Author Archives: lrbartel

Apr 23 2018
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Devos

I’m concerned… I’m praying for a moral and spiritual “revival” in our nation!

Revive us againI realize there are risks when we seek to equate Israel as a nation – a theocracy – and the United States of America. Having acknowledged that, however, I think we would agree that there are evident Judeo-Christian roots within our history as a nation, our legal system, and our cultural background. The religious roots of many of our founding fathers, great spiritual and moral revivals, and the clear influence of Christianity upon our national life cannot be denied!

The Bible clearly teaches there is a price to pay nationally for the abandonment of such a history and such values! The drift we observe from our Judeo-Christian heritage to secularism alarms me! I am certain we will pay a terrible price for that abandonment as a nation and culture! We are already seeing the harbingers of such abandonment!

Psalm 60 was a part of my Bible reading during my devotional time that I call “coffee with the Lord” this morning. It addressed some of the concerns I have in this regard (and some that David the Psalmist observed in his cultural milieu)…

Here is what He said… “O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; You have been angry; oh restore us! … You have made your people see hard things! … Have you not rejected us O God? You do not go forth, O God with our armies!” David found the results of self-will and rebellion against God and righteous principles frightening! There were consequences he observed that alarmed him!

So this is what He prayed… “Oh God… restore us! You have set up a banner for those who fear [reverence] You! That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us! … O grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!” (From Psalm 60)

David was concerned… So am I! I’ve committed myself to prayer for our nation! I’m asking God to visit our nation with a moral and spiritual revival that impacts our nation and culture at every level… Not only that, I will do everything I can to encourage it! I’m praying what David prayed, “O God, restore us… vain is the salvation of man!” Will you join me?

Apr 18 2018
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Devos

Is it possible that more prayer could strengthen our faith and help reduce our frustration in serving the Lord?

FrustrationFrustration! You try to do something… You believe it’s possible… You’ve got reasonable skills… You do some research (you even “Google” a solution and do a search on “YouTube” to get instructions on how to do it… You try everything they tell you and experience one failure after another! Frustration! It happened to me this week, “iPhone” problem… I did all of the above… none of it worked… no insurance plan purchased for my phone… I know what I’m going to have to do… take it to the iPhone store, pay a fee and have a technician fix it… $$$ (or purchase a new phone) Did I say “frustration?”
I read an account in Mark’s gospel with some serious “frustration” overtones this morning (Mark 9:14-29)…
A father with a demon possessed son brought him to Jesus’ disciples, pleading for help! The father testified that his son had an evil spirit that made him mute – it would seize the boy, throw him down, he would foam at the mouth, grind his teeth and become rigid. The evil spirit had repeatedly cast the boy into the fire, tried to drown him, and repeatedly tried to destroy him. He brought his son to the disciples asking for help (and they had been given authority to cast out demons). They tried everything they knew to do and the young man was still not delivered!
Frustrated father! Frustrated disciples!
Here’s what the father told Jesus… “I brought him to your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, and they were not able!” Frustration!
Later the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” Frustration!
When Jesus heard the story, I think I hear just an edge of frustration in what He said… You see what you think… “Jesus asked the disciples, ‘What are you arguing about? … [They were arguing with the religious leaders about why the boy had not been delivered.] Jesus answered them, ‘Oh faithless generation! How long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring to boy to Me.’” Frustration?
The father cried out, “If you can anything, have compassion on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes!” The father, realizing his lack of faith, authentically admitted, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” Frustration!
Then Jesus acted decisively! The Bible says, “He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf Spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again!” And the demon violently came out, but the boy was instantly healed!
Later when the disciples asked Jesus privately why they had been unable to cast the demon out, Jesus replied, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer [and some ancient manuscripts add the words, “and fasting”].
Now I’ve got a question, based upon Jesus’ response to His disciples… Is it possible… just possible, that some of our “frustration,” fruitlessness, and faithlessness in ministry is tied to our prayerlessness? Is it just possible that our faith would be stronger and more effective, when it comes to seeing God display his mighty, miraculous power in our world, if we gave ourselves more to prayer (and less to conferences and workshops that simply teach ministry technique)? Just wondering. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting down honest, Biblically informed training… I’m just observing, that according to Jesus, the effectiveness of my ministry could be improved a great deal by more prayer! I don’t know about you – I’m going to prioritize prayer!
Apr 17 2018
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Devos

It is the Lord’s blessing that makes all the difference in the world!

The Lord's hands blessingAaron, the High Priest in Israel was commanded to bless God’s people with these words…

“The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord lift up His countenance upon you [i.e. look upon you with favor] and give you peace!” (Numbers 6:24-26)

A wonderful blessing! You may have heard a pastor in church utter this blessing over the congregation at the close of a service as a “benediction.” But this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” it occurred to me that Aaron in the Old Testament, and a pastor in a church service are only agents for the Lord… Ultimately I want God to be the one who lays His mighty, loving hands upon my head and speaks these words and activates the blessing over my life! Isn’t that what you want? His blessing, not a man’s, is what makes all the difference in the world!

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