Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, July 23, 2015

Based Upon 2 Kings 4:1-7

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“Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.”

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Can you imagine being a woman who has just lost your husband, who was the sole breadwinner to the cruel, cold hands of death, and then the creditors come knocking? As if things could not get any worse, suppose those creditors felt that they had legal authority for taking your sons into a forced labor situation? How would you feel? How would you cope? Whom would you turn to?

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As you’ve already observed in our theme text, Elisha sent the widow to her neighbors, not to beg, which may have been appropriate, since we should be caring for the widows among us, but rather to borrow many empty vessels for holding oil. He told her to go into her home alone with her sons and fill the vessels using the only little oil she had left in her house. They filled every vessel, and when they were done filling each one, the miraculous flow of oil stopped. Then, as you have already seen, Elisha told her to pay her debts in full from the sale of the oil, and live with her sons from the income from the rest of the oil.

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Are there any lessons in this for us? Well, I am so glad you asked. We immediately see in the story that Elisha was not bigoted or partial. Though many in his society would lightly regard a woman and her problems, Elisha assumed the holy posture of God who loves and values women. He would not dare turn his back on a woman in need. How’s your attitude toward women, especially those who are in need?

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Elisha also demonstrated the value of cooperating with God with diligent, submissive effort. He could very well have performed a miracle, which completely excluded her and her sons’ efforts from the equation, but our God loves when we do our level best to cooperate with Him. It is in cooperation with Him, that we begin to experience miracle outcomes.

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Elisha’s counsel underscored the fact that it is ultimately God who takes care of us, and He also is the One who gives us the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). Sometimes it is only when we find ourselves in desperate situations, that we finally recognize the fact that we are fully dependent upon God for our everyday needs. Not only does God give us exactly what we need, but He also supplies it in a way that we must not be confused about who has made the provisions.

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In the paying off of her debt, we must learn that we all have debts that, but for the grace of God, we would never be able to repay. And, as a result of that looming debt, we are held in bondage. By now, you must realize that I am talking about our sin debt. This story provides overwhelming hope for hopeless, sinful people. Just in the same way that God miraculously settled her debt, which in turn delivered her sons from becoming slaves, our God paid all our sin debt with the holy life of Jesus Christ. Just...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Based Upon 2 Kings 3:11

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“But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.” (2 Kings 3:11).

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In times of distress, danger, and turmoil, when you need support, to whom do you turn? We know that our God is all-powerful (blessed be His name); He is all-sufficient, and yet, He places us in position to be of help and service to others, in His name. He commissions us to intercede for, and give godly counsel to others on His behalf. Again, when you need a bit of a boost, someone who can encourage you in the faith, and support you in seeking unto your God, what kind of person do you gravitate toward? Is it the one with the most public gifts? Is it the one who is always up front or seen all over the Internet, because they minister worldwide? Is it the one who preaches, sings, writes, or teaches the most? Are you “confident” that they can help you, because they are charismatic? Or, are you drawn to the humblest, who may have some of the aforementioned gifts, but are most known for simply serving others? Humility and genuine service to others has become a commodity that is difficult to find. Elisha was one in whom the Spirit of God was, and who knew what it was to humbly serve.

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In your worship time, have a close look at 2 Kings 3. I will not attempt to paint the full portrait here. The bottom line is that Jehoshaphat and his people were in distress, because of the immediate threat of war and destruction. He knew that if the Lord did not intervene, catastrophe would be their lot. This king of Judah was drawn to the prophet for two reasons: One, because the Word of the Lord was with him. And two, he remembered Elisha’s service to Elijah. The Bible says that the king remembered the man who, “poured water on the hands of Elijah.” Elisha humbly served his master Elijah everyday, and among other ways, he poured the water slowly over Elijah’s hands, using also a cake of soap, before every meal. Did you get that? The great Elisha, who would one day receive a double portion of the Spirit of God, which attended Elijah, was in charge of the not-so-great task of facilitating the washing of the man’s hands.

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Well, it turns out that through the power of God’s Spirit, and in the atmosphere of holy music, the Lord did instruct Elisha on what should be done to thwart the nefarious plans of the enemies of God’s people. It was an intricate, miraculous plan given through a man who was not ashamed to serve in even the humblest of capacities. Would it have been an honor to serve the great prophet Elijah? Well, yes! But how many of us would be willing to put, “faithful hand washer” on our résumés?

