Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, August 3, 2015

Today’s Scripture:

“And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall. So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.” (1 Samuel 25:32–35).

The Back Story:

Nabal’s men rushed in to Abigail one day and told her that her husband had put their entire household in a precarious position. They said that David sent a few servants to Nabal’s camp during the time they shearing sheep with a kind message of greeting and a reasonable request, considering David’s men allowed Nabal to carry on his operations unmolested and well protected. Instead of obliging David, Nabal, true to his name, flew off the handle, and word got back to him. As one might expect, David prepared his men to decimate Nabal and his household. He was so enraged at the man’s disrespect that he made an oath in God’s name that all men in Nabal’s camp, along with his household would be destroyed.

Abigail, understanding the nature of her childish, ill-mannered husband, true to her delightful character, prepared gifts and went to David. To make a long story short, Abigail showed honor to him, agreed that her husband was extremely out of control, and that he should never have disrespected him in that way. She continued to extol him and remind him that the blessings of God were upon him. She blessed David and begged him not to tarnish his own character by avenging himself on the account of her churlish husband. It just was not worth it. And, finally, she begged his mercy on Nabal’s behalf, and for special favor for herself when David would become king. She said, “When the LORD has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the LORD has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!” David replied to Abigail, “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. For I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.” Then David accepted her present and told her, “Return home in peace. I have heard what you said. We will not kill your husband.” When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day.” (1 Samuel 25:30–36, NLT).

Life Application:

The entire point of being a good intercessor is that often the ones from whom we intercede are worthy of punishment. While it is true that we often intercede for people who need our help through their personal trials, which are not guilty of anything in particular, many times we are called to advocate for others who have chosen evil and need mercy. We need to see the beautiful character of Abigail as a call to beg God’s mercy for our crazy spouses, wayward children, unreasonable bosses and supervisors, stubborn public officials, etc. The fact is that sometimes the only way certain people will be spared from judgments they deserve, is if we go to God in humble faith, and ask for His mercy on...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, August 2, 2015

Today’s Scripture:

“Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.” (1 Samuel 25:3).

Simple Observation:

This week, we will focus on a seldom-mentioned woman; her name was Abigail. As our theme text highlights, there was a stark contrast between Abigail and her husband, Nabal. She was a beautiful looking woman, whose character was equally lovely. She was a sensible and discerning woman, but her husband was evil, rude, stubborn, and ill-mannered. In fact, Nabal’s name actually can be translated, “fool.” If you read the entire story of Nabal and Abigail, you will notice that his name certainly suits him (more about that later this week).

Life Application:

Ladies! What do you do if you wake up everyday with an evil, rude, stubborn, and ill-mannered husband? Does the Lord require you to submit (that’s different from being oppressed) to a man who does not love you like Christ loves the church? Let that question settle in. I am not crazy enough to offer my own advice on this, because I do realize that this is a complicated question that many God-fearing women have to answer daily, on their knees in prayer. If you or someone you know needs encouragement and power on this point, notice what your All-Powerful God (blessed be His name), has to say about it: “In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives. Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.” (1 Peter 3:1–5, NLT).

Notice here what the Bible is not saying: It is not saying that men have the right or authority to be evil towards our wives. The Scripture does not say that wives are to do anything contrary to the Word in order to satisfy the whims of an evil husband. The Scripture is not saying that you should endanger you lives with violent men. However, the Lord your God, ladies, is saying that if you should find yourself in the situation of lovely Abigail, He is able to so perfect your character, like so many other holy woman in the past, that you could be the one to lead him to Christ. It’s amazing to me how many men and oppressed women actually think that women cannot fully represent God, simply because they are women. Yet, this is a prime example of the fact that God has given wives who are under trial with their husbands, a ministry cut directly from the cloth of Jesus’ ministry. He was patient under the fiercest trials at the hands of those who were supposed to have loved Him most. When they reviled Him, He did not return the favor. When they scorned Him, He advocated their forgiveness. When they falsely accused Him of wrongdoing, He let the Father judge between them. The same power that was available to Jesus is available to us today.

A Prayer for Your Hearts:

Lord, there are so many women out there who want to live holy lives, but their husbands make it difficult for them. Will you please strengthen these daughters of yours? Will you give them the same beautiful character qualities that you gave Abigail? Will you help them lead those men to you, and assume their rightful positions as priests of their homes? Please keep your daughters safe. In the name of Jesus, amen.--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, August 1, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 50:19-21

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“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”

Since Joseph’s story is so amazing, and there were not enough days to cover it all, today’s thought will be a quick synopsis of his life, with an overarching spiritual takeaway at the end.

