrath, knowing his time is short (see Revelation 12:12). And right now God’s people need a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a supernatural touch even greater than the one at Pentecost.

Think of it: Jesus’ followers at Pentecost didn’t have to fear nuclear weapons. They didn’t face gay marriages in mainstream society. They didn’t tremble as the entire world economy teetered on the brink of collapse. It is clear we need Holy Ghost power to face these last days — it’s that simple.

CRY OF OUR HEART

Indeed, the cry that’s called for today was heard in Isaiah’s day:

“O that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence . . . to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! . . . For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isaiah 64:1, 2–4).

Where did this cry come from? It was uttered by a prophet grieving over the lethargy of God’s people, a man who clearly knew what was needed: a supernatural visitation from the Lord. Isaiah was saying, “Lord, we can’t go on as we have, with the same dead religious routine. We need a touch from You such as we have never known.”

Knowing God was sufficient for Moses. Rather than going to the Promised Land, he asked of God, “Please show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). I can imagine God’s pleasure at hearing this. Every earthly father knows the pleading of his children’s voices asking for things, but nothing warms a dad’s heart like hearing his child say, “Daddy, I love you for who you are.”

God was so pleased with Moses’ desire that He granted his request, as far as He could allow it. “He said, ‘You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live’” (Exodus 33:20).

GOD’S FIERCE LIGHT

God’s unapproachable light is too fierce for humans to experience fully; His holiness is all-consuming: “Lest I consume you on the way” (33:3). But He did want Moses to experience His glory in part. The Lord told him, in effect, “I can’t show you My face but I can show you the effects of My presence and the trail of goodness I leave behind” (see 33:21-23).

“While my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock . . . until I have passed by” (33:22, my emphasis).

God told Moses this to protect him. This verse tells us everything about God’s amazing grace in the Old Testament. Even before the cross — before Christ shed His blood for our salvation — God hid Moses in His grace, in the crevice of a rock. As Paul explains, “That Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).

GOD’S TRANSFORMING GLORY

Scripture says Moses’ face was transformed by God’s glory — a change so powerful he had to “put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome” (2 Corinthians 3:13).

Anyone who encounters Jesus experiences the same transformation — a change so profound the whole world sees it and is awed.

There is so much bad news, so much division and distortion on all sides. Reports of depravity, terror, hatred and political turmoil seem to overload our senses.

In the midst of this restlessness and disorder, I hear God’s Word telling me to rejoice greatly and be glad.   

“Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds” (Psalm 149:5).

When was the last time you sang joyfully, out loud in your bed, before retiring?

“Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King” (Psalm 149:2).

When you can sing and rejoice in a time of great turmoil, you truly possess faith.

DON’T LOSE YOUR PEACE

If we listen to the so-called experts in the media, we may open ourselves to a spirit of unrest and anger. We can get caught up in issues that are not eternal but are soon to pass. I refuse to be caught up in the present political rage. I will go to the voting booth and cast my ballot, not according to my feelings but on the basis of biblical truth. I will vote calmly, without losing my peace or my love for lost humanity.

Most of all, I will obey God’s eternal Word and rejoice and be glad, no matter how fiercely the storms rage around me. We are told to sing and rejoice — and we must do so, knowing our God has promised to lead and protect us through it all.

“Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).