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Our God has a way of teaching us valuable service in order to prepare us for the trust of outwardly great ministries of service. Are you willing to do whatever God says, no matter how humble or great? Take a lesson from Elisha’s life and see where the Lord leads.--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Based Upon 2 Kings 2:15

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“And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.”

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Elisha had the privilege of investing all of his time with Elijah right before the Lord carried him away to heaven. They ate together. They no doubt worshipped together. They communed one with the other. Elijah certainly shared testimonies of God’s goodness with the younger prophet. When the Lord saw fit to translate Elijah to heaven, and Elisha witnessed the blessing, he received the promised power from God to do even greater works than his master Elijah did. Have we heard anything like this in Scripture before (John 14:11-13)? Elijah went to heaven to our heavenly Father, and Elisha continued the work he was endowed to do according to the pattern he was given.

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There is so much for us to learn in this passage of Scripture, but I will narrow our focus to a small portion. Many are the times God manifested His reflection in the lives of His people in Scripture. After Moses had communed with Him in the Mount, experiencing as much of His glory as one can and continue living, he came down glowing so brightly, that the people told him to veil his face (Exodus 34:29-35). He reflected his Master’s image. The three Hebrew boys were cast alive into an accelerated fiery furnace, and Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth Person walking around with them loose, whom he said looked like the Son of God (Daniel 3:25). How would he have known what the Son of God looked like? Could it be that his encounters with the faithful young men gave him a glimpse of what God was like? They reflected their Master’s image. Lastly, not long after Jesus ascended to heaven, Peter and John healed a man in Jesus’ name. It so amazed those who were present, especially since they knew they were just ordinary men, that they recognized Peter and John had been with Jesus. These men reflected their Master’s image. Likewise, in our theme text and surrounding verses, we see that Elisha manifested similar works to his master, beginning with the parting of the Jordan River. The manifestation of God’s power was so incredible that the sons of the prophets could not help but to show respect.

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I suppose that at this point, the lesson we must all learn in context of this story is obvious, but I will state it anyway: When we invest quality time in the presence of God in humble submission, relishing in His glory, we will reflect a manifestation of His image for all onlookers to see. The Bible put’s it this way: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Ask the Lord today, to reveal His character and light through your life, so others will want to know Him.--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, July 20, 2015

Based Upon 2 Kings 2:10–11

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“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”

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I can remember being a new, zealous believer in 1996. I had just been baptized, and I loved the Lord the best I knew how (still do)! I was a member of a vibrant church of many hundreds of members, and many hundreds of regular visitors. We had one elder who often prayed the pastoral prayer over the congregation. He was a lovely gentleman, but he had a habit of praying something I thought was kind of dumb, quite frankly. He would say something like this: “Lord, please give us a double portion of your Holy Spirit.” I thought, “What is that? If God is infinite, what is a double portion of that?” Well, I neglected to mention to you that I had not yet read a lot of Scripture as I critiqued his prayer with my limited knowledge of biblical mathematics. But, then I had the privilege of experiencing our theme text, and I read that Elisha asked Elijah for a…get this, “DOUBLE PORTION of his spirit!” What? That’s right, Elisha was so enthralled by the movements of God upon the life of Elijah, that he made request for double of God’s presence and power upon his life and ministry. That, my friends, is what you call expectant faith. Now I realize that the elder was onto something big. As it is written, God is more willing to give us His Spirit, than we are to ask.

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When you have an opportunity read through 2 Kings 2. You will find that the news of Elijah’s soon departure from earth had spread through the society of God’s prophets like wild fire. They had heard that the Lord was going to take Elijah to heaven soon, without ever experiencing death or resurrection. What an honor! Whenever sons of the prophets would talk about Elijah’s soon departure, Elisha would make a sound similar to our, “Hush.” I am sure he did not want to be away from his master. Whenever Elijah would ask him to stay in a given place while he went on, Elisha refused. He wanted to spend every waking moment with his friend. I am sure there is a lesson in this for us. Eventually, as you have read, Elijah promised his son in the faith that he would receive a double portion of God’s Spirit if he actually witnessed God take Elijah to heaven. Do you think Elisha took his eyes off Elijah? I am sure there is a lesson in this for us. As Elisha followed his master, and Elijah enjoyed his son’s company, there must have been incredible moments of joy and anticipation, along with some foreboding concerning their soon separation. At a time neither of them knew, the Lord would take Elijah to heaven. I am sure there is a lesson in this for us. I feel like I am saying that a lot!

