Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, November 29, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-29-2018

This is devotional thought number 4 in our devotional series, “The Gospel According to Matthew.”

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.” (Matthew 4:1–2).

Forty is an interesting number in Scripture. The rain from the worldwide flood was on the earth for 40 days and nights; Isaac was 40 years of age when he married Rebekah; the children of Israel ate manna for 40 years in the wilderness; Moses dwelled in the cloud of God’s presence for 40 days and nights; about 40,000 men of war prepared for the Battle of Jericho; the wicked Goliath presented himself in blasphemy before Israel for 40 days; and King Solomon reigned over Israel for 40 years. While there are other remarkable 40s in Scripture, the 40 that made the most impact on human history was the 40 days and nights Jesus fasted in the wilderness.

According to our theme text, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The devil, being the shrewd being he is, waited until Jesus was as weak as He could possibly be after 40 days and nights of starvation and thirst. Then, he pounced and tried to cause Jesus to stumble and fall. If the enemy had been successful, we would all have been destroyed. Although Satan did not play fair in his cosmic battle, Jesus was fully prepared to meet the challenge in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived by the same model for holiness that Job did: “My foot hath held his steps, His way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:11–12). He believed what He taught when He said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6). Will you believe and live the same by His grace?

When you are at your weakest or most tired, expect that the devil will be coming in an attempt to take advantage of you. With that in mind, immediately flee to God in prayer. Let Him know that you are committed to serving Him, come what may. Now thank Him for giving you the power you need while you are at your weakest.

This has been the gospel according to Matthew. Be transformed by it.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-28-2018

This is devotional thought number 3 in our devotional series, “The Gospel According to Matthew.”

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16–17).

The Bible is clear! Baptism, true baptism is done by immersion, not sprinkling. The question is are we immersed in the Holy Spirit when we get baptized or do we just get a little wet and go about our business as usual? Inquiring minds want to know.

The story of Christ’s baptism is intriguing for a number of reasons; not the least of which is what happened as He came up out of the waters of the Jordan River. We know from Paul’s writings that baptism, for us, is a dying to our sinful lifestyles and a resurrection to righteousness. This blessing was afforded us by Jesus being baptized, fulfilling all righteousness in our stead. However, we must understand that there is no miracle power in the water, or in the practice of baptism. The miracle is in the work the Holy Spirit had done to get you to that point of decision, and His power to purify you until Jesus returns. Thus it is that when Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit was revealed in His life, in a special way, and the Father’s approval was trumpeted in distinct tones. “This is my Son who pleases me.”

Did you know that when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, the same is said of us? Notice what the Scriptures say: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 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 1:11–12). “For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]— [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:5–6, AMP). The King James Version says that God accepted is in the beloved Jesus Christ. Therefore, the baptism of Jesus Christ, along with the rest of His ministry, positions those who have faith in Him, to be fully immersed in the Holy Spirit and to please God, our Father. Thank God for such a blessed gift!

This has been the gospel according to Matthew. Be transformed by it.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-27-2018

This is devotional thought number 2 in our devotional series, “The Gospel According to Matthew.”

“Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.” After they were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.”” (Matthew 2:7–8, 13, HCSB).

Worship is not a joke! We were born to worship. Unfortunately, some worship self, money, unholy pleasures, sexual habits, entertainment, people, false gods, and the status quo. Some who claim to worship God, really are antagonistic to all that is godly and are displaying “... a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:5).

Today’s theme passage chronicles an example of what lies, deceit, and hatred produces in those who claim to worship God. We all have heard the story during the holiday season. Herod felt threatened by baby King Jesus, feigned worship, and sought to kill Him instead. Is there any principle we can learn from this story? While none of us are probably insecure monarchs who feel our thrones are threatened or are willing to commit mass murder to protect our legacies, some of us fear our pride will be dismantled by God, so we keep up appearances like we are true worshippers, but we really are not. In fact some of us have actually experienced the power and presence of God, but turned away from Him; and by virtue of that fact, “...seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:6). Pretending to worship God, but living in unrepentance is just like crucifying Jesus.

