Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, June 26, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-26-2017

This is devotional thought number four in our devotional series, “Essentials of Faith.” Our subject is “God’s Love for Me.”

Here’s the question for consideration: Since God loves me, how can I show my love for Him?

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:10–14).

Not everyone talking about heaven is going there. Clearly, not everyone talking about the new earth is going to inherit it either. Love is the key that unlocks eternal life with God.

We have said it before, God’s love makes us new creatures. He does not renovate or remodel us when we are empowered to surrender to Him. He makes us anew. This is critical because the old us, according to Scripture were not submissive to the law of God, nor indeed could be. But as we saw briefly in Paul’s conversion story, we become moldable in our Father’s hands, to become living models of His ability to save anyone willing to be saved.

How does this new creature principle actually look? Let’s choose liars as a case study for all sin, shall we? When we are born, we have no innate ability to do God’s will. Yes, we know the difference between right and wrong. Yes, most have a conscience against evil. However, these represent a small measure of faith that God instills in us so we can be reachable. Without it, nobody would have a chance. That being said, when God does actually begin to entreat us to give our lives to Him, He is facilitating a transition of power. We are born powerless against the trials and temptations that bombard us. For example, a liar might periodically tell the truth, but if lying is his or her thing, it’s just a matter of time before he or she returns to deceptive ways. There is no insulation against the evil onslaught. The devil’s power to tempt and to deceive overwhelms the liar’s sensibilities. There’s a powerful law of sin and death at work, at all times.

Conversely, if a liar recognizes the call of God to surrender, and he or she is motivated by God’s loving measure of faith to serve Him, he performs heart transplant surgery immediately. He said, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26). In that moment, the power of God overwhelms the enemy’s power over the liar’s life and Jesus writes His law in that new heart. That man or woman who once was a helpless liar becomes a victorious saint as long as he or she continues to submit to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Let’s be frank here. We are not talking about a hypothetical liar, really. We are talking about you. We’re talking about me. Since God loves me, how can I show my love for Him? When I receive my new heart and the Spirit empowers me to do His will, I no longer excuse myself to break His law. I joyfully do whatever He tells me and humbly put the needs of others before mine. I become willing to give all for God and do all in my power to help others do the same, until Jesus comes.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, June 25, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-25-2017

This is devotional thought number three in our devotional series, “Essentials of Faith.” Our subject is “God’s Love for Me.”

Here’s the question for consideration: If I accept it, what effect does God’s love have on a sinner like me?

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:1–6).

Sometimes people get antsy when we talk about love and grace like we did over the last two days, because they feel like what I described is cheap or permissive. The reality is that when we revel in God’s love and are activated by His grace (power), we are motivated to live our lives after Christ’s perfect example. Not only are we motivated to strive, but this acceptance facilitates the Spirit’s power to thrust us into action. It’s the beginning of our new life in Christ. Here’s a living color example:

The apostle Paul was the poster child for sincerely wrong living. He was a great temple going kind of guy. He was a great religious leader. He possessed all of the qualifications, including pedigree, for being an example of how a leader in Judaism and the community should look. There was one (huge) problem: he had not submitted his zeal to Messiah yet. I am sure he memorized Torah. I am sure he was adept in the writings of the psalms, prophets, and other holy writ. We was an expert on all things religious, but missed the Object of all undefiled religion, Jesus Christ. So what did God do? He arranged one major encounter with Paul while he was on his way to assault Christ’s followers in Damascus. He had planned to facilitate havoc, beatings, and even death of anyone proclaiming the name of Jesus in that region. God had another plan.

Jesus appeared to Paul in so startling a manner that he would never forget. The brightness blinded him, the voice of Jesus got his undivided attention, and the overall experience was the beginning of his conversion. It was the day Paul became a new creature. The man who once zealously persecuted all men and women who loved Jesus, became His most prolific follower. This is the target, the goal, of God’s love and grace. He brings us into contact with Him to cause us to make a decision. Will we blow it off as insignificant, harden our hearts like Pharaoh during the Exodus and Lucifer as he disqualified himself for heaven or, will we embrace the blessing such a close encounter brings? Will we embrace the Lord for being gracious enough to pursue us so He can give us eternal life?

If I accept it, what effect does God’s love have on a sinner like me? It makes me a new creature. I become a moldable, loving, holy person, in contrast to the proud, bullheaded person I was before.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, June 24, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-24-2017

This is devotional thought number two in our devotional series, “Essentials of Faith.” Our subject is “God’s Love for Me.”

Here’s the question for consideration: How does God’s love for me relate to fear?

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” (1 John 4:16–21).

Is God the cause of your love? Think about it. The Bible says that we love God because He first loved us. This means the reason we are able to love God is that He loved us first. The causal power that activates our ability to love God, is God. Without God initiating love toward us, we would be unable to reciprocate love.

