Happy Valentine's Day! Hope to see you tonight at the Diamond Dine-Around!
045 Leviticus 024 – 025; Hebrews 011
Rest, who needs it? Just the babies? The weak have not figured out how to go without sleep.
It is the shrinking violet that can't get four or five projects off the ground and then see them through. Rest???! Not in a world full of caffeine, herbs, gyms opened 24/7(yes we have one in Oconomowc-Snap Fitness) and being connected to the world all the time by cell phone, e-mails, pages, texting… Go, go, go, go, that is the American motto. Then you check out the Bible and you hear the word, ‘rest’. Then it dawns on you, it is a command. In our reading we view these words, "When you enter the land which I am going to give you, the land will observe a Sabbath to God." The land needs to rest. Come on, God! I have got to feed my family! Yes, God rested on the seventh day. This rest is not built into the law only, it is built upon the nature of God. God has told His people to rest. God wants the land to rest, God knows something that Science now confirms everything does better when it is rested. Are you rested?
Seven times seven and what do you get? That year on the tenth day of the seventh month--Jublilee. This is God's idea of a celebration. Read it carefully because there is economics, rest, and restoration all at stake in this year of Jubilee. I believe it is a great picture of God's grace at work. The blast of the horn is heard and then they were to proclaim freedom all over the land to everyone who lives in it.
I have heard it said that everyday is a Jubilee for the believer because our freedom was proclaimed at the cross by Christ and if the Son of God sets you free then you are free indeed. Proclaim freedom today all over the land and to everyone in it. You are free!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
044 Friday, February 13, 2009
044 Leviticus 21 – 23; Hebrews 10.19 – 10.39
Here are some words you don't here at a conference on parenting, "If a priest's daughter defiles herself in prostitution, she disgraces her father. She must be burned at the stake." Now that is tough love. I only point this out to take you into the times of Christ and how He treated the sinners. The Pharisees could not understand that if He claims to be God then He should hang with us because we are not like them. “Them” being the ones who should be burned at the stake or stoned to death. Perhaps if we had been the Pharisees we would have been a little confused ourselves.
I hope you are picking up the words "without defect" which seems to appear in every other sentence. God is holy, therefore God is without defect and those offering the sacrifices and the sacrifice itself should be without defect. This is why Jesus walked a fine line of being tempted and yet without sin. Jesus had to be without defect in order to pay for sins. Also remember that if the sacrifice had a defect then it would bring less in the market place so offer it to God and make money on the bull, goat, or lamb that is without blemish.
This all begs the question, are you, am I without blemish, spot, or some defects? The answer is of course we are defective, we are sinners. In the book of Hebrews these words remind us of the great gift Christ has given to us when we read, "So friends, we can now--without hesitation--walk right up to God, into '"the Holy place."' Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God."
How good is our God? Praise Him this day with all your heart and sing a new song, any excuse for a song to God.
Here are some words you don't here at a conference on parenting, "If a priest's daughter defiles herself in prostitution, she disgraces her father. She must be burned at the stake." Now that is tough love. I only point this out to take you into the times of Christ and how He treated the sinners. The Pharisees could not understand that if He claims to be God then He should hang with us because we are not like them. “Them” being the ones who should be burned at the stake or stoned to death. Perhaps if we had been the Pharisees we would have been a little confused ourselves.
I hope you are picking up the words "without defect" which seems to appear in every other sentence. God is holy, therefore God is without defect and those offering the sacrifices and the sacrifice itself should be without defect. This is why Jesus walked a fine line of being tempted and yet without sin. Jesus had to be without defect in order to pay for sins. Also remember that if the sacrifice had a defect then it would bring less in the market place so offer it to God and make money on the bull, goat, or lamb that is without blemish.
This all begs the question, are you, am I without blemish, spot, or some defects? The answer is of course we are defective, we are sinners. In the book of Hebrews these words remind us of the great gift Christ has given to us when we read, "So friends, we can now--without hesitation--walk right up to God, into '"the Holy place."' Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God."
How good is our God? Praise Him this day with all your heart and sing a new song, any excuse for a song to God.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
043 Thursday, February 12, 2009
It is the day the Lord has made--so go for it!
043 Leviticus 18 – 20; Hebrews 10.1 – 10.18
Don't pollute yourself in any of these ways. What ways are we not to pollute ourselves: perverted sex acts and the sacrifice of any of your children to the god of Molech. You read this and realize not much has changed. Now slow down for a moment, think who is being written to, yes it's His people. God has to lay it out in detail as to the perverted sex acts they are to stay away from. Could you of thunk it??? No way! Sex was powerful back then and is just as powerful today. Sex is good between a husband and wife and that is it. So let’s be careful out there and in our hearts.