Yes, stories like Herod’s are interesting, and even may provide information for our understanding, but we must adapt them so we can apply godly principles to our lives. Among the many principles we can apply from the story, one bubbles up to the surface: false worship or pretend worship of God leads to a host of atrocities. Therefore, it is our privilege to get to know our Creator and not give in to pride, fear, or self righteousness. We can commit to asking God daily to introduce His beauty and character to us, so love, power and trust will result. Remember, it’s a daily journey, and God is with you every step of the way.

This has been the gospel according to Matthew. Be transformed by it.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, November 26, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-26-2018

This is devotional thought number 1 in our devotional series, “The Gospel According to Matthew.”

“...Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus who is called the Messiah. So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, 14 generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations. The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:16–18, HCSB).

It was a miracle! A young woman who had never had sexual relations with any man was pregnant. How many times have you heard of instances when women did not know they were pregnant until the third trimester? How many times have you heard of woman feeling weird, going to the doctor to find out what was going on, and then … “surprise!” being diagnosed, not with something that caused weird feelings or nausea, but rather pregnancy? They simply did not know. Even when these women did not realize they were pregnant and were surprised by the fact, they did have sexual relations, and pregnancy was the outcome of that experience. Makes sense.

Well, Mary’s case was different. It was so different that God sent an angel to her to explain what happened. Even though she was indeed a virgin, she was pregnant. Miraculously, in fulfilment of many Old Testament prophecies, this holy young woman of God was pregnant. The Holy Spirit reached down into her DNA, with all of its historic and genetic relevance and placed the blessed embryo (for lack of a better way of saying it) who we would finally recognize was the Son of God! God’s power overshadowed the human predicament, and Mary bore the Son of the Living God. Miracle!

Since we do not have a lot of time to exhaust this holy topic, I would like to direct your attention to an intriguing aspect of the story. Even though Joseph had nothing to do with Jesus’ birth, He did still come through the womb of a normal human woman. This means that the list of persons preceding our theme passage were all ancestors of Christ. This also magnifies the reality, that Jesus Christ entered upon the human scene with the need to rely on His Father, fully, so He could live a righteous life. Have you read the motley cast of characters, with all their foibles in the list? This simply says to us, that the Father did not orchestrate some sideshow and call it the plan of salvation. No! Jesus had real human ancestors whose genetics could have impacted His character if He did not rely on His Father’s strength 100% of the time.

Are you willing to rely on God for power to live above sin just like Jesus did? We do realize there is a difference here - Jesus was victorious from His birth until He died. We all have sinned and come short of God’s glorious intent for our lives. However, John 3, Romans 6, and Romans 8, all teach us that we can be victorious from our NEWbirth until we die or Jesus returns, as the case may be. If we make mistakes along the way, following our newbirth experience, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One.

This has been the gospel according to Matthew. Be transformed by it.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, November 22, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-22-2018

This is devotional thought number 22 and final in our devotional series, “The Protest is Not Over: Transformation is Key to Reformation.”

Let me say, before we open the Word, that we will continue to create short pictorial posts on this devotional theme for some time as we move our devotional series forward under other themes. Please visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Messagemagazine/

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:15–18).

Among the most important questions any of us must answer in life is, “Who is Jesus to me?”. This is no mere intellectual question, where a teacher can objectively evaluate our responses for accuracy. We don't get a gold star for getting it “right.” No! The answer that resides in each of our bosoms is deep, essential, and a matter of eternal life and death. This answer must be on our hearts every day the Lord awakens us.

When Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I, the Son of man am?”, He was leading them to a contrast to eliminate the noisy competition. I’m sure Herod was paranoid thinking Jesus was reincarnated or resurrected John the Baptist, whom he beheaded on a foolish promise; who gut checked him for his relationship choices. I am sure that many then and now misbelieve (yes, I made up that word) Him to be the fulfillment of the Elijah whom Malachi prophesied would come. By the way, I have seen powerful sermons full of error misteaching this very thing. I am sure that many religions even in our day think Jesus is one of many good men, prophets, avatars; or even one of the chief among many. Unfortunately, among the biggest, most blasphemous culprits of miseducation regarding our Lord and Saviour, are those who make Jesus play second fiddle to Peter; who make Him subject to His deceased mother’s intercessions; who make Him subject to the church’s assessment of who must be forgiven and who must not; who make Him subject to their thoughts regarding which of the Ten Commandments are still valid and which are not; who make Him only one of the mediators between God and humanity; who make Him subject to a religious leader’s command to come down and inhabit a tiny little wafer and cup of fermented wine; who make Him and His everlasting priesthood so powerless that He needs earthly ones to handle confessions and entry passes into the kingdom for Him; who make Him one among many whose name is holy and reverend; who reduce His Word to one of many good reads, second to dogma and the infallibility of the papacy.

