Wednesday, January 31, 2018
The Bronze Laver: Jesus Our Mirror
Verse of the day: Exodus 30:17-19 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 18 “You shall also make a laver of bronze, with its base also of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. And you shall put water in it, 19 for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it.”
The bronze laver for the Tabernacle was located between the altar and the tent. Before the priest could enter into God’s presence, a burnt offering was sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin, then, they washed their hands and feet, representing the purity and cleansing that needed to take place before they could present themselves. The washing of their hands and feet was significant in that it pictured the necessity of being clean for work and service, as well as the holiness of their walk with God. Psalm 1:1 reminds us, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful”. The material used to construct the laver was provided by the ministering women who served at the entrance of the tent (Exodus 38:8). The bronze supplied by them was used for mirrors. Unlike today’s glass mirrors, in those days, polished brass, or bronze, was used for mirrors (Job 37:18). What a wonderful picture for them, and us, of the Word of God, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Word (John 1:1). The Apostle Paul, in describing how a husband should love his own wife, described how Jesus loved His church, in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” We know from 1 John 1:9 that Jesus is the One who cleanses us from sin and all unrighteousness. As the priests approached the laver and saw their own reflection, it was a reflection of their own sinfulness and unworthiness to come before God, and a reminder that they needed cleansing. The Word of God serves the same purpose today. We know from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that the Word of God, in its entirety, is profitable for conviction, correction, and direction. James 1 tells us that God’s Word is our mirror; it clearly shows us who we really are, in light of God’s righteousness. James 1:22-25 tells us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” Jesus, being the Word, is also our Mirror. The Word of God tells us that we fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus is the Glory of God. Therefore, we fall short of Jesus; for this reason we must be careful not to measure how well we are doing in our walk with God by how someone else is doing in their walk. Although we are called to be examples for others, the true measure of our walk is to be compared to the perfect Son of God, the Word Himself, our Mirror. It is in Jesus that we have forgiveness of sin. It is in Jesus that are righteous before the Father, and it is Jesus who cleanses us, so that we are presentable before God. Just as the priests were to cleanse their hands and feet, we too, as God’s holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), must be pure in our doings and our walk. This means that it is needful that we read, study, and apply, God’s Word every day, so that our thoughts, words, actions, deeds, and walk is in line with what God commands of us as His children, and Jesus’ ambassadors; not for our glory, but all for His glory.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
The Ransom Money: Paid In Full
Verse of the day: Exodus 30:11-12 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.”
The ransom money collected during the census, contrary to what some think, was not for the construction of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was built using a voluntary offering given by the people. The ransom money collected was used for the maintenance of the Tabernacle service, such as the purchase of flour, fuel, garments, etc. The payment of the ransom money was their acknowledgment that their lives were not their own, but God’s. It was an acknowledgment that they were surrendering their lives to the LORD, and that they were completely dependent upon Him; by this keeping the plague they deserved to suffer, because of sin, at bay. The ransom money pictures for us the ransom that was paid by Jesus Himself. 1 Timothy 2:6 confirms that it was Jesus, “who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time”. 1 Peter 1:18-19 reads, “knowing that you were not redeemed (ransomed) with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Jesus Himself said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Because Jesus has paid our sin-debt in full, we now belong to Him. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 makes it clear that we are no longer our own when we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” This means that Jesus is not just Savior, but Lord of our lives. He paid the ransom we owed with His precious Blood. For us, this also means that we do not have final say in respect to what we do with our bodies. Today’s thinking, even amongst Christians, is that we have the freedom to choose what we do with our bodies, and how we use them. Before we are told in 1 Corinthians 6, that we have been bought by the Lord, and that our bodies are not our own, Scripture warns us to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Sadly, this mindset of “this is my body, I’ll choose what I want to do with it” has also led to the sin of murder, as many have decided that they have the right to end the life of an unborn, unwanted, child. This, of course, would not be a decision that is necessary, if, in many instances, we obeyed to first command to flee sexual immorality. Nonetheless, the ransom money pictured for us the ultimate ransom that would be paid by Jesus Christ. In verse 13 of this chapter in Exodus, God tells Moses what the amount of the ransom money will be, and then in verse 15 makes it clear that this amount was to be paid by everyone, rich or poor. God did not require the rich to pay more or the poor to pay less. This is very significant, as in Christ, we are all equal, whether rich or poor. God is no Respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11). Just as God shows no partiality, or favoritism, He calls us to be impartial when it comes to the Gospel. It is to be preached to both the rich and the poor. Whether wealthy or destitute, salvation can only be found, and obtained, in Christ Jesus. We are not to show favoritism to those who can give more in the local church, or treat the poor with less respect (James 2:1-13). Proverbs 22:2 clearly tells us that, “The rich and the poor meet together: the LORD is the Maker of them all.” We are not to begrudge the rich for being rich, as God has chosen to allow them to be wealthy (they will give an account for how they use it), and we are not to neglect the poor, as God’s desire is that we meet their needs, when He presents us with the opportunity (Proverbs 19:17; 22:9; 29:7). The bottom line is that Jesus died for all. He did not just die for one class of people, or for someone with a specific background. John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world”; and 1 John 2:2 cannot be any clearer that Jesus was the Ransom paid, in full, not just me and you, but for the world.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, January 29, 2018
The Altar of Incense: Sweet Odor of Our Mediator
Verse of the day: Exodus 30:1, 7-8 “You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood.” “Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. 8 And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.”
The Altar of Incense was located in the Holy Place, before the veil of the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant. Incense, in Scripture, is a picture of prayers (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; 8:3). Aaron was instructed to keep incense burning continually, day and night. The incense was to be lit using the fire from the Brazen Altar, and under no circumstance was any other incense to be burned, other than the incense which God gave the recipe for. Every year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest was to place blood on the horns of the altar to cleanse it. The placement of the altar was significant, as it pictured Jesus as our Mediator. 1 John 2:1 tells us, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The fire used to keep the incense burning, taken from the Brazen Altar, is also significant, as it pictures our Mediator as the acceptable Mediator, by which we are forgiven, and through whom our prayers will be acceptable. It also pictures that fact that our prayers, in Christ, are accepted by God’s grace. Our prayers are not to be brought to God in the name of anyone other than Jesus (Matthew 18:19; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13). Nowhere in Scripture are we told that anyone other than Christ Himself is our Mediator; this includes any priest, Jesus’ mother Mary, or any other “saint”. God’s Word is very clear that there is only One Mediator between God and man. The Apostle Paul made this clear in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”. God was not interested in any incense that was brought before Him that was anything other than the incense produced from the recipe He gave (v. 34-38). The blood placed on the horn of the altar was significant in that it illustrated God’s desire that our prayers come from a pure heart. So often, we harbor sin in our hearts, and think nothing of coming before the Lord to offer up our prayers of praise and thanksgiving. Yet, if we hold on to unconfessed sin, the offering of our lips is unacceptable. Psalm 66:18 reads, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” In Isaiah 1, God made it clear to Israel that their sacrifices and incense were an abomination to Him because of their sinfulness (Isaiah 1:13). God wants us to come to Him with a clean heart. Our prayers can be holy, and pure, before the Lord, only if our hearts are sprinkled with, and made clean by, the Blood of Christ. Lastly, the incense burning continuously pictures the command to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We have open, twenty-four hour, access to God’s throne, through Jesus. It is because of His righteousness, and purity, that our prayers are acceptable to our God. Let us not neglect the opportunity to come before Him, not just when we are in need, but every moment of every day, as we praise Him for His goodness, and give Him thank in everything, regardless of what circumstances we may be facing, for this is the will of God (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In those moments when we know not how to pray, in Christ, the Holy Spirit intercedes and speaks on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27). God will always hear and answer the prayers that come up before Him, like the sweet smell of the incense that burns continually in our Tabernacle, who is Christ Jesus.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, January 28, 2018
The Outer Court and Gate: The Only Way
Verse of the day: Exodus 27:9, 16 “You shall also make the court of the tabernacle. For the south side there shall be hangings for the court made of fine woven linen, one hundred cubits long for one side.” “For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. It shall have four pillars and four sockets.”