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As I alluded to earlier this week, he was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. He had one younger brother named Benjamin. When Joseph was young, Jacob showed partiality toward him, and we saw some of the ill effects of that. Eventually, a seed of envy was planted in his elder brothers to the point of nearly killing him, but instead, they sold him into slavery for 20 pieces of silver.

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As the story continues, while in jail, Joseph grows in favor with prominent people, and in a strange turn of events, one such leader’s wife tried to seduce him into fornication. “But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:8-9). Instead of Joseph being delivered from jail, as he deserved, he stayed longer. Eventually, by divine intervention, he was released to govern the seven-year process of storing grain in all of the land; a seven-year famine loomed on the horizon. As a result of his godly resolve and spiritual witness, he was elevated before the people.

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When the years of famine came, Joseph’s long-lost betrayers resurfaced not knowing who the powerful governor was at first. Through a series of tests, Joseph revealed himself. The brothers were repentant. “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” (Genesis 50:19-21).

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Did you know that Jesus bound Himself in the prison of earth? The divine Son of God did not deserve to be here to suffer the punishment that we deserve. The devil, in leading human beings to transgress God’s law, intended it for evil against us, but God meant it for good. He intended that we be eternally separated from God and be condemned to eternal death. He used Judas, one who claimed to be close to Jesus, to betray Him into the hands of His enemies. Jesus, having taken all of this into account still became the Savior of the world by dying on the cross and being raised on the third day.

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You may wonder how anything good could come out of the human predicament. The answer is simple, yet glorious. While God never intended that humankind sin, He saw an opportunity through sin to elevate us. Jesus adopted the humanity of Abraham in order to live as our example, vanquish the enemy, vindicate God’s character, and effect our salvation (Hebrews 2:14-18). Through the process of God, that is, Jesus Christ, becoming human, He elevated us. The fact that Jesus clothed His divinity with our humanity brings those that have faith in Him to a supreme level. It is an honor to have Jesus as our representative in the heavens, having suffered the second death and overcoming it for us.

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It is true that God’s ideal was that we had never sinned, but since we did, He can be glorified. He now can demonstrate His love and power on a level that we cannot imagine. With divinity and humanity united, we experience a supreme elevation. It is a...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 37:23–28

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“And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.”

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Can you imagine how hurt Jacob would have been had he known how his own sons plotted against Joseph, their brother? Never in a million years could he have anticipated the utter hatred they would have toward their brother, who had done nothing to them, except love them, share a dream with them, and whose life was a reminder of how they should live. They hated, plotted against, and mentally murdered Joseph. Yeah, sometimes we congratulate Judah or give him a pass, because he seemed to have a bit of compassion, but really, was he all that compassionate? True, he said that they should not kill him, but rather sell him down the river for 20 pieces of silver. But, after violently taking Joseph’s coat, thrusting him into a pit where no water was, and dragging him up out of the pit, the brothers betrayed him into the hands of slave traders who would carry him to be captive in Egypt. Are you getting this? How would they have treated Joseph if they really understood that he would become the savior of their mortal lives? How would they have treated him, had they recognized God’s call on him, and how that call would affect the lives of everyone living anywhere under the influence of the mighty land of Egypt?

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It’s amazing how far we can stray when our lives are not fully committed to our Father, which is in heaven! By now, you should be drawing mental parallels in your mind with the story of Jesus, His own people, and all others who would ever hope to be saved from eternal ruin. You see, as in the story of Joseph, Jesus’ own people, in the words of John, “received him not!” As in the story of Joseph, there was one man in Jesus’ experience that had the not-so-bright idea to betray our Savior into the hands of unbelieving people for a meager sum of silver coins. As in the story of Joseph, those who should have loved Jesus the most, all turned their backs on Him. They all forsook Him and fled. They all drove a dagger into the heart of their heavenly Father, by the mistreatment of His precious Son. And, evil men mocked Him with a purple robe, stripped Him, and then crucified Him. Are you getting this? How would they have treated Jesus if they really understood that he would become the Savior of their eternal lives? How would they have treated him, had they really recognized God’s call on Him, and how that call would affect the lives of everyone who would ever live?

