Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, December 4, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-12-04-2017

This is devotional thought number 7 in our devotional series, God’s Promises are Sure!

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, To give unto them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they might be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the waste cities, The desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.” (Isaiah 61:1–5).

Now is the time while there is still time. Today is your blessed day (we don’t believe in luck). When the Holy Spirit is at work, and He prepares the way for a message of healing and deliverance, something spectacular happens. That special something is people who once hated love can become servants of the Most High God (blessed be His name).

Isaiah prophesied about the ministry of Jesus Christ. Not long after John baptized Him in the Jordan River and the Holy Spirit fell upon Him in a remarkable way, He went into the synagogue, took the scrolls in hand from the minister and read and applied this prophecy to the listeners times. He said that at that very moment the prophecy was being fulfilled right before their eyes. Like I said, when the Holy Spirit is at work, and He prepares the way for a message of healing and deliverance, something spectacular happens. That special something is people who once hated love can become servants of the Most High God (blessed be His name). This blessing transcended Jesus’ time. He actually prayed that His Father be with those who would believe in God through the teachings of His disciples. We happen to have the privilege of reading about the works and words of the disciples right now. In the blessed record of the Scriptures we see the compounded testimony of all the holy prophets and disciples, which provide hope to those who will receive it by faith. In our days the residual effects of Jesus’ message are still evident!

Do you need great news to encourage you through trials and tribulations? God promised good tidings to those who humble themselves before His presence. Do you have a broken heart because of the countless times you have failed to live up to God’s holy standard? God has sent Jesus to heal your brokenness. Have you ever been bound to addictions, spiritual blindness, sexual sins, violent tendencies, a gossiping spirit, ungratefulness, or any one of a host of other character deficiencies? Jesus gives liberty to those who believe in Him. Today is your day. Today is your day to accept this promise and take it to heart. Do not look within yourself for a reason to believe it. You will only become more discouraged. Look to Jesus and believe it because Jesus said it is so, and LIVE thanks. LIVE thanks with a grateful heart, and share what great things God has done for you. If you live according to this model, God will give you a beautiful character and encouragement, where before all you could do is lament your imperfections. He will increase your appetite for praise and worship. You will stand firm as a tree planted by rivers of living waters. You will...