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One of my great passions is writing devotions that encourage, challenge, and inform the Church, focusing particular attention on topics rarely addressed by other authors or pastors during their Sunday sermons. My hope is that God uses these messages to awaken His church from her spiritual slumber and equip people with a deeper understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I am especially passionate about ensuring believers in hostile countries have a firm foundation in faith, to endure the trials and tribulations they face for their commitment to Christ.

If you would like to share your experience as a persecuted believer, or have a specific topic you would like me to address, you can reach me at: Roderick@RoderickCyr.com

May the Lord bless you richly with His mercy, grace, and power.

Roderick

UPDATE (Jan 2019):

I had an extended lunch with a friend of mine recently, during which time he made a remark that left me downcast and troubled. He mentioned that he had read a recent devotional message I had published and disagreed with my main point because he believed it failed to account for God’s grace in the life of a Christian. His observation unsettled my spirit because I had made considerable effort to emphasize the role grace plays in the believer’s life, but then stressed that such grace did not justify a Christian’s ongoing pursuit of sin.

I concluded that if someone as smart and spiritually mature as my friend was not persuaded by the Scriptures I had referenced and the arguments I had made, then I was wasting my time. My desire to witness the American Church awaken from its spiritual slumber was futile.

I told God how I felt and explained that I had no interest in writing another devotional, no matter how heavily He burdened my heart. I confessed that I viewed my friend’s words as reflective of the American Church as a whole, and that there appeared to be little appetite for difficult biblical truths that turn our worlds upside down and transform the entirety of our lives. More than that, I believed it possible that God was speaking through my friend and telling me to shut it down; walk away and never again implore the Church to embrace Jesus’ most challenging messages.

A couple days later I laid down for a 37-minute nap (I take short naps most mornings since I’m usually up by 3:00am). I tossed and turned a little bit but eventually fell asleep and began to dream. In that dream I was standing on a hill overlooking a large park and a small muddy pond. The park was filled with people playing, walking, and enjoying themselves.

As I watched I noticed a massive alligator in the water right next to the shore. It blended in with the muddy water and was almost impossible to see. No one seemed aware of its presence. I became greatly concerned when a dear friend appeared and began walking by the deadly reptile, oblivious of it. I tried to scream and warn him of the danger. But I had no voice. No matter how hard I tried to yell nothing came out. As my friend walked past the alligator it attacked him.

I then awoke. My heart was beating rapidly and I felt a pang of sorrow. But it only lasted a moment as I quickly fell back asleep. Once again I began to dream. This time I was exiting the lobby of a tall office building located in the business district of a large metropolitan area. As I stepped outside I quickly realized the area was empty. There were no cars in the streets and no pedestrians on the sidewalk.

As I looked around I noticed dozens of police vehicles at the periphery of the block, their lights flashing. Instantly I knew there was an active shooter situation. My heart filled with fear. I spun around trying to locate the shooter but couldn’t see him. Worse, no one from law enforcement was present to tell me where the danger existed, which way to go, or how to get out of the area safely. As I considered my options I heard a noise behind me, turned, and saw a man exiting the building just a few feet away. Before I could determine his intention (friend or foe), I awoke.

I immediately realized the two dreams were from God. He wanted me to know that there are multitudes of people who, like my friend in the first dream, are on a path that leads to (eternal) death. They are unaware of the peril they face and need someone to warn them of that risk. Others (like myself in the second dream) recognize they face a dangerous (spiritual) dilemma and want guidance. They realize imminent (and eternal) death awaits them and are desperate to learn God’s offer for eternal life in heaven.

Bottom line, if I understood God’s visions correctly, is that He wants me to continue to preach the whole gospel of Christ, especially those difficult truths Jesus taught about His expectations for those who trust Him as Savior, commit their lives to Him as Lord, and desire to follow Him as disciples.

I am grateful God heard my prayer and took the time to address my concerns. I now pray He will use my heart-felt devotional messages to call the American Church to awake from her spiritual slumber.