Many times we miss this point. We make it seem like if we make one step, God will make the next. We have no power to step toward God. We are inept, oblivious, and impotent, so if God waited for us to initiate anything, we would die in our sins. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, and thus when He bids us come to Him, within His bidding is the power to respond. This is why His standard of righteousness is so high. Not only is He holy, but He enjoins us to be holy, through His power.

This high standard when misunderstood in the context of God’s judgment makes people fearful. We attempt to do His will in our own strength, and when we fail over and over again, we become dejected, despondent, and guilt ridden. Once we catch our breath and realize what failure means, many of us are horrified, because condemnation, in our minds is coming.
What if we really understood that God is the cause of our love? What if we began to function within that reality? What if we allowed His love to motivate us unto righteous living? What if we surrendered our will to Him, believing fully that every step we take, spiritually speaking, is only as a result of His grace and mercy; that it truly is God that worketh in us the will and to do of His good pleasure? How would we view His judgment then? Well, we don’t have to guess. Our theme text clearly outlines that those who are perfected in His love have absolutely no fear or tormented thoughts about the judgment. Why? Because we know He loves us, provides His Spirit and righteous covering, and the power for us to cooperate with His every command. Not only does that give us incredible, holy boldness as we submit to Him, it also makes us kinder, gentler people toward others. We recognize somewhat of the depths of God’s love such that we become so thankful that we cannot help but love others.

How does God’s love for me relate to fear? I respect God and His love so much that I am not afraid to walk boldly to the throne of grace where God gives power and help in my time of need. I respect Him, but how could I be afraid of such a loving Father?—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, June 23, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-23-2017

This is devotional thought number one in our devotional series, “Essentials of Faith.” Our subject is “God’s Love for Me.”

Here’s the question for consideration: How may I be absolutely certain God loves me?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16–17).

How does the God in your mind look at you when He sees you? Does He have a scowl on His face? Is He accusatory, pointing His finger and shaking His head?

Let me tell you, if God were in the gotcha business, our geese would be cooked! He’s got the goods on all of us. He sees when we are sleeping. He definitely knows when we're awake. He knows the deepest thoughts, intentions, and emotions of our hearts. He has a faithful record of all of it, but He loves us anyway. The problem over which most of us who even countenance the idea of God must struggle is we have a warped view as though He’s waiting for the opportunity to give us “what we got comin.” What a horrible view of our heavenly Father.

God loves us so much! This is where you say, “how much?” God loves us so much that He gave us the deepest, most valuable essence of Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ so we could have eternal life. That would be great were it that He sent an ambassador to facilitate our release from cosmic prison, but it’s infinitely more. Words fail to express the depth of His love here. Jesus, who is one with the Father, consented to assume human form to feel your pain, suffer your hunger, handle your temptations, experience your poverty, overcome your sleepless nights, die your death, feel your beatings, and infinitely more, so you could live above sin and survive the final destruction of sin and unrepentant sinners. Jesus did not come here to spy on us and report to our evil deeds to His Father. He came as the personification of love. He came to provide victory over every besetting sin, all filthy thoughts, and all traces of unholiness. God loves us so much that Jesus gave His life to save every repentant liar, proud person, addict, alcoholic, adulterer, blasphemer, murderer, and anyone else who was once overcome by sin.

I hope you can see, in few inadequate words, how the King loves you. He could have easily created more compliant beings who’d serve Him without reservation to replace the defective models we are, but He chose to give feeble human beings the privilege to receive His power to show how powerful a motivator love can be.

I am certain God loves me, because He gave His best Gift, Jesus, to save me from eternal damnation and grant me the blessing of being His friend forever.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, June 22, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-22-2017

“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5:14–15).

Have you ever been sick; I mean the kind of sick that only God’s miraculous power can heal? God has outlined your path to healing if in His providence it is for His glory and your good.

Many are the stories of Jesus performing miraculous healing in the the Bible. One such story can be found in Mark 2. Without going into the details of the story, I would like to direct you to a few elements that will inform our reading of the theme text today. First, the man in Mark 2 was sick to the point of needing a miracle. Physical therapy, eating and drinking right, using herbs, etc., were not capable of helping him. Second, he and a few friends possessed the God-given faith necessary to enter the realm of God’s miraculous power. Third, they actually moved upon their faith and moved into Jesus’ presence desiring that He would provide forgiveness and healing. Last, the paralyzed man trusted Jesus with the outcome. By the way, Jesus saw fit to heal the man, forgive him of his sins, and amaze the onlookers with the completeness and immediacy of the miracle.