In order to enter the Tabernacle, the Israelites first had to enter by way of the Outer Court. The Outer Court was white; a symbol of purity and righteousness, and it had only one entrance on the east side, The Gate. The Gate was made of blue, purple, and scarlet, intertwined with white, a reminder that they were entering a heavenly place of royalty and one that required blood and sacrifice in order to be pure. In constructing the Tabernacle as He did, God was communicating to the Israelites how He was to be approached, and worshipped. They were to approach Him, and worship Him, in accordance to His direction, and not by manmade, merely religious, rituals. By having only one way in, God was also communicating that not every way was acceptable for entrance into His presence. Once inside, the first article approached is the Brazen Altar where animals were sacrificed, as burnt offerings, and where the blood was dabbed on the horns of the Altar. The Gate was a picture of the coming Messiah, by which all of us are granted access to God. Jesus said in John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” The Gate, being the only way, and the narrow way to enter the Outer Court, as they made their way into the presence of God, and was also a picture of the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only Way to the Father (John 14:6). Jesus said in Matthew 7:13:14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Interestingly, the Gate was not secure in any way to keep anyone from entering. Like salvation today, all who wanted to enter could enter by the only way provided, the Gate. However, the choice had to be a personal choice (Romans 10:13). Once you entered the Outer Court, everything around them was covered in bronze, a reminder of the judgement that loomed over them. However, as the horns of the Altar were a symbol of power, and the blood on them signifying the power in the blood to grant forgiveness of sins, they were also a symbol for a place of refuge (Exodus 21:12-14, 1 Kings 1:50-53). The only way to proceed from the Altar to the presence of God, in worship, was to first present a blood sacrifice, without blemish, that was acceptable to the LORD, and finding refuge in that sacrifice that was the acceptable substitute. This is the only acceptable way before God. We have that today in Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, who is the Gate, the Way, the Propitiation (or payment) for our sins, and our Refuge, who makes us acceptable before the Father (1 John 2:2; Matthew 11:28-30). The bottom line is that the Israelites could not approach God in any way they wanted. They had a prescribed way, and to stray from that way could cost them their lives. There are far too many people today who are making up their own way of approaching God; and sadly, there are far too many Christians who have decided that whatever ritual they have made up is the way to approach God or please Him with their lives. The only acceptable way to the Father is the Son (John 14:6). Even our works of righteousness, outside of Jesus, and for our own selfish purposes, or base on false doctrinal beliefs, is unacceptable to God (Titus 3:5-7). God told us in Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.” If what we are relying on is our own righteousness to be right and acceptable before God, then we are on a path to eternal damnation. If, as born again believers, we are relying on our works of righteousness, done outside of being a work that comes out of our faith, then we are relying on ourselves and not the righteousness that has been imputed on us in Christ (Hebrews 11:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9). The only way that we, and our everyday worship (to include our words, attitudes, actions, and deeds), are acceptable before our Heavenly Father, is through His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, January 27, 2018
The Brazen Altar: The Lamb of God
Verse of the day: Exodus 27:1-2 “You shall make an altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar shall be square—and its height shall be three cubits. 2 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall overlay it with bronze.”
The Brazen Altar, or Altar of Burnt Offerings, played a key role in the priest being able to access the rest of the Tabernacle. It was located in the courtyard as you enter the gate to the Tabernacle. It was a symbol of the Cross. Although made of acacia wood, it was overlaid with bronze in order to withstand the fire needed to consume the offerings. It was elevated with earth, a picture of that hill called Calvary, or Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified. The horns on all four corners were a symbol of power. The only way to access service and fellowship with the LORD, there first had to be an acceptable sacrifice, the blood of an innocent animal without blemish. The blood of that animal was placed on the horns, signifying that there was life-giving power for the forgiveness of sin, and a picture of Jesus, the Horn of our salvation (Luke 1:69). Only after a sacrifice was made, could the priest enter the Holy Place or Holy of Holies. The brazen altar was a picture of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the sacrifice He made on Calvary, when He gave His life on the Cross. Unlike the animals that were sacrificed year after year, Jesus was the ultimate Sacrifice, the Lamb of God. John the Baptist made this announcement in John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” He gave His life once for all, a perfect Sacrifice, who was the “payment in full” for our sins (Hebrews 10:10; 1 John 2:2). In Christ, we have forgiveness of sin, and eternal fellowship with God. Hebrews 9:11-12 reads, “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” What does this mean for you and I today? It means that we have complete forgiveness and acceptance with God, in Christ, as born again believers. The enemy will do all that he can to convince us that, somehow, what Jesus did on Calvary was not enough, and that we must do something in addition to this to obtain and maintain eternal life. This is a lie straight from the pit of Hell. There is nothing we can do to add to what Jesus has already done. We are saved by grace, His kindness, and His mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:3-5). Even when we stumble, there is nothing that will separate us from God’s love, once we belong to Him (Romans 8:38-39). This does not preclude us from having to work out our salvation, and do what is right, doing all we can to avoid sinful behavior (Philippians 2:12-13; Galatians 6:9; Colossians 3:17). The bottom line is that what Christ did for us on Calvary is enough. We must not allow the trials of life, or our own moments of failure, be used by anyone, including our well-meaning brothers/sisters in Christ, to convince us that we have lost our salvation or have been abandoned by God. If we create a wedge in our fellowship with Him because of sin in our lives, let us now repent, confess it, and allow Him to restore our fellowship with Him (Psalm 51:12; 1 John 1:8-2:1). He promised that no one could take us from His hands, and that He would never leave us, nor forsake us; and that promise is unconditional (Hebrew 13:5-6). Jesus assured us in John 10:28-30, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, January 26, 2018
Golden Lampstand: Tried by Fire
Verse of the day: Exodus 25:31 “You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece.”