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Then it happened: The Bible says, “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.” (2 Kings 2:11–14). Elisha stood gazing into heaven as the Lord carried his master away into heaven. And Elisha stood now with Elijah’s mantle, and a double portion of the Spirit of God who...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, July 19, 2015

Based Upon 1 Kings 19:17-19

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“And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.”

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The Lord had manifested incredible miracles through the prophet Elijah. He had given warning after warning to His wayward people as well as His enemies. Then the chiefest manifestation of God’s holiness and sovereignty was demonstrated when hundreds of false prophets were all arrayed on Mount Carmel to have a showdown against the God of heaven. All that was necessary was there to prove once and for all, who was the true and living God; Yahweh or Baal. Once Yahweh stifled all deception and allowed the false prophets to exhaust themselves in futile attempts to make fire come from heaven, His man, Elijah prepared a special sacrifice, on an altar with water all around, and prayed a simple prayer that Yahweh would make Himself known to the witnessing crowd—and that He did. Through an unmistakable show of holy power, Yahweh rained live fire from heaven, completely consuming the sacrifice and the water set to magnify His power. God’s name was vindicated, the wicked prophets were destroyed, and God’s people had a decision to make: Would they choose to serve Yahweh, or Baal?

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When the wicked Queen Jezebel heard about this, she vowed that she would destroy God’s servant for this, but clearly, she did not get the memo. Her pride blinded her eyes to the fact that God does not take kindly to people who do evil against His anointed. As one must expect, Yahweh took care of business, and destroyed her.

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Prior to Yahweh’s judgment against Jezebel, Elijah hid from her wrath. Although He served Yahweh, he allowed fear and dejection to rule him for a short while. In compassion, the Lord sternly dealt with His son, and tipped His hand with information concerning His plan to deal with Jezebel, her people and His own wayward king. In the midst, of all of this was hidden God’s plan to keep the prophecies alive following Elijah’s departure. God planned that soon after this whole ordeal, He was going to take Elijah to heaven without ever tasting death, but the work on earth must continue. And Elijah was to pass this mantle of faithful testimony to Elisha, the son of Shaphat.

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In our theme text we get a glimpse of the passing of the mantle. Elisha was faithfully performing his daily duties, the more experienced prophet passed by and dropped the mantle upon Elisha, and immediately he knew that he must leave the mundane duties he faithfully performed, for his higher calling; and that he did. Elisha bid his family farewell, swiftly handled some business, and ministered to Elijah as a part of his ministry to Yahweh.

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In this, our first installment on the life of the prophet Elisha, I would like to highlight a critical lesson all we who profess to follow the Lord must get, if ever we will be obedient to Him: As in the case of Elisha, God calls us to diligent work day in and day out. We are to represent our King at work, play, school, the bus stop, at the market, and ever other place or vocation in which we find ourselves. And there are often times that He will give us a special calling that will transition us from our mundane duties, which He was pleased for us to perform like every other disciple He has commissioned in the past. The question is: “Will you leave that which is familiar to you in order to serve the Lord for a higher calling?” This, we all need to consider, but with the God of Elisha, anointing our lives, all that comes next will be nothing short of...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, July 17, 2015

Based Upon Genesis 2:1-3

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“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

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The creation of God was perfect in every way. He moved out into the darkness and commanded light to appear, and it was so. His essence breached the darkness since the heavenly bodies had not yet been created. The next six days would prove to be nothing short of astounding. From His emanating light would erupt creative power. All that we see now and more would be called into existence. Vegetation, dry land, water, every species of creature, and all of the heavenly bodies would obey His command and assume their positions.

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Once all of this was complete, God crowned His work as Creator and molded humankind. The man Adam was created from the dust of the ground, and God shared His own breath with him making him a living being. After Adam agreed with the names God had in mind for all of the creatures, God caused him to fall into a deep sleep. He took a rib from Adam and made a woman, the mother of all living, and brought her to him (Genesis 2:21, 22). Adam called her woman, because she was taken from man. She was indeed created for man.

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Finally, the holy couple was ready. They had all of the things they needed in order to live blissful lives, except one. The Bible says that God rested on the seventh day, setting it aside as holy. He prepared a special time for His children to come aside from their everyday activities for something special. Truly, God set this time aside for the benefit of man, that is, humankind. “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:” (Mark 2:27). Four thousand years later, when humankind forgot the purpose of Sabbath time, Jesus reminded them.

