Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, June 6, 2017

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This is devotional thought number two in our, “Purpose of Marriage” series.

Whether married or not, there is much for all of us to learn here, since marriage is a symbol of our relationship with God.

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Genesis 3:12).

This is one of the few times I will not focus totally on the context of our verse. I’d like for you to indulge me, this one time, and narrow your focus to a critical phrase in Adam’s denial of responsibility for his own sin. Amid his weak-backed non-confession, and indictment of God, he did understand one thing—Eve was a gift from God. He said, “the woman you gave me…”

Again, I do realize that context is key, yet Adam fully embraced the fact that His Creator provided him a lifelong companion. He recognized that she was given to help complete him. He knew that she was to be the mother of all living. He found her so irresistible that he willingly accompanied her in her demise. He knew God was the Giver of this blessed gift, but somehow, he elevated the gift above the Giver. He chose to put connection with her above connection with God.

This is something with which we must all contend in our marriages. Will we allow our thankfulness to morph into gift worship? Will we seek God first? Will we esteem relationship with Him above all others?

So if you want to show God appreciation for your spouse, put Him first in your relationship. Ask Him to guide your thoughts, actions, and the details of your marriage. Ask Him to help you never to lead your spouse into sin or blame him or her for your actions. Ask Him to esteem your spouse in the way He does. If both spouses do so, your relationship will become a safe place, a relationship worthy of emulation, and a blessing to others.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, June 5, 2017

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This is devotional thought number one in our, “Purpose of Marriage” series.

Whether married or not, there is much for all of us to learn here, since marriage is a symbol of our relationship with God.

“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” (Genesis 2:18).

Could it be? Is it possible that one of the reasons so many marriages are in shambles is because some spouses don’t embrace God’s blessing of companionship? The Lord said that it was not good for the man, though a perfect man, to be alone. Far too often, our relationships belie the name. We sometimes move like singles when we should be relating. We move like one one person doing his or her own thing with another present doing the same. Our God ordained for us to become a solid union of two individuals who become a dynamo to personify His image to the world. It is not good for (married) men to be alone. His wife helps complete him.

What are some of the impediments to relationship in this context? How about a lack of communication as an example? Could it be that couples are alone in their marriages because they will not communicate the loves, joys, concerns, problems, disappointments, and the distance created becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy? Could it be that non-verbal communication of intimacy through tender touch, a listening ear, welcoming facial expressions, sympathetic hugs, and kind hearted gestures of service are routinely abandoned too? If so, imagine the distance this creates.

Get the picture here. God created a perfect world. When He was finished, and before He rested from His work, He formed a man in His image, with His own hands, and breathed His own essence into him. When the man came to life, he had the privilege of seeing and fully experiencing His Creator, one-on-one. After a short period that day, God put Adam to sleep and from him, created He a woman—his other self, only sweeter. She was just as perfect, just as powerful, just as ready to face the new world. When she came to life, and while Adam slept, she fully experienced her Creator, one-on-one. Are you getting this? When God awoke Adam and presented Eve to him, He recognized the miracle of her being his other self. He was amazed at the wonder of it all and was thereby enthralled. He was no longer alone. Eve was to be his eternal companion.

Thriving marriage relationships are based upon this model. Men and women must invest time with God as individuals every day, and when they come together, they each bring that dynamic experience to the table, with all its blessings. What he receives, he brings. What she receives, she brings. They move as a unit. They, with God, become a three-fold, braided cord that cannot be broken.

It’s not good for us to be alone in marriage. Why not give your spouse and your God the privilege of your undying love, trust, and relationship? If you do so, everybody wins!—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sunday, June 4, 2017

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“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34).

Eat. Drink. Tomorrow, you die! What a hopeless thought. It’s in black and white right in the Bible (1 Corinthians 15:32). Except, that is a hopeless rendition concerning those who do not believe in the resurrection. In this, context is truly key.