There is one aspect of the Menorah that we did not extensively discuss; its construction of gold. It was made, as instructed by the LORD, of one piece of gold. In order to shape that piece of gold, it would have to be heated and purified by fire. The fire serves to make it pliable and remove the impurities from the precious metal. We have already said that the gold represented Jesus’ royalty and perfection, and that only in Him are we presented as perfect before the Father (Hebrews 10:14). However, there is another picture we see when we ponder the significance of the gold used to construct the golden lampstand. We see the picture of what Christ had to suffer for our sake, and how we will suffer for our faith, and His sake. Although Jesus Himself was perfect and sinless, He took on our sin, and suffered a torturous death on our behalf. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reads, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 1 Peter 3:18 tells us, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit”. Jesus knew that He came for the specific purpose of suffering a painful death for us, in order to bring us eternal life (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). He also knew that, as His followers, we would suffer for our faith, and for the sake of the Gospel. The Menorah serves as a reminder for us today that we, the church, will suffer for Jesus, and our faith will be tried by fire. Jesus told us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17:15-16, that they would be protected from the evil one, because He knew the attacks would come. In John 17:20, he included us in His prayer, “for those that will believe in Me through their word”, because He knew that we too would suffer persecution, and be tried by fire, as God’s children. It is in this testing that our faith will be perfected, just as putting precious metals, in their impure state, through a fiery process removes the impurities. We, in and of ourselves, cannot endure the fire of testing, but in Christ, the One whom the gold of the lampstand represents, is the One who gives us the strength to endure times of testing. The bottom line is that for us, the born again believer, if we are actively serving the LORD, and proclaiming the Gospel, we will suffer persecution. Rather than shy away from it, and try to avoid it, we should rejoice in those moments when we are persecuted for our faith. This is not a natural reaction to being rejected or injured (whether physically or emotionally) by others. Yet, Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” The Apostle Peter put it this way, in respect to our faith being tried, in 1 Peter 1:6-8a, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love.” If we are honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that none of us enjoy living with, or going through, difficult circumstances. However, this is simply a part of life, and will be amplified as followers of Christ. Nonetheless, it is far better to endure suffering in Christ, knowing that we have a Living Hope, and a home in Heaven, should we die, than to endure suffering, without Jesus, or with no hope of knowing what would happen if our circumstances caused our demise here on earth. Regardless of what God allows us to endure, know that He is the Refiner who watches over us as we go through this refining process that will make us more like Jesus; so that when others see us, they will see more of Him than they will of us in our words, attitude, actions, and deeds (Malachi 3:2-3; Romans 8:28-29).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Golden Lampstand: Light of the World
Verse of the day: Exodus 25:31 “You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece.”
The Golden Lampstand, or Menorah, was located in the Holy Place. It was situated to the left of the Table of Showbread, providing light on the way to the Holy of Holies, and was the only source of light for the high priest so that he could serve, and fellowship with, the LORD. This is a wonderful reminder for us that the only Way to the Father is through the Son, our Lord and Savior, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). The lampstand’s construction was significant in that it shows the deity and perfection of Christ, as well as how we are complete in Him. It was made of solid gold, not gold-plated. It had one main branch, and three on either side (v. 32); from this we see six branches (the number of man in Scripture), totaling seven branches (the number of perfection in Scripture); signifying that man is made perfect only in Christ (Hebrews 10:14). The design resembling the almond blossoms was significant in that the almond tree was the first to blossom, and bear fruit, each year (v. 33-34). Jesus was called the “Firstfruits”, by the Apostle Paul, because He was the first to be resurrected to eternal life. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 tells us, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” The Menorah also pictures what Jesus said in both John 8:12, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life”, and John 15, where He told us that He is the Vine, we are the branches, and we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in Him. Jesus did not only tell us that He is the Light of the world, but He also called us the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Being light in this world, as ambassadors of Christ, is a title that we must take seriously, and hold in high esteem. In Matthew 5:16 Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” The light we shine is not our own; it is the Light, which is Christ, shining through us (John 1:4-5). Jesus has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). The only way that we can shine Christ’s light before men, so that our good works will glorify our Heavenly Father, is for us to walk as children of light. The Apostle Paul explained this best in Ephesians 5:8-13, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” Once again, we are reminded that we are in the world, and not of the world (John 17:16). We are called to win the lost, not behave like them. We must befriend them, but not make them our source of fellowship or entertain their behavior as something we adopt as our lifestyle. We are called to be light in their dark lives, as Jesus is the Light of our lives.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Table of Showbread: Bread of Life
Verse of the day: Exodus 25:23 “You shall also make a table of acacia wood; two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its width, and a cubit and a half its height.”
The Table of Showbread (also known as “the bread of presence”) served to remind Israel of two things. It was on the Table for seven days, and then could only be eaten by the priests, in the Holy Place, on the Sabbath. It was significant in that it reminded Israel of the LORD’s provision and God’s willingness to fellowship with them. The manna in the Ark was a reminder of their rejection of God’s provision, while the showbread was a reminder of God’s faithfulness to provide, in spite of their lack of gratitude. For us, today, it certainly serves as a reminder that we have a God who is faithful to take care of our needs (Matthew 6:25-33); but more importantly, it was a picture of Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6:35), in whom we have eternal life. Jesus told us in John 6:51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” The showbread also reminded Israel that God had a desire to fellowship with them, even though they were a stiff-necked people. Jesus was highly criticized because He spent time with those who were looked down upon in society, the tax collectors, prostitutes, and undesirables. His response to His critics was, in Mark 2:17, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” This has not changed today. The Lord has commanded us to go out and bring the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). We are here to bring the lost, those who are sinners, just like us, to Christ. Before we were given eternal life in Christ, and became God’s children, we were just as lost as the vilest of sinners. We are sinners saved by grace, and we must not forget that. The Apostle Paul put it best, in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Sadly, there will be Christians, who are Pharisaical in their approach to Christianity, who will criticize those of us who will chose to be among, and befriend, the unsaved, in order to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. I am not saying that the unsaved should be our primary, or only, source of fellowship, or that we should practice the same things that the unsaved practice. I am saying that we cannot win the lost if we do not go to where they are. Someone once did that for us, and the least we can do, in the Name of Jesus, is do the same for others. When Jesus multiplied the loaves, and the fish, feeding 5,000 men, and their families (Matthew 14), it was a wonderful picture of how Jesus, the Bread of Life, would give eternal life to anyone who would come to Him. There is no limit to the number of people who can be saved, if they would put their faith and trust in Him. Therefore, it does not matter who it is, where they came from, or what they are currently practicing, we must be willing to talk to them about the One who laid down His life for them. John 3:16, tells us that “God so love the world”, there was no exception to that love. He did not say that He does not love a certain class of people, or a class of people who practice a certain thing. He loves the world, and desires that none would perish (2 Peter 3:8-10). The showbread is a wonderful reminder that God provides for His people, both in the physical, and the spiritual, and desires to have fellowship with even the vilest of sinners in order that they would accept His gift of salvation in Christ. Let us never forget where we came from, and what we were saved from. Praise God that He did not reject any one of us when we trusted, and called on, Him.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
The Ark: Forgiveness in Christ
Verse of the day: Exodus 25:10, 17 “And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.” 17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width.”