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Can you imagine what the first Sabbath must have been like? I imagine the Creator coming to His new children and opening many of the mysteries of the universe to their prefect minds. I can see them in awe of the One who loved them so much that He provided everything they needed, and then set them in the midst to enjoy it all. The songs that they sang together must have been glorious. How does a voice untouched by sin sound? Their gratitude must have been pure and sincere. They had no need of a pastor. God Himself was with them face to face.

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If the perfect pair needed the blessings of the Sabbath, how much more do we, during this time in earth’s history? Sabbath is special time for us to be re-energized by God. As we worship Him daily, we look forward to the seventh day, which He made holy, to worship Him on a higher level. On the Sabbath, we are able to worship without the burden of ordinary, everyday thoughts. We truly come aside and rest. I praise the Lord for that rest. How about you?--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, July 16, 2015

Based Upon Nehemiah 4:19

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“They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.”

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God’s people were finally free from Babylonian captivity. Through much opposition, they were also finally able to rebuild the temple of God due to the favor the Lord had shown them through king Darius. Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah considered the entire situation of those freed from the captivity. He realized that the walls of the city were still in ruins. The gates had been burned to the ground, and it was a reproach. This is not what God intended for His city. This is not what He intended for His people. They were to be a light set upon a hill that could not be hid. They were the repositories of light and through disobedience, their candles flickered. This troubled Nehemiah. As Isaiah, Daniel, and Moses had done on different occasions, Nehemiah began to entreat the Lord, confessing his sins, and the sins of the people. He wanted the Lord to reveal Himself and make good on His promise to turn away their reproach, if they would only repent and turn to the Lord.

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God granted Nehemiah’s prayer. He gave him favor with King Artaxerxes, and the project to rebuild the wall of God’s city of peace began. The next fifty two days would prove to be arduous. When some of Israel’s enemies heard that they were attempting to repair the wall, they made fun of them, saying that if a fox stood atop the part of the wall they had completed up to that point, it would come tumbling down. Also, while there was yet a breach in the wall, they sought to ambush God’s people to arrest their progress. What they did not understand was that the Lord blessed the work, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

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With godly wisdom, Nehemiah assembled every worker in a certain order. The workers were divided into two groups. One group would continue to build, while the others stood with weapons, ready for battle. Every man was prepared, whether he was building or guarding the work, each had weapons for battle.

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“Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;” (Nehemiah 6:1-5). In spite of their enemies’ attempts to stop their work, Nehemiah and the others successfully rebuilt the walls at Jerusalem. “So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.” (Nehemiah 6:15-16).

Do you know that there is a breach in the great wall of God’s Ten Commandment law? He has given His people, those upon whom the ends of the...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Based Upon Habakkuk 3:1-2

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“A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by evil that you could hardly take it anymore? Have you been tempted to think that the Lord has allowed the enemy to triumph over you? Does the burden of Satan’s constant attacks make you feel like giving up? Learn a lesson from the seldom-read prophet, Habakkuk.

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Habakkuk was in a state of despondency because the enemies of God seemed to triumph. It seemed like they had unfettered ability to oppress God’s people and His cause. After inquiring of the Lord, and receiving counsel as did Job in the midst of his distress, he began to evaluate God’s resume. He said that He had heard of the mighty works God had performed for His people of old, and longed to see the same mighty works in his day. He wanted the Lord to be vigilant over the wicked, yet merciful to His own people.

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As Habakkuk recounted the incredible acts of God, he spoke of the power God had over the land, air, and rivers of water. He spoke of the command God demonstrated over the sun, moon, and stars. He recalled the fact that the Lord has dominion over even the mountains, which have stood for millennia. They all tremble at the voice of God. Likewise, His enemies trembled when He has appeared to vindicate His people. “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah. Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.” (Habakkuk 3:13-14).

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As the Lord has vanquished His human enemies, He has utterly defeated the enemy of us all. The Bible says that the promised seed, Jesus Christ, would crush the head of the serpent, and certainly that is the case. At Calvary, the Lord struck the enemy with a deadly blow. Over the devil’s weapon of death, the Lord emerged victoriously. The devil thought he could keep our Savior in the grave, but early one Sunday morning, Jesus arose as the absolute victor over the grave, hell, and death.

