"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." - John 4:23
There is an old story about two families in the mountains of Kentucky who had been feuding for years. When a young man was asked why he was fighting the other family, he had no idea. It's what his family had always done.
That was exactly the situation in Isaiah's time. When the Lord spoke to His people through the prophet Isaiah, it wasn't good news, because judgment was on the way. The reason? They were going through various rituals and religious activities, but they had forsaken the Lord, spurned the Holy One of Israel, and turned their backs on Him.
Oh, they were bringing offerings, but they were meaningless. They celebrated various convocations--feasts of the new moon and special Sabbaths--but God said, "They have become a burden to me." Isaiah 1:15 records these words of the Lord: "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen."
They had kept the form but lost the meaning. And the problem is still with us today.
A close pastor friend of mine spent twenty years in Christian work, but all the time he was drifting away from the Lord. He doubled the membership, tripled the budget, and built a 100,000-square-foot building. But today he weeps and says that not one person came to faith in Jesus Christ during that time. He had kept the form but lost the meaning.
Christian, do you read the Bible merely to satisfy a habit? How do you approach your time of worship at church? Take a moment and reflect on Isaiah's words. God longs to restore the meaning to your walk of daily discipleship.
Prayer
Lord, I want to be the kind of worshiper You seek. Show me how to worship You in truth. Amen.
To Ponder
In our worship of God, what pleases Him most?
Daily Smile:
Two Jokes From Lizzy, 9 years old
What happens when you annoy a clock?
It gets ticked off!
and...
What room are zombies not allows in?
The living room!
In The News:
Religion Today Daily Headlines - September 7, 2012
Compiled & Edited by ReligionToday Editorial Staff
Muslim Delegates at Democratic Convention Quadrupled Since 2004
The number of Muslim delegates attending the Democratic National Convention has quadrupled since 2004, the Religion News Service reports. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), more than 100 Muslim delegates are representing some 20 states at the DNC in Charlotte, N.C., this week -- up from 25 delegates in 2004. CAIR government affairs coordinator Robert McCaw said the numbers were "a sign of the American Muslim community's growing civic engagement and acceptance in the Democratic Party," adding that Democrats had targeted outreach to American Muslims. A "handful" of Muslims were delegates at the Republican National Convention last week in Tampa, Fla., McCaw said.
Gallup: Obama Enjoys Massive Lead Among Those With No Religion
According to the Gallup tracking poll of the presidential race, President Barack Obama enjoys a massive lead over Mitt Romney among registered voters who say they have no religion, CNSNews.com reports. In the three-week period ending Sept. 3, Obama led Romney 69 percent to 23 percent among those who had no religion, the exact same result Gallup got in the previous three-week period ending August 26. Since Gallup began publishing demographic breakouts of its tracking poll on May 6, Obama has held a large lead among voters who say they have no religion -- and he has even managed to grow that lead. In other religious categories that Gallup tracks, however, Romney leads Obama: 54 percent to 39 percent among Protestants and Christians, 47 percent to 45 percent among Catholics, 58 percent to 35 percent among those who say they are "highly religious," and 47 percent to 45 percent among those who say they are "moderately religious."
Paul Ryan Supports Prayer in Public Schools
Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said Wednesday he supported states having the right to allow prayer in schools, CBN News reports. "That's a constitutional issue of the states, moral responsibility of parents, education," Ryan said. Last year, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney also said he supported prayer in schools. "I'm not looking for teachers to have prayer every day in the classroom, but I do think at special ceremonies -- graduation, football games and the like -- that calling on our Creator is a good idea," Romney told CNN.
