Read Thru The Bible-Numbers 32-33, Just Short

At this point in the book of Numbers, the Israelites are still wandering. I wanted to focus on chapter 32-the actions of the tribe of Ruben and Gad really intrigued me as I was reading today.



Basically, these people were satisfied with the mediocre! They were content with stopping just short of Cannan, the Promise Land, and settling in Gilead. Ruben and Gad just didn't want to cross over the Jordan River to experience the fullness of the Promise Land from God.



Number 32:5

5 If we have found favor in your eyes," they said, "let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan."



I am just guessing here, but I imagine that the land of Gilead was not as exciting and filled with beauty as the Promise Land of Cannan. Why in the world would they want to stop short and not go all the way? I really don't have an answer to this-do you?



But, I did start thinking about how we, as Christians, stop short of the abundant life that God promises us while we are here on earth. The biggest thing that keeps us from living this exciting life is lack of faith and not believing that God is who He says He is. We don't truly comprehend that God can and will do what He says He can do. Lack of faith...lukewarm belief...see what Jesus has to say about this.

Now, I have to warn you, this is a pretty rough verse. The context is that it was written in Revelation and to the church of Laodicea. Apparently, this church was not getting any props from Christ what so ever. Even though its quite harsh, I think this verse speaks to us in our topic at hand.

Revelation 3:16
15-17"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit.

Ouch! How would you like Christ in all His glory and fire to be saying this about you personally?!

He doesn't have to, though! Choose to be Hot! Let the Holy Spirit light a mighty FIRE in you to believe God and have flaming faith. No need to be lukewarm-that's no fun! You would miss out on all kinds of cool things God has planned for you.

LIVE IT OUT! Application:
Is there something in your faith walk that you are lukewarm about? Or, are you just plane frigid? Take it to Jesus, let Him de-thaw and light that flame.

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White Knuckles part 2-Get a Grip!

The other day I posted about clinging so hard to Christ for strength that you had white knuckles. This concept really stuck with me and the Lord gave me more thoughts on this subject.

Get a Grip (this came from my lovely mom, by the way)
When you are gripping Christ so hard, there is no way that you are holding on to other things that might bind you and hold you back from that abundant life He promises in John 10:10. These things might be fear, anger, depression, obsession about body image, insecurity, addictions and so on. When we grip tightly to these binding things we, they don't let us go. It is hard to be free!
But, the only thing that frees us from that captivity is holding fast and firm to our Lord and Savior, Jesus. You can be free from all that junk and then be free to live the life that He planned for you.

How would you like to live a life that is full of joy, peace, fulfillment and hope. Do you have a dream that He has given you for your life? You are free to live that dream when you cling to Christ.

Take a look at Psalm 63:7-8 (The Message) in closing:
Because you've always stood up for me,
I'm free to run and play.
I hold on to you for dear life,
and you hold me steady as a post.

Hold on for DEAR LIFE! That LIFE is an exciting ride-don't miss out because you are clinging to the wrong things!

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Read Thru The Bible Update

I hope and pray that some of you are joining me on the journey of reading thru the whole Bible in a year. It has been great getting the whole context of the scripture so far.

I do have to appologize for not posting a devotion for a while. To be perfectly honest, the Lord hasen't given me anything meaningful to write and I don't want to waste your time with fluff!

With that said, you should be have read through Numbers 29 by today! We are making our way!

Keep in mind that the Lord rewards diligence. Especially diligence in reading His entire word. Keep it up!

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White Knuckles

As I was getting ready for work this morning a not-so-fun fleeting thought raced through my mind. I was a bit tired since I had been up since 5am with my bright sunshine of an 9 month old. It always seems like these not-so-fun thoughts come around when I am most vulnerable.

So, my mind wandered to the thoughts about getting through my husband's deployment and how September was a long way away. The thought then raced through my mind that I just wouldn't have a break from caring for my child until then. Would I grow weary? Would I be able to make it? I tried to catch my breath as a knot balled up in my stomach. The Lord then put a new thought into my head.

I was clinging hard to my Jesus' hand. I was holding so tight that my knuckles turned white. As I was holding His big, mighty hand, things seemed not so bad! What is it about this Jesus that I must cling so tightly to?