I find it tremendously encouraging and powerful that God would be so kind as to provide a blueprint for such miracles for those willing to listen and heed the guidance. In our theme text, the writer enjoins persons who are sick and in need of miraculous healing to exhibit faith in Him and call the church overseers/elders/bishops (same word) together for the express purpose of being instruments to facilitate God’s power for healing. He said the elders should pray over and anoint the ailing person in the name and authority of the Lord. But notice what happens next. The Bible says that the prayer of faith will “save” the sick! Did you get that? Further, it states that his/her sins will be forgiven. Do not rush by this.

Many times people, whether the ones praying or the one’s seeking healing for themselves completely ignore the surrounding context and the counsel God has so graciously placed in plain view. God invested much in the surrounding verses to help suppliants deal with the sin problem. Yes. I did say, “sin problem.” Just as in the story in Mark 2, this text underscores the need to deal with that before miraculous healing is even possible. Soul healing is a prerequisite for physical/mental/emotional healing. God always works this plan in pairs - body and soul. Notice what the Bible says: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16). If you have wronged anyone and you are conscious of that wrong, go and resolve the issue as much as it is within your power. If you have unconfessed sins, ask the Lord for His Spirit, confess, and (in heart) turn away from your sins. This is prerequisite to miraculous healing. God is after full glory in our lives, not partial healing. I know this is hard for some to believe, but what saith the Scriptures? (This is by no means putting God in the box, because we do have examples like the man born blind that are exceptions to this rule).

If you are sick and in need of a miraculous healing, submit yourself to God, confess and forsake your sins, if you have wronged anyone and not dealt with that wrong, seek them out and confess the actual wrongdoing, and the Lord will have...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-21-2017

“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2).

Can you imagine having bountiful fields full of your favorite food crops that have ripened to perfection, but you have too few to reap the harvest? How much of the crop would be lost? How much would be reaped and enjoyed?

There is much historical context to Jesus’ statement in our theme text that we will not cover here. Suffice it to say that Jesus always thought big. He called and equipped groups of people to teach, preach, baptize, and work miracles in His name. His goal was to save all who were willing to be saved. The problem was that there were so many people in the immediate areas and around the world who were in need of the message of salvation and freedom from sin that only God could provide. How would so few men and women reach so many in need? Prayer.

We are living in a similar time now. There are millions of people around the world who are suffering beneath the load of spiritual, physical, and emotional oppression. They need a word from the Lord that will set them free, along with the power of the Holy Spirit to cause them to walk in His ways. God yearns to set them free. He yearns to use you and me to facilitate their release from bondage. The problem is that too few people are willing to reap the vast fields of people needing salvation. Too many of us are bound to sinful habits, too busy to dedicate ourselves to God’s service, or simply unwilling to do God’s will. Our God enjoins us to pray for more reapers. Pray that we, with others, will take our task to prepare people for Jesus’ soon coming, seriously.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-20-2017

“Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: Praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalm 150:1–6).

If you want a sure fire way to experience the presence of God, learn how to praise Him. The Bible says that God inhabits and is enthroned by the praises of His people. He comes wonderfully near to those who adore and give thanks to Him.

Did you know that your honest praise is like a sanctuary for God? When you recount the many ways and times He has delivered you from harm, protected you from your own terminal thoughts, provided food for your table, given you a friendly word when you were lonely, and clothes to cover your nakedness, He is enthroned. When you tell others how He taught you to stop cursing, smoking, and robbing God of your time, talent, and treasure, He’s there. When you sing, speak, pray, share poetry, etc., all with the purpose of drawing the attention of others to His goodness, He is there. When you use all of your gifts and talents to show appreciation, He shows up.

Praising God is a privilege! It is our way to let God (and others) know what great things He has done for us. Considering how good, merciful, kind, beneficent, loving, and patient God has been to us, it is the least we can do. Give God thanks and praise. Enjoy His presence in the process.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, June 19, 2017


“And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?” (Genesis 16:13).

We humans are uniquely gifted in the area of making a mess of our lives. God is uniquely sovereign and well able to overrule in every situation we surrender to Him.

If you are into rubbish television with scandalous, twisted plots and few redeeming qualities stop wasting your time and read the Bible. Some of the stories are stranger than fiction, and the Lord’s hand is clearly seen. The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar is our case study today.

God tells Abraham that He is going to give him descendants that would be so plentiful that He compared them to the sands of the sea and stars of the sky. He also promised immense blessing through His descendants. The problem (not really a problem) was that Abraham and Sarah were old, fruitless, and barren. For whatever his reasons given the biological details, Abraham thinks he’s giving God an idea of how to fulfil His promise. He could do it through one of his servants. News flash, Abraham: God doesn’t need your help, and that’s not what He said. You and Sarah will have a son. The blessing would come through him.

