Category Archives: Bible

Feb 14 – For Love

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Leviticus 5-7

It’s Valentines Day. You hear the word “love” thrown around a lot today. Got me to thinking about what love is all about.

Ravi Zacharias said, “Love is as much a question of the will as it is of the emotion.” Do you remember the popular book from years ago, “Love Is A Choice”? And I’ll always remember a former pastor saying, “Love is something you do.”

So as I’m reading about all the sacrifices and how detailed were God’s instructions, a lightbulb went off. God gave these instructions for love.

Here’s God, separated from the people He created and who He loves with the strongest emotion possible. Here’s God wanting to fellowship with his children but cannot because of sin in their lives. Here’s God, bridging the gap so that sinners could be forgiven, and fellowship restored.

What I read today isn’t a list of arbitrary hoops for people to jump through. This was God, reaching out and saying, “Here’s how you can come to Me. Please come to Me!”

God wants them to ask Him for forgiveness. He’s anxious to do that. God wants them to shed blood on an altar so He can. God is rooting for them, cheering them on, calling to them, and gladly forgiving them when they ask.

These chapters I read today is about love. I think I’ve always read them as though they were about rules. But the message here is definitely love.

God is love. God demonstrated His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus, to bridge that gap created by sin, once and for all. And it’s the same God as the One who gave Moses these directions in these chapters in Leviticus. He’s still anxious to forgive us when we come to Him, He’s still rooting for us, calling to us.

So today, if love is something you do, I would challenge you to love God by doing what He’s asked us to do. Accept Jesus as Savior, repent of sin, live for the One who loved you and gave Himself for you.

Sure, love is an emotion. But that emotion is meaningless and empty if it doesn’t include choice, and action, and obedience.

Thank You, Lord, for demonstrating Your love for Your children by providing a way for them to be forgiven for sin. Thank you for loving those Old Testament people enough to want to fellowship with them. And thank You for Jesus, who is our perfect sacrifice here in the 21st Century. Thank You for love. Thank You for You.

Feb 13 – And He Will Be Forgiven

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Leviticus 1-4

The priests were given specific instructions for sacrifices for sins. And the instructions varied according to the sin a person was confessing, and on the animal they brought to be sacrificed. Every one of the million or so Jews in the desert required an animal sacrifice for the sins they committed. And, if they were like me, they probably needed to visit the priest every day.

Next time I complain about being too busy, I’m going to remember what a day in the life of Aaron and his sons must have looked like.

“The priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.” Those words are repeated several times in the chapters we read today. Of course they pertain to the work of the Old Testament priests who stood over the altar and shed the blood of thousands of animals so that the children of God could be forgiven for their sins.

But we live after the cross. Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Perfect Sacrifice, fulfilled all the requirements handed down to Aaron for atonement for sin, for forgiving us. He died once and for all.

It’s not that what we read today isn’t still required for forgiveness. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” still applies today. But praise God, Jesus’ blood covers it all!

Every detail has been perfectly fulfilled by Jesus. And because He offered Himself to be sacrificed, I can go to Him and know forgiveness is mine for the asking.

My Priest, Jesus, has made atonement for me, and I am forgiven.

Feb 12 – Just As God Commanded Moses

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Exodus 39-40

There are at last eighteen times in the last two chapters of Exodus telling about the steps Moses took to get the tabernacle ready, that the words, “just as God commanded Moses” is recorded. It’s like a check list:

Finely woven garments just as the Lord commanded Moses. Check.

Ephod in place just as the Lord commanded Moses. Check.

Breastplate just as the Lord commanded Moses. Check.

Bread on the table just as the Lord commanded Moses. Check.

It doesn’t seem Moses was satisfied with doing a pretty good job. Moses was careful to obey every command to the smallest detail. Just as God had commanded him.

I’m reading my Bible this evening instead of my usual morning devotions. And as I think about these two chapters I find myself with my own checklist for the day’s activities.

God has given me some commandments. Like love my enemies, share the Gospel, resist the devil, turn the other cheek, pray without ceasing, not put anything or anyone above Him.

Just as God commanded Connie.

As I ran through my list of today’s activities I realize I could have done more. I mean I did ok. I didn’t do anything horrible.

But I see that Moses wasn’t satisfied with just “ok”. Neither should I be.

Feb 11 – Stop Giving

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Exodus 36-38

I know of a fellowship of believers who took on an extensive building project. Lead by the Lord, they didn’t do a fund raiser. They didn’t take pledges. They didn’t hire a consultant. The pastor simply shared the plans with the congregation, and the money started rolling in.

People gave generously as their hearts were moved to give. In fact, the congregation was so generous with their gifts, that after a time with the building project’s expenses more than met, that pastor had to ask his church to stop giving.

True story.

