Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, December 26, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Today’s Observation:

The children of Israel were a chosen people who were entrusted with the charge of being God’s witnesses to the then known world. Their obedience and intimacy with God have been recorded forever, in the Bible, for us to follow their example. There are many victories recorded from which we might learn, but there are also defeats, that are equally instructive.

The people had a habit of worshiping other things in place of God, lusting after evil. As a result, many of them were overthrown in the wilderness, on their way to the Promised Land.

Many times we read of such unfaithfulness, and probably have asked how in the world those people could have been so wicked. After all, did not God constantly demonstrate His power on their behalf with visible signs and wonders? The Bible echoes, with a resounding warning, against such pride. "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). This text is trying to teach us distrust of self. At the same time, it encourages us by saying we do not have to fall into the same sinful patterns. Why? He is faithful! The Lord has promised to filter the devil's temptation through His loving care. Always remember that the victories that Jesus Himself accomplished while living on the earth are available today for our deliverance. If temptations come our way, we can be assured that there is a back door ajar to aide in our escape. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever Amen.” (Jude 24-25).

Today’s Marching Orders:

Ask the Lord to help you see the way of escape he has provided, and take it every single time.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, December 25, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

Today’s Observation:

Today’s promise is particularly delightful to me, because I despise slackness. Where I live in the Caribbean, the undesirable trait of slackness is often discussed. We consider how the road is maintained to be slack. We consider the fact that our currency as it stacks up against the U.S. dollar is as a result of governmental slackness. We had a massive public health issue due to Health Ministry slackness. I do not like slackness.

During this holiday season we recognize the fact that Jesus was not actually born in December. Yet we also know that His birth was so remarkable that it left an indelible impression upon societies the world over. The way most of the world reckons years on the calendar is based on the first coming, the birth of Jesus, more than 2,000 years ago. God gave the Hebrew prophets many promises, signs, and prophecies that the blessed Messiah would miraculously be born to a virgin, and would save His people from their sins. Jesus was born. God did keep His promise. He is saving people of faith from their sins.

It would be statistically impossible for one man, during one apparently insignificant event like being born, to perfectly fulfill hundreds of prophecies were he not the one of whom the prophets spoke. Jesus’ life, ministry, and mission did fulfill those prophecies all those years ago. And today we are awaiting another such startling fulfillment; a prophecy to top all prophecies. In John chapter 14, Jesus is recorded as having made the ultimate promise to His disciples. He said that although things were really rough for them at the time and they were discouraged, that they should not be troubled. They believed in God the Father and Jesus His Son. Jesus promised that He would go to heaven and prepare many mansions for them in His Father’s house. He promised that He would come again to take those who love Him there so we could forever be with the Lord. That’s a promise!

Some people in our days feel like Jesus is taking too long; that perhaps He will not come back. But the Bible says that He is not slack. He will keep His promise at just the right time. His apparent delay is due to the fact that He wants to wait for the moment in time that the most people possible will be saved. He does not want anyone to miss out on eternal life; therefore mercy still stretches forth her hands over the world to give you and me the opportunity to accept His blessed gift.

Today’s Marching Orders:

Since God is great at keeping His promises, why not make a promise to Him today? Why not vow that as long as He gives you strength, you will make yourself ready to receive His promised arrival with thanksgiving and be ready to live in absolute harmony with Him forever?—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, December 24, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:5–11).

Today’s Observation:

Today’s promise is as good as it gets!

Death is one of the most feared realities in life. But what if there were an opportunity for death to be the way to life, rather than our demise? Wait. Before you go away scratching your head in confusion, consider this: The death spoken of here is our willingness, desire, and full submission to the will of God over our own. This spiritual surrender is a way to have a new lease on life. It is each of us taking an inventory of our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit and deciding that our addictions, sins, and weaknesses are not worthy to be retained if it means an eternity without God. If we consent to allow the Lord to destroy our sinful tendencies, past, and desires, His promise is that He will miraculously give us holiness, power, and peace.