Fast forward: Sarah, not wanting to be outdone on the give God a not-so-bright idea front, told Abraham to have sex with her maidservant, Hagar, and that would be their contribution to the Lord’s ability to keep His promise. Abraham goes in to Hagar, they have sex, she has a son, and everything goes haywire (to say the least). There’s trouble in the camp. The wife and concubine are having conflict. The wife is the boss, but the concubine is pregnant. Very complicated!

To make a long, sordid story short, Hagar runs away from the house, and the Lord visits her at a fountain in Shur. He tenderly told Hagar to go back home and submit to Sarah, promised to multiply the offspring of her son, Ishmael, and gave her a heads-up about how his descendants would war with everyone around them.

God was so patient in this years long ordeal. He finally did give Abraham and Sarah the promised offspring through whom Messiah did come. He did have to further test Abraham's faith. He continues to manage the unquenchable conflicts between Ishmael’s offspring and the rest of the world.

Among the many lessons we can learn from this story is found in Hagar’s interaction with God. As He tenderly instructed her at the fountain, she immediately began to understand that He sees and hears all of our troubles. God is not asleep. He cannot be caught off guard when we or others make a mess of our lives. He always has a plan to deliver those who submit to Him amidst our trials. The road will not be easy. Some of the negative effects will outlive us, but God can still bring blessings and save anyone willing to ultimately trust Him. Are you willing to submit your complications to God?—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, June 18, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-18-2017

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:11).

You and I both know that this journey called life is not always easy. In fact, many times, it's downright trying. We’ve talked about this before. I’m not just saying life in general is tough. I am saying that living according to God’s ways can be challenging because we naturally like our own way. We naturally enjoy sin. Thankfully, God knows this about us. He has provided a way of escape to those willing to trust in Him.

Jesus was on point when He said to hold fast if we want to have a crown of life. Hold fast. Have you ever tried to loosen a screw or bolt that has been fastened for years? Sometimes you try with all your might, beat it with a hammer, spray it with WD-40 to penetrate the bond, and use power tools. Nothing! It’s stuck. Why? In these instances, the metals have been joined for so long and various materials have collected around them that separating them seems impossible. They are held fast.

This is what God wants for our relationship with Him. He wants us to be so close that nothing will get between us. When we hold fast to His undying love and power, we become so bound to Him that the buffeting that trials brings won’t separate us. The enemy’s tools of temptation won’t separate us, and the Holy Spirit anoints our bond to penetrate deeply into our hearts.

Life is not easy. It’s true. But if we stay close to God in all things, our bond will get so strong that nothing will be able to separate us. Hold fast till Jesus comes, dear friends. It will not be long now.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, June 17, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-06-17-2017

“For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: The father to the children shall make known thy truth.” (Isaiah 38:18–19).

I cannot wait to go to heaven!

Can you imagine how terrible heaven would be if you had to watch the news? How stressful would it be if you had to peer over the walls and see your child making fatal decisions? How horrible would heaven be if you could see a storm about to wipe out an entire coastline with tens of thousands of inhabitants, some of whom you know? I am so glad that heaven is not as some would have us believe; a place where dead folks go to wait for who knows what.

The Scriptures are so clear about what happens when someone dies. Don’t worry, I will resist the temptation to turn this thought into a full-on Bible study, but suffice it to say, the various Bible contributors were right when they said there’s no love in the grave, our thoughts perish when we die, the dead cannot praise God, and they do not return to their houses. The Scriptures were right (obviously) when they recorded Jesus’ rest in the grave awaiting His resurrection before He ascended to see His Father and God. He did not die on Friday, go in some disembodied form to heaven during the Sabbath, only to reunite with His body in the tomb, to hear Gabriel say His Father called for Him on Sunday morning. Believing that is so much more complicated that trusting what saith the Scriptures.

Hezekiah had it right when our Lord gave him 15 more years to live. He knew the grave was no place from which folks could praise God. He knew that death was no conduit to heaven. He knew that truth had no impact on those who already went down to the grave. He knew that if he could possibly praise God, he would need to do it while he was still alive.

Yes, we do have hope in God if death comes knocking at our door, as long as we put or trust in Him. Our hope is in the resurrection. One day soon, God will raise the dead. He will reward His faithful ones with immortality on that day. He will not tease them by allowing them to live incomplete lives in heaven, to experience earth’s trials until their bodies reunite with their spirits. No. The One who breathed His breath into Adam’s nostrils and he became a living soul will soon breathe eternity into His sleeping saints. And when they do go to heaven, they will live there for 1,000 years with no sin or suffering. When the thousand years are finished, they, with their Lord, fellow saints, and a retinue of angels will descend with the Holy City and receive their inheritance after God destroys the devils, unrepentant sinners, death, and sin. I look forward to that day.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)