Yes, oh yes, God is holy and we are to be holy. Holiness is to permeate our very beings. God expected holiness back then, so how much more in the day of His Spirit.
The last sentence in our reading for today in the book of Hebrews is as follows: "Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them." We are free from the result of what our sins could have brought us…hell. We are free now to become like Jesus because sins hold on us has been broken, busted up, maimed, crippled, and destroyed. This was all done at the cross for us. The penalty has been paid for and we need, through the Spirit's power, the truth that we are free from the bondage of sin.
043 Leviticus 18 – 20; Hebrews 10.1 – 10.18
Don't pollute yourself in any of these ways. What ways are we not to pollute ourselves: perverted sex acts and the sacrifice of any of your children to the god of Molech. You read this and realize not much has changed. Now slow down for a moment, think who is being written to, yes it's His people. God has to lay it out in detail as to the perverted sex acts they are to stay away from. Could you of thunk it??? No way! Sex was powerful back then and is just as powerful today. Sex is good between a husband and wife and that is it. So let’s be careful out there and in our hearts.
Yes, oh yes, God is holy and we are to be holy. Holiness is to permeate our very beings. God expected holiness back then, so how much more in the day of His Spirit.
The last sentence in our reading for today in the book of Hebrews is as follows: "Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them." We are free from the result of what our sins could have brought us…hell. We are free now to become like Jesus because sins hold on us has been broken, busted up, maimed, crippled, and destroyed. This was all done at the cross for us. The penalty has been paid for and we need, through the Spirit's power, the truth that we are free from the bondage of sin.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
041 Tuesday, February 10, 2009
041 Leviticus 16 – 17; Hebrews 9
Two goats and a bull; that is what God required for the Day of Atonement. The bull was for the offering that Aaron was to make for himself. The two goats are for Israel. Lots are cast to determine which goat is to be sacrificed at the temple and which goat is turned out to the wilderness to make atonement. The blood from this sacrifice is to be taken to the Holy of Holies once a year for the sins of Israel. The goat that is alive is to be prayed over by the high priest, confessing all the sins of the nation. This goat is then to be released into the wilderness. The people’s sins are covered by the blood and then turned out to the wilderness never to return again. What a great picture of our Savior Jesus Christ! Our sins are covered forever by His blood and He took the sins of the world upon Himself--never to return again. Make sure you read the chapter of Hebrews assigned to us for it correlates perfectly with the Leviticus reading. Christ entered the Holy of Holies in heaven to place His offering before the Father. It was accepted--Amen!
So it is a new day. What is blocking you from enjoying this intimate relationship with our Father God? Christ has blown open the doors in order for us to go right through and directly into God's presence. Take some time today and let this reality sink in.
Two goats and a bull; that is what God required for the Day of Atonement. The bull was for the offering that Aaron was to make for himself. The two goats are for Israel. Lots are cast to determine which goat is to be sacrificed at the temple and which goat is turned out to the wilderness to make atonement. The blood from this sacrifice is to be taken to the Holy of Holies once a year for the sins of Israel. The goat that is alive is to be prayed over by the high priest, confessing all the sins of the nation. This goat is then to be released into the wilderness. The people’s sins are covered by the blood and then turned out to the wilderness never to return again. What a great picture of our Savior Jesus Christ! Our sins are covered forever by His blood and He took the sins of the world upon Himself--never to return again. Make sure you read the chapter of Hebrews assigned to us for it correlates perfectly with the Leviticus reading. Christ entered the Holy of Holies in heaven to place His offering before the Father. It was accepted--Amen!
So it is a new day. What is blocking you from enjoying this intimate relationship with our Father God? Christ has blown open the doors in order for us to go right through and directly into God's presence. Take some time today and let this reality sink in.
Monday, February 9, 2009
040 Monday, February 9,2009
040 Leviticus 13 – 15; Hebrews 7 - 8
Unclean, unclean, unclean--he goes running through the streets saying these words as required by his culture. He is a leper living in Israel and he is ostracized from his family, friends, and from society as a whole. Read Leviticus with the understanding of how this was a Biblical mandate to protect the Jewish nation from extinction. Then place Jesus in the mix and will you understand how unusual Christ's actions were toward the ten lepers. This section reads like a course that would be taken in nursing school. I don't think you want to read it while you’re eating breakfast.
Jesus' priesthood is permanent. The Levites died off and were replaced, but not with Jesus. Christ is a better priest for he is always on the job to speak up for us. He is the permanent priest without sin offered himself up for our sin once and for all. Christ is a better priest. Christ sacrifice touched eternity because He was also God--Christ is a better sacrifice.
