Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-04-18-2018

This is devotional thought number 2 in our devotional series titled, “The Gospel According to Paul.”

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:20).

News Flash! God wants every person in every nation, kindred, tribe, language, and people to know Him. You should be happy about this. He stopped at nothing to make Himself known around the world for one principle purpose—so we can have eternal life. This is good news. Among the ways God has manifest His power and love on earth is through nature. God is not nature and nature is not God, but nature rightly understood reveals God. Unfortunately, there are people living in our day who misuse nature and abuse the evidences manifest in nature, to fight against the truth of God. All sorts of evil theories, horrible false evidences are strung together in dishonest disorder with the intent to dethrone the King of the universe. During every age of Bible times people misused nature to mimic God. They formed images, shrines, statues, relics, and other things to so-called represent deity, which caused them to sin further, fall deeper into disobedience, and eventually experience the consequences for false worship. Replacing God with that which He created is idolatry. When we put any person, place, or thing in higher esteem than God, it is idolatry. I have good news today, however, if we ask God to give us discernment, nature will magnify His name in all the earth, including in our hearts.

I would like to direct your attention to one of my favorite passages in the Psalms, which clearly shows why those who experience nature are without excuse, considering it reveals its Creator. Be on the lookout for a transition in thought. Are you ready? “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, And his circuit unto the ends of it: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:1–10). Now you understand what Paul was saying. The invisible God, in power and beauty is manifest to everyone in the world through nature. All that He created praises Him. If the sun, moon, and stars exist where you are, they point to God. If there is water where you are, it glorifies God. If there are birds, bees, or trees where you are, they all hail the King. This is wonderful news!

Now for the transition I mentioned. If it were only about nature, the message would be incomplete. The Psalmist transitioned us from the truth about God in nature to the truth about God in His holy law. He said that the commandments are pure, enlightening, precious, and right. He did not stop there. He said that reverence for the Lord is clean...