Who is Jesus to you? Is Jesus the One who gave all to save you from your sins? Is Jesus the One to whom, and through whose name you pray? Is He the Rock and Chief Cornerstone of your confession and faith? Is Jesus the One whose mindset you accept for daily living? Is He Life and Light to you? Is He your Strength and Shield? Is Jesus your Peace? Is Jesus your Wisdom and Salvation? Is Jesus the Word of God to you? Huh? Is Jesus Love and your Holiness to you? When you are broke, do you trust Him? When you are sick, buffeted, or in trouble, is He your only Hope? Is Jesus the One your are looking forward to seeing at His Second Coming? Who...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-21-2018

This is devotional thought number 21 in our devotional series, “The Protest is Not Over: Transformation is Key to Reformation.”

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:22–27).

If Jesus is the Head of the church and gave all of His love, His life, and cleansing power through the holy Word so we can be presented, through the judgment with beauty and holiness, how must men and women relate in marriage? The true relationship between Jesus and the church is key to marital success. Full stop.

Submission is a taboo word to people who do not understand it in the Bible sense. In misogynistic society, where men objectify, subjugate, denigrate, over sexualize, and abuse women, it is no wonder potential wives have difficulty with the concept of submission. Due to some men’s pride, thirst for undue authority/power (I said undue), and unsanctified minds, it makes sense why Bible submission is not seen as a desirable virtue. The devil has made a mess of the thing, but God gives light for those who are willing to receive it.

Notice the first principle of submission in our theme text; and by the way, this comes on the heels of a sort of preamble to holiness and submission regarding God/human relations, marriage, parenting, and employer/employee relations. The first principle is the gift of God’s love and care through Christ, our divine Head. Almost counterintuitively, Jesus is depicted as the One who humbled Himself and gave to the the extreme, which actually (partially) qualifies Him to receive our submission, and to counsel us regarding submission in the human sphere. Godly husbands humbly surrender to God and give all, to the extreme for the benefit of their wives. These are not my words; I am just repeating them. This is the ideal. It is also ideal for wives to submit to God’s charge for them to submit to their own husband’s leadership. A man who is submitted to God is safe to submit to in matters of a practical and spiritual nature. This is God’s will. There are anomalies/interruptions in God’s order where Peter highlights men who do not follow God; in which cases, women are to submit inasmuch as they can do so without violating the law of God (1 Peter 3:1-6). Hopefully, an unholy man will see the consistent, holy lifestyle of his wife and repent of his wicked ways and be saved. That is his decision to make.

I am especially intrigued by one aspect of this submission principle. The Bible says that Jesus is the Head of the church, and husbands are head of their wives. Who then is the ultimate Head? Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate head of both the church and the family. He has given stewardship of the family to husbands, but not absolute. Husbands are not the bosses of their wives. But, get this: there is only one head of the Church. Remember, this whole discussion, while it has practical application in the various relationships I cited, is really about our relationship with God. While He has been kind enough to set a leadership model in place, which helps the church to function optimally, notice that...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-20-2018

This is devotional thought number 20 in our devotional series, “The Protest is Not Over: Transformation is Key to Reformation.”

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1).

Many things amaze me. The fact that the sun is close enough to the earth that we do not freeze and far enough away that we do not burst into flames is amazing. The fact that the earth does not spin out of control and throw us all into outer space is amazing. The fact that human beings can build a transatlantic tunnel thousands of feet below the ocean for cars to travel between continents is amazing. The fact that we have computers that fit in a fourteen inch square space on a table, with more computing power than room-sized computer had when computers first became popular is simply amazing.

