Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, July 6, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

Today’s Scripture Focus: Mark 10:13-16

We are focusing on sin recovery principle number one of 12: “We admit that we are powerless against sin and thus we cannot manage our lives without God’s miraculous intervention.”

I am among many whose childhood memories are not exactly pleasant. While I will not say that all was bad, there were enough things that happened in my family life and growing up in one of the worst cities in the U.S. at that time that I wish never happened. Old scars are not easily healed. I have experienced difficulties, violence, trauma, and drama. I have been dejected, rejected, disappointed, and undervalued. At the times I was naturally most vulnerable, I suffered the most.

I know I am neither unique nor alone in this. Many of you have dark memories you wish to forget. Yet, interestingly, Jesus taught that we should become as little children if we want to enter His kingdom. I assure you He did not mean to drag us back to the bad memories we cannot control. Neither is He suggesting He wants to necessarily capitalize on the great memories so many others have from their childhood times.

What exactly is it like to be a child, which is worthy of our emulation? Children are vulnerable. We should not hide from God. We should be open and honest even with that which we deem is shameful. He’s a safe place. Children are dependent. We must put our full trust in God, recognizing that we need Him for even our most basic blessings like breathing and being able to function in society (not to mention our sanity). Children are trusting. Generally, when a child wants something, they have no expectation of being rejected. This is why they are constantly asking for stuff. In their minds, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that every desirable thing in the store should be theirs. Should we not trust that God will give us every good and perfect gift? Children forgive quickly. This is why they can have skirmishes at school with one another, and one little thing changes in the dynamic, and suddenly they are best friends again. Should we not also be forgiving when others offend us? Children are quick to call for help when they are frightened or in pain. How quickly do you call upon the Lord when you are in trouble? I think you get the point. God wants us to be humble, vulnerable, and actively reliant upon Him.

If we assume the desirable traits and innocent trust of children, we will admit to ourselves that our strength comes from God and we can do nothing without His aid.—L. David Harris (http://bit.ly/BQuotable)

#sinrecovery #recovery

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, July 5, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

Today’s Scripture Focus: Job 6:2-13

We are focusing on sin recovery principle number one of 12: “We admit that we are powerless against sin and thus we cannot manage our lives without God’s miraculous intervention.”

When trials come after you’ve learned to do whatever God says, how will you cope? You see, it’s one thing to experience the consequences of our sins (like going to prison for carjacking someone), but it’s another thing altogether when we have trials for reasons that have nothing to do with our mistakes. It is a bitter pill to swallow when we are afflicted when we choose to live for God.

Job had done just that—he was a truehearted follower of God. I am not saying so; I am simply repeating what God said about him in Job chapter one. He said that there was none like Job in all the earth in terms of his commitment to holiness. He said that Job detested evil. That is an amazing testimony when God is the One vouching for you. Yet, as we see in the story as it unfolds, Job is signed up to lose all that matters to him. He loses his children, property, wealth, and health. He loses a level of peacefulness, because he cannot figure out why his life has taken such a sudden downturn. He even surmised that if there were some unconfessed sin that caused this, he would confess it immediately. Day-after-day he experienced the worst trials he could imagine and it even appeared God was not listening to him. He was so downcast that although he never lost his faith, all he wished for was death. He felt that death would bring relief.

Have you ever been so low that you wanted to die? Maybe you becoming a believer brought more trials than you bargained for. Can you feel Job’s lament? “Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass? Is not my help in me? And is wisdom driven quite from me?” (Job 6:12–13).

There’s good news and there’s great news. The good news is that trials cannot last forever. The great news is that trials cannot last forever. We will, and must encounter our fiercest troubles as we get closer to God. Yet, in our helplessness, He has promised to send divine aid. The Spirit will come near at just the right times to tell us how much God loves us. He will encourage us to stay faithful when we feel like giving up. He will refresh our mindset so we will not believe going back to our old lives in the world would be better even if we are tempted to do so at times.

Today’s emphasis is not so much about the times we have done wrong and made a mess of our lives, as it is realizing that even when we do what God says we are powerless against the sin that lurks all around us. Distress comes, because sin exists. Trials come, because sin exists. Depression, pain, privation, loss, etc. all come, because sin exists. We don’t get a free pass to luxurious spiritual living when we choose to follow God by faith. However, we do receive the blessing of heavenly help through all of life’s difficulties as long as we keep trusting God. Indeed, we are powerless against the power of sin in this world, but our God continues to intervene in our lives as long as we put Him first.