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These ancient Bible stories are not recorded for us to simply read, and shake our heads at the shameful parts and rejoice about the elements of triumph. If we do not glean from them, vital life lessons, we are doomed to repeat the failures of those who have gone before us.

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How do you treat the Son of your heavenly Father? When He shows nothing but love, shares His dreams for your life, and just wants to be with you wherever you go, do you receive Him? Do you ever have the not-so-bright idea to use your relationship with Him for selfish gain, when it is convenient for you?...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, July 30, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 39:1–4

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“And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”

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The saga of Joseph’s life continues with him finally touching down in Egypt. Through all he had experienced; the envy and mistreatment from his own brothers; their betrayal into the hands of the Ishmaelites and Egyptians; the obvious disregard for the heart of their father by lying about Joseph’s death, etc., the Bible says that the Lord was with Joseph. Not only was He with Him, but He also made Joseph’s work to prosper. Not only did God make his work to prosper, but He also made him a witness. Even Joseph’s new master recognized the mysterious call of God on his life. So Potiphar made Joseph the manager of all he had. This is amazing! Not too long before, Joseph was despised and rejected by his own brothers. But, now, Joseph was highly esteemed and well favored. The Lord was with Him.

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The Bible says that we are to be the salt of the earth. Further, it says that we are to be lights on a hill that cannot be hidden. And this, so that people can be closer drawn to God through our example. There are times in our lives when we all meet extreme adversity. Things do not always go the way we would expect. Our closest friends, or maybe even our own relatives may betray us. We may wonder if donning the beautiful coat of Christ’s righteous character is worth it, since the fact does not always land us in desirable situations. If there is one thing that I am learning from a fresh look at Joseph’s story, it’s this: No matter the details of our experiences in life, whether trial or triumph, if we keep our faith in God, He will be with us.

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The lesson for us today is that our focus must remain heavenward if we ever hope to be effective examples and ministers earthward. God’s plan for all of us is that we invest quality time with Him every single day, no matter how great or difficult life gets. And through that investment of time in His presence, we will be able to preserve the lives of many around us and direct them to the Lord, who gave Himself for them. Our witness must be practical. God set Joseph up to influence Potiphar, and eventually, all who were under the influence of Egypt, in tangible ways. He was a wise manager of earthly resources, because of his relationship with God. He was a trustworthy employee, because of his relationship with God. He was a good character example, because of his relationship with God. He was an overall humble servant to all, because of his relationship with God.

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I am encouraged by Joseph's story. I am making the commitment today, to be a servant of the King of the universe, so I can be more useful to all with whom I come into contact. How about you?--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, July 31, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 39:5-12

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“From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.” (Genesis 39:5–12, NLT).

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Oftentimes, when we have gone through great trials, and then begin to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, the enemy barges into our situation, and sets roadblocks. If we are not fully submitted to the Lord, those roadblocks will create our demise.

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Joseph’s life was looking up! Although he was not free to leave Egypt, he had the sweetest assignment any bondservant could possibly want. He was responsible for everything that went on inside or outside of the Egyptian officer, Potiphar’s house. This was an incredible honor that the Lord blessed by causing all that Joseph did, to prosper. To say that Potiphar was pleased, would be a gross understatement.

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Here comes the enemy, now! The Bible says that Joseph was a well-built, great looking specimen of a man. Now, when we say things like, “This person or that, is beautiful,” beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder. But, when God says this of someone in inspired writing, we had better pay attention. Joseph was very attractive, just like his mommy. Remember, that is part of the reason Jacob served another seven years after he was hoodwinked into marrying Rachel’s ugly elder sister (the Bible said that, not me). It’s no wonder, then why Mrs. Potiphar noticed him. Here’s a free note to the men: Unsanctified women are dangerous! I would tell you in what ways, but that is not the nature of today’s thought. Dangerous, unsanctified Mrs. Potiphar repeatedly made sexual advances to Joseph. It is important to note that strapping, young Joseph was not, I repeat, not a eunuch (look that up). All of him was in tact, and his testosterone was at appropriate levels. So, it would have been humanly impossible for the virgin, young man, who was repeatedly accosted, not to give in. They had all of the makings for a secret liaison: Privacy, a sexually charged and wealthy woman, multiple opportunities, and human nature. However, what overruled all of those was the Holy Spirit of God! As the Bible has already demonstrated, the Lord was with Joseph. Therefore, He not only resisted the woman; he told her that he honored her husband’s trust, and refused to commit this horrible sin against God. Oh, my! This is one of the greatest examples of submission to God I have ever read, given the circumstances. But, it did not stop there: When Mrs. Potiphar continued clawing at young Joseph with her cougar-like sexual intentions, and grabbed his clothes, no doubt to take from Joseph what he was not willing to give, he ran! That’s right, friends! Joseph demonstrated the following verse, exactly. The Bible says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 37:5–11

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“One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.” (Genesis 37:5–11, NLT).

