Spiritual Training 17 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 16, 2015 in deceitfully, Guilt, leviticus
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 6:1-7 (The Guilt Offering)

1-7 The LORD said to Moses: 2“If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving a neighbor about something entrusted to them or left in their care or about something stolen, or if they cheat their neighbor, 3or if they find lost property and lie about it, or if they swear falsely about any such sin that people may commit— 4when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, 5or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering. 6And as a penalty they must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, their guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. 7In this way the priest will make atonement for them before the LORD, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”

Here we discover that stealing involves more than just taking from someone. Finding something and not returning it or failing to return something borrowed are other forms of stealing. These are sins against God and not just your neighbor, a stranger, or a large business. 

Lets Bring it Home: If you have gotten something deceitfully, then confess your sin to God, apologize to the owner, and return the stolen items—with interest.

Proverbs 16:11 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 16, 2015 in Cheating, Honesty, Proverbs 16
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 16:11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Should a Quarter Pounder weigh four ounces? Should a gallon of milk contain 128 fluid ounces? How about a gallon of gasoline? Do your answers change based on whether you are buying or selling? The great God of heaven expects total honesty in all transactions.

Should the medicine you receive at a hospital or drugstore be 100%, or 99%, pure? Could it make a difference? How about settings and accuracy of diagnostic equipment? Do you want your father to have a perfect MRI? How about someone else’s father?

Should the survey pins of your property boundaries be accurate to centimeters, inches, feet, or yards? Do you want your house’s assessed value close to market value or very close? Does your answer change if your assessment is higher or lower than real value?

Do you feel strongly about these questions? Who says that measurements are important? And who is going to do anything about it, if measurements are not made properly? Should you be able fudge your business transactions a little if no one gets hurt badly?

More than $7 trillion worth of economic transactions take place in the United States each year based on measuring devices. Just a 1% error could amount to over $70 billion, greater than the annual budget of many nations. Small errors add up to big consequences.

A typical convenience store sells 100,000 gallons of gasoline a month. If the owner adjusts his pumps to 127 fluid ounces per gallon, which you could not detect even with measuring cups, he could pocket an extra $20,000 per year. Who would know?

The LORD JEHOVAH knows. He ordained just weights and measurements; He commands them; and He enforces them (Lev 19:35-36; Deut 25:13-15; Ezek 45:10). One of Israel’s sins before being destroyed as a nation was deceitful merchant practices with false balances and weights (Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:11). Beware, reader!

God will judge those nations or men who alter weights or measures for gain, because that is an abomination to Him; but He delights in their right use (Pr 11:1; 20:10,23). Honesty and accuracy in economic transactions did not originate with man; they are from God. The laws of the nation of Israel in 1500 B.C. were the envy of the world (Deut 4:5-9).

Compliance with this ordinance leads to economic prosperity, as it has in America. When was the last time you measured your Quarter Pounder, milk, gasoline, medication, or survey pins? Economic trade is allowed to move at full speed with full confidence: not because Americans are intelligent, but because America follows God’s ordinance, whether they individually think about it or not. God’s laws work even for the ignorant.

Before modern scales, sellers provided a balance and weights (buyers did not want to carry weights everywhere, and who would trust theirs anyway). The extra weights were kept in a bag. Stealing was done two ways: the balance and/or the weights were altered. A wicked seller could sell 15 ounces as a pound or 35 inches as a yard to pad his profits.

This proverb helps define the eighth commandment, Thou shalt not steal (Ex 20:15). Since some will fudge transactions to steal from others, the LORD condemns them all in order to establish property rights, economic confidence, and professional integrity. Is your resume true, and do you answer interview questions with perfect honesty, for misrepresenting yourself is attempting to steal a position and salary you do not deserve?

Though the U.S. has an Office of Weights and Measures, under the authority of the Commerce Department, which regularly inspects public measuring devices, there is yet room to cheat by those who do not fear the Lord. You should be thankful for this governmental authority and its protection, but you must apply this proverb to yourself.

Dear reader, do you steal on the job by purloining, pilfering, or small thefts (Tit 2:10)?  Do you coast through jobs, cut corners from job specs, stretch breaks, or pad the time card? Do you pace yourself and make jobs take longer than they should? Should a windshield be installed perfectly, or almost perfectly? Should a sandwich be made according to the company’s precise menu specifications? Or is close good enough?

