Happy Thursday Friends! I just want to thank everyone for the extra likes and shares on social media the last two days. The Common Sense Reborn Daily Devotion is already selling, two months away from the end of the year! Just fair warning, once December hits, I’m going to be pushing the 2021 version pretty hard. We have got to get these devotionals in as many hands as we can if we want to bring a lasting change.
Speaking of lasting change. For those of you that have been following from the beginning of this year, you may recall that on January 1, I swore off all forms of social media. I made it all the way until mid-March before I caved in and started posting and scrolling again. Well, when October hit, I decided to recommit to my 2020 challenge of abstaining from social media. It’s just been a week and I already find myself with more free time than I know what to do with. It’s crazy how easy a little electronic device can steal your time. I’m committing the rest of this year to my King forever.
October 8
26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:26, 27)
James states only three responsibilities for us to show that our religion accurately serves the living God: Look after orphans, look after widows in distress, and keep oneself from being polluted by the world. While that may seem to minimize Christianity and even the Jewish faith, we have failed to be able to do these three tasks as a Christian nation. Our foster care system is overrun. Widows sit forgotten in nursing homes. And we are far from keeping ourselves polluted by culture and this world. So if you are in an organized religion that you think is the “right” religion to make the world a better place, you might want to look around. Take a good look at this world. It is easy, and accurate to say, as of 2020, every religion has failed to live up to their mission and purpose. We can do better, we have to do better. And we need to do it now.
Reading plan: James 4:13-17
Deeper reading plan: Hosea 8
Prayer and meditation: Pray for our country. Pray for love to conquer all. Pray for peace and common sense to infect the minds of Americans. Pray for civility and calm and for Christians to be a beacon of hope and consistency for all those who may face increased anxiety in this coming month. Pray for revival that is permanent and world changing.
Fitness challenge: Day 38-38 reps of the following:
- Hand-release Push-up
- Sit-up
- Jumping squat
- Leg lift
- Burpees
Distance run day: 5 miles at a nice comfortable pace.
Common Sense Reborn 