The only thing left for us to do in such a situation is to reckon it so. That is to say, when the Lord has delivered us from slavery to sin and given us the power to live in harmony with Him, we need to daily rejoice in that fact, and not turn back. We should remain hopeful, submissive, and thankful, especially when the devil tempts us to revive our old sinful habits. The same God who is able to forgive and cleanse us, is able also to give us continual victories over sin. Whenever you are tempted, you can rest assured “that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6).

Today’s Marching Orders:

Ask God to crucify any character traits in your life that interrupt the harmony between you. Ask Him to help you accept this blessing by faith and become an example to those who also struggle with sin.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” (Matthew 25:34).

Today’s Observation:

Unless you live on an island (like I do) with no television service (like me) you, no doubt, have heard about the mistake that the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant’s host, Steve Harvey made in announcing the winner. This has caused a media firestorm, which is how I heard about it via the Internet. People are saying all sorts of things about the error. This most certainly created one of the most intense moments in live television history, especially since all eyes were transfixed on that stage to see who would ultimately be crowned as victor. The participants and their adoring fans went through a gamut of emotions surrounding this error. The participants did all they could in attempts to emerge victorious in the end. And even with all of the preparations, rehearsals, and top-notch production standards, human error was a factor.

The Bible says that we are preparing for a grand finale. We are looking forward to the day when the Lord Himself will descend from heaven and make an announcement of reward to the victors of earth for the entire universe to hear. He will come with clouds, every eye shall see Him, and He will bring His irrefutable reward with Him. When He announces that those who have remained faithful and have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, there will be no errors to fix, no tweets to post, no apologies to be made, our God’s Word will be true and fixed in eternity. God’s people will emerge triumphant and each receive a crown of life.

Today’s Marching Orders:

Realize that human beings are subject to err, but God’s Word stands forever. Make preparation today in the Spirit to accept your crown when God announces your name when Jesus arrives.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, December 21, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:21–23).

Today’s Observation:

As you are well aware, we are in full swing of the Christmas season. Whether religious or irreligious, most cultures are being inundated with images of nativity scenes, reindeer, wrapped presents, and chimneys. A not so careful look at history indicates that Jesus, the “Christ” in “Christmas” was not born in December 2,000+ years ago. There’s absolutely no such thing as a rotund bearded man in red fleece pajamas and patent leather black boots shimmying down anyone’s chimney to have cookies or milk. The controversy surrounding the exact timing of our Savior’s birth is not our focus here, or whether or not your family should choose to have a decorated evergreen in your living room. Amid folklore, fantasy, and controversy however, is the fact that God has already begun making good on the promises of our theme text.

In a miracle of grace, our loving Father saw our plight, being on our way to destruction due to our sins, and gave us His divine Son to take the punishment we deserve so we may have the eternal reward He deserves. The key to receiving the promise is simple, and I’d like to direct your attention to it in Scripture: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12). The promise God made was that the Virgin Mary would birth a Son named Jesus, and He would save His people from their sins. And if we choose to believe in and accept this gift, we become His people and the recipients of the promise.

During this season of gift giving, family gatherings, shopping, and eating, let us make time to give thanks for the Gift that keeps on giving—Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks for the fact that regardless of the month in which Jesus was born, His condescension to the human predicament has positioned those who accept Him, as His children and heirs of eternal life. At the risk of sounding cliché I say, “Christ is the reason for the season.”

Today’s Marching Orders:

Ask the Lord to direct your attention to the blessing of salvation, which was purchased with the price of His dear Son’s life. Ask Him to help you accept this gift anew today.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, December 19, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.” (Genesis 9:11).

Today’s Observation:

When trials come into your life like a flood, remember God’s promise.