The Ark of the Covenant, known to be God’s throne in the Holy of Holies, is where God told Moses He would meet with him and give him commandments for the children of Israel (v. 22). Within the Ark were three items that were significant; manna, the bread God provided for them in the wilderness, Aaron’s staff, which God caused to bud when the people rebelled against his authority, to prove his authority was God-given, and the Ten Commandments. These three items had great significance, as it was a reminder of Israel’s rebellion against God while in the wilderness. The manna, a reminder that they rejected God’s provision, the staff, a reminder that they rejected God’s authority, and the Ten Commandments, a reminder that they were unable to live righteously, in and of themselves, before God. When we reflect on these three things, we must admit that we too have rebelled against God in these three areas. How often have we not trusted God to take care of us? How often have we made decisions that were opposite of what we knew God wanted, and how often have we sinned, in our words, actions, and deeds, against God and others? We are just as guilty as they were, proving what God told us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” However, even back then, God had already given the Israelites hope for the forgiveness of their sinfulness. The Ark was covered by the Mercy Seat, or Atonement Cover, God’s throne, where the high priest would approach, once a year, in the Holy of Holies, and make atonement for himself, his household, and the children of Israel. He would sprinkle the blood of a bull and a goat, and once God saw that blood, their sins would be covered, or forgiven, until the following year. This was very significant, not only for the Israelites then, but for us now. The Atonement Cover sat over the three reminders of Israel’s rebellion, and was a picture of how Jesus’ atoning Blood would cover our sins, granting us forgiveness before the Father, and making a way, through Him, for us to approach God’s throne of grace with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). The three items inside the Ark also serve as a reminder of why Jesus, the Lamb of God, was qualified to give His life as a propitiation, or payment, for our sins. The manna, a reminder that Jesus is the Bread of Life, our Manna from Heaven, that gives us eternal life, and in Him we will never die (John 6:32, 48-50). Aaron’s staff is a reminder that Jesus never rebelled against God’s authority, and obediently fulfilled His Father’s will, even unto the death of the Cross (John 6:38; Luke 22:42; Philippians 2:5-11). The Ten Commandments are a reminder that Jesus lived a sinless life, never once violating God’s Law, thereby being perfectly qualified to die as the Lamb of God, the perfect Sacrifice that God required, in order that our sins be completely forgiven, in Him (Romans 8:1). When we stumble, the enemy will do whatever he can to convince us that God will never forgive us. He will try to convince us that God’s love and grace could never be enough for what we just did. Sadly, he may even use another judgmental, legalistic, Christian to convince us of this. However, we must never forget that we have our Mercy Seat, our Atonement Cover, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who gave His life and His Blood, to be spilled, for the complete forgiveness of ALL our sins. We now have an Advocate, in Christ, whose righteousness has been placed upon us, and has made us acceptable to the Father (2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossian 1:14; 1 John 1:8-2:1). No matter what happens, or how we stumble in our walk with Him, once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we will never be separated from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, January 22, 2018
The Tabernacle: Inner Beauty
Verse of the day: Exodus 26:1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine woven linen and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim you shall weave them.”
Inside the Tabernacle we have a beautiful picture of who Christ is, and a wonderful picture of what is important to the LORD when it comes to what true beauty is. The curtains inside the Tabernacle were blue, purple, and red, interwoven with white, and an outer covering of goat hair. We see Christ’s heavenly righteousness, royalty, cleansing blood, and purity. God’s only begotten Son, our Heavenly King (Revelation 19:16), whose Blood cleanses our sins (1 John 1:7), and makes our scarlet sins as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). It is only because of Jesus Christ that we are justified, or declared “not guilty”, before our Heavenly Father (Romans 5:1). When we observe the description of the Tabernacle, the outside was not very attractive, but it had inner beauty. What a wonderful picture of what Christ wants to accomplish in each of us, as He works in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, or make us more like Himself. The change that He looks for is an internal change. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 tells us that we are new creatures in Christ, and we, as born again Christians, are no longer to view God or man through the eyes of the flesh, but through our new, spiritual eyes, so that we look upon God and one another through heavenly eyes. This means getting to know God for who He says He is. It also means seeing humanity for what it is, lost and dying, and in need of a Savior; thereby stirring within us hearts of compassion, and having a keen awareness of how important it is to bring the message of Christ to a dying world. We must also put aside our vanity and see the beauty that exists inside one another, rather than judge on outer appearance. This will not happen until we renew our thinking through the study and application of God’s Word (Romans 12:2). It means that we must do all we can to cooperate with the Lord in this process, so that what becomes most important is the change that takes place in each of us. When we view the Tabernacle, we see that inner beauty is more important to God than the superficial outer dressings we preoccupy ourselves with. Sadly, too many of God’s children have put far too much weight on what they display on the outside for the world to see, to the neglect of the heart and what is inside. However, sooner or later, what is inside will come out, and be displayed, by our words, actions, and deeds, which can only be hidden until God chooses to expose us to the world. We have allowed the world to dictate what beauty is. To the world, beauty is all about physical appearance, what clothes we wear, how young we look, how good looking we can make ourselves with make-up, surgery, and other superficial things. Outer beauty is short term and fades quickly. It can be taken in the blink of an eye via injury, accident or illness. This does not mean that we should neglect ourselves, but we must be careful not to put more importance on what is outside than what is inside. The one form of true beauty that cannot be affected by outer influences is the beauty that comes from being transformed by the cleansing Blood of Christ. The beauty that exists in Jesus is the beauty that God desires to see in us. While we waste our years trying to improve the outer facade, God looks at the heart, and what is inside. The Lord made it clear to the Prophet Samuel, when he was searching for a king, that while Samuel looked at the outer appearance of David’s brothers, God had already seen the heart of David, because God does not see as man sees (1 Samuel 16:7). Jeremiah 17:10 reminds us that God said, “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” The Apostle Peter wrote the following, in respect to the importance of inner beauty, 1 Peter 3:3-4, “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” Each and every one of us was created by God, along with our talents, abilities, and physical attributes. We are all different, and we should not allow the world to define true beauty for us, based on their superficial measures. The psalmist put it best when he wrote in Psalm 139:13-15, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” Only Christ can beautify what God created so perfectly, but has been marred by sin. Let the beauty of Jesus be reflected in our words, actions, and deeds; a reflection of the work Jesus is doing in us.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, January 21, 2018
The Tabernacle: Christ with Us
Verse of the day: Exodus 25:8 “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”
We know that the Tabernacle was a “type” or “picture” of Christ. The tent itself, and its instruments, represents something about our Lord and Savior, and means something to us. Let us begin with the tent. God designed it the way He did so that it would be easily set up and dismantled. In this way, the Tabernacle went with the Israelites, wherever God led them. This also meant that the tent was with them regardless of what they were facing in the wilderness, and even in their rebellious moments, God did not take the Tabernacle away from them. How does this typify Jesus? When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who also takes up permanent residence in us (Ephesians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 3:16). The Word of God tells us, that, as His children, as born again believers, nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Jesus also told us, in John 10:28-30, that He gives us eternal life, and no one can take us out of His hands. We are eternally secure in Christ when we put our faith and trust in Him alone for eternal life. As we walk through life’s trying times, Jesus is with us, the Holy Spirit never leaves us, and God never forsakes us. God is our Helper (Hebrews 13:5-6). While the Lord was here on earth, He was tempted as we are, but did not sin, and because He walked this earth as a Man, He can relate to anything we suffer or are tempted with (Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16). Regardless of what God allows us to experience or suffer in this lifetime, Jesus goes with us, the Holy Spirit guides us and comforts us, using the Word of God. Jesus knew pain, sorrow, rejection, and loss. We should praise God for the fact that even in our rebellious moments, or those moments when we choose sin over righteousness, He does not cast us aside, nor forsake us. Instead, He convicts us so that we will repent, confess, and come back into fellowship with Him (1 John 1:8-9). Even if we are stubborn, He will discipline us, as His children, in order to restore the intimacy that is hindered by our sinful moments, so that we continue to walk with Him in righteousness (Hebrews 12:3-11). The Israelites saw many marvelous things while God dwelt in their midst, and that was a great blessing. However, the same God who was with them, and made His glory visible to them, today has made His glory visible to us, in Christ. Hebrews 1:1-4 tells us, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” How much more blessed are we that the God who dwelled in a Tabernacle amongst the Israelites, in the wilderness, is even closer to us in our walk with Him, never leaving us, empowering us, molding us, shaping us, and loving us, in spite of us. Christ is with us, and nothing, or no one, can change that. May our Lord and Savior be honored and praised for His unfailing love for us.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Christ Our Tabernacle
Verse of the day: Exodus 25:1-2 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering.