I hope that while you read Leviticus with some reservation that you will dive into the book of Hebrews. What a wonderful picture of our Savior! You will never grow past your vision of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
Pray today that God will open your heart to the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done for you. There may not be a better prayer.
Unclean, unclean, unclean--he goes running through the streets saying these words as required by his culture. He is a leper living in Israel and he is ostracized from his family, friends, and from society as a whole. Read Leviticus with the understanding of how this was a Biblical mandate to protect the Jewish nation from extinction. Then place Jesus in the mix and will you understand how unusual Christ's actions were toward the ten lepers. This section reads like a course that would be taken in nursing school. I don't think you want to read it while you’re eating breakfast.
Jesus' priesthood is permanent. The Levites died off and were replaced, but not with Jesus. Christ is a better priest for he is always on the job to speak up for us. He is the permanent priest without sin offered himself up for our sin once and for all. Christ is a better priest. Christ sacrifice touched eternity because He was also God--Christ is a better sacrifice.
I hope that while you read Leviticus with some reservation that you will dive into the book of Hebrews. What a wonderful picture of our Savior! You will never grow past your vision of who Jesus is and what He has done for us.
Pray today that God will open your heart to the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done for you. There may not be a better prayer.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
039 Sunday, February 8, 2009
039 Leviticus 11 – 12; Hebrews 5.11 – 6.20
Why the diet instructions? Why instructions on health issues? Israel was carrying a very important message. This message was wrapped up in the seed of Abraham. This good news that was to be born was coming through real flesh and blood. This day a savior is born for the salvation of the world; His name is Jesus Christ! The community of faith had to be protected from outside enemies and threats from within, hence the health issues. Once Jesus was born those laws were dismissed because the message had been delivered. Amen! So go eat some pork or shrimp.
Yesterdays reading, in the book of Hebrews, we learned that the promise has to be mixed with faith. It is not good enough to say you know the promises of God--you must believe. Today's reading can and usually does raise the issue of, can a person lose their salvation?
I say no, but this is a difficult passage for that answer. However, the audience that this book was written to helps to clarify. The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers. The name of the book kind of gives that away. The Jews wanted to have it both ways, in that of worshiping Jesus the once and forever crucified one, and then run back to the Temple and do the sacrifices of the O.T.. The book of Hebrews is calling those people to accountability. You can not have it both ways. Jesus is Lord and the high priest of heaven who has, once and for all, taken our sins away. The author of this book is warning them there is no third way. There is only one way and that is through Jesus even if those sacrifices were once sanctioned by God, they have been done away with now! Do you believe?
I will ask you, do you believe? Do you believe your debt has been paid in full and there is not one thing you can add to get God to accept you any more than he already has? Freedom is another way to spell salvation. Wait a minute, I am asking you… do you believe that you can't be anymore acceptable to God than the minute you said ‘yes’ to Christ's free gift of eternal life? What a wonderful message God protected through out the ages for us to hear.
Why the diet instructions? Why instructions on health issues? Israel was carrying a very important message. This message was wrapped up in the seed of Abraham. This good news that was to be born was coming through real flesh and blood. This day a savior is born for the salvation of the world; His name is Jesus Christ! The community of faith had to be protected from outside enemies and threats from within, hence the health issues. Once Jesus was born those laws were dismissed because the message had been delivered. Amen! So go eat some pork or shrimp.
Yesterdays reading, in the book of Hebrews, we learned that the promise has to be mixed with faith. It is not good enough to say you know the promises of God--you must believe. Today's reading can and usually does raise the issue of, can a person lose their salvation?
I say no, but this is a difficult passage for that answer. However, the audience that this book was written to helps to clarify. The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers. The name of the book kind of gives that away. The Jews wanted to have it both ways, in that of worshiping Jesus the once and forever crucified one, and then run back to the Temple and do the sacrifices of the O.T.. The book of Hebrews is calling those people to accountability. You can not have it both ways. Jesus is Lord and the high priest of heaven who has, once and for all, taken our sins away. The author of this book is warning them there is no third way. There is only one way and that is through Jesus even if those sacrifices were once sanctioned by God, they have been done away with now! Do you believe?
I will ask you, do you believe? Do you believe your debt has been paid in full and there is not one thing you can add to get God to accept you any more than he already has? Freedom is another way to spell salvation. Wait a minute, I am asking you… do you believe that you can't be anymore acceptable to God than the minute you said ‘yes’ to Christ's free gift of eternal life? What a wonderful message God protected through out the ages for us to hear.
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