When buying things, the LORD condemns pointing out faults and then boasting to others you got a great deal (Pr 20:14). For you are using a false balance – to the seller the item was overpriced, and to your friends it was under priced. This is an offence to the Judge of all the earth. Men will even say, “I got a steal!” This is true, for they are truly thieves!

Do you always pay a fair price? When you detect an error in a transaction, do you point it out, even if it costs you more? Do you return extra change from a transaction? You will never get ahead being stingy or tight in your financial dealings (Pr 11:24-26; 19:17; 28:8). This is a mark of profane men and why the poor get poorer and the rich get richer.

How do you treat widows (Ex 22:22)? Do you pay their asking prices? Would you pay her more, if she were below market? Would you give a child without a parent a better deal? Consider well, dear reader. The LORD is watching (Deut 10:18; Psalm 68:5).

How did God punish stealing? Restore the stolen amount seven times (Pr 6:31), and if you could not afford that, you were sold into slavery (Ex 22:3). Simple, proper, perfect!

What if others take advantage of you in minor ways? Jesus taught to let the matter go in the pursuit of peace (Matt 5:38-48). Paul taught that it was better to be defrauded in small things than to bring up a conflict or trial in the church for it (I Cor 6:6-8).

How should a Christian conduct himself in this world? Always exceed the expectations of those trusting you, on both the selling and buying sides and in all other economic transactions and professional relationships. You will always come out ahead, for promotion comes from the Lord (Ps 75:6-7). You will grow in favor with God and men.

Even in the New Testament this commitment to accuracy, honesty, and integrity is exalted, as Paul commanded and illustrated (Rom 12:17; II Cor 8:20-21). Accurate, honest, and liberal conduct is living testimony of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and will cause others to ask a reason of your hope (Matt 5:16; I Pet 2:12; 3:15).

Spiritual Training 16 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 16, 2015 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, leviticus
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 5:14-19 (The Guilt Offering)

14 – 19 The LORD said to Moses: 15“When anyone is unfaithful to the LORD by sinning unintentionally in regard to any of the LORD’s holy things, they are to bring to the LORD as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. It is a guilt offering. 16They must make restitution for what they have failed to do in regard to the holy things, pay an additional penalty of a fifth of its value and give it all to the priest. The priest will make atonement for them with the ram as a guilt offering, and they will be forgiven.

    17“If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible. 18They are to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the wrong they have committed unintentionally, and they will be forgiven. 19It is a guilt offering; they have been guilty of wrongdoing against the LORD.” 

The guilt offering was a way of taking care of sin committed unintentionally. It was for those who sinned in some way against “holy things”—the tabernacle or the priesthood—as well as for those who unintentionally sinned against someone. In either case, a ram with no defects had to be sacrificed, plus those harmed by the sin had to be compensated for their loss, plus a 20 percent penalty.

Lets Bring it Home: Even though Christ’s death has made guilt offerings unnecessary for us today, we still need to make things right with those we hurt.

Proverbs 14:27 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 14, 2015 in Bible Study, Fear, Proverbs 14
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

The fountain of life has been found! Drink from it now, dear reader! The man who fears the LORD will be greatly blessed (Ps 128:1-6). The man who does not fear the LORD will be destroyed by the deadly snares of this ungodly world (Pr 10:27; 22:5; Eccl 7:17).

This is one of the best proverbs of Solomon. Here is a superb promise, a sober warning, and spectacular instruction. The wisdom of this short sentence is wonderful. You have learned many things in life to get where you are today, but this is better than all of them. There are many traps to destroy or kill you in a sinful world, but the lesson will save you.

The fear of the LORD is sober reverence and holy desire to please God that rejects sin and confidence in one’s self (Pr 3:7; 8:13; 16:6). It is the beginning of wisdom (Pr 1:7; 9:10), as those without it are hopelessly lost in self-love and human opinion. It is closely connected to the law of the wise (Pr 2:1-22), which also is a fountain of life (Pr 13:14).

The man or woman who fears the LORD has the wisest impulses and strongest motivation of any living in the world. He or she will be successful in the sight of God and good men, as measured by divine standards. This person will have a glorious life and be saved from the snares that trap others in dysfunctional and painful lives of death and hell.

