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Let’s Celebrate, Today!

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Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 25

The year of Jubilee, doesn’t that sound like something to celebrate? Reading this chapter today made me think of the song lyrics from the Days of Elijah:

Behold He Comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call
Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee
And out of Zion Hill salvation comes!

I love this song and it’s melody is upbeat and puts me in a happy, cheerful mood. That is what God wants us to feel about Him. We don’t obey mosaic law today as this chapter describes, but I love that God is leading his people then and leads us now.

Have you ever taken a day off and then when you returned to work you had a lot of energy. It just seemed like you were refreshed, relaxed and ready to take on the world. I believe this is the way God intended it and used not only a sabbath week, a sabbath month, but a sabbath year? Then after the 7th year, the sabbatical year, the land and the farmers were refreshed, renewed, and fruitful.

I’m just impressed how God took care of everyone; the farmer, the fields, and the animals. God is very deliberate, intentional and premeditated. Leviticus 25 reminds me that He knows what is to come long before it happens and He prepares us for what is to come… for our good.

Celebrate this day and the LORD with me.

Shut Your Mouth!

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Shut Your Mouth

Today’s Devotional: Leviticus 24

There is a pretty significant message that God is giving us in Leviticus 24 that seems to over shadow the importance of the ever burning lamp stand. That message is, “Do not curse or blaspheme God!”

God doesn’t even mince words about how He feels about it either, Leviticus 15-16, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God will be held responsible; anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.'”

What does that say about our filthy mouths? It tells me that my mouth can get me into some serious trouble. James has a lot to say about our mouths/tongue in James 3:3-6, “When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

I guess this is a great reminder to begin the week. A message from God to refrain from harsh words, that includes swearing or using God’s name in vain. We can’t worship God with the devotion and reading of His Word and then misuse His name as we communicate who He is to the World.

I’m talking to me (maybe more-so) as much as I’m talking to you today. Let’s use our words wisely and show the world, we are His people, His children, His ambassadors and His chosen.

 

God’s Kind Of Party

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Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 23

This is a remarkable chapter of God’s festivals. The holy holidays were times of joy. There was mourning on the great Day of Atonement, but all of the others were about times of joy and rejoicing. God never wanted a weeping people to come before Him; He wanted a rejoicing people. These festivals provide God’s calendar for all time.

Like most of our old testament teachings, they lead to Jesus and symbolize a future that is to come. To summarize all the the festivals for example:
Passover—the crucifixion and death of Christ
Unleavened Bread—the fellowship we have with Christ because of His death
First fruits—the resurrection of Christ
Pentecost—the beginning of the church
Trumpets—Israel brought back into the land (future)
Great Day of Atonement—the work of Christ upon the cross for us
Tabernacles—the time when Israel is in the land (future)

In a bigger, broader perspective, I appreciate that God is not some big, old fuddy-duddy. He’s a hip, cool cat. Think about it. God put all of these festivals together that have great significance and He is giving the Isrealities a calendar that they can recognize His handy work in all of it. In addition, there continues to be a great emphasis on the Sabbath, which started in the very beginning with Adam and Eve and reminds everyone of the importance of rest.

This is one of those chapters that make me want to be more of a bible scholar. I can only imagine what incredibly deep meanings and origins this chapter would unveil. As a simple-minded God-loving blogger, who is benefiting from the daily discipline of reading and summarizing God’s Word everyday, I am thankful for a God who beings festivals into our lives to celebrate Him.

Thanksgiving is next week. I know we shouldn’t need a day or a date to be thankful, but I see how God’s festivals and our holiday of thankfulness have parallel meanings. God truly deserves all of our thankfulness, joy and rejoicing.

Holy Welcoming Committee

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Welcome

Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 22

The lesson for us is that we are not to treat the sacred and holy things of God as if they were commonplace. What do you think of when you think of the Holy things of God? I might need a little help on this one, because I might be thinking of this too simplistically. But I’m going to think of the most Holy place of God that I know… my church.