Job learned some valuable lessons. Although God already considered him righteous, Job said, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: But now mine eye seeth thee.” (Job 42:5). Job’s experience with and faith in God was enriched as He purified him through trials. Are you ready and willing to be purified through trials? Don’t answer now, just fall on your knees and ask the Lord to make you battle hardened against sin, so much so that no matter what life throws your way, you will keep trusting God. If you get fired from your job, keep trusting God. If your...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, July 4, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Kings 5:1-15

We are focusing on sin recovery principle number one of 12: “We admit that we are powerless against sin and thus we cannot manage our lives without God’s miraculous intervention.”

What a temper tantrum! Human beings are so out of control that we cannot receive the blessings of God, even when they are staring us in the face. Naaman is an example of when people think we are in control realize we are not, and cannot handle it. Thankfully his story does not end with him in that condition.

Since you have read the story before this devotional thought (hint, hint), you realize that Naaman was in a terrible predicament. Although he was extremely powerful and had great authority, and had much of the king’s resources at his disposal, he was completely powerless to handle his tiny little problem—leprosy. Now, I admit, “tiny” is a matter of perspective. It is true that leprosy was, well…deadly. It is true that whoever had it would eventually see their bodies waste away. But it was a tiny little problem for God. That is perspective. There is no way Naaman could have done a thing about his deadly leprosy problem without God’s intervention. I don’t know if you realize this or not, but sin is compared to leprosy in Scripture (Isaiah 1). Are you getting this? So when Naaman recognized that his life was in jeopardy he sought help.

I will not summarize the entire story here. Please go back to the Bible for a review. Suffice it to say that Naaman was unhappy when he went to the prophet’s house and was not greeted by him personally. He was more than a bit upset that the prophet did not perform some visually spectacular miracle and send him on his way. Do you ever get angry when God does not accept your prescription for your own healing from sin sickness? Do you go to the doctor and tell him/her how to treat you? Why then do most of us try to tell God how to deliver us, especially when we have no idea what we are talking about?

Naaman was also enraged, because he did not like the simplicity of the instructions standing between him and his healing. Are God’s ways too simple for you? Do you wish you could jump through more hoops or find your own path to victory? Thankfully, one of Naaman’s men checked him for his lunacy. He said that if the prophet had asked him to do some complex thing, he would have gladly done it. He implored Naaman to go and do what the prophet said so he could be healed.

Naaman’s position could not heal him. His entourage could not heal him. His hundreds of pounds in silver, gold, and expensive clothing could not heal him. His preconceived notions on how he must be healed could not heal him. Only simple trust in the simplicity of God’s instruction, and actually following those instructions by faith were the way forward to his healing. God fully empowered the powerless.

Such is the case with all of us. Our own human efforts have no positive effect in our recovery from sin unless we exchange those efforts for the simplicity of submission to God. Then, and only then, will we experience the miraculous change of heart only God can effect. The sooner we admit that to ourselves is the sooner we will be on the road to eternal success. Jesus is coming soon and we do not have time to dilly-dally with our own faulty methods. Give His ways a try today and be healed!—L. David Harris (http://bit.ly/BQuotable)

#sinrecovery #recovery

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

Today’s Scripture Focus: Judges 16

We are focusing on sin recovery principle number one of 12: “We admit that we are powerless against sin and thus we cannot manage our lives without God’s miraculous intervention.”

Samson’s story is more than a little intriguing! Here’s a guy who was called from birth to be dedicated to God’s service at the highest levels. You may wonder how that’s possible. I mean, are not all of God’s people called to service? Well, yes. All of God’s people have a special calling on our lives. This is true. However, Samson was a Nazarite (look them up in Numbers 6) and he had a unique calling that included representing God and His honor to the Philistines. Of course, I am oversimplifying, but you get the point. Samson was no ordinary believer. His ministry was special and he vowed to treat it as such.

Unfortunately, like so many of us, Samson had a self-control problem and he was power hungry in a lot of ways. This caused problems when he chose to flirt with unholy women to act out his unholy passions. I hope you’re paying attention here. This caused problems when he flirted with pride, asserting himself as being in control of how long God would put up with his shenanigans. God gave him specific instructions concerning his ministry, mission, and unique calling, yet he continually tempted the line between God’s presence in his life, and going it alone due to his unrepentant spirit. What began as a foolish game with a foolish woman, with a foolish desire to flex his proverbial and literal muscles actually exhausted his power. When he had played around with his calling one time too many, the Lord had to expose him to the consequences of his actions. The man who was formerly so powerful that no man or even group of men could contain him, fell prey to his own evil passions and became a slave to them.

We must learn from Samson’s story. We must learn to respect God and His divine calling on our lives. We must learn never to trifle with our mission, because God has invested so much in loving, equipping, and commissioning us. He could have allowed us to die in our sins, but he did not!