What can save a man from great attraction to a strange woman? His wife? His mother? His pastor? His children? Not really. The fear of the Lord is the strongest antidote to her beauty and seduction (Eccl 7:26). Nothing else comes close, for only reverent fear of God’s judgment and a great desire to please Him can cause a man to reject her advances, like Joseph did (Gen 39:7-9). Salvation from her wiles delivers a man from the hell and death to which fornication and adultery certainly lead (Pr 2:18; 5:4-5; 7:27; 9:18).

What will keep a marriage happy and prosperous? Both parties fearing the LORD! A husband who fears the LORD will love his wife with the tender affection her Creator intended. A wife who fears the LORD will love her husband with the reverent service that makes for peaceful homes. Two that fear the LORD will make love according to the Inventor’s instructions and solve problems by the Counselor’s wisdom! Therefore, it becomes of greatest importance that spousal selection fix on the fear of the Lord above all else (Pr 31:30). Disregard for this point will cost you fifty years of death. Mark it.

The fountain of life, which is a perpetual supply of good things that make for abundant living, is not dependent on circumstances, for a little with the fear of the Lord is superior to treasure with trouble (Pr 15:16). Ah, dear reader, is it not a treasure here (Is 33:6)? Men search diligently for a fountain of life for physical longevity, but a successful life that pleases God and men is a much greater goal, and the means to it is in this proverb!

Christian parent, this is the most important thing to teach your children. Forget even reading, if it competes with this gift. The fear of the Lord will serve them far better than any academic pursuit, physical exercise, or entertainment. It should be taught as the whole duty of man and the conclusive purpose of life (Ps 34:11; Eccl 12:13-14; Eph 6:4).

It can be established by a godly father living its example and enforcing its claims toward each child. If you love your children, then take time this very day to warn them of His judgments, show them His statutes, and offer them His promises. Point out to them the vanity and vexation of life without the fear of the Lord and the prosperous peace with it.

The fundamental cause of folly, frustration, and pain in life is the lack of the fear of the LORD, which the wicked know not at all (Ps 10:4; 36:1; Rom 3:18). It is only by grace of salvation that men are given this fountain for their parched souls (Jer 32:40), and then they must be taught it, as David and Solomon taught their children (Ps 34:11; Pr 2:1-5).

Jesus Christ feared God like no other, even when facing the torture and death of the cross, and His fear provided a fountain of eternal life to save God’s elect from the death wages of their sins (Heb 5:7-9; John 4:14; Rom 6:23; II Tim 1:9-10). Those who love Him will find a church where God is worshipped with reverence and godly fear (Heb 12:28-29).

Spiritual Training April 14 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 14, 2015 in Battle Focus, Bible Study, leviticus, swear, testify, unclean
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 5 (The Sin Offering)

1-6:     1“ ‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.   

  2“ ‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realize their guilt; 3or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean)f even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt;

4or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.

Have you ever sworn to do or not do something and then realized how foolish your promise was? God’s people are called to keep their word, even if they make promises that are tough to keep. Jesus was warning against swearing (in the sense of making vows or oaths) when he said, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

Lets Bring it Home: Our word should be enough. If we feel we have to strengthen it with an oath, something is wrong with our sincerity. The only promises we ought not to keep are promises that lead to sin. A wise and self-controlled person avoids making rash promises. 

5:When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and 6as a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the LORD a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin. 

The entire system of sacrifices could not help a sinner unless he brought his offering with an attitude of repentance and a willingness to confess sin. Today, because of Christ’s death on the cross, we do not have to sacrifice animals. But it is still vital to confess sin, because genuine confession shows realization of sin, awareness of God’s holiness, humility before God, and willingness to turn from this sin (Psalm 51:16-17).

Lets Bring it Home: Even Jesus’ death will be of little value to us if we do not repent and follow him. It is like a vaccine for a dangerous disease—it won’t help unless it enters the bloodstream. 

In this way the priest will make atonement for the man’s sin, and he will be forgiven. (This statement is mentioned 5 times in Chapter 5 after each Offering).

Proverbs13:08 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 13, 2015 in Proverbs 13
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 13:8 A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

What will you do for money? How badly do you want to be rich? Will you hear a warning about the desire to be wealthy? Test your character and wisdom. Read on.

Here is one of the more difficult proverbs of Solomon. But you can find a wise lesson and warning, if you look carefully and diligently. Do you desire wisdom enough to take the time to read this proverb, consider it soberly, and grasp the following comments? The love of money is the root of all evil, and it destroys men’s lives, but the poor still crave it!