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Never, ever let anyone despise your dreams! This statement could be taken a number of ways: One, it could be taken to mean that you have aspirations that not many will understand. Never allow anyone to quench your zeal. Two, it could be taken to mean that the Lord placed understanding of things, which are beyond even your natural comprehension, in your mind to prepare you for something. Never allow people to quench the inspiration of God in your heart. Whichever of the two ways you take my advice, keep in mind, that all aspirations, all thoughts and feelings must be surrendered to God. If ever the Lord reveals something special to you, always keep His honor in the forefront of your mind, and be willing to obey at every step of your journey, and you will be safe.

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While it is true that Joseph’s family mistook the intent of his heart in sharing his dream as a way to show pride and ambition, and perhaps they felt justified in feeling that way, the fact is that nothing could be further from the truth. Joseph was not in control of his dreams. Now that we know the end of the story, we quickly realize that God was at work here. God was revealing that Joseph would become a symbol of the Savior, by selflessly serving, even through great adversity, and subsequently providing life saving food to those who would die without it. His life showed that though he was mistreated, maligned, and abused, that his singular focus was to honor God. He was patient under trial and suffering. He chose neither to allow depression to destroy him as he faced his personal tribulations, nor pride to destroy him as he was elevated to the second seat of authority over all of Egypt. Quite simply, Joseph was submitted to God, in all his ways.

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There will be times in each of our lives, if we choose to follow God’s lead, that others will not understand God’s calling on us. His revelation through our daily walk will be completely misunderstood and misrepresented. But, it is essential for us not to be concerned at all about how others view of our calling, as long as we continue on the path our God has marked out for our lives. In order to do that, we must remain close to Him in diligent prayer, Bible study, worship, and selfless acts of service. We may find that one day, we will represent the King of the universe in the most unexpected ways, and we need to be prepared to represent Him well.

--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, July 27, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 37:3

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“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.”

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Anytime I see special focus given to a garment of any sort in Scripture, I give it keen attention. In the case of Joseph, garments come up more than once, and I do not believe it is a coincidence. In this first case, where his daddy is showing honor, the Bible says that the tunic, probably with long sleeves and down to the ankles, had many colors. So, we have a coat, which covers fully, given to an honored son, that has many colors.

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In Scripture, when garments or coverings are given special attention, they often represent righteousness, whether our own or God’s. Here are a couple of examples of God’s righteousness as garments: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10). “But the father said to his bond servants, Bring quickly the best robe (the festive robe of honor) and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet.” [See also: Gen. 41:42; Zech. 3:4.] (Luke 15:22, AMP). In these two of many examples we see that festive, beautiful garments are a symbol of honor, and more importantly, righteousness.

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As we saw in both texts here, the honored garments are closely aligned with valuable jewels. Does Scripture make any further reference to jewels as covering? The Bible says concerning Lucifer with the king of Tyrus as a symbol, “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Ezekiel 28:13–15). Lucifer’s God-given covering was a clear symbol of his God-given righteousness. Notice that the precious stones all had their own stunning colors. In the Old Testament sanctuary, the high priests were similarly adorned. Here’s an example: “And from the blue and the purple and the crimson yarns they made woven garments for serving in the sanctuary, and they made the holy garments that were for Aaron, as Yahweh had commanded Moses. And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple and crimson yarns, and finely twisted linen. And he hammered out the leaves of gold, and he cut off cords to weave in the midst of the blue and in the midst of the purple and in the midst of the crimson and in the midst of the linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made joined shoulder pieces for it; it was joined on its two edges. And the waistband of his ephod, which was of one piece with it, was of like work, gold, blue, and purple and crimson yarns, and finely twisted linen, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.” (Exodus 39:1–5, LEB). Then the Bible continues with its elaborate description of each jewel and precious metal used for the high priest’s breastplate. In your spare time, please have a look at Exodus 28 & 39 for great descriptions of the sacred garments. Now we see the honored garments, beautiful colors, and precious jewels, all representing the Lord’s righteousness.