When I go to church I go because it is an act of worship. I love being somewhat removed from the hustle and bustle of “the world” and having a place that is centered fully on God. One of the many things I love about church is that everyone is welcome. We are all equal at the foot of the cross. Meaning we, the church, should not judge according to social status, martial status, appearance, net worth, etc. We should welcome everyone with open arms and show the love of Christ to all who enter. Not in a phony way either, in a sincere and heart-warming manner.

I used to be the volunteer coordinator for the greeters, users, and parking attendants at our church. I begged them to NOT use the phrase, “How are you,” as they welcomed people at the entrance. I have 2 philosophies on this. 1 – Is that the phrase itself is so frequently used that it is cliche and isn’t a sincere enough, honest enough, greeting at the doors of the church. 2 – Some people arrive at church broken and we, the greeters, may cause our brother to stumble causing them to lie and say, “I’m fine.” They may not be fine and certainly the door of the church is no place they want to vomit their problems. The best thing we can do is make them feel welcome, safe and accepted.

Sure, I may be over thinking it, but is that one of the ways we can treat the sacred common? At the fundamental point of how we welcome people to join our church services? I appreciate that God is holy and His church is a place that I never want to treat commonly.

Get On Your Holy Pedestal

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Pastor In You

Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 21

Pastors have a special place in my heart. I admire them for their leadership, commitment to the LORD and knowledge of God’s Word. As much as I admire them, I carry a burden for them because they carry a huge weight on their shoulders. They are who God entrusted to us, to teach us biblical truths and lead us the ways of righteous living – and their own lives as being an example to us. I would argue that a Pastor has the hardest, most significant, highest calling, greatest responsibility than any other human being that lives. If you’re a Pastor and you’re reading this, I hope you know and appreciate what you are because you ARE a big deal! What you hold is NOT a position or job to take lightly.

That being said, let’s shift gears for a second. What about you? If you are a believer and profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ – What does Leviticus 21 have to say to you? Well, a lot! As a believer you are considered a saint. Look what my friends at gotquestions.org have to say about this, “The idea of the word “saints” is a group of people set apart for the Lord and His kingdom.” That might make you swallow hard as the responsibility of a Pastor or Priest suddenly becomes more real, and applicable, to you. Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/saints-Christian.html#ixzz2lHLfJ4ac.

My point is this. Each one of us has a responsibility in word, thought, act, and deed to live as followers of Christ. Leviticus 21 spells out the expectations of the Priest role, but the entire bible spells out examples, commands, guidelines and laws on how we (believers) should live.

Our lives are living testimonies (Romans 12:1-2). As I read Leviticus 21, I am not making a mental checklist of whether or not my Pastor fits the bill, I’m evaluating whether or not I fit the bill. Am I worthy of being labeled a believer in and follower of Chris? It’s a sobering perspective, but a true honor to represent my LORD and Savior in the time God gave me to live on this earth. The best part…. we don’t have to do it alone. We have each other, the body of Christ, and together we are God’s church and representation of our living God to the world.

Sex God Detests

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Love Hate

Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 19

Now I have your attention right? Sex sells – will it increase readership of my blog?

Well that is certainly not my motive. I have blogging on this site since early July 2013 and it just so happens that my scripture today is getting my Monday off to a eye-opening start.

God detests is a pretty strong, straight forward, uncompromising word and there are several instances that He uses that word through scripture. The word itself means to feel abhorrence of; hate; dislike intensely. That’s as direct as I think God gets about certain sexual acts. Leviticus 19 spells it out clearly and as I was reading I was not in disagreement with Him. Part of me thinks He doesn’t even need to spell it out in such detail, it seems pretty obvious. Then again, if he wants to get His point across, I guess it makes perfect sense that God doesn’t want to leave any margin for misinterpretation. Do you agree? If you do, then I will complete this post with that assumption.