Commentators see two options. Either, a rich man can buy himself out of trouble, but the poor avoid most dangers by having nothing to attract enemies. Or, the wealth of a rich man attracts thefts and threats, while poverty protects the poor from such violence. In the first option, both riches and poverty are good; in the second option, riches are bad, and poverty is good. These interpretations are obscure; there is a clearer and simpler lesson.

A ransom is the price paid for freedom from captivity, to remove a penalty, or restore a previous condition (Pr 6:35; Ex 21:30; 30:12; Job 33:24; 36:18). Many men lose their souls by not giving up the pursuit of riches. Ambition and wealth become the ransom price of their lives. The desire to be rich and successful is the price, or cost, of their lives. When dying on their beds, men who have chased riches all their lives have an empty life.

They will not redeem their souls by choosing contentment over covetousness and greed. They sacrifice their lives for money, and then they go to the grave with nothing (Eccl 5:10-17). A rich man could enjoy life, naturally and spiritually, if he did not love money. He could be peaceful and quiet, but he chooses the obsession of acquiring yet more. This foolish and destructive fascination with riches is a common disease (Eccl 6:1-6).

Paul warned, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (I Tim 6:6-10).

The danger is clear – riches can destroy you. If a man loves money, he will sacrifice his soul and anything else to get it (Pr 15:27; 11:17,29; Hab 2:9-11). Riches are the ransom price of his life. He could buy his freedom and peace, but he will not pay the price, which is giving up his pursuit of riches and being content with what he has. He remains a slave.

Jesus loved a rich, young ruler, who would not give up his riches to follow the Son of God. He would not ransom, or buy back, his life (Matt 19:16-22). Jesus knew the choice was as hard as a camel going through the eye of a needle (Matt 19:23-26), but He also taught that men should be willing to pay any price to save their own souls (Matt 16:26).

What about the poor? How does the second clause of the proverb relate to the first one? You know that it relates, or it would be a separate proverb. But you also see the disjunctive “but” connecting it. Therefore, there is a related contrast in the second phrase.

The poor live without many of the fears, worries, and burdens the rich endure – they even sleep better (Eccl 5:12). They watch the rich in their vain and troublesome pursuit of wealth (Ps 39:6), and they see the rich man die just like a poor fool (Ps 49:6-13). But they will not learn from the object lesson, and they will not hear the wise testify that riches are vanity. They complain about their poverty and wish for the wealth of the rich.

How can you trust the interpretation given above, rather than the two popularized by commentators? The two clauses are related; the two clauses are contrasted; rebuke is not the same as danger or trouble; and the poor refuse rebuke rather than never hearing any. And you can find related or similar instruction in other proverbs (Pr 10:15,22; 11:4,28; 13:7; 14:20; 15:27; 18:11; 19:1,4,7; 22:1,2; 23:4-5; 28:3,6,11,20,22; 30:7-9).

If you are rich, you are in great danger of missing the kingdom of God (Matt 19:23-26). The rich have generally been persecutors, rather than patrons, of Christians (Jas 2:6-7). It is your duty before God to resist trusting your riches, and it is your privilege before God to be willing to give your money away in order to lay hold on eternal life (I Tim 6:17-19).

If you are poor, be content with it (Jas 1:9-11; Jas 2:5; I Cor 1:26-29). Realize that godliness with contentment is truly great gain (I Tim 6:6; Heb 13:5). Remember and believe Solomon’s many rebukes of riches in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (Pr 10:22; 15:16; 16:8; 28:6; Ps 37:16; Eccl 1:16 – 2:11). If you need more, pray wisely for a moderate increase, and make any godly changes the Bible approves (Pr 30:7-9; I Thess 4:11-12).

Riches are usually a curse. You arrived with nothing; you will leave with nothing; and God does not care how much you gathered during your life. Redeem your soul from this world’s mad worship of materialism and success, and hear the rebuke of wisdom instead. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, serve only one master, and lay up treasure in heaven (Matt 6:19-21,24,33). You will soon be glad you did.

Spiritual Training 13 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 13, 2015 in Acceptance, atonement, leviticus
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 4 (The Sin Offering) 

1-3: The LORD said to Moses, 2“Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands   

  3“ ‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed

The sin offering was for those who: (1) committed a sin without realizing it or (2) committed a sin out of weakness or negligence as opposed to outright rebellion against God. Both individuals and groups could be guilty of unintentional sin. Different animals were sacrificed for the different kinds of sin. The death of Jesus Christ was the final sin offering in the Bible

13-14 “ ‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt 14and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the tent of meeting.