He is but a MIGHTY WARRIOR who will fight all of my battles for me and victoriously no less!
Revelation paints a picture of the End Times, but I think this image of Christ suits us just great as we visualized grasping tight to this mighty warrior, Jesus.

Revelation 19:11-16 (The Message)
Then I saw Heaven open wide—and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness. His eyes are a blaze of fire, on his head many crowns. He has a Name inscribed that's known only to himself. He is dressed in a robe soaked with blood, and he is addressed as "Word of God." The armies of Heaven, mounted on white horses and dressed in dazzling white linen, follow him. A sharp sword comes out of his mouth so he can subdue the nations, then rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the raging wrath of God, the Sovereign-Strong. On his robe and thigh is written, King of kings, Lord of lords.

Check that out: Faithful and True. Jesus is faithful to those who grasp His hand with all their might and His Truth of His Word will guide you along the straight path. This King of Kings is Sovereign-STRONG.

As I meditated on this image, my heart stopped palpitating. I realized that the very strength embodied by my Savior is in me, too.

Colossians 1:11-12
11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

So, here I am, hours after that not-so-fun thought and my heart just beats with joy and thanksgiving that this MIGHTY WARRIOR is also my Loving Savior who lets me hold His hand as tight as I need to. I am allowed these crazy, not-cool thoughts every now and then. But, I must grip even harder and come to reality that I have His glorious power and strength on my side.

LIVE IT OUT! application:
Is there an area where you need reassurance and strength. Hold on tight, as tight as you can until you have those glorious white knuckles. He will be your Mighty Warrior too!

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Numbers 19-20, Don't Miss Out

Chapter 20 of Numbers is a hard passage to swallow with regards to Moses. Take a look at what God directed him to do and what he actually did.

Verse 8
8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

Verse 11
11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

Read very carefully at the slight discrepancy of Moses actions. He struck the rock instead of speaking to it to bring water. Kind of a small detail. That is why this chapter is so hard to comprehend.

Here is what the Lord had to say about it:
Verse 12
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

Moses disobeyed God and lost His chance to see that very Promise Land that he was leading his people into. What is that all about?!!

This relates to us in a very real way. Hear me say this first, once you are saved and know Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can NEVER lose your salvation. Moses, with out a doubt went to heaven when he died. No question about that. But, when we do not follow God's direction, we can most definitely miss out on our earthly promise land. This earthly promise land is a life of abundance in God. Just like John 10:10 says that Jesus brings us life to the full, our abundant life in Christ is full AND fulfilling. We can miss out on that if we go our own way. If we strike the rock rather than talk to it as God directed, we separate ourself from God and miss out on the abundance and joy filled life He gives us.

So, here's the solution. Pay close attention to the LORD's guidance by staying plugged into the Holy Spirit. This Counselor will lead you down the correct road and right into the abundant life with Christ. Follow what the Bible says about how we should order our life. It is Truth, treat it as such! Finally, pray that you will have discernment when you are tempted to strike that rock. Don't miss out on the glory of the Lord while you are on this earth. Though it will pale in comparison to our eternal Promise Land, the earthly promise land with Christ is filled with joy, love, peace and abundance as you live in relationship with God here on this earth.

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Numbers 12-15, Don't be a Downer

Please take a look at Numbers chapter 13 and 14-the story about Caleb and Joshua. I just love those two guys! Out of that generation of Israelites, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones to see the Promise Land. These two chapters tell us exactly why-they BELIEVED GOD!

So, twelve spies were sent into the land of Cannan to check it out and report back. When they came to Moses with their report-boy were they Debbie Downers! All they could talk about was how scary the people were and how there was no way to conquer it. Did they forget that the had the Almighty leading them into their promised land?

Caleb and Joshua sure didn't forget:
Numbers 14:7-9
7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

These two gentlemen looked at the glass half full. They mentioned that the land was exceeding good-isn't that where the LORD always brings us when we follow Him?? Check out what they said in verse 9-BUT the LORD IS WITH US! These two were not very popular, in fact the Israelites picked up stones to kill them.

I see a parallel with this story and our tough times today. These rough economic times can be as scary to us as the giants in the land of Cannan were to the spies. We can doubt the Lord and forget who is our protector.