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Lastly, I would like to show you something astounding, and neatly draw all of these together. Notice what the Bible says concerning the covering God has on: “BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, July 26, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 37:3

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“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.”

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We are continuing our exposé of the lives of stellar Bible characters with the story of Joseph.

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Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, born of his favorite wife (he had two wives and two baby mamas—what a complicated life). Not only does the Scripture demonstrate the unholy favoritism Jacob showed toward Joseph, but it also states that he actually loved Joseph more. I am not naïve enough to think that parents do not sometimes struggle with the temptation to favor one child over others, or even be more drawn to said child, because of certain desirable traits or common interests. Neither am I naïve to believe that there may not be times that a child may, themselves, show a special love toward the parent, which might draw that parent’s heart in a special way, but principled parents must beware. All of our children are special gifts from God, whom he has given us as an inheritance. The Bible says it this way: “Look, children are the heritage of Yahweh; the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. They shall not be put to shame when they speak with enemies at the gate.” (Psalm 127:3–5, LEB). We are to: “Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, AMP). The Bible also says concerning the prophet Jeremiah’s story: “Then the word of the Lord came to me [Jeremiah], saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4–5, AMP).

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This morning’s thought is very simple: Understanding natural affinity and all that I stated in the beginning, parents of principle need to be especially vigilant to guard their affections in a way that does not show partiality. Parents are to value each child’s unique, God-given contribution. We are to recognize the divine calling on each of their lives. Parents must surrender our feelings and thoughts concerning our children to God, lest we do to them what Jacob did in his family. If you read his entire saga, you will discover that he drove a wedge between the children, which could have ended tragically, but the Lord saw all that was happening and protected dear Joseph from death. While it is true that the elder brothers did mostly hate Joseph, the Lord blessed in the situation to where they were able to come full-circle and face their errors, and repent. Would you want to divide your children, foster envy, and even facilitate the untimely demise of any of your children? I certainly hope not. Let us all pray for God’s help and peace to love our children equally, and direct their minds to their Creator, to live according to his example.--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, July 24, 2015

Based Upon 2 Kings 4:8-37

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“And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.” (2 Kings 4:34–37).

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What would you do if you discovered that your only son was dead—call the coroner? Would you do the obvious and weep and mourn, or would you extend your hopes toward God, that somehow, someway, your son would live again?

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Elisha and his servant Gehazi frequently went to Shunem, a town near Jezreel where King Saul and Israeli troops once camped prior to their infamous battle of Gilboa. Thankfully, a woman and her husband were kind enough to honor the men by regularly giving them a place to rest along their journey. One day, they decided to build up a little room for the man of God, with his own entrance, for him to use as he wished whenever he was in town.

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Elisha respected her hospitality and asked her what he could do for her. “Can I put in a good word for you to the king or the commander of the army?” he asked. She assured him that she was just fine, and asked nothing of him. She said that her family took great care of her. So, Elisha, being somewhat perplexed asked Gehazi’s opinion. “What can we do for this lovely lady?” Gehazi observed that this woman had no son, and that her husband was old. ““Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!” “No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.” But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said.” (2 Kings 4:15–17, NLT).

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A few years later, this woman’s dear son was out working with his father and the harvesters in the field. He cried that his head hurt, so the father told one of his servants to carry the boy home to his mother. As she attended to the boy, he dropped dead. She did not call 911, 119, or her husband to say the child was dead. Instead, she sent to her husband for a servant and donkey so she could go and see the man of God, which her husband thought was strange considering it was not a special occasion. When she arrived, Elisha saw her afar off and when they came close, she fell at his feet. Gehazi tried to move her away, but Elisha knew that she was in distress. “Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? And didn’t I say, ‘Don’t deceive me and get my hopes up’?” Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.” But the boy’s mother said, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I won’t go home unless you go with me.” So Elisha returned with her.” (2 Kings 4:28–30, NLT). Gehazi did as his master commanded, but to no avail. Elisha went in unto the boy and prayed for the Lord’s guidance. He then stretched out over the boy two separate times, and miraculously, the boy’s body warmed back up, he sneezed seven times, and was back to good health. God raised him from the dead! The Lord saw fit to use his son Elisha, to lay his wooden staff on the boy, stretch out upon him, and bring him back to life again.

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We, like the boy were born by the special unction of God. Against all odds, our God chose to give us life. But, just like the boy, we have been born in sin...