As you may recall from Scripture, people had become so wicked upon the earth that they invented wickedness even while they slept. They plotted, contrived, meditated on, and enjoyed committing evil, no matter whom it affected. When God saw that their hearts were always on evil continually, He decided to wipe out wickedness after a period of probation—120 years. Noah preached a message of repentance and salvation, which would prepare the people for safety from God’s impending judgment. Although there had never been even a drop of rain on earth until that time (God watered the earth with the mist that rose from the ground in those days), God promised to completely overwhelm the earth through a worldwide flood. All who were not safely sleeping in the grave or living inside the ark of protection God had Noah to prepare before the flood came would be destroyed. As the record shows, only eight people chose the protection of God by faith. Only eight chose to go into the ark God prepared for their blessing. Thankfully, there were, no doubt, many who believed the message God gave to Noah, whom He laid to rest before the flood.

As one might imagine, following the catastrophic flood, the generations who came through Noah’s line must have been somewhat fearful of the possibility that this could happen again. However, God being the merciful God He is, made a promise, signified by a very visible rainbow in the sky, that He would never destroy the earth by flood again. Whenever hurricanes, tsunamis, torrential downpours, or regional floods came, those who believed this special promise could rest assured that God would make good on His word. They could see the beautiful rainbow in the sky and remember God’s covenant. Many natural phenomena we experience these days are seen in only certain areas of the world. The calming tropical sea breeze will never be felt at the North Pole. The breathtaking views of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef will never be experienced in New Jersey. Alaskan salmon spawning season will never be experienced in Dubai. But, wherever there is rain in the world, there can be a rainbow. In fact wherever there are spray mists of water like waterfalls, spewing fire hydrants, and water hoses, the rainbow can be seen.

What can God’s people, the ones who choose to live under His protective care learn from the rainbow? When trials come our way that threaten to overcome us, the Bible has recorded more promises. Here are a couple:

“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, And his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59:19).

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, And he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; Neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” (Isaiah 43:1–2).

Today’s Marching Orders:

Really, the only thing left for us to do in light of these precious promises is decide to accept God’s salvation. Those who are in this kind of relationship with God, can rest assured that nothing will overcome us. And soon, when Jesus returns, even the trials will be at an eternal end.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, December 18, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: The LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.” (Psalm 121:3–5).

Today’s Observation:

There are few things in daily life more jarring than a slip and fall accident. It‘s not necessarily that it’s the worst thing that can happen to us, but from the time we were many months old to age two, we have been pretty good at walking. So the last thing we might expect from a casual stroll to wherever, is to slip and fall. We’ve been walking almost all of our lives. More than that, when we suffer an unexpected fall, many of us reach down, trying to break the fall, and end up breaking a wrist or some other part of our bodies instead. Simply walking could be detrimental to our health. Maybe I overstated the risk to life and limb here, but you get the point. If you fall you can get hurt.

To everyone who has the kind of faith Abraham had, trusting fully in God to make us holy, God promised that He would prevent eternal slip and falls. He has promised to seal up loose pothole covers, wipe up all slimy spills, and remove randomly abandoned toys from our proverbial paths. It’s not that we will never have challenges, but the Psalmist here highlights God’s end game; His overall plan for us. He will preserve our souls. Earthly life comes with trials. We suffer pain, privation, and death, but nobody besides us can cause us to lose our salvation. He that kept Israel of old, can keep you today. He who has promised to go and prepare a place for you in heaven, is able to work through all of your failings, errors, and near misses, to ultimately preserve your soul. And eternal life is really all that matters.

God is not, and cannot fall asleep on the job. If you give Him all of your trust, He will preserve your soul. He is by your side.

Today’s Marching Orders:

Ask God to help you be confident that He’s got you covered. Ask Him to help you walk with stability and power in His path of righteousness.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

Today’s Observation:

Indeed is such an incredible word when used in certain contexts. Suppose you walked into a grocery store with only a few dollars someone gave you to buy food because you recently lost your job? You have three children and a dog. You have no idea when, or if, you will be employed anytime soon. As you enter the store, the lights start blinking, streamers are flying everywhere, and an announcement comes over the PA system that you are the 100th shopper of the day, which entitles you to $500 worth of free groceries. Amazed and excited you ask, “Are you serious?” The 20-something young woman gushes and says, “Yes indeed!” She could have simply told you, “Yes.” However, by adding that simple six-letter word, “Indeed,” she was making a promise to overcome your surprise. In other words, she was saying, “I know you are completely floored by this, but as a matter of fact, you ARE entitled to this $500 shopping spree!” Indeed. It’s a great word especially in this context.