I get all the don’t have sex with brothers, sisters, father’s, mother’s, aunts, uncles, etc., but in light of today’s controversy – of the 30 verses in Leviticus 19 – there is only one time that God uses the word, “detestable” and that is verse 22 ” ‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.”

I have friends who are homosexual. I can say with all of my heart I love these people. They are the funniest, friendliest, heartfelt people, but their lifestyle is not of God’s design. I see this no differently than I would see adultery, polygamy, or any other lifestyle that exists outside of God’s will. The thing is that our government isn’t being petitioned to legalize adultery, polygamy, incest, or the like.

So I’m not going to continue on with a sermon and my intention isn’t to stir up a debate, but I will say this… God is very clear on how He wants us to conduct ourselves sexually and this chapter sums it up pretty well. With a burden on my heart I pray that all people would seek to understand why God feels so strongly about this lifestyle and honor Him.

I also say that we, as Christians, have a responsibility to love people. We are all sinners in God’s eyes, one sin isn’t different from another and since we are not perfect (Romans 3:23), we have no right to judge the way others live. However, God sent His Son, Jesus, to seek and to save those who are lost. Let your lives model the goodness of who God is and love others as yourself – inspiring others to rebuke this detestable sin.

I Am Free

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Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 17

These instructions were not for Moses and Aaron alone, but they were also for the sons of Aaron and for the entire nation of Israel. It is obvious that God is reaching now into the personal and private lives of the people. He not only made a difference between the clean and unclean animals in chapter 11, but now He puts down the regulations by which they were to eat the clean animals. In other words, the lives of His people are to be different from that of non-believers.

What is this saying about our lives? How is our life different from others? I guess that all depends, right? It is one thing to say we are believers, but another to act like we are. The single greatest differentiator is that we believe Jesus died on the cross to cover our sin where His blood was shed for us. We live out that belief in the way we conduct our lives – surrendered to a Holy God who provided that forgiveness to undeserving souls, like ours.

Leviticus 17:14, “Because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, ‘You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.'” Once again, the tie to the New Testament is evident. The life of the flesh is in the blood and Jesus is saying that we are to accept His shed blood for our sins in faith and then we receive life. Jesus shed His blood and gave His life. The life is in the blood. Without it, we are cut off from God, prohibited from ever entering heaven.

This is a great, eternal truth. This explains why Abel’s sacrifice was more excellent than Cain’s. It is the blood that makes an atonement (a covering) for the soul. The blood of Christ is the only thing that can wash away sin. There is nothing offensive about the blood; the offense is in our sin.

Here I sit on an early Saturday morning trying to put this into perspective and make it comprehensible for my own mind to grasp. I conclude that this message is a reminder that God was trying to protect the Isrealites from themselves. If left to ourselves, we are also vulnerable and He wants to protect us too. Another one of the many reasons to honor God with our lives. I value that God’s Word has given me/us this perspective to begin our day. I am free to live!

The Great Cover Up

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Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 16

Sounds like some kind of scandal doesn’t it? Nah, just a catchy title, but with great significance none-the-less. Today we have a break through. The past few days have been a bit ‘odd’ – to say the least. Today is a whole different story and one that gives me pep in my step. It’s like another celebration – a reminder of God’s goodness.

The Day of Atonement pointed to Christ and His redemption as did no other sacrifice, ceremony, or ordinance of the Old Testament. It reveals Christ, as our Great High Priest, going into the Holy of Holies for us. The word for “atonement” is the Hebrew kaphar, which means “to cover.” God did not take away sins in the Old Testament; He covered them until Christ came and removed them.

Remember the game of peekaboo? The game where you magically “disappear” behind your hands and as soon as your hands move the baby giggles. I love that! I’m smiling as I type recalling how easily babies can be tricked and that unforgettable baby laugh. I am using this childish game to bring home a very important point: When God says he covers them up… He covers them up. No game playing with God – this is the real deal.