It still amazes me when I read these first couple of verses that, in spite of the fact that the LORD knew that the Israelites were a stiff-necked people, He still desired to dwell amongst them. The idea of God dwelling with them was not Moses’ idea, or something requested by the Israelites; as we saw that they very much feared hearing from God directly, to the extent that they asked Moses to mediate (Exodus 20:18-19). God’s presence with His people came from God, not man. No one, including Moses, had done anything worthy of having God dwell in their midst. Yet, God is about to have them build the Tabernacle that He will use to be with them, protect them, and guide them. A wonderful picture of God dwelling with us today, in Christ Jesus. Just like the very moment God initiated this project for the purpose of being with His chosen people, Jesus came, dwelt among us, and today dwells in us, and we in Him (when we call upon Him and accept His gift of salvation), not by our doing, but because of His kindness, love, mercy, and grace (John 1:14; Titus 3:4-7). The LORD was having them construct a Tabernacle that would be a shadow, a type, a picture, of the coming Messiah, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This Tabernacle was easily set up, and broken down, so that it could be taken with wherever God led them. Praise be to God, that in Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling our bodies, His temple, to go with us wherever He leads us (1 Corinthians 3:16). Christ, our Tabernacle, not built by men, but by God Himself (Hebrews 8:2), is our dwelling place, as He also dwells in us, and is with us always (John 14:20; 15:4; Hebrews 13:5-6). Although the LORD could have built the Tabernacle without the offerings of the Israelites, He takes a step to test their faith, and their willingness to give to the LORD what was His to begin with. The offering of materials that God told Moses to request of His people were the very riches that they gained in Egypt when God gave them favor with the Egyptians (Exodus 12:36). Note that the only condition the LORD gave them in giving their offering was that it be given willingly with their hearts. One of the greatest tests of our faith is in the area of giving. When we choose to hold on to our earthly goods, rather than give them to the LORD, and trust Him to provide for us, we show what we treasure in our hearts. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” It amazes me today that some Christians still want to argue about whether or not giving of tithes and offerings is to be practiced in the New Testament Church. My question is, “Why would we withhold from God what He has freely given, when He has freely given Himself for our salvation?” “What do we have, or own, that did not come from God?” 1 Corinthians 10:26 clearly tells us that everything contained in the earth belongs to Him. Therefore, why do we withhold from God what belongs to Him in the first place? God does not ask us for anything unreasonable when He moves us to give in our local churches, or when He moves us to give to someone in need. The only true requirement in giving our tithes and offerings today is the same as God required when He told Moses to go to the Israelites; that the offering be given out of a willing heart. The Apostle Paul wrote, in respect to giving, in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” I have seen examples in my years of being a Christian, where large local churches, with members who were well off, financially, struggled every year with the church budget, and meeting their obligations. Some of them even dwindling to nothing and having to close their doors. Yet, I have been a part of, and seen small local churches, with members who were not well off; yet, finish each year with no debt, and extra money in their budget. The difference between the two? The members of the larger churches held on to their earnings and earthly goods, rarely giving to missions or the needs of others, while the smaller churches, with members who did not have much, gave faithfully to missions, and to the needs of others, as God presented them with those needs. God is Debtor to no man, and we will never out-give Him. The Israelites gave of their wealth in order that the Tabernacle could be built and God could dwell in their midst, a plan that originated with their God. Today, when we give, out of gratefulness for God’s goodness toward us, and a salvation that is undeserved, we give to those who are going out to share the Gospel so that others will have the same opportunity we have been given, to dwell in God’s Tabernacle, which is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, January 19, 2018
The Whole Word
Verse of the day: Exodus 21:18-19 “If men have a quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but remains in bed, 19 if he gets up and walks around outside on his staff, then he who struck him shall go unpunished; he shall only pay for his loss of time, and shall take care of him until he is completely healed.”
I will not cover all the laws, judgments or ordinances that the LORD gave the Israelites, but I will use this one to help us understand that God’s Word, in its entirety, is still applicable today. God said, through the Apostle Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Although we are free from the Law, God’s Law can still be used as a guide for how we are supposed to interact with one another, and in many instances, shows us what it means to love one another. Jesus gave us the two greatest commandments, to love God and our neighbor (Mark 12:30-31). He told us that we are to love one another, as God’s children, and by this people will know that we belong to Him (John 13:34-35). Just as we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, we are to do unto others, as we would have done unto us. Jesus said in Matthew 7:12, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” If we look at the Law through the eyes of love, we will find that the law can certainly be a guide to how we should love God and love one another; thereby confirming God’s truth that ALL SCRIPTURE is profitable. In a world where everyone tries to get their “pound of flesh” and then some, from one another, we have made lawyers rich with the number of lawsuits we file against one another. Sadly, even God’s children have been drawn into this practice, in setting matters with each other. Oftentimes, it is not even about the injury; it is all about the money to be made. We, the Christian, the born again believer, has been instructed on how to settle matters with one another. 1 Corinthians 6 clearly instructs us not to take our matter to the world, to the court run by the unsaved. Instead, we are to settle the matter amongst ourselves. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and possess God’s Word. Both the Spirit and the Word provide plenty of guidance for us to settle our differences, in a wise, loving, and forgiving manner (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 6:7, tells us that it is our utter failure when we, the church, go to the unsaved to settle matters between us. He asks the simple questions, “Why not simply accept the wrong? Why not accept that you have been cheated?” This is preferable to going before the world and demonstrating that we have no more wisdom than they do. This is far better than showing the world that the same people who preach Christ, and proclaim that Christianity is different than the world, yet cannot even get along with one another. If we look closely at what God said to Israel when He gave them His Law, and we look at it through the lens of love, we can say, “If I love God, and love my neighbor, I will make every effort to forgive the wrong they did; and if I did them wrong, I will do whatever I have to in making it right.” When we read this ordinance, in Exodus, that is what God was telling Israel, “If you injure your neighbor, pay him for his loss, and take care of him until he is healed from the damage you inflicted.” “Why? Because you love Me, and you want to obey what I have commanded; and because you love your neighbor, and would want them to do the same for you in similar circumstances.” Galatians 5:14 reminds us, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” The Word of God, in its entirety, is profitable in teaching us how to truly love God, and love others.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Altar of Truth
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:24-26 “You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it. 26 And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.”