First Corinthians 15 is a brilliant treatise on the resurrection that will take place in at least two phases surrounding the coming of Christ and the one thousand years following. I am leaving out a ton of details, but the fact is that one day, those who love the Lord will be raised and given new bodies to match the sterling characters they developed by faith in Christ in preparation for His arrival. They will be given the reward of eternal life of which the King Himself is worthy. Jesus lived a perfect life. He assigns His rights of eternal reward to all who surrender our wills to Him, by faith, and turn away from our wicked ways. What a blessing.

The unjust, who had habitually resisted Jesus’ entreaties will be raised to face their reward for rejecting God’s love—eternal death, facilitated by the lake of fire. What an unnecessary loss.

The chapter makes it plain that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was a down payment and proof positive that all who keep faith in Him can live righteous lives and be transformed in eternal vigor when Jesus comes. We all need to decide whether to believe that God loves so much that He made provision for us to die to our sinful lives and arise in the newness of right relationship with Him.

Often, people find it hard to believe that God can be that good and powerful. Sometimes we elevate our sin habits above God and make it seem like His sacrifice was not sufficient to eradicate our love for sin, even if we surrender to Him. Paul's admonition in our theme text is appropriate in this context. He wants us all to adopt a sober mindset and fully embrace an intimate experience with God. There are countless millions who are living without hope. God wants us to accept the blessing of His gift of salvation so we can also reach those who were once like us. He wants us to share testimonies of how great God was to be able to save us from sin. The same God who is raising people
from their spiritual stupor, will soon take all His people to live with Him forever.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, June 3, 2017

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“Honour the Lord with thy substance, And with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, And thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10).

Barnaby and How were spot on when they penned the words of a familiar hymn:
“We give Thee but Thine own
Whate'er the gift may be
All that we have is Thine alone
A trust O Lord from Thee.”

Every breath we breathe is God’s; He created and sustains us. Every moment we live is His; He allows us the privilege to exist upon this temporary platform called time. Every opportunity is given by Him. All that is and all that we are, in the creation of our being is attributable to YHWH. It is no wonder then, that the same God who gave Adam dominion in Eden continues to give his descendants stewardship of material gain. The Bible says, “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth...” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

More than a mandate to return a faithful 10% of our income and cheerful offering according to how God has blessed, is God’s counsel that all we have should be returned to God as a gesture of our trust that He will continue to provide all our needs. When He gives to us, we have two options: We can receive the material blessings and use most or all for whatever we deem fit, or we can return it all into His care for guidance on how to use it to be a blessing to His work and the lives of others.

The first fruits mentioned in our theme text are a microcosm of our dedication to God. In Eden God gave Adam an Eve everything besides the tree in the midst of the garden. In our work week, God has given us six days, but the seventh is holy. During the Old Testament system of sacrifices, God gave stewardship of all animals, but certain animals were to be returned to Him, depending upon the circumstance, for a sacrifice. Likewise in all areas of life, God gives dominion over all, but also tests our dedication by enjoining us to surrender our management of all to His guidance.

Thank God for entrusting so much to you; time, talent, influence, and energy. Ask Him how to use all to glorify Him and be a blessing to others. Trust Him to continue to provide for you in the process.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, June 2, 2017

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“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” (Romans 12:11, NLT).

What if God were lazy? How would we breathe? He gives us every breath.

What if God were lazy? How would we eat? He provides food even for the little sparrows.

What if God were lazy? How would we think? He empowers our minds beyond our natural abilities.

What if God were lazy? How would we see? He is the Light who enlightens every person.

What if God were lazy? How would we wake up in the morning? He is the Resurrection and the Life (I hope you didn’t think that only related to raising people from the dead).

What if God were lazy? How would we make it from point A to point B, safely? He gives His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways, you know.

What if God were lazy? How would we love, experience joy, learn to be patient, be forgiven, or serve others?

Anytime you feel like frittering away your time or putting forth a weak effort to accomplish a task, remember that God, who could simply wind up the universe and let it continue ad infinitum, is always at work keeping order in the universe, creating worlds, and preparing people for the life to come. Follow His example. Follow Jesus’ example, who was a carpenter always putting forth His best effort. Think of the privilege it is to use your skills, talents, spiritual gifts, and mind to bring God glory.