Now, what if you have wrongly believed for years that you were free in a spiritual sense, but you have actually been bound by sin, pride, and a false sense of hope? What if you finally discovered that all of your trust in human attainments, human efforts to do right, etc., really pushed you farther from God than ever. Suppose you have an encounter with God. Suppose in that encounter He tells you that you can be free if you simply surrender all that you are to Him? Suppose you had become so despondent to the point that you asked Him to confirm what He had just said? Suppose you asked Him if he could set you free from broken promises, drug addiction, depression, and the love of money? And suppose He said, that those whom He sets free are free INDEED? Hallelujah. Would that overcome your utter surprise considering you have never been free in your life? Would that promise, which overcomes disbelief and engenders utter amazement give you hope? I sure hope so, because it’s totally true. If Jesus set you free, you are indeed free. Amen.

Today’s Marching Orders:

Ask God to overcome your doubts and amaze you with the fact that He can deliver you from any and all things that have bound you. Then praise Him indeed!—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6).

Today’s Observation:

Confidence is hard to come by. Yes, it is true that there are so many among us who seem overly confident and pompous, but the reality is that many of those people are actually overcompensating. They are covering up the fact that they are very needy and vulnerable with the bravado of purported confidence.

Genuine confidence is a rare commodity. When you know you’ve done nothing wrong in a relationship and the other party accuses you of wrongdoing, are you confident that your name will be cleared? When you have little money in the bank and the mortgage or rent is due, do you feel confident that you will still have somewhere to live? When you have stage-four cancer, do you have confidence that the Lord will be with you while you fight for your life? Do you have confidence that God is listening to your prayers when it seems He is not giving you what you want? As I said, confidence is hard to come by.

What if our confidence is rested squarely upon the shoulders of Almighty God (blessed be His name)? What if we surrender our entire lives, with our inadequacies and perceived adequacies? What if we submit our sinful selves to Him in exchange for His holiness? Can we be confident then? Can we be confident that He will keep our souls safe until He comes? If we trust Him fully we can. The key to confidence that will stand the test of time is to place all we are, and all we have into God’s care. He has promised that if we do just that, He will preserve us until He comes.

Today’s Marching Orders:

Ask God for confidence in His promises no matter how you feel. Ask Him to give you faith to believe that He will keep you in His care.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, December 13, 2015

Today’s Scripture Promise:

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” (Jeremiah 29:13–14).

Today’s Observation:

Have you ever felt like you were playing hide-n-seek or peek-a-boo with God? Have you ever felt like He might be near, but yet so far? I am sure the ancient people of God felt that way too, especially when they found themselves in captivity and ruled by wicked people due to their disobedience to God. Yet, His promise to them stands for us today: if we search for God with all that we are, we will find Him.

While it is true that if you are reading or hearing this devotional thought on the Internet you are probably not a slave somewhere, but every one of us has been bound by something. We have been bound by depression. We have been bound by debt. We have been bound in horrible relationships. We have been bound by negative thoughts. We have been bound by addictions to drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, and even pride. We have all been bound by something. As a result, we have likely felt all alone, and that not even God was hearing our pleas for help. The blessing is that God, who never lies, and who cannot fail at keeping a promise, has assured all generations from every walk of life, and from every nation of the world, that if we simply surrender our minds and best efforts to God and seek Him diligently, He will make Himself available to us. He is not in the business of watching diligent seekers flounder as life leaves us upon the stormy shores of trial and tribulation. No! He will keep His promise, because He cannot lie, and has compassion on us. He will reveal Himself to all who continually search for Him, and He will also deliver us from all that has us bound. There’s nothing too hard for God. He will keep His promise.

Today’s Marching Orders:

Invest a good portion of your thoughts today in focusing your attention on God. Ask Him to help you diligently seek Him. Meditate upon Bible promises. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, and He will—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)