INTRODUCTION

Historically, men have been willing to go to great extents for religion. Paul persecuted and wasted the church of God (Galatians 1:13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
See All...), and haled men and women, committing them to prison (Acts 8:3As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
See All...). He was so zealous for his religion he consented unto the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
See All...). According to his own testimony, Paul went "beyond measure" (Galatians 1:13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
See All...) "above" many his equals (Galatians 1:14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
See All...) being "more exceedingly zealous" (Galatians 1:14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
See All...). This should be of no surprise; men are often willing to go above and beyond for religion. It is a shame that many forsake the simplicity which is in Christ, instead pursuing the complexity and labour of religion (2 Corinthians 11:3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) The Jews wanted to be saved by keeping the law and worked hard at doing so, but they were wrong and were not saved (Romans 10:1-5 [1] Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. [2] For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. [3] For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. [4] For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. [5] For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
  See All...). They were zealous in reaching out to others, but their belief was wrong (Matthew 23:15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
  See All...).
• Read the testimony of Naaman (2 Kings 5:9-14 [9] So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. [10] And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. [11] But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. [12] Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. [13] And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? [14] Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
  See All...). Why was Naaman wroth? What did his servants suggest was the problem? How is this similar to what men want from religion?
• What are some things you have witnessed in your lifetime that others were willing to do for their religion? How much better of a Christian could you be if you had their zeal?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to give you zeal for Him like others have for religion.
• Ask the Lord to burden your heart for the religious lost people.

HYMN

Come Thou Almighty King

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