Give of your best to the Master. He always gives His best for you.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, June 1, 2017

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“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, NLT).

Here today, gone today… No, I did not get the saying wrong. We are only certain of one thing as we live at the moment—that we are alive at that moment. Nobody is guaranteed another day. We cannot recoup even an hour. Time waits for nobody. Time keeps ticking away into the future and eternity is at stake.

How would you live if you knew you have exactly one week left? What would you do? Where would you go? Would you live your last moments in excess and partying? Would you spend it watching television shows, Internet clips, and movies with no redeeming value, full of lust, greed, murder, etc? Would you invest the time with your family? Would you be seeking your God like never before? Would you find that person about whom you have harbored ill feelings for years and make things as right as is up to you? Would you ask for forgiveness from your coworker that you wronged two years ago, but you took that coworker and your life for granted? Would you invest in the next generation before day seven and it’s forever too late?

If your answer to any of these questions was even remotely noble, why not begin living with similar urgency now? I am not suggesting we live with a morbid sense of our mortality or for us to be paranoid, driving us a quarter mile beneath the ground to a bunker like an approaching asteroid or nuclear blast threatens our future. Why not realize the truth of the matter, that we only have one very brief life to live, and it must be lived to the fullest by the grace of God?

Ask the Lord to help you capitalize each moment, and while there is yet time, to help you live a life that is pleasing in His sight.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, May 31, 2017

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“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:10–11).

Do you realize that God has given you every advantage to enter His kingdom? I know it sounds easier than many perceive that it is, but it’s true. Most people make salvation complicated when it’s not. With God’s plans, simplicity is key.

The apostle, Peter made it plain that growth in your spiritual experience is a process that compounds with every passing moment, and every passing day until Jesus comes. Although the gift of salvation is just that, a gift, to us, it is also a living organism. What if someone gave you a beautiful, flowering plant or tree that needed sunshine to thrive and you put it into a shaded area of your veranda? What would happen to it? Would it prosper in your possession simply because your loving friend gave it to you? Clearly, for this living thing to continue living, you have to do your part. You must water, nurture, and expose it to appropriate amounts of sunshine. If you do so diligently, it will live. If you take its beauty and the fact that it was a gift for granted, it will whither and die.

As with all examples, mine breaks down, but I hope you get the point—although salvation is a beautiful gift given to us free of charge, it is not wind up and go. It is not something that if we treat any ole way and take for granted it will prosper while in our possession. Notice what Peter said would nurture the gift of salvation in our lives as we continue to accept God’s great and precious promises and become partakers of the divine nature: “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:5–9).

There you have it. Peter has given us God’s formula for growing our faith and nurturing salvation. These seven principles, all culminating in the seventh, love, will ensure the fruitfulness of our relationship with God.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, May 30, 2017

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“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16).

When you have a real experience with God, nobody can convince you to relinquish your faith in Him.

So many people are confused and grasping at straws to bolster a great argument to validate the existence of Christ in their lives. They pull together Web related resources, commentary, and third-party validation to self-assure, and then convince others. Did you catch the way I constructed the last two sentences? They were stilted, dry, listless, contrived, and robotic. They were lifeless and impotent. The outcome of the efforts I described would be just as lifeless. For who by searching (merely) can find out God?

The Holy Spirit is alive and well. He is providing very real encounters with God for those willing to trust in Him. God is answering prayers for healing. He is opening people’s minds to truth they would otherwise reject. He is revealing Himself in the Word of God. He is coming divinely near to those who mourn. He is changing the paradigms of proud people, thieves, murderers, and child molesters. He is making liars honest, abusers meek, and narcissists self-abnegating.

Peter walked and talked with Jesus. He experienced times when Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead. He saw Jesus glorified. He saw Jesus crucified. He saw Jesus after His resurrection. He experienced Jesus’ forgiveness. Do you think anyone could convince Peter to abandon His trust in God after all that? Do you think anyone could convince Peter that Jesus was a farce? No!