Muslim Attacks Reducing Iraq's Christian Population
Christians in Iraq have not only been injured in recent incidents between Muslim factions, but have been specifically victimized for their faith, OneNewsNow.com reports. In Mosul, the country's third largest city, Christians have especially suffered in recent months. "There used to be a sizeable amount of Christians [in Mosul] -- in fact, almost 100,000 -- but during the last 10 years or so, that has really gone down to about 25,000," said Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA. "So, they have been targeted, especially in Mosul. They have been threatened. They have been kidnapped." Many have gone to Iraq, while others have fled to Lebanon and Syria, but even Christians in those locations have been leaving. There are about 345,000 Christians remaining in Iraq, compared to a million in 2003.
Here's
a game where you can win $100,000 just by being registered to vote in
the November 2004 US General Election. Two guys, Jim and James, who have
made a lot of money with an online dating service, care enough
about this year's election to offer up $100,000 to a registered voter
just for entering their sweepstakes, and $100,000 to the person who refers them to their site.
They promise not to give out or sell your personal information to
anyone, they just want to provide an incentive to get people to register
to vote. So what are you waiting for? Click.
The number of Muslim delegates attending the Democratic National Convention has quadrupled since 2004, the Religion News Service reports. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), more than 100 Muslim delegates are representing some 20 states at the DNC in Charlotte, N.C., this week -- up from 25 delegates in 2004. CAIR government affairs coordinator Robert McCaw said the numbers were "a sign of the American Muslim community's growing civic engagement and acceptance in the Democratic Party," adding that Democrats had targeted outreach to American Muslims. A "handful" of Muslims were delegates at the Republican National Convention last week in Tampa, Fla., McCaw said.
Gallup: Obama Enjoys Massive Lead Among Those With No Religion
According to the Gallup tracking poll of the presidential race, President Barack Obama enjoys a massive lead over Mitt Romney among registered voters who say they have no religion, CNSNews.com reports. In the three-week period ending Sept. 3, Obama led Romney 69 percent to 23 percent among those who had no religion, the exact same result Gallup got in the previous three-week period ending August 26. Since Gallup began publishing demographic breakouts of its tracking poll on May 6, Obama has held a large lead among voters who say they have no religion -- and he has even managed to grow that lead. In other religious categories that Gallup tracks, however, Romney leads Obama: 54 percent to 39 percent among Protestants and Christians, 47 percent to 45 percent among Catholics, 58 percent to 35 percent among those who say they are "highly religious," and 47 percent to 45 percent among those who say they are "moderately religious."
Paul Ryan Supports Prayer in Public Schools
Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said Wednesday he supported states having the right to allow prayer in schools, CBN News reports. "That's a constitutional issue of the states, moral responsibility of parents, education," Ryan said. Last year, GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney also said he supported prayer in schools. "I'm not looking for teachers to have prayer every day in the classroom, but I do think at special ceremonies -- graduation, football games and the like -- that calling on our Creator is a good idea," Romney told CNN.
Muslim Attacks Reducing Iraq's Christian Population
Christians in Iraq have not only been injured in recent incidents between Muslim factions, but have been specifically victimized for their faith, OneNewsNow.com reports. In Mosul, the country's third largest city, Christians have especially suffered in recent months. "There used to be a sizeable amount of Christians [in Mosul] -- in fact, almost 100,000 -- but during the last 10 years or so, that has really gone down to about 25,000," said Jerry Dykstra of Open Doors USA. "So, they have been targeted, especially in Mosul. They have been threatened. They have been kidnapped." Many have gone to Iraq, while others have fled to Lebanon and Syria, but even Christians in those locations have been leaving. There are about 345,000 Christians remaining in Iraq, compared to a million in 2003.
Are you registered to vote?
September 6, 2004
Here's
a game where you can win $100,000 just by being registered to vote in
the November 2004 US General Election. Two guys, Jim and James, who have
made a lot of money with an online dating service, care enough
about this year's election to offer up $100,000 to a registered voter
just for entering their sweepstakes, and $100,000 to the person who refers them to their site.
They promise not to give out or sell your personal information to
anyone, they just want to provide an incentive to get people to register
to vote. So what are you waiting for? Click.
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