22-25“ ‘When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the LORD his God, when he realizes his guilt 23and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat without defect. 24He is to lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering. 

27-29 “ ‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, when they realize their guilt 28and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering for the sin they committed a female goat without defect. 29They are to lay their hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering. 

In this way the priest will make atonement for the man’s sin, and he will be forgiven. (This statement is mention 4 times in Chapter 4 after each Offering). 

Have you ever done something wrong without realizing it until later? Although your sin was unintentional, it was still sin. God’s commands served to make the Israelites aware of their sins (even the unintentional ones) so they could be forgiven for them, and to keep the people from repeating those sins. Leviticus 4 and 5 mention some of these unintentional sins and the way the Israelites could be forgiven for them.

Lets Bring it Home: As you read more of God’s laws, keep in mind that they were meant to teach and guide the people. Let them help you become more aware of sin in your life.

Proverbs 09:03 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 9, 2015 in Acceptance, Proverbs 03, Wisdom
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Under Gods Command

 Proverbs 9:3 She has sent our maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.

The world’s best woman wants you! She has a house with seven pillars (Pr 9:1). She has prepared a feast (Pr 9:2); she wants to have an intimate meal with you (Pr 9:5). Solomon personified wisdom as a desirable woman, Lady Wisdom. Will you accept her invitation?

Wisdom is available for any man or woman who wants it. It is not far away; it is not difficult to obtain. It is not hard to find; it is not just for the intelligent or educated. There are no age or sex limitations. The only prerequisite is simplicity, or ignorance (Pr 9:4)!

If you are perplexed with any aspect of life, Wisdom is calling you. The blessed LORD God offers wisdom and understanding to men. All they must do is act on the invitation to humble themselves before Him and diligently apply the instruction He freely offers them.

Wisdom is found in creation (Ps 19:1-6), for God revealed His eternal power and Godhead by created things you see. It is also found in parents, teachers, counselors, and pastors (Pr 5:13; 24:6; Mal 2:7; Eph 6:4). But it is mostly found in the Bible (Ps 19:7-11).

The psalmist declared, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Ps 119:130). Scripture can make a minister perfect (II Tim 3:16-17). You should give attention to it, as the only light in this dark world (Is 8:20; II Pet 1:19).

God gave you a manual of wisdom in the Bible! He also promised His Spirit of wisdom to those who ask, and He will give both liberally (Luke 11:13; Eph 1:17; Col 1:9; Jas 1:5). With an offer like Solomon’s dream, do you pray for wisdom and understanding?

Her maidens want your attention. She cries out to you. You cannot please God without her. You need her to be successful or happy. You cannot face God after death without her. If you neglect or reject her call, she will punish your folly (Pr 1:20-32; 8:32-36).

Test your heart about Lady Wisdom right now. Do you appreciate your parents reproving you? Friends correcting you? A pastor warning you? Do you crave the assemblies of the saints, where the Word of God is boldly preached? Even when the sermon is long?

Do you read these proverbs carefully, seeking to extract every morsel of wisdom you can, since they are God’s inspired wisdom from the pen of King Solomon? You do not have to look far to see the maidens Lady Wisdom sent to invite you. What will you do right now?

Jesus Christ is Wisdom personified (I Cor 1:30; Col 2:3). God’s wisdom is seen clearly in the life of Jesus Christ. His apostles, eyewitnesses of His resurrection, preached His gospel throughout the world. Have you believed and obeyed that message of wisdom?

Spiritual Training 09 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 9, 2015 in Acceptance, leviticus, Making Friends
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)
Leviticus 3:1-17
The Fellowship Offering: A person gave a fellowship offering as an expression of gratitude and a means of maintaining fellowship between himself and God. The animal’s sacrificed life emphasized the value of gratitude and maintaining harmony with God. Neither peace with God nor thanks to God was to be considered a cheap or unimportant gift. Because it symbolized peace with God, part of the offering could be eaten by the person presenting it.