Let us not be like the spies!!! Let us be Calebs and Joshuas to the world around us. When we follow Christ and obey Him, He leads us into a land that is good. Yes, we might have to go through a battle to get there. But, do not fear, the Lord is on your side.

You might not be popular with those around you when you take this stance. Although, they probably won't pick up stones...hopefully! But, be that light to your world around you. Proclaim the Lord's goodness and protection. Have faith that the LORD is good and will bring His people into their promise land His way and in His timing.

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Numbers 8-9, Straight Paths

As they were traveling in the desert, the Israelites knew their end point. It was the promised land, the land of milk and honey, the Land of Opportunity. At this point in their journey, they had no real idea what direction they would take to get there. Does this bother any of you? If you are a "Type A" kind of person like I am, it would have driven you nuts. People like me always have a plan and always know where they are going and how they are getting there. Anyone relate?

But for the Israelites, they had God's physical presence guiding them at every turn. God guided them with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Numbers 9:16-17
16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.

How nice would that be to have exact direction as to where you are going and where you must stop on a day to day basis. We don't always have our endpoint set out for us. We usually don't have the exact directions to take as well. This has been a big struggle for me these days. I have been thrust back into the role of Army Wife (quite unwillingly, but that is part of this whole mapped out thing) We are not sure where God will take us and how these next several months will pan out. Is there some uncertainty in your life right now?

Here's the deal...God knows where He is taking you and what route you will go TOGETHER. Noticed the bold print. You are not alone in this journey. God goes with you every step. Let me rephrase that. He has His plan for you, how about you join Him. Go together, not by yourself. Together the path is straight. By yourself, it's pretty rocky and you will get side tracked.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

In order walk that straight path, you must lean on His direction and His divine map. Through prayer and Bible reading, the Lord will take you where you need to go. My husband always has a time tested way to discern the Lord's will. After much prayer and reading, if He doesn't feel at peace about a situation, he either doesn't go through with it or he sits on it for awhile longer. Let God speak to your heart. If He is giving you the go ahead, you will feel at ease and the doors will open right up. On the other hand, if it is not the right turn and you don't feel that peace, don't try to manipulate the situation. Just stop where you are and go back to God for further direction.

Even though we don't have an exact visual like the cloud and the fire, the Holy Spirit is a very powerful GPS. Open your heart to God's guidance and He will lead you down His right and glorious road.

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Jesus, Fill My Cup

On this Valentine's Day I have been meditating on the concept of being satisfied. This is a quest of just about everyone, myself included. We have this need of our "cup" to be filled and often go to our spouse, friends or children to have that cup filled.

Here is the problem: no human can totally meet every need of ours. Our spiritual, emotional, physical and mental needs are so vast and so very complicated. Can anyone in our life really figure out how to fill that cup of ours in the very way we need them too? This is why we get frustrated with our husband or search for other ways to be fulfilled. Think about it, if that other person is trying to have their cup filled, there is no way on earth that they have enough "resources" to fill your cup too! I hope this makes since.

Here's the solution: Let JESUS fill your cup. Let Him meet your needs. Let Him give you the love, peace, joy, happiness and fulfillment that you crave. He is the only one who knows the very depths of your being. So, it makes since that He is the only one who can give you what you need, at the very moment you need it, in the amount that you need.

John 10:10 says, "...I have come that they may have life and have it ABUNDANTLY."

When we let Christ give us life abundantly, He fills our cup to overflowing. We have abundant love, joy, happiness, satisfaction and peace. Then, when our loved ones add to our cup, it is like icing on the cake. It is a joyous extra. It is like that extra whipped cream on your coffee. Because we don't depend on them to meet every need, when they do, it is such a blessing.

Whether you are married or single, take the burden off yourself and your loved ones to fill the cup. Let Christ give it to you in Abundance.

Let HIM be your Valentine EVERY day.

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Numbers 1-2, Are You Counted?

The book of Numbers starts out with God telling Moses to take a census of all His people and count them by tribe. No wonder they call it the Book of Numbers- duh! :)

Just a short thought on the idea of being counted. Christians are faithful followers of Christ...are you numbered in the faithful?

Standing up and being faithful is not an easy task as we are often called to do things (or not do things) that set us apart from the people around us. We are called to be pure and holy and a voice of Jesus to the world. Being counted as on of the LORD's is a big responsibility.