But Samson’s story is not only about what not to do. Toward the end of our theme chapter, we also see what we must all do who realize we have no power against sin and that we need a miracle of grace when we fall prey to our own lusts. Samson, having taken his lumps for his sin, becoming a blind slave and a mockery, called upon the Lord. He confessed his sins, turned in heart from them, and simply asked for God’s strength to do what he was called to do in the first place. He asked for restoration. God did it! Before Samson died, God restored him to favor, strength in the Holy Ghost, and mission in His service. In one day, Samson was more effective under the power of God than he had been in years frittering away his calling in his own strength.

So as our sin recovery principle states, when the Lord reveals our weaknesses to us, it is our privilege to fall into His loving arms of mercy and accept His power of grace over our weaknesses. It is then that we will become strong. Be encouraged. God is ready, willing, and available to turn the tides on your sin addiction too. Just surrender to Him and watch Him work miracles in your behalf.—L. David Harris (http://bit.ly/BQuotable)

#sinrecovery #recovery

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

Today’s Scripture Focus: Genesis 16

We are focusing on sin recovery principle number one of 12: “We admit that we are powerless against sin and thus we cannot manage our lives without God’s miraculous intervention.”

This story is chock-full of lessons, but I am going to do my best to target our sin recovery principle here.

Abram and Sarai were in an apparently impossible situation. They could not have children, yet God promised that they would. This is why I said that they were in an “apparently” impossible situation. Remember with us, especially when it comes to salvation and victory over sin, all we face are impossibilities. But with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Not only did God promise the unfruitful, elderly couple that they would have a child, but that child would become the ancestor of Messiah, through whom all nations of the world would be blessed. Messiah would save His people from their sins—another miracle (Matthew 1:21).

Do you realize what happened here? When God told them that He was going to perform a miracle in their lives, which would bless so many others, their unbelief thrust them into self-preservation mode. So they enacted Sarai’s ridiculous plan to enhance God’s ability to keep His own promise. Lest you think I am being hard on them, I am not willing to give them a pass simply because I can relate or might have made a similar blunder. We must be honest and call sin by its right name even if by doing so we indict our own behaviors. It was a ridiculous plan. Abram took the bait and followed Sarai’s plan much like Adam did when Eve offered him that infamous bite of fruit in Eden. Neither Adam nor Abram were driven by lust per se, but they both chose the sin route instead of awaiting God’s power to manifest His miracle. Abram had sex with Hagar so they could produce a child who, in their minds, would become the miracle God promised. And we all continue to experience the fall out from that decision. There is deadly contention between Isaac and Ishmael’s descendants as you read this post all because Abram and Sarai chose to trust their own abilities rather than God’s Word. I will not go through the entire story. Please go back and read it again when you have an opportunity.

What drove Abram and Sarai’s powerlessness was their lack of trust in God to do exactly what He said He would. In other words, they did not believe His Word. Hello? Are you getting this? Whenever we choose to second-guess God’s Word, we forfeit our ability to do what He commands. We forfeit our victory over sin. The power to live holy lives is in God’s Word! He said that we must be holy as He is holy. That’s His Word. What if we second-guess it? He said that there is no temptation that He has neglected to empower us to resist. That is His Word. What if we second-guess it? He said that we could do all things through His Son who gives us strength. That is His word! What if we second-guess it? He said that the devil is cast down and defeated. That is God’s Word! What if we second-guess it? Do you see the kind of power we forfeit when we second-guess God’s Word?

So today we need to take an honest inventory of our lives and admit the times we have neglected to study, share, and have faith in God’s Word. We need to honestly admit that we are powerless to overcome our sin habits without God’s miraculous intervention. We need to forfeit our right to invent alternate sin recovery plans and submit to God’s instead. It is then and only then that we will receive the miracles God promised as He gives us new hearts and a right spirit. When we begin to trust Him fully, we are well on our way to a full recovery from our sinful condition.
—L. David...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Monday, July 1, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

This is devotional thought number 72 and final in our devotional series titled, “The Faith I Live By”

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Holiness matters!

When I was young in the faith, I imagined that holiness was some sort of mystical lifestyle wherein unapproachable people participated in the Gregorian chant for hours on end, and when they were finished, they would maybe study a sacred scroll, and then put their bodies through an abstemious pressure test, to demonstrate their commitment to the cause. Many of you may have a variation of this fairy tale view. The problem with it (besides the fact that it just ain’t true) is that it eliminates human interaction at the most basic levels of its practice. It does not demonstrate practical love and respect. It is satisfied with the pursuit of a sequestered reality where its own spiritual so-called growth and God awareness is central. You will be happy to note that false view vanished when I began to study the Word more.