1“ ‘If your offering is a fellowship offering, and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the LORD an animal without defect. 2You are to lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash the blood against the sides of the altar. 3From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the LORD: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 4both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 5Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is lying on the burning wood; it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

The peace-offerings had regard to God as the giver of all good things. These were divided between the altar, the priest, and the owner. They were called peace-offering, because in them God and his people did, as it were, feast together, in token of friendship. The peace-offerings were offered by way of supplication. If a man were in pursuit of any mercy, he would add a peace-offering to his prayer for it. Christ is our Peace, our Peace-offering; for through him alone it is that we can obtain an answer of peace to our prayers. Or, the peace-offering was offered by way of thanksgiving for some mercy received.

Lets Bring it Home: We must offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually, by Christ our Peace; and then this shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock.

6“ ‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering to the LORD, you are to offer a male or female without defect. 7If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the LORD,s 8lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 9From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the LORD: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 10both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 11The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering presented to the LORD.
12“ ‘If your offering is a goat, you are to present it before the LORD, 13lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 14From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the LORD: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 15both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 16The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.
17“ ‘This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.’ ”

Here is a law that they should eat neither fat nor blood. As for the fat, it means the fat of the inwards, the suet. The blood was forbidden for the same reason; because it was God’s part of every sacrifice. God would not permit the blood that made atonement to be used as a common thing, Hebrews 10:29; nor will he allow us, though we have the comfort of the atonement made, to claim for ourselves any share in the honour of making it. This taught the Jews to observe distinction between common and sacred things; it kept them separate from idolaters. It would impress them more deeply with the belief of some important mystery in the shedding of the blood and the burning the fat of their solemn sacrifices. Christ, as the Prince of peace, “made peace with the blood of his cross.” Through him the believer is reconciled to God; and having the peace of God in his heart, he is disposed to follow peace with all men.

Lets Bring it Home: May the Lord multiply grace, mercy, and peace, to all who desire to bear the Christian character.

Proverbs 8:24 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 7, 2015 in Proverbs 08
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Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 8:24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

Once upon a time there was no water – no oceans, seas, lakes, or pools. It was before God created the heaven and the earth (Gen 1:1-2). No man has ever seen such a universe, and the only record we have of it is the written revelation of God in the Bible. But even when there was no water, before God created the heaven and earth, wisdom already existed.

This proverb is part of Solomon’s personification of wisdom as a woman. The personal, feminine pronouns throughout the eighth chapter of Proverbs reference Lady Wisdom, as Solomon describes wisdom in lofty and beautiful terms. She offers herself to men (Pr 8:1-11), lists her rewards to men (Pr 8:12-21), describes her origin with God before any creation (Pr 8:22-31), and closes with a further appeal and invitation to men (Pr 8:32-36).

The LORD Jehovah created all water (Gen 1:1-8). The Word of God often presents Him as the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is (Ex 20:11; Ps 146:6; Jonah 1:9; Acts 4:24; 14:15; Rev 10:6; 14:7). He is the Ruler of the seas and uses them to accomplish His holy purposes (Ps 77:19; Is 43:16; Amos 5:8; 9:6; Jonah 1:4).

Do you feel pressure on your ears at the deep end of a swimming pool – 10 feet from the surface? Have you tried scuba diving and felt the pressure at 100 feet? The submarines of World War II could not survive 500 feet. Modern nuclear submarines are not made to operate below 1500 feet. Yet the Mariana Trench in the Pacific is 35,800 feet deep. A mile deeper than Mount Everest is high! The LORD is His name (Amos 5:8; 9:6).

Consider the Asian tsunami of 2004. An undersea earthquake of magnitude 9.0 in the Indian Ocean sent a sea surge 1-2 feet high racing in all directions at 600 mph. When it reached shore it slowed to about 35 mph, but it grew in height to as much as 50 feet. A wall of water! It killed as far away as Port Elizabeth in South Africa, 5000 miles from the epicenter. Over 225,000 lost their lives, and 2,000,000 were made homeless.

The seas are considered as primitive and ancient as anything on earth. Even evolutionists hallucinate about primordial slime coming together in the dark depths eons ago to make butterflies, elephants, hummingbirds, and their baboon ancestors. They are blinded fools! While the seas are old, they are only 6,000 years old based on the Bible’s chronology.

What is the lesson? Though men consider the seas to be very old, there was something earlier. Before there was water, there was wisdom. Before the dark seas existed, the creator God possessed wisdom. If wisdom – the ability of right judgment – is more ancient than the seas and fountains of the earth, you should seek it with all your might. Go to God’s word and His teachers and learn the only true wisdom to direct your life.

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