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Thoughts in Worship 10.16.2018
Thoughts in Worship
Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-16-2018
This is devotional thought number 9 in our devotional series titled, “O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink.”
“Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.” (Psalm 101:6).
Sometimes faithfulness eludes us because we are not quite sure what it means. Sometimes we are confused by the concept because evil seems to be the norm these days, even in areas one would think faith would be the standard. Our past faults, mistakes, missteps, and blunders intimidate us into believing faithfulness might just be a an ideal depicted in happily ever after fairy tales, but not in real life.
Besides the foundational, general principle of surrendering our wills to God, what does faithfulness look like, in living color? I would like to start with a word James uses freely and unapologetically, which so many have disavowed in the ugly face of unfaithfulness: religion. Faithfulness looks like biblical religion. Here’s God’s definition: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). You see? Bible religion is not that bad. Bible religion never turns a blind eye from those who are in need. Bible religion highly esteems orphans, widows, and those who have difficulty fending for themselves - the forgotten of society. This is just a microcosm of the second and great commandment Jesus taught: love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. The blessing is that this great commandment is “like” the first and great commandment, which is to love God with all you have miraculously, and all you are, remaining unspotted by the world’s evil paradigm. I say it’s miraculous love because it is of a purely heavenly origin. Only God can actuate this kind of love, which also gives birth to love for fellow human beings; especially those of the household of God. This is good.
Having espoused the principles of God’s great commandments and Bible religion, we can now see the value in the psalmist's description of faithfulness in the verses preceding our theme text. Whether he intended it to be a treatise on faithful living or not, you be the judge; but it clearly is. Don’t miss it: “I will sing about loyalty and justice! To you, O Lord, I will sing praises! I will walk in the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. I hate doing evil; I will have no part of it. I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.” (Psalm 101:1–4, NET). Now I think you can see what I mean. The king embraced practical, holy principles that are living color manifestations of faithfulness.
If we are to develop a shrink-resistant faith that will not fail when tested, we must embrace pure religion, loyalty, justice, praise for God, integrity, and honesty in business and relationships. We will steadfastly resist evil in all its forms, for the honor of God.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)
Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-16-2018
This is devotional thought number 9 in our devotional series titled, “O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink.”
“Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.” (Psalm 101:6).
Sometimes faithfulness eludes us because we are not quite sure what it means. Sometimes we are confused by the concept because evil seems to be the norm these days, even in areas one would think faith would be the standard. Our past faults, mistakes, missteps, and blunders intimidate us into believing faithfulness might just be a an ideal depicted in happily ever after fairy tales, but not in real life.
Besides the foundational, general principle of surrendering our wills to God, what does faithfulness look like, in living color? I would like to start with a word James uses freely and unapologetically, which so many have disavowed in the ugly face of unfaithfulness: religion. Faithfulness looks like biblical religion. Here’s God’s definition: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). You see? Bible religion is not that bad. Bible religion never turns a blind eye from those who are in need. Bible religion highly esteems orphans, widows, and those who have difficulty fending for themselves - the forgotten of society. This is just a microcosm of the second and great commandment Jesus taught: love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. The blessing is that this great commandment is “like” the first and great commandment, which is to love God with all you have miraculously, and all you are, remaining unspotted by the world’s evil paradigm. I say it’s miraculous love because it is of a purely heavenly origin. Only God can actuate this kind of love, which also gives birth to love for fellow human beings; especially those of the household of God. This is good.
Having espoused the principles of God’s great commandments and Bible religion, we can now see the value in the psalmist's description of faithfulness in the verses preceding our theme text. Whether he intended it to be a treatise on faithful living or not, you be the judge; but it clearly is. Don’t miss it: “I will sing about loyalty and justice! To you, O Lord, I will sing praises! I will walk in the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. I hate doing evil; I will have no part of it. I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.” (Psalm 101:1–4, NET). Now I think you can see what I mean. The king embraced practical, holy principles that are living color manifestations of faithfulness.
If we are to develop a shrink-resistant faith that will not fail when tested, we must embrace pure religion, loyalty, justice, praise for God, integrity, and honesty in business and relationships. We will steadfastly resist evil in all its forms, for the honor of God.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)
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Thoughts in Worship
Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-16-2018
This is devotional thought number 9 in our devotional series titled, “O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink.”
“Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.” (Psalm 101:6).
Sometimes faithfulness eludes us because we are not quite sure what it means. Sometimes we are confused by the concept because evil seems to be the norm these days, even in areas one would think faith would be the standard. Our past faults, mistakes, missteps, and blunders intimidate us into believing faithfulness might just be a an ideal depicted in happily ever after fairy tales, but not in real life.
Besides the foundational, general principle of surrendering our wills to God, what does faithfulness look like, in living color? I would like to start with a word James uses freely and unapologetically, which so many have disavowed in the ugly face of unfaithfulness: religion. Faithfulness looks like biblical religion. Here’s God’s definition: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). You see? Bible religion is not that bad. Bible religion never turns a blind eye from those who are in need. Bible religion highly esteems orphans, widows, and those who have difficulty fending for themselves - the forgotten of society. This is just a microcosm of the second and great commandment Jesus taught: love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. The blessing is that this great commandment is “like” the first and great commandment, which is to love God with all you have miraculously, and all you are, remaining unspotted by the world’s evil paradigm. I say it’s miraculous love because it is of a purely heavenly origin. Only God can actuate this kind of love, which also gives birth to love for fellow human beings; especially those of the household of God. This is good.
Having espoused the principles of God’s great commandments and Bible religion, we can now see the value in the psalmist's description of faithfulness in the verses preceding our theme text. Whether he intended it to be a treatise on faithful living or not, you be the judge; but it clearly is. Don’t miss it: “I will sing about loyalty and justice! To you, O Lord, I will sing praises! I will walk in the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. I hate doing evil; I will have no part of it. I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.” (Psalm 101:1–4, NET). Now I think you can see what I mean. The king embraced practical, holy principles that are living color manifestations of faithfulness.
If we are to develop a shrink-resistant faith that will not fail when tested, we must embrace pure religion, loyalty, justice, praise for God, integrity, and honesty in business and relationships. We will steadfastly resist evil in all its forms, for the honor of God.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)
Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-16-2018
This is devotional thought number 9 in our devotional series titled, “O For a Faith That Will Not Shrink.”
“Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.” (Psalm 101:6).
Sometimes faithfulness eludes us because we are not quite sure what it means. Sometimes we are confused by the concept because evil seems to be the norm these days, even in areas one would think faith would be the standard. Our past faults, mistakes, missteps, and blunders intimidate us into believing faithfulness might just be a an ideal depicted in happily ever after fairy tales, but not in real life.
Besides the foundational, general principle of surrendering our wills to God, what does faithfulness look like, in living color? I would like to start with a word James uses freely and unapologetically, which so many have disavowed in the ugly face of unfaithfulness: religion. Faithfulness looks like biblical religion. Here’s God’s definition: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). You see? Bible religion is not that bad. Bible religion never turns a blind eye from those who are in need. Bible religion highly esteems orphans, widows, and those who have difficulty fending for themselves - the forgotten of society. This is just a microcosm of the second and great commandment Jesus taught: love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. The blessing is that this great commandment is “like” the first and great commandment, which is to love God with all you have miraculously, and all you are, remaining unspotted by the world’s evil paradigm. I say it’s miraculous love because it is of a purely heavenly origin. Only God can actuate this kind of love, which also gives birth to love for fellow human beings; especially those of the household of God. This is good.
Having espoused the principles of God’s great commandments and Bible religion, we can now see the value in the psalmist's description of faithfulness in the verses preceding our theme text. Whether he intended it to be a treatise on faithful living or not, you be the judge; but it clearly is. Don’t miss it: “I will sing about loyalty and justice! To you, O Lord, I will sing praises! I will walk in the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will conduct my business with integrity in the midst of my palace. I will not even consider doing what is dishonest. I hate doing evil; I will have no part of it. I will have nothing to do with a perverse person; I will not permit evil.” (Psalm 101:1–4, NET). Now I think you can see what I mean. The king embraced practical, holy principles that are living color manifestations of faithfulness.
If we are to develop a shrink-resistant faith that will not fail when tested, we must embrace pure religion, loyalty, justice, praise for God, integrity, and honesty in business and relationships. We will steadfastly resist evil in all its forms, for the honor of God.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)