When we, like Peter enter into a relationship with God and begin to have real communion with Him, nobody can take away the zeal that comes from such experience. We must seek our God on the experiential level. When those experiences line up with His Word, we have a solid bond that no man or woman can break.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, May 29, 2017

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“This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.” (1 Peter 1:10–13, NLT).

Can you imagine having a message for people you may never meet, in a time you may never live to see, and so important that even the angels are amazed, and you don’t fully understand? Well, this was the case with the story of salvation given to Old Testament prophets for you and all the generations living from the birth of Christ until His Second Coming. It was a secret too wonderful for them to keep to themselves.

There is immeasurable power in God’s plan of salvation (seems we’ve been talking a lot about this lately). He used frail human beings who also needed this message to deliver it with little understanding of its grand import. It was like a mail carrier delivering a small package marked, “handle with care,” not realizing that in it was a check to cover the costs of life saving surgeries for three children whose families could not afford it and insurance would not cover it. All the mail carrier knew was to be diligent and deliver on time. The outcome could not possibly have been known, except by the sender.

Over the centuries, our loving God has been kind enough to pull back the layers of His love and how Jesus’ perfect life and ministry could be effectual to save the most hardened criminals, proud religionists, or others addicted to an array of sinful habits. Heavenly angels who never sinned are amazed at the love and power of God. For even their perfect lives are not valuable enough to cover sins against the law, the transcript of God’s character. And they have the privilege of participating in the work of encouraging, protecting, and ministering to God’s people until He comes.

Now it is up to you to experience the blessing of God’s plans for you, share the message of hope to as many as possible and look forward, with faith, to the day our God will be revealed to us. One day soon God will end all sin and suffering. He will end all hunger, poverty, and disease. He will soon keep His promise and return to take His children to a place wherein dwells only righteousness and peace. I hope you look forward to that day. It’ll be here before you know it.—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, May 27, 2017

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“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Real talk; play time is over! Do you realize that Jesus is coming soon? What many in former generations pointed to as signs of His soon coming were actually the beginnings of sorrows. As the songwriter penned, we are now living and dwelling in grand and awful times. God has allowed the devil his opportunity to try to prove that he’s the champion, but all in his wake has been destruction, degradation, and sin. Not one life has been improved. Not one family has been sustained. Not one mind has been awakened. Not one company has actually flourished. Not one real contribution has the devil made to the plight of humanity—only bloodshed, injustice, human woe, death, false sense of security, temporal gain, and worse.

God is great! God is good! Now we thank Him for His goodness. Our theme text gives you a way out. And let me tell you, it’s sweet. No matter what you have done or how many sins you have committed, God can recreate you. No matter how many families you’ve destroyed, people you’ve murdered, drugs you have sold, or worse, God can turn your life around. This is not a get out of jail free card by any means. It is likely that you will suffer consequences for the things you have done in the flesh, but let me ask you a question: Would you rather suffer by yourself and be lost in the end, or have a merciful God on your side to help you navigate the maze and be saved in His kingdom eternally? I’m not trying to use passion or fear to get through to you. I am asking a simple question. Would you rather have God, all of His holy angels, an army of praying people of God, and peace of mind as He renews your life and helps you right the wrongs you have committed or remain on an evil path and let the chips fall where they may?

My hope for you today is that you will let God change you. Let Him help you confess your sins. Let Him help you make restitution. Let Him help you improve the lives of people you may have hurt. Let Him make you a new creature whose life is in such stark contrast to your former that people are amazed at how able God is to do miracles in the lives of faulty people. And, ultimately, people will learn to give their lives to God too.

God is a miracle worker. This life will soon give way to eternity. Right now, you have a decision to make (we all do). Choose to serve God, because the road of serving the devil, self, and sin truly leads to nowhere. At the end of that road to nowhere will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. You know why? Because then, when it’s too late, many will realize how loving, kind, merciful, protective, beneficent, and just God is, and they will not be able to enjoy His company or the reward of the saints. Don’t be that person. Let God win in your life!—L. David Harris (www.DavidWritesaLot.com)