After giving the Ten Commandments, God proceeded to instruct the Israelites on how they should build the altars of worship. Why was He so specific about this particular thing? In verse 23, God, once again, warned them against idolatry; indicating how serious an offense it is. The LORD did not want them building altars by the same processes that idols were made. God was, and still is, adamant about them, and us, not intermingling pagan practices and rituals in our worship. He did not want them to be tempted to create and images, or their own form of worship and religion. In 2 Samuel 6, God killed a man named Uzzah for touching the Ark of the Covenant. Why did God do this? God had given specific instructions relative to how the Ark was to be transported (Exodus 25:12-14; Numbers 7:9). He also made it clear that the holy things were not to be nonchalantly touched, lest they die (Numbers 4:15). The Ark had been in the house of Abinidab, Uzzah’s father, for a period of time, and Uzzah may have become far too familiar with its presence, thereby become too familiar with God. I am sure that many of us have heard the term, “familiarity breed contempt”. Sadly, we become too familiar with God and forget that He is holy and to be revered. That is often reflected in the way we worship, and in how we interact with Him in our personal relationship with Him. God was, and is, very specific, in His Word, in relation to how He wants us to worship Him. In those days, to worship the LORD outside of the boundaries He commanded resulted in death. Today, God still commands us to worship Him as He prescribes. Jesus said, in John 4:23-24, “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” To worship God in spirit and truth is to worship him with our whole heart and in accordance to the truth found in His Word. It is more than getting together and singing a few songs together, and hearing some “feel good” message from some “feel good” preacher. There is a big difference between singing a song because it has a nice beat, versus a song that has lyrics that truly lift up the Lord and remind us of His goodness and majesty. There is a big difference between seeking to hear a message that moves our hearts because it convicts us, and ignites in us a desire to live for the Lord in holiness and righteousness, driving us to our knees in repentance and confession of our sinfulness, and motivating us to serving the Lord in whatever manner He calls us to, rather than seeking after a message that will tickle our ears and do nothing to cause us to change how we are living for God. To worship God, based on false doctrines and false teachings, and making up methods and rituals that will allegedly bring us closer to God, is not worshipping in spirit and truth. Living a life that does not put the fruit of the Spirit on display by our words, actions, and deeds, is not worshipping God in spirit and truth (Galatians 5:22-23). Thanking God only when things are going well, and spending the rest of the time complaining and whining, when we claim to know, and have a personal relationship with, Jesus, is not worshipping God in spirit and truth. We are to be thankful in all things, and under all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We are to offer up the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, at all times, no matter what He allows to happen in our lives (Hebrew 13:15). To prove our faith by our works, and how we sacrifice for both God and man, for God’s glory, is worshipping God in spirit and truth (James 2:15-18; 1 John 3:17). God's specific instructions regarding the height of the altar was for the purpose of avoiding inappropriate forms of worship when they came to offer their sacrifices. He also specified when, and where, they were to worship Him. Pagan religions worshipped using sexually lewd rituals to their gods. This is completely unacceptable with our God. He wants us to be proper and decent in our worship, which means being proper and decent in our living and corporate worship services. If we are to truly worship God, the way He has commanded, we must make every effort to know Him for who He is, and not who we want to make Him. We must worship Him in accordance to His Word and truth, and not according to corrupted doctrines, practices, and man-made rituals and traditions.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Reverent Fear
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:18-19 “All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 Then they said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.’”
What a difference from Exodus 19:18-25, when the Israelites had to be warned not to come near Mount Sinai, lest they perish. Now, as they saw, and observed, the power of God, once again, in the thunder, lightning, smoke, and sound of the trumpet, great fear fell upon them. Their fear was so great that now they did not dare hear from God Himself, but desired a mediator. Sadly, that fear did not last long, as later we find them worshipping the golden calf. How quickly their fear and reverence for God dissipated once the terror of this event became a faded memory. It was under these conditions that Israel received the Law. God communicating to them, by both visual and sound effects, what fear and reverence they should have toward Him and His Word. Do we fear and reverence God as we should? Do we treasure (Psalm 119:162), and seek to be doers of, His Word (James 1:22-25)? I am afraid that we do not have the same kind of fear and reverence toward God today because we have not had to come near to Mount Sinai in receiving eternal life, and God’s Word (Hebrews 12:8). When we consider God’s mode of communication in giving the Law to man, it should make us aware of the fact that we, in and of ourselves, cannot please God enough, in any way, to earn His acceptance. The Law came to man to show us that we are sinful, and unable to save ourselves (Galatians 3:10-12, 19; Romans 3:19-20). Today, God takes a different approach in this “Age of Grace”; nonetheless, this should not lessen our reverence for God and His Word. As we read the Old Testament and the Law, it should give us a greater appreciation for what we have gained in Jesus Christ. Unlike the terrible scene under which the Law was received, today, it is God’s goodness that should lead us to repentance, and acceptance of God’s saving grace in Christ Jesus (Romans 2:1-4). The Israelites, although they had a mediator, Moses, were still too afraid to approach the LORD. In Christ, we do not have the same fear, for in Christ we are acceptable to the Father. Therefore, we are given permission to approach the Throne of God with boldness (Hebrews 4:16). However, that boldness should not be without reverence. The Israelites came to understand, the moment they observed what was taking place before their very eyes, that they were not fit to dwell in the presence of God, solely based on hearing God’s standard set in the Law. Today, we are still not fit to dwell in His presence outside of the LORD’s redeeming grace (Romans 3:23), that can only be found, and obtained in, Jesus Christ. Titus 3:5-7 reminds us, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” One day, just like the trumpet sounded at Mount Sinai, and God’s Law was presented in order to show man that he is condemned and lost, and preparing the way for our Savior; we will once again hear the trumpet sound. This time, however, it will be too late to receive God’s redeeming grace. The great terror that fell upon the Israelites on that day will seem small in comparison to the terror to come, as this time it will be a time of judgment for those who reject Christ and the Gospel message (Matthew 24:30-31; Revelation 8-11). Come to Him, our loving Savior, now, if you do not know Him personally, before it is too late. If we are already His child, we must ask ourselves, “Do we fear and revere Him and His Word as we ought?”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
The Dangerous Commandment
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Here we find another sin that is often overlooked, just like gossip; but is a sin that is very dangerous, as it takes us down the path to other sins. I will first remind us that the writer of Hebrews wrote in chapter 13, verse 5-6, to avoid a life of covetousness, being satisfied with what we have, and reminding us, that God will never leave us nor forsake us. We should be completely satisfied with having the Lord in our lives; even if that is the only thing we have. Having the Lord as our Helper is the greatest thing we can possess in this lifetime. The word “covet” used here means “to delight greatly” “to lust after with great desire”. In other words, we are not to desire after anything that belongs to our neighbor, whether it be his/her property, belongings, or relationships in their lives. James made it very clear that it is our lustful desires that leads us to sin (James 1:15). Covetousness leads to discontentment and envy. When we put our eyes on what others have, we begin to take inventory of what we do not have. However, what we do not have is what God has chosen not to give us, and He has chosen that for a reason. As born again believers we are called to be content (Philippians 4:10-13). We are called to be thankful at all times, regardless of our circumstances, and what we have or do not have (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The Apostle Paul, in Colossians 3:5, tells us that covetousness is equal to idolatry. When we covet, we allow our lustful desires to drive us to go after what we are coveting, regardless of whether or not God wants it for us. Whatever we covet becomes our god. Hence, why