The things mentioned above are amazing in a good way, but some negative things amaze me too. The fact that human beings can have such disregard for human life that we would kill an unborn child is amazing. The fact that we sometimes think that more war begets peace is amazing. The fact that we have been taught by some so-called health gurus that eating more meat and fewer carbohydrates [which includes fruit, vegetables, and whole grains] is healthy for us is amazing. The fact that tobacco companies think that they are in no way responsible for the countless degenerative diseases people get from using their products is amazing. These are not all. The fact that people can see and experience the ill and sometimes fatal effects of drinking alcohol, in all of its forms and still think that it is OK to drink is amazing.

The drinking of fermented fruits and grains in the form of wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages, has been glamorized almost since the beginning of time. Long before we had huge breweries and wineries, people allowed these precious crops to sit and decay to a less desirable state. Children are sometimes born with a predisposition to alcoholism, because their parents were bound to the bottle before and during the fetus’ life in the womb. No amount of these beverages is safe for consumption. If consuming alcoholic beverages alters a person’s perceptions and inhibitions, how does one really know the resulting effects as they occur? How does one know how much damage alcohol has caused to brain cells and internal organs? With every drink imbibed, damage is done internally.

The wisest man living in his day, Solomon said wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and those who are deceived by it are not wise (Proverbs 20:1). Notice what else he said: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.” (Proverbs 23:29-32). I’m thinking, with words as strong as these, it is probably better to leave strong drinks alone. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2:2). If you want something strong to drink, drink the Word of God.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, November 19, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-19-2018

This is devotional thought number 19 in our devotional series, “The Protest is Not Over: Transformation is Key to Reformation.”

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:17–20).

Are you thirsty for a right relationship with God? Are you willing to do God’s will, even in the face of trials and privation? Are you willing to allow God to teach you His ways amid the confusion of false teachers and false Christs? If so, you are in the right place. By right place, I mean the book of Revelation. A careful study of and prayerful submission to the truths unveiled in this book unlocks the blessings that God promises to those who read, hear, and keep the words written therein because the time is at hand. Conversely, necessary curses are promised to anyone who is arrogant enough to misrepresent the truths resident there. The Revelation is a special message, which encapsulates the entire body of truth and unfolds the most vital elements for the last days. Jesus is coming sooner than many suppose, and He has been kind enough to give us all we need in preparation for His arrival.

Here are just a few of the truths God has been kind enough to share in the Revelation of Jesus Christ:
1 - True and transformational revelation is not about the “what” of frightening symbols, but rather of the “whom” of love. All heaven is astir in holy activity to manifest the love, justice, truth, and intentions of Jesus Christ in our day, and throughout eternity.
2 - God is not hiding anything from those who accept the blessing of being His servants. The truth is unsealed so that anyone willing to submit to God can be saved.
3 - Jesus is in the throes of cleansing His people and welcoming those who do not yet love Him into relationship with Him. The faith community is one for all people, not just a select few. God is calling people from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people to victory over every besetting sin, weakness, and doubt.
4 - Our God is worthy of worship. Jesus, the Son of God is worthy of worship, and is verily equal to our Father. He is worthy to unseal the special truth for this day because He was kind enough to surrender His life for us. He is the One who was, is, and is to come. He is full of love and abundant in truth. He is the Light of the world, and in Him is not darkness at all. The blessed Holy Spirit brings the light of Christ for all the world to see, and hopefully learn to love.
5 - The devil is a liar, and in line with his lying ways, he is still foolishly attempting to overthrow the eternal government of God. Through religious and political powers, he seeks to compel fearful people to turn our backs on God. He wants us to forget the truths God said to remember. He wants us to call men holy and ignore our God who is holy. In this blessed book the Lord is revealed and the enemy is exposed.
6 - Earthly kingdoms will come and go, but we will soon see the fulness of the kingdom of our God wherein we will reign with Him as royalty, having...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, November 18, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-11-18-2018

This is devotional thought number 18 in our devotional series, “The Protest is Not Over: Transformation is Key to Reformation.”

“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.” (Genesis 2:1-3).

God’s creation 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.

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.

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 our benefit. “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.

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 was pure and sincere. They had no need of a pastor; God Himself was with them, face to face.

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. 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.LDavidHarris.com)

#theprotestisnotover