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Whenever you feel taken advantage of by the devil, recount the mighty works that the Lord has performed in the past. Remember His works of old and be encouraged. Ask Him to strengthen your faith making you His faithful follower. One day, sin and sinners will be no more. God’s people will finally experience ultimate rest, and we shall reign forever with the Lord. Until then, praise His holy name. “When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” (Habakkuk 3:16-19).--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, July 13, 2015

Based Upon Hebrews 9:13–14

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“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13–14).

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When you have an opportunity, read Lev. 16:6, 16; Num. 19:9, 17, 18. There you will find a brief description of sacrificial blood being shed and applied in the Old Testament economy.

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I love how the writer of Hebrews quickly, and aptly applies the Old Testament lesson of sacrifices to our day. In those times, the Lord gave very specific instructions concerning the sacrifices and ceremonies that were to occur in order for the people who applied them by faith to be forgiven and cleansed from all defilement. We were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity; therefore, we needed a means through which our connection with God could be restored. The Old Testament system was a training ground that pointed to, and represented Jesus Christ, who was the True Sacrifice needed to reconcile us to God.

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The simple lesson for us today is that the Lord thought so much of us that He made provision for us every single day, from the time Adam sinned and He covered Adam and Eve with coats of skins, until this day, when He accepts the perfect substitution of Jesus. If a moment ever passed when Jesus was off His square of mediation, intercession, and empowerment through the Spirit, we would all be destroyed! He never slumbers; He never sleeps. He ever lives to make intercession for us. Here’s the kicker: If we accept this blessing of covering by faith, we are safe from the penalty of our sins. But, if we habitually choose the momentary pleasures of sin, we will receive the consequences thereof, and that simply would not make sense. If God is so gracious to make daily provision for us to live in harmony with Him, would it not, at the very least, be a respectable thing to thank Him and accept the blessing? More than this, acceptance of the blessing affords us the privilege to live in the eternal bliss of God’s presence where sin, racism, classism, sexism, poverty, illness, malice, strife, and death will be eradicated and never rise again. Why not accept and thank God for the blessing of this precious gift today?--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, July 12, 2015

Based Upon Revelation 12:17

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“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

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For thousands of years the devil has been on the warpath. At every turn, by any means necessary, he has tried to overthrow the government of God. He sowed the seed of doubt and discontent in heaven, to the point that one-third of the angels defected and were thrown out of heaven. The fact that the dissenters were cast from heaven is good in one way, but it does not seem very good to us. “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” (Revelation 12:12). His wrath against the Lord, whom He could not overpower, has manifested itself in agitating and persecuting human beings, especially those who love God. He started in the Garden of Eden by leading Adam and Eve down the slippery slope of sin. Throughout the course of years, he has continued his relentless rampage, because he knows his time is short.

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Bible prophecy speaks of a twelve hundred and sixty year period of time that the dragon, that is the devil, severely persecuted the people of God, signified by a woman. There has never been a fiercer time in terms of religious persecution and bloodshed. The number of saints that died at the hands of so-called religious leaders will never be surpassed. During the period between 538 A.D. and 1798 A.D., the blood of God’s people stood as a testimony of His ability to triumph over the devil. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11).

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As time progressed, the blood of faithful saints, who died because of their faith, became as seed springing up to produce a special group of believers. The devil is particularly angry at these people because of their peculiar focus. Like the Jews of old who were faithfully lead by God’s prophets and kings, these are a chosen people. The Bible calls them the remnant. The group that arose from the same heavenly fabric as those persecuted unto death, have a mission to the world. The mission is to prepare people, in the last days, for the judgment of God and Jesus’ soon arrival. This is why the devil is making war with them. He wants to stamp out all residue of holiness from the earth. The fact that these dear ones keep God’s commandments while the majority of the world says it is not important disturbs the devils plans, especially since they teach others to do the same. The fact that they have the spirit of prophecy demonstrates that they are truly God’s people, and this does not make the devil any happier (Revelation 19:10). His anger is unquenchable.

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It is our privilege to remain close to the Lord through His word. In these days, we have the opportunity to be a part of the remnant of believers. We may demonstrate our love for God by not ignoring His commandments, and receiving the gift of prophetic understanding and utterance, with thanksgiving. Since he is a defeated foe, we need not fear the devil. If the Lord is on our side, we cannot fail. Pray that the Lord will help you understand what it means to be a special remnant in these days, and He will certainly answer.--L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)