it equals idolatry. A life of covetousness can cause us to take the Lord’s Name in vain, as we proclaim our Christianity, but show everyone, by the way we live, that what we worship money, material things, and those things that are more important to the world. We can treasure our earthly belongings to the extent that we would fail to take care of our parents because we do not want to spend our resources to help them in their old age. We saw from yesterday’s devotional that King Ahab’s covetousness, in 1 Kings 21, led to Naboth’s death when Queen Jezebel hired a couple of false witness in order to obtain Naboth’s land for the king. Covetousness can lead to lying, murder, and robbery, as Naboth was not only murdered for his land, but in essence, he was falsely accused, and robbed of both his reputation and his land. When we covet our neighbor’s relationships, it leads us down the path to adultery. When we covet his wife, and desire her, imagining ourselves in his place and lusting after her, Jesus said, in Matthew 5:28, that we have committed adultery with her in our heart already. Many of us have probably heard the term “keeping up with the Joneses”. A term used for people who try to outdo their neighbors (because of covetousness and pride) by upgrading what they have (even though what they have may already be functional), such as cars, gadgets, interior and exterior “home improvements”. This is not a term that should describe the Christian’s lifestyle; instead, we should be known for a lifestyle as describe by the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 6:6-8. These verses read as follows, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” The Apostle Paul learned how to be content in whatever state he was in, because it was Christ who strengthened him in his ability to be content (Philippians 4:10-13). If we have Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and therefore, we too can learn to be content with whatever God chooses to give us or not give us. To indulge in covetous behavior is to set ourselves up to violate God’s commands, especially the most important commandments we have been given by Jesus Himself in Matthew 22:37-40, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Monday, January 15, 2018
When We Lie, We Steal
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
The commandment not to bear false witness against your neighbor is connected to the commandment not to steal. How, you ask? When we bear false witness, or utter untrue testimony, against someone, we rob them of their good name and reputation. It causes undue and undeserved despair for them, their family, and if they are a well-known businessperson in our neighborhood, it can bring financial ruin that affects them and their family. How often have we repeated stories about people that we heard, without even knowing whether or not it was actually true? Gossiping is a form of bearing false witness against someone. When we fail to stand up and tell the truth, when we hear someone speak lies about someone else, we become a partaker with that person, and bear false witness against the person being lied about. The bottom line is that bearing false witness against someone is outright lying (Proverbs 14:5). We can be so adamant about disciplining someone who fornicates, commits adultery, blasphemes God openly by some other behavior, but we look the other way when someone comes to us with a “juicy tidbit” about a brother/sister in Christ. If we do not stop them in their tracks, and make it clear that we do not want any part of it, and immediately set them straight about how this will affect the other person’s reputation and name, we are just as guilty as they are. Exodus 23:1 reads, “You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.” I once saw a post that read, “I am not so concerned about the fact that someone gossiped about me. I am more concerned about the fact that they felt comfortable enough to come to you and gossip about me.” May I also say this? Even if what we hear is true about the other person, we should not entertain or encourage others to tell us, or anyone else, the “story”. Instead, we should encourage them to pray for that individual, and maybe go to them and offer to help them get through whatever is going on in his/her life. Proverbs 6:16-19 makes it clear that lying and bearing false witness are an abomination to God. In 1 Kings 21, we read of Naboth, who owned a vineyard that King Ahab coveted. Queen Jezebel, in order to obtain that land for her husband, hired two false witnesses who accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. These false witnesses caused Naboth’s, an innocent man’s, death. However, the queen was just as guilty of causing Naboth’s death. When we bear false witness against others, we keep company with the likes of those who bore false witness against Jesus in Matthew 26:60. In Matthew 15:19, Jesus said that being a false witness is a wickedness that comes from the heart, along with evil thoughts, murders, fornications, adulteries, and thefts. So why do we take that so lightly amongst ourselves, when God sees it as such a vile sin? When we engage in such behavior that leads to strife and division among the brethren, it is an abomination to God (Proverbs 6). So how do we avoid bearing false witness against our neighbor? The Apostle Paul wrote this way in Ephesians 4:22-25, “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.” If we are not careful, we might drive someone away from the local church and from much needed fellowship with other believers, when we rob someone of their dignity, reputation, and good name, due to spreading something that was utterly false about them. In many cases, if we would take the time to get to know a person we hear others speak badly about, we may find that they really are not who the other person (or people) said they are. All that was said might have come from a heart of envy, and a heart that is not right with the Lord. Do not collaborate with someone by repeating, or partaking in, false statements about others.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Sunday, January 14, 2018
We Do It More Than We Think
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.”
There are many of us who would quickly say, “I’ve never stolen anything from anyone.” Well, for starters, that is most likely not true. All of us, regardless of who we are, may have stolen from someone at some point in our lives, whether as children, teenagers, young adults, or older adults. When we deprive someone of something that belongs to them, without their permission, we are stealing. There is no worse feeling than having someone break into our home, our car, or any other place we may consider secure, and stealing our personal belongings. It creates a feeling of insecurity, fear, and even vengeance. Why would we want to make another brother or sister in Christ (or anyone else) feel that way? Why would we want this kind of reputation? When we steal, we may not do it in a manner that is commonly thought of. Have you ever taken something from your workplace, such as pen, pencils, printer paper, or any other office supplies, and used them for your own personal projects or home office? If you have, then you have stolen. Have you ever borrowed something and failed to return it? You stole. If we cheat someone by promising to complete a project for payment, and received said compensation, but failed to complete the project as promised, we stole. If we charge someone more than a product we offer is worth, or more than any service we offer is worth, we stole. Proverbs 11:1 tells us that the LORD despises this kind for dishonesty. When we arrive at work late, and leave early, or take an hour lunch break when we are supposed to only take a half hour, we have stolen from our employer. If we are an employer and we fail to pay wages owed to our employees for work hours completed, we have stolen from them. James 5:4 reads, “Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” There are many who seek to cheat and steal from others by way of con schemes. As born again believers, we should not be known as people who cannot be trusted in the area of business and contracts. We, as God’s children, must be known, and trusted, for our honesty, and fair dealings. Let us take it a step further and ask, “Are we stealing from God?” “Do we give back to God what rightfully belongs to Him?” “Do we give back to Him the best of what we have and who we are?” “Do we use our resources, talents, and abilities for God’s glory?” “Are we robbing Him of what rightfully belongs to Him, and failing to serve Him as we should?” Malachi 3:8-10 records how Israel was robbing God by not giving Him of tithes and contributions. Today, God wants us to give to Him, but be cheerful givers of whatever we choose to give. The Apostle Paul wrote this in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, in respect to giving, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” The bottom line is that we are to live honest, productive lives. If we stole before we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we must now work and labor to have the things we want, and provide for ourselves, and our families (Ephesians 4:28). If we are a Christian, and we are cheating others, and stealing from them in any manner, we must repent, confess, and forsake this sinful behavior. A Christian should not be known as a thief; instead, we should be known as the most giving of people on earth.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Purity of Body and Mind
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:14 “You shall not commit adultery.”