In chapter 16, God gives the instructions to make sure Aaron (the priest) follow the proper protocol. In doing so and the sins of the Israelites are covered for an entire year. We are so blessed to have Christ, who covered our sin yesterday, today, and forever. We are covered!

Yet my heart is heavy for those who “think” that they are in, when, in fact, life has been like the devil’s big game of peekaboo. They go to church, hear the gospel and they go through the religious rituals and motions, but wind up going back into the world living like there is nothing significant about it. Please pray with me today for five people who don’t have a fully surrendered life, who need the Lord, and can see that the world is not a place that they will find salvation. Unfortunately, that stuff is not a game.

Wash Up – Get Clean

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Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 14

All these offerings speak of Christ, through whom the cleansed leper is acceptable to God. There is nothing special about him just because he is a cleansed leper. Too often we see Christians who feel that somehow they are different and special. They withdraw from the others and think they are better than the others. My friend, we each must come just as all the rest come. Everyone must be acceptable to God through Christ. We each need to be washed.

When I was younger, we used to attend church wearing our Sunday best. My mom was especially picky that we dressed to be presentable to the Lord. We were constantly reminded to make sure we were clean.

“Make sure you wash your face,” She would remind my brothers.

One morning we were on our way and before we even got to the end of the driveway she looked into the rearview mirror and saw remnants of breakfast on my brothers cheeks. She pulled over to the side of the road, grabbed him from the back seat, marched him down to the creek next to the road and smeared water all over his face. I don’t think my brother ever left the house with the dirty face again!

Being clean before God was important to my Mom. It wasn’t that this added to our salvation or gave us favor in God’s eyes. It was about being respectful and honoring Him. Yet, we weren’t clean. We are far from clean and there is nothing in us or about us that we can do on our own to make us Holy and acceptable to God.

Chapter 14 takes our leprosy story and references our homes; our homes, in this context, is our bodies. Just as my brother was told to wash up and be clean before God. Chapter 14 is God’s way of showing us that He needs to be the one who does the cleaning. Not only will He transform us from the inside out, but He took our sin on the cross and removed it permanently. That is if we have surrendered our will (to do it ourselves) over to Him, allowing Him to take our sins away.

 

You’re Sick! Get To The Doctor

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Today’s Devotion: Leviticus 13

Before the invention of remote controls, I would fight my way for that television dial every day after school to watch Little House on the Prairie. There was something about Laura Ingalls Wilder (Melissa Gilbert) and those braids that made me nuts – I loved that show. I used to imagine what it would be like to get sick back in those Little House days. Poor Doc would pull up in his fancy carriage and wrap a wet, white cloth over their foreheads and pray. He was limited in what he could do without a modern-day, high tech, super sterilized surgical practice.

Going back hundreds of years to the days of Moses. Reading Leviticus 13 reminded me of Doc, but in this chapter the mighty physician was the Priest. Wow! Talk about wearing many hats. The thing is that the book of Leviticus is a book about sin and God is showing us that Leprosy and running issues of the flesh shows the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the effect of sin in action.

No man ever went wrong overnight. Leprosy did not kill in a day—it is not like a heart attack. The leper’s life was a walking death. Just so, the sinner is also dead even while he lives. It is obvious from these passages that the raw flesh is the old nature which was judged on the cross. When it manifests itself in a believer, God must judge it. The flesh can never please God; only that which the Holy Spirit produces in the life of the believer is acceptable to God.

Two things jump out at me in Levitius 13. The number of times you read the word “Isolation or Isolated” and the phrase, “The priest will pronounce him clean.” This is sin! Sin isolates us from God and is a growing, disease that corrupts our lives. While Christ covers that sin and pronounces us “Clean!”

Oh Friends. What a glorious story of hope buried between the ‘not so obvious’ message hidden in Leviticus chapter 13. It’s a beautiful picture of what Christ has done for us and the gruesome hopeless, loneliness, isolated, withdrawn, lost place we will be without Him. It’s a perfect day to check your spiritual temperature and recognize who your Holy healer is.