I am intrigued by the fact that I have never heard a Bible teacher, bishop, or pastor share our theme text and those following, in the context of Paul’s conversation. I always simply looked at it as a hopeful passage regarding the Second Coming. Don’t get me wrong, it is about the coming, but holiness is the context, and he was giving holiness a framework. Are you ready to learn that framework? Sexual purity. If I were a betting man, I would be willing to wager that most of you were not expecting that. Apparently, Paul’s audience had a problem with keeping their hands a sexual body parts to themselves. It seems adultery was a major problem. Moreover, these folks were supposed to be believers. Some of them would sex other church brothers’ and sisters’ spouses. Can you say, “SCANDALOUS”? Well, that’s what it was - scandalous. So again, the framework for their holiness context was to allow the Holy Spirit to purify them sexually; to dedicate themselves to the vow they made with their own spouses. How novel, but I get it. Paul further taught that choosing sexual purity was the manifestation of their love, considering the problem they were having in that area.

Why does this matter? Sexual purity is a practical manifestation of a pure relationship between us and God. Those who wish to live forever are depicted as those making a vow to Christ similar to a marriage vow. Those who keep it, by God’s grace, are pure. Those who break it are repeatedly called spiritual harlots, whores, adulterers, and adulteresses in the Old Testament. Seems harsh, but it’s true. When we seek unto devices of pride, self-sufficiency, lust, malice, injustice, hatred, envy, religious bigotry and oppression, etc., we are exchanging our relationship with the Creator, for one with false gods of our own devising.

Those who are awaiting the coming of Jesus (Yehoshua), to begin an eternal and immortal experience with no more pain, sickness, or death, must allow the Creator to make us pure. He is able to forgive and cleanse all of our unrighteousness. He is able to help us right the wrongs we have perpetrated against others. He is able to teach us how to treat people in the way we would like to be treated. In short, He is able to make us holy until Jesus comes. And when He does, the trumpet will sound, the voice of our Creator will shout a call of triumph, and all who ultimately learned to keep our vow to God will defy the laws of gravity, and be caught up to meet Jesus in the air to begin the long awaited journey to the heavenly kingdom. Why not allow God to make you holy, so you can be in...

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, June 29, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

This is devotional thought number 70 in our devotional series titled, “The Faith I Live By”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

Now, now, don’t be too hasty! Some stuff is better left unsaid. The other stuff, needs to be said clearly and humbly. If you have offended or harmed anyone, confess! If you have disrespected God only, do not, I repeat, do not spill the beans for a fellow sinner to hear. It’s really none of our business anyway. Now that we cleared that up, let’s get down to business.

Isn’t God good? Yes! God is good. He is so faithful that He provides a way for us to learn how sinful we have been, and with that awareness we can confess and make amends. There are times in our lives that we slip up. I mean, we make a mess of our relationships by offending people. I will admit that when we sin against people, it is not easy to fess up. However, it is our privilege to right the wrongs we have between us. It’s actually therapeutic. We can get the heavy load off our chest and be delivered from the heavy burden of guilt that comes from unconfessed sins. When we face those we’ve harmed, we must be humble, clear, specific, and attentive. If there is a need for us to make amends, we must trust God to help us to do so. So far, so good.

There are other times we practise secret sins that do not involve others. It’s between us and God. In those cases, we must not burden other sinners, whether we call them prophets, priests, or kings (you get my point, right?), because no human being has ever been qualified to be our confessors. They struggle over self and sin, just like we do. They need the Savior just like we do. There is only one Mediator between God and humanity; His name is Jesus. Therefore, we only confess secret sins to Him, and the promise is that He will be faithful and just to forgive and cleanse our sin record. Amen!

Really and truly, I have just given the law in a nutshell. The Ten Commandments are segmented into two: the first four are about loving God. The final six are about loving God and people. If we have disrespected God or other people, it is only right for us to make things right, through the power of the Holy Spirit. He gives us the mind and ability to do so, and Jesus validates our effort with His righteousness. Love is the vital force, which is also the chief character trait that comes from God that makes it possible for us to be saved. Unholy sinners, because of God’s love can become righteous saints. Give thanks for the blessing of being able to confess and make things right.


By God’s grace, this is the faith I live by; let this be the same for you, in Jesus’ name.—L. David Harris (http://bit.ly/BQuotable)

#thefaithiliveby

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Friday, June 28, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

This is devotional thought number 69 in our devotional series titled, “The Faith I Live By”

“When a man dies, will he come back to life? If so, I would wait all the days of my struggle until my relief comes. You would call, and I would answer You. You would long for the work of Your hands.” (Job 14:14–15, HCSB).

