Hi Brian!

The word for this week is "religion". It is only found in a five verses in the New Testament. Two of those are referring specifically to the Jewish 'religion'. Of the others we will be looking at James 1:27:

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. KJV

This is the Greek word "threskeia". Strong's Concordance says: cerimonial observance. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: religious worship, especially external. That which consists in ceremonies. Vine's Expository dictionary of New Testament words actually says this: religion in its external aspect. I think that this word packs a powerful punch when taken on with intimate care and powerful expectations of ALL that GOD can do! Here is another new song by Brandon Lake called "But God":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!