To commit adultery is to engage in sexual relations with someone other than your spouse, regardless of whether the other person is single or also married. Any type of sexual activity outside of the marriage relationship is adultery. God included this in the Ten Commandments because of the sexual practices in Egypt, as well as in the land that God was giving the Israelites; as it was already inhabited by idolatrous and adulterous cultures. God created the institution of marriage from the beginning (Genesis 2:24). Marriage was created by God to be between one man and one woman, and the means by which to populate the earth (Genesis 1:28). Throughout the Scriptures we read God’s command to be pure sexually. We are told to be careful about what we put before our eyes and what we think about. Psalm 101:3 reads, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes”. Philippians 4:8 encourages us to keep our thoughts pure; it reads, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” When a husband or wife commits adultery, he or she is responsible for their own choice to do so, and must take responsibility for what they have chosen. They must repent and confess it for what it is…sin against God, primarily. Long before a man commits adultery, he has already prepared his minds for it. When we are careless about what we watch, television shows that contain sexual scenes, or pornography on the computer, we put ourselves in a position to fantasize about being with other women besides our own wife. When we see an attractive woman and fantasize about being with her sexually, and she is not our wife, Jesus said that we have already committed adultery in our hearts with her; therefore, before God we have already committed the act (Matthew 5:28). It is a short “hop and skip” from there to plotting in our minds how to make that happen. Sadly, the devil has no problem putting someone before us that is more than willing to participate. The mindset that exists in the world, and society, makes it easy to stray from our marriage. There is a way that we can avoid falling into this trap. However, what I will say now is something that will not be popular with some Christians, but needs to be voiced. All too often, when one spouse strays from the marriage, it has much to do with a breakdown in the marriage relationship long before adultery happens. A failure on the part of one or both spouses plays a large part in one of them seeking an inappropriate, and sinful, relationship with someone else. A husband and wife need to establish an intimate relationship, first, and foremost, with Christ. Not only must we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we must have one with each other. That means friendship, love, respect, and yes, a healthy sexual relationship. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” Far too many spouses deprive each other of the pleasure they are supposed to enjoy in the marriage relationship, and some even use it as a “weapon” or “bargaining chip” to get their spouse to do what they want. This is clearly sin as it violates the Scriptures. When we deprive one another sexually in the marriage, the Bible is clear that we give Satan plenty of room to bring temptation into the marriage. This is something that is rarely addressed in cases of adultery, in marriage, and the only person disciplined, or outcast, is the person who is ultimately tempted because of the other spouses disobedience, and sinful behavior, in violating the Word of God. Again, this is an unpopular stance to take when addressing the sin of adultery. I will now take the time to address something that will once again offend some. Christian sisters, please be careful about how you adorn yourself. Society has no issues dressing in such a way that they might as well be walking around naked. This ought not to be within the Christian community. We must not only take personal responsibility for our own purity, we must also be careful not to contribute to vile atmosphere we already live in. Another aspect of this commandment is that of spiritual adultery, which this word, in the Old Testament, is also used for. When we worship someone or something other than God, we commit spiritual adultery against the LORD. When we commit idolatry, it goes hand in hand with spiritual adultery. In essence, even in this commandment, God is once again reminding us how much He despises idolatry. Let us seek to be both spiritually and physically pure in Christ.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Friday, January 12, 2018
We Might Be Murderers
Verse of the day: Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”
Some of us have heard this verse quoted as, or have read it as, “Thou shalt not kill.” Unfortunately, because not too many people take the time to examine what the word “kill” means in the Old Testament, and assume that it means the same as our English word “kill”, the overall assumption, and opinion, is that all killing is wrong and prohibited. However, if that were true, then God would have been guilty of sending Israel to violate His own commandment every time He sent them out to war against other nations. Yet, in Deuteronomy 20:1, God told Israel, “When you go out to war…” Not, “If you go out to war…”, or “You will never go out to war…” God does not break His own commandments. In the New Testament we read, in Romans 13:1-5, that God warns us that those who are in positions of authority, in government, such as law enforcement officers, or a court sentencing someone to death, have the right to take someone’s life, if they are doing evil (of course, this should be within the lawfully set parameters). In the very next chapter of Exodus, chapter 21, God said, in verse 12, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” However, God also made a provision for a death that comes about by an unintentional act, in verse 13 of chapter 21, He said, “However, if he did not lie in wait, but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.” So if the LORD gave Israel, times and circumstances when it was lawful to kill, or put someone to death, and then did the same in the New Testament, for those in society who are in official authority, what did He mean when He said, “You shall not murder”? God did not prohibit all killing, He prohibited killing that resulted from hatred, premeditation, and done maliciously just for the sake of killing, with no regard for the value of life. In Matthew 5, Jesus explained that murder begins in the heart. When we harbor anger against a brother, or hold on to hatred toward another, God says that we are murderers. In 1 John 3, the Apostle John, tells us that Cain murdered Abel; and the physical killing happened because Cain had envy in his heart toward his brother. In 1 John 3:14-15, he wrote, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” There are far too many Christians today who are fighting to stop abortions and other senseless killings; yet, these very men and women are harboring hatred, and envy, in their hearts towards other Christians, family members, co-workers, and others. This is the reason that we must be careful to not fall into the trap of thinking that we have “arrived” when it comes to our maturity in Christ. We should all be very careful of not being like the self-righteous Pharisee who proclaimed he was better than the tax collector, simply because he was a religious leader. Jesus said of this Pharisee, and the tax collector (who humbled himself and confessed he was a sinner), in Luke 18:14, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” We may not have physically put someone to death, but when we hate someone else because of envy, or we hold on to hatred for any other reason, refusing to forgive, before God we are murderers. God’s command to not kill was intended to communicate that we are not to maliciously, or wrongfully, end the life of another. However, He was not just speaking of a physical death. He was talking about not having a deep-seated, malicious, hatred in our hearts towards others. God sees murder in our hearts long before we ever carry out the physical act of taking someone’s life, because God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)