"This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (NASB)
STRONGS HEBREW/GREEK ORIGINS
This is pure (katharos: no uncleanness, free from corrupt desire, sin and guilt) and undefiled (amiantos: unsoiled, free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed) religion (threskeia: worship, religious discipline) in the sight of (para: before, near, beside) our God and Father: to visit (episkeptomai: to look after, have care for, provide for) orphans (orphanos: fatherless, those without a teacher, guide, guardian) and widows (chera: deficient ones) in their distress (thlipsis: affliction, trouble, anguish, persecution, burden), and to keep oneself unstained (aspilos: unspotted, spotless, irreproachable) by the world (kosmos: the ungodly multitude; whole mass of men alienated from God and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ).
SUMMARY
Unclean, unsoiled worship that is near to God is to care for the fatherless (those that don’t know Him as Abba) – it is also to look out for the ones lacking the love of a husband (we are the Bride of Christ, He is to be our Husband) for these are afflicted and in trouble. It is also to remain unstained and unaffected by the ungodly world, for it is hostile toward your Lord Jesus Christ.
MEDITATION
Am I a part of what God defines as worship? Am I filtering my every thought and decision to make sure that I’m unstained and unblemished by this world? Am I reaching out to the hurting and broken that are around me?
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Who runs this thing?
- Joel Spencer
- Southwest, Virginia, United States
- ** Search for "Path To Zion Podcast" on YouTube or go to pathtozion.com, Joel's primary source of publishing these days. ** I'm pretty much your average 50 year old guy that lives in the beautiful mountains of Southwestern Virginia. I love being a daddy and a husband. I live to be continually conformed into the image of Christ and believe that I exist to bring Heaven down to the earth. I love to challenge what you believe - not so that I can prove that either of us are right or wrong, but to get you to know why you believe what you do. I'm not into conferences, glory meetings or hyped up Christianity. Nor am I stagnant and zombie-fied in ignorance and spiritual depravity while snoring in a church pew. Are these our only two options? Who will mature in Christ and seek to be conformed to His image above all else? I used to write.... ALOT. I started two books that have been temporarily "shelved" until some spare time returns. I long for Christ's sleeping church to awaken and share this whenever I can. I believe and personally know that God speaks to people today. Will you heed His voice? Feel free to email me at: pathtozionpodcast[@]gmail.com .
4 comments:
Thanks I really needed to read this. I've been having a lot trouble when it comes to wondering where my future is going. I thought I knew where I was headed now I'm just confused.
Love the double edge sword also. : )
anonymous: Just remember, your past, present and future was determined by God before He created the heavens and the earth. He alone can give you a "latter reward".
I pray that His peace overflows you regarding your every decision that lays before you.
Liked how you broke this down. It really put in black and white what I have been trying to explain to people. Thanks!
Hey Joel, Nick here from the Core Shows/Riffs in Columbus, GA. I was just looking through the archives of this blog and found this entry, which is very timely for me - Raven, myself, and some friends of ours are running a bible study out of her house every Monday night, and the first book we're going through is James. I've been doing some more word studies myself, trying to get back to my "bible college" roots, and this has definitely inspired me and is very helpful. We all love you man, I hope you're doing well.
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