Devotions

The disciples were eager to start evangelizing but Jesus had instructed them to “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from high” (Luke 24:29). Jesus knew far better than the disciples that the equipment needed for the job was more than keen intellect, human talent, and even a sincere heart. So they obeyed Jesus and waited in the upper room, praying, singing, and praising God.

“When the Day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4).

The Spirit was poured out just as Jesus promised. What the prophet Joel predicted had happened. “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17). This meant that a new kind of ability was available. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8). This awesome power from heaven was needed on earth to build Christ’s kingdom.

Were those disciples sincere believers in Jesus as they waited in Jerusalem? Yes. Did they have correct doctrine? Yes. Could they have gone out and preached without the Holy Spirit? I am sure they wanted to, but Jesus knew they were not ready. He knew the power of the enemy they would face, the discouragements, and the opposition. If the Holy Spirit’s power was needed then, has anything changed to this very day? Will anything but the Spirit’s power working through us pull down the walls of unbelief and break the powers of sinful behavior as we share the gospel?

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson. 

Here is one of the most quoted and oft-sung verses in all of God's Word: "Because Your  lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You" (Psalm 63:3). You may ask, "What does it mean that his lovingkindness is better than life?”

The truth is, life is short. It fades like the grass, which is here one season and gone the next. Yet God's lovingkindness endures forever. A million years from now Jesus will be as tender and loving toward us as he is now. Others can take your life away from you, but they can't take away God's lovingkindness.

Consider this for a moment: God is not mad at you because of your failure. If you are ready to forsake your sin, you can be forgiven and restored at this very moment. The Word of God tells us that nothing can come between our Lord and us — no sin, no guilt, no condemning thought. You can say, "My life is a blessing to the Lord. I am able to rejoice and praise him. I am clean, free, forgiven, justified, sanctified, redeemed."

It does not matter how badly those around us have sinned. God still loves all. That is why he sent his Son. And we should be preaching it to the world!

David said, "I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly" (Psalm 40:10). That is his desire for all of us.

You have a loving, tender Father who cares about you. He has bottled every tear you have ever shed. He has seen your every need, known your every thought. And he loves you! If you could only grasp how tender he is toward you — how patient, caring, ready to forgive you and bless you — you would not be able to contain yourself. You would shout and praise until you had no voice left: "His lovingkindness is better than life!"

Jonah was a prophet who fully understood the lovingkindness of the Lord. But he was a man who could not enjoy or appropriate it. Instead, Jonah turned God's lovingkindness into a burden for himself.

Now God was commanding Jonah to go to the wicked city Nineveh and prophesy its quick destruction. You see, the Ninevites were enemies of Israel. But Jonah ran away in haste when he heard God’s instruction. What prompted his extreme reaction? It was because he knew of the lovingkindness of the Lord. Jonah explained to the Lord, "For I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm" (Jonah 4:2).

In other words: "God, you've commanded me to tell Nineveh they have only forty days before destruction comes. But I can't do that because I know you. You are easily touched. Tears and repentance soften your heart and I know what will happen. When you see the Ninevites crying, you'll change your mind. Instead of sending judgment you'll stir their hearts toward you — and I'll end up looking like a fool!"

Finally, Jonah did go to Nineveh, but only by way of the belly of a giant fish, which spit him onto dry ground. Jonah proclaimed God's judgment to Nineveh and, sure enough, the people repented. The sin-hardened Ninevites wept, fasted, mourned and put on sackcloth, even covering their animals with mourning cloths. It was one of the most sweeping revivals ever recorded in the Bible.

Yet in the midst of all this, Jonah became angry. He actually sulked because God spared Nineveh rather than rejoicing that they were made righteous. In short, Jonah didn't enjoy God's lovingkindness.

Beloved, as the people of God, we dare not make the same mistake. We need to thank God for his merciful lovingkindness to us, his church, and to our nation.

Here is a powerful weapon for every follower of Jesus: Cry! Cry out with all of your heart as David did (see Psalm 34:6). Go to the Lord and confess your sin and appeal to his lovingkindness, saying, "Lord, I know you love me and are ready to forgive me. I repent before you right now."

At the very moment you confess, you are clear with God. It is futile to think you can repay any amount for your sin. God loves you so much that he gave his Son, Jesus, who has already made all payment. Your merciful, loving Advocate is yearning to help and deliver you: "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1).

Strolling alongside my young granddaughter, Tiffany, as she walked atop a low concrete wall. I held her from behind to keep her from falling, but she tried to knock my hand away. Eventually I let go, and she toppled over, though without hurting herself. When she fell, I did not desert her, of course. I didn't say, "Look what you did. You're not mine anymore!" No loving grandparent would do that.

The Lord showed me through that experience, "David, you allow yourself such love for this child. But at times you don't allow me to love you in the same way. You swell with pride over your children, but at times you won't allow me to take pride in you."

I heard the Lord speak a tender word to my heart. He said, "Son, you bless me. You bless my heart!" No one has ever said anything better to me in my life. And I know this particular word is true. God takes pleasure in his children (Psalms 147:11).

It is well known that King David fell into horrible sin, committing adultery and covering it up with murder. Moreover, we know David was full of the Holy Spirit, so he must have been miserable.

The prophet Nathan confronted him, saying, "You have brought reproach on God's name." David could only go for so long carrying the weight of the horrible acts he had perpetrated and he immediately confessed and repented. Even as he was still weeping Nathan assured him, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Samuel 12:13).

Yet, hearing that assurance wasn't enough for David. You see, it is one thing to be forgiven and quite another to be free and clear with the Lord. David knew that forgiveness was the easy part. Now he wanted to get things right with God, to be able to get his joy back. So he cried, "Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11).

Psalm 51 was written as David remembered the merciful, longsuffering nature of the Lord. In the opening verse he appeals to God's tender forgiveness: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions."

David knew just what to do. He cried out! "This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles" (34:6).

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. . . The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles" (Psalm 34:15 and 17).

Dear saint, your victory over every battle is learning to possess this confidence: No matter how grievously you have fallen, you serve a Lord who is ready to forgive. Indeed, he is anxious to heal you. He possesses more lovingkindness toward you than you could ever need.