Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, January 29, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-01-29-2018

This is devotional thought number 64 in our devotional series, God’s Promises are Sure!

“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” (Revelation 3:9).
“Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” (Revelation 3:12).

Love reigns when truth reigns. Do you see the correlation? The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It also says that God is love. Therefore, when the One who is the epitome of truth and love is reverenced and His words are explored for the purpose of having a living connection with Him, those who do so will experience revival and reformation. Yesterday, we took a brief look at the Philadelphian church era and God’s promise to keep those who obey His command to persevere. Today, we will continue the thought.

Imagine a time when the dry forms of false religion and deception blew through the church and religious persecution held sway. Imagine a time when the Bible that so many now take for granted was not accessible to common people, but rather only to the religious leaders who donned themselves the only sanctioned purveyors of truth. Imagine the darkness that would overtake society and the church. Now imagine a time when stalwart men and women would stand and protest the heavy-handedness, unholy hierarchical structure, lack of love, and the supplanting of truth by those same self-assigned religious leaders. Imagine a people who would experience the power of the gospel as they learned the truth in their own languages and could search the Scriptures for themselves. Imagine a time when God’s people could experience the Word, which had been under lock and key for so long that every word read and applied now felt like water to a thirsty soul.

In many ways, this was the experience of the Philadelphian church. Love began to reign, because truth began to reign. They were not without their challenges. However, Jesus promised that if they continued to excel in their love for truth, one another, and commitment to the truth, they would become immovable pillars in God’s presence. David said: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalm 84:10). Jesus reiterated the promise He has made so many times before, that He would write God’s name upon all overcomers, which signified their redemption and eternal marriage to their Creator. Jesus also promised that He would humble those who did not know Him, before the feet of His children. There are many times that those who hate love, disrespect God’s people, and cast us aside like chaff, but God promises that those who endure until the end will be exalted. We do know that even though God promised to humble our enemies, that only He is worthy of holy worship. So when some Bible translations use the word worship in this context, they mean to give deference and honor to. Joseph’s family showed deference to and honored him when He was exalted in Egypt. King Solomon was honored and showed deference to by all kinds of rulers, wealthy people, and common people, because he represented the wisdom of God on the earth.

Ask God to make you an overcomer. Ask Him to help you continue the search for truth...