Sometimes I think we strategize God right out of the picture. Sure the money is pledged and the buildings get built with the help of consultants and fund drives these days. But I’m not sure why we don’t trust God a bit more to move in the hearts of His people to fill a need instead.

The example I gave above can be found in the chapters we read today in Exodus. The children of Israel gave generously toward the building of the tabernacle. And God never once told anyone they had to. He simply laid the need on their hearts and they responded above and beyond.

And God is the same today as He was back then. Maybe its us who have changed.

 

 

Feb 10 – Let Me Do That

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Exodus 33-35

Did you think of your church fellowship when you read these chapters in Exodus today? God moved people to action. And they obeyed. Some gave of their material possessions. Some gave of their time as they used their talents for sewing, building, carving, designing…

The Tabernacle would be made by hundreds of people, working together, following God’s leading. This is what being a church is all about.

There is a dear woman in my church who loves to sew. God laid on her heart to start a sewing ministry, not knowing how many women would even be interested. But she was faithful. Once a month from five to twenty five women gather in the fellowship hall. Some bring sewing machines, some have scissors, some bring irons. They have made Salvation Dolls and sent them to a missionary who uses them to introduce children in Africa to their Savior. They made draw string bags to put in the boxes for Operation Christmas Child. They’ve made walker bags for a nursing home in our neighborhood. They’ve made neck pillows, bookmarks, snuggle pillows for a children’s hospital, blankets, and they’ve only been meeting for about a year.

My sister feels led to minister to elderly women in her church who live alone. (Happy Birthday, Peggy. I love you!) Through her church’s visitation ministry, she visits about five women every month, takes them to the grocery if they need, takes them to lunch or the doctor, prays with them, or just sits with them. She sends them cards, and calls them just to say hi.

There is a church where a few retired men got together and formed a committee that will pick up used appliances, clean and repair them, then give them to needy people in the community. They fix furniture for the same reason.

I’ve shared that my church provides a free meal every month for the community. There are several people in this tiny fellowship who organize, cook, serve, and clean up month after month for about 100 people who enjoy a hot meal with all the fixins.

Some people are called by God to teach Sunday School, work in the nursery, mow the church lawn, cook, clean, sing, work with Youth groups, give financially.

And when these people follow God’s lead, great things can happen for our churches in Jesus’ name.

Do you feel God’s call to some ministry in your church? Don’t depend on someone else to obey your call. Step right up and say, “Let me do that!”

Feb 9 – You Can Fool Some Of The People Some Of The Time

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Exodus 30-32

Really Aaron? “This is the god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt”? (32:4) A statue you yourself made from gold, and you want to pass it off as a god? Did you really think your brother Moses was going to believe that you threw some gold earrings into a fire and out popped this idol all by itself? Do you think anyone in his right mind would believe such a story? Are you saying you believe it? Seriously?

Ok, friend. How many times have you (have I) rationalized our own bad behavior? Ever say, “He made me do it”? Ever try to convince someone that God’s ok with you not going to church because you’re working extra hours to get that promotion? Ever try to talk someone into agreeing with you that getting drunk on the weekends doesn’t mean you have a drinking problem? Ever look at Playboy for the great articles?

What was God’s response to Aaron and the sin committed by the children of Israel? Don’t kid yourself into thinking He’s any less angry with us when we disobey.

I can read these verses in Exodus and shake my head at Aaron’s audacity. Then I look in the mirror and realize I look an awfully lot like Aaron.

Maybe in some parallel universe we might get someone to believe a gold calf emerged from a fire on its own. Maybe you might convince someone that the sin you are committing isn’t really a sin after all.

But you will never fool God.

Dear Father, I hate it when I recognize myself in some of the Bible’s accounts. I know there have been times when I rationalize sin in my life, and I am sorry. You have a right to be angry with me. But I don’t want You to be. God, may I identify sin in my life, call it what it is, and repent of it. Stop me when I try to convince myself or someone else that any sin is ok. I lay down all my defenses. Guilty. And forgiven. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name.

Feb 8 – Seriously

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Exodus 28-29

God is serious about His priests being holy, consecrated, pure, set apart. This is quite a ceremony described in the verses we read today. Every inch of their clothes had to be just so, every bit of a sacrificed animal had to be accounted for, the blood, the oil, the gemstones, the bread, every detail had to be followed exactly as God commanded.

I am convicted. As a Christian I have the privilege of being a member of God’s holy priesthood, my body a temple of God, set apart to represent Him. But I don’t always take my position in Christ as seriously as what I read today.

Maybe it’s true that we don’t tend to appreciate those things that come easily as much as we do that which involves effort, struggle, intention. My position in Christ was given to me through grace when I repented of my sins and asked Jesus to be my Savior. I don’t walk around with that heavy uniform Aaron wore. I am clothed with Jesus’ righteousness.

