Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 14
Tuesday


THE USHPIZZIN

READ:
JAMES 1:19-27
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Pure and undefiled
religion before God
and the Father is this:
to visit orphans and
widows in their trouble,
and to keep oneself
unspotted from the
world. __James 1:27
_________________________________________

In Jewish legend, the ushpizzin are guests who visit the pious at Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. They are supposedly the great Old Testament heroes who come offering comfort and encouragement to the faithful.

According to Jewish lore, these unseen guests only visit the sukkah (shelter) where the poor are welcome__a reminder of each person's responsibility to care for others. It also reminds them that unseen watchers may be observing their conduct.

The story of the ushpizzin isn't true, of course. But beyond the lore and legend we are reminded that we as Christ-followers are living observed lives. Others are watching us. And our concern for others, particularly the least among us, is an expression of the compassion Christ displayed to the hurting and outcast of His generation.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, challenged believers to put the love of Christ into practice, He wrote, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).

The example of Christ and the words of Scripture inspire us to care for our hurting world, Who's watching us? Our world is watching. And so is our Lord! __Bill Crowder

```````````````````````FOR FURTHER STUDY````````````````````

````````The church is made up of needy people__including us!````````
```````How are we to respond to each other's needs? Read The```````
``````````Church We Need at www.discoveryseries.org/q0904````````
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When people observe your life,
do they see the love of Christ?

**************Today's Bible Reading __ James 1:19-27*************

19 So then, my beloved
brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak,
slow to wrath; 20 for the
wrath of man does not
produce the righteousness of
God. 21 Therefore lay aside
all filthiness and overflow of
wickedness, and receive
with meekness the
implanted Word, which is
able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the
Word, and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves. 23 For
if anyone is a hearer of the
Word and not a doer, he is
like a man observing his
natural face in a mirror;

24 for he observes himself,
goes away, and immediately
forgets what kind of man he
was. 25 But he who looks
into the perfect law of
liberty and continues in it,
and is not a forgetful hearer
but a doer of the work this
one will be blessed in what
he does.

26 If anyone among you
thinks he is religious, and
does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart,
this one's religion is useless.

27 Pure and undefiled
religion before God and the
Father is this: to visit
orphans and widows in their
trouble, and to keep oneself
unspotted from the world.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

When Paul was endorsed by the church at Jerusalem, he was
admonished to remember the poor: "They desired only that we
should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager
to do" (Gal. 2:10). Concern for the poor later brought Paul back to
Jerusalem several times in order to provide them with financial relief
(Acts 11:29-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-3). Providing financial help for those in
need is an important biblical principle. __DEnnis fisher