Hastag cancer stinks (#cancerstinks); and so does every other disease that threatens to separate us from our loved ones. We were not created to die. “Even every one that is called by my name: For I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” (Isaiah 43:7). When God sees us, He sees His deepest desire, to have us remain faithful, and one day walk streets of gold. He sees eternal companionship. He sees the death of all tears, dying, and pain. He sees happiness forever. Until then, we still need to deal with these ugly diseases.

In our theme text, Job was doing his best to remain positive. He had lost most of his possessions, most of his family, most of his workforce whom he actually loved, his health, and those left to comfort him would eventually prove to be the bane of his miserable existence. Can you relate to any of this. Is it true in your life that when it rains, it pours? Have you ever asked “What next?”? Have you figured things could not possibly get any worse, and then they did? Job had this experience, and more, but somehow as he questioned, moaned, prayed, and shrank from the prospect of life continuing for him much longer, he still had hope. He hoped that one day his trust in God would pay off, and that God was looking forward to that day to come too. He had basically considered the rest of his life to be a wash. What next, became his focus. He looked forward to the day that he would awake from death and see God with his own eyes. He looked forward to the day that his struggles would be over, and he would hear the triumphant call of his Lord who would raise him unto everlasting youth and vitality. He looked forward to the day that God could revel in his own handiwork and see Job smile again. But until that day, Job, and the rest of us, must struggle to make sense of the senselessness of death. Obviously, Job is dead now, but he did not die before God gave him a downpayment on eternity. God restored his health, gave him a lovely new family, and made him wealthy again. It’s a remarkable story of hope, for which I am grateful.

We continue to contend with the trials and hard questions of life while we await our change to come, but if we don’t learn anything else from the story of Job, it should be that no trial, tribulation, temptation, or condition that buffets us can last forever if we love God. God will soon make it right. He will end all poverty, institutional corruption, racism, disease, misogyny, pain, death, and evil. Until then, however, let us pray that He gives us the level of faith He gave dear brother Job, and we will make it through any storm.

By God’s grace, this is the faith I live by; let this be the same for you, in Jesus’ name.—L. David Harris (http://bit.ly/BQuotable)

#thefaithiliveby

Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Thursday, June 27, 2019

Audio Link: http://bit.ly/ThoughtsinWorship

This is devotional thought number 68 in our devotional series titled, “The Faith I Live By”

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5).

Meekness is not weakness. Don’t get it twisted. Sometimes people take you for a fool, because you are humble and have self control. Don’t worry about that. Moses was the meekest (ordinary) man who ever lived. We know he wasn’t weak. Jesus was the meekest (extraordinary) Man who ever dwelt among us. Do we even need to state the obvious about Him? But what can we learn about meekness, and the outcome of one’s experience who chooses that blessed virtue as a guiding principle in life?


Among the many outgrowths of the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, is meekness. One man said (and I agree) that meekness is power under control. If meekness were a vehicle, it would be a dragster clad in the frame of a tiny Honda Fit. If meekness were a home, it would be a tiny house above ground, but a sprawling underground mansion beneath the surface. If meekness were a bank account, it would not even have a checkbook associated with it, but when the cause of God needed funding, bank managers would initiate million dollar transfers to the accounts of charities that make the most difference around the world. If meekness were a person, it would live in a simple house, live a basic lifestyle, shop at food cooperatives, and attend PTA meetings, but secretly be the next royal heir to the throne now occupied by an aging monarch in a peaceful world kingdom. Meekness does not flaunt its power; it manages it. Meekness is humility with a heart of service.

Those who follow Jesus’ example of meekness serve their communities and churches as they work to hasten the arrival of Christ. The wonderful thing about this is that these persons will eventually inherit the fulness of what Jesus refused the counterfeit for when He lived here. The devil offered Jesus a deal that was too good to be true. The devil tried to sell Jesus a dream that he had no power, authority, or right to sell; like a street hustler who would steal your watch, and then try to sell it back to you for a “one day only special price.” “And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” (Luke 4:5–7). Jesus refused the prospect of momentary satisfaction, so you can and I can have eternal rewards. He could have destroyed the devil on the spot, but He kept His composure and deferred the execution of judgement so He could give us a perfect example, and handle the situation at the appropriate time. He kept His power under control; therefore, we can too.

By God’s grace, this is the faith I live by; let this be the same for you, in Jesus’ name.—L. David Harris (http://bit.ly/BQuotable)

#thefaithiliveby