But I needed to read this portion of Scripture today to remind me that my salvation came at a very high price. What I read in such detail here is exactly what Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled in my life.

I owe it to my Savior to be just as serious, as respectful, and worshipful as were Aaron and his sons when they were consecrated for service. I never want to take for granted that which cost Jesus His life.

Dearest Savior, I am  humbled today as I read what steps Aaron, as Your priest, took in order to be consecrated for service, and what details were required for the sacrifices. You did that for me when I was still a sinner. Let me serve You today as You deserve. I want to be an effective priest in Your kingdom.

Feb 7 – 10% Blessing

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Exodus 25-27

A while back I posted something concerning tithing. You know, the 10% of our earnings we’re supposed to give God. A blogger friend of mine , a man whose posts I might sometimes disagree with, but whose opinions I always respect, appreciate, and seek out, pointed out that the concept of tithing is not a New Testament Church thing. That church, he reminded me, gave everything they had, they took care of needs as needs arose without doing the math.

(nightlightblogdotcom.wordpress.com. I encourage you to check out his blog, especially today’s from Hebrews 10. It’s so good!)

Maybe that’s why Exodus 25:1-8 got my attention today. God told Moses to put together a tabernacle made of gold, silver, bronze, leather, oil, gemstones, and more. But God didn’t require anyone to give anything toward the construction. His instruction to Moses was to collect those things from “every man whose heart moves him.”

My church is starting a very needed building project, and we’ll need to raise some big bucks. How would God have me contribute? I want to be one whose heart has been moved, and I want to be obedient.

Let me ask you this: If church giving wasn’t tax deductible, would you still give what you give right now? Our government is talking a lot about a flat tax. Would your church survive?

Here’s what I hope. I hope our churches, my church’s building project, will all flourish because we Christians put down the calculator and give as God moves our hearts to give. Maybe He’s giving us 10% of His blessing because that’s what we’re giving Him.

Wonder what it would be like if we really did give Him everything.

Feb 6 – Dinner With God

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Exodus 22-24

It must have been exciting to be one of the seventy elders of Israel who had dinner with God on the mountain. (Exodus 24:11) It wasn’t just Moses who saw God.

They saw the God of Israel and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire as clear as the sky itself. (verse 10)

Think of it!

Sometimes I find myself wishing I could sit and talk with God over a bowl of chili. I’d like to see the pavement under His feet, to hear His voice.

But while I walk this earth I have the privilege of having that very same God living right inside of me. I have His very words written as a love letter to me. I have His attention every minute of every day.

When the seventy elders walked back down that mountain, they walked away from God’s Presence. And that’s something I’ll never have to do.

One day I’ll see His face. I’ll hear His voice. I’ll feel His arms around me. I’ll know exactly what it was those seventy elders experienced that day on the mountain, and more.

Forever.

Dear God, I look forward to that day. And I thank You that until that time comes, You promise to stay right here with me. I love You.

Feb 5 – An Eye For An Eye

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Exodus 19-21

In the chapters we read today, and will read in the days to come, God is spelling out his demands for holy living. There is absolutely a right and a wrong and it’s right here in front of us in black and white. Those who think “right” is an arbitrary set of rules decided by individuals to suit their own needs is wrong, wrong, wrong.

I’ve often heard, “an eye for an eye” and it’s first said here in Exodus. It is included in the verses that talk about how to handle it when a pregnant woman gets injured when two men are fighting. But the principal applies to life. Jesus even talked about it.

But when Jesus talked about it in Matthew 5, he turned things around a bit. He says if someone slaps you, don’t slap back. Turn the other cheek. He’s using these passages in Exodus to make a point. Sin isn’t just sin when acted out. Sin is a heart condition.

For years, when I was a Middle School Guidance Counselor and did “guidance” activities with sixth graders, I showed the movie “The Buttercream Gang.” There’s a line in there that came to mind this morning as I thought about what God would say to me in His word. Here’s the line:

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, Pete.

Seriously, getting even never makes things even. Tailgating the driver who cut you off doesn’t even the score, except to make you both look ridiculous. Hurting someone who hurts you only makes both of you guilty.

I’ve found that I am happier, life is better, if I let God be judge and jury. He’s much better than I. And in the end, he’s gonna judge me, too.

Holy God, I pray that as we read your rules for living we will bow to You in complete obedience. I thank you that I live this side of the cross, where I know following rules cannot buy my salvation. And I want to remember that Jesus took these rules one step further, that my heart’s condition is so important. But You gave these rules to us to make our lives richer, our relationship with you purer. I want to be obedient, repentant when I sin, and love you with my whole self. Make me holy through Jesus’ blood. Thank you for wanting to.