But, not with out rewards. When we stand numbered with God, we are automatically assured access to the King of Kings anytime, any place, 24/7. We are given the fruit of the Spirit which is better than any fruit a farmer can grow here on earth. Our Heavenly father plants the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control and faithfulness in our heart. He gives us His fruit in abundance as long as we accept Him and obey Him. This fruit will sustain us in any kind of battle we might face in our daily lives.

So, stand tall and be counted as Christ's own. Be bold and let other's know who Jesus is and that you are proud that He is your King and Savior.


Psalm 138
Of David.
1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
3 When I called, you answered me;you made me bold and stouthearted.

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Leviticus 24-27, Keep it Up!

Did you ever think you would actually make it through the book of Leviticus. Is your head swimming from all the laws and rules? Keep in mind that Christ paid the price for us. Because we are New Testament believers, we are not subject to those laws. They serve as a reminder to us that we are, in our flesh, unholy and not worthy of the Lord who requires only the most pure. But, thankfully, Christ makes us pure and holy when we truly accept Him as LORD, Savior and King.


So, keep up with me as we read through the Bible. Try to keep this verse in mind as encouragement:

Romans 15:4 The Message Translation
Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next.

Keep up the good work. The Lord will bless you greatly for reading His Word. He is glorified when We take what He says seriously!

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Leviticus 22-23, His Holy Name

I found this cute club on the internet called the NO CUSSING CLUB. This young boy was featured on shows like Dr. Phil introducing his club to end dirty language. It is so cute and it made me think about my own language.

As a Christian, my language should be pure and holy, just as we have been reading about in Leviticus. This includes not taking the LORD's name in vain. Oh this is a problem for me... it is so ingrained in our culture that there is even a texting abbreviation of OMG that teens us all the time. Even the TV LAND cable station had a OMG night of 80's movies last year. We don't think twice of using God's name in our everyday language.

But, the LORD specifically tell us not to take His name in vain.

Leviticus 22:32
32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

If we truly took to heart that the LORD is pure and holy and to be worshiped (even in our everyday language) we would be careful not to use His name lightly. We would make sure not to throw it around as slang or even along with four letter words. He is to be talked about with reverence and awe.

Praise His Name
Talk about Him to others
Sing with gladness about His holiness
Pray the Name of God

Psalm 8:1
LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens


LIVE IT OUT! application
Next time you are angry, take that anger to the LORD rather than using His name lightly.
Reevaluate your everyday language. Do you slip OMG in every now and then? Ask God to show you how amazing and awesome He is so that you won't want to even think about using His name lightly.r

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Leviticus 19-21, Make the Distinction

Leviticus has led us to read alot about the concepts of clean, unclean, holiness, being set apart, and God's Holiness. I found Leviticus 20:25-26 to be a good summary of the book. Although, I'll say it yet again, we are not required to partake in sacrifices or alot of the Laws in this book, the concept does apply to us today with regard to our holiness before God.

Leviticus 20:25-26:
25 " 'You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those which I have set apart as unclean for you. 26 You are to be holy to me [c] because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

Something interesting struck me with the words distinction and set apart. They are actually the same Hebrew word, "Badal," which means to distinguish, set aside, different than the surrounding people.

God Himself has set us apart as His children to obey, worship, love and extol Him. This requires that we are holy as He is Holy. (see previous posts) But what is also interesting is that, because we are set apart, we are required to make the distinction between things in this world that are holy, pleasing to God and things that are unclean or dishonoring of Him. As His children who are eager to please our Father, we are to set our lives around these holy things that reflect our love for Him. Make the distinction and then make the decision of whether or not to partake in that certain activity that could potentially displease our Holy Father.

Ephesians 5:15-17 wraps this concept up in a nice package with a pretty bow around it:

15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Take the words of Ephesians to heart. Act as one set apart to be holy and make the tough distinction. That decision will not be easy, but if you take the set apart road, you will most certainly be rewarded by God.

LIVE IT OUT! application:
What are some things or activities in the world around you that you need to distinguish between clean or unclean? Is it hard to stay away from the unclean things? Why? Take this to the LORD in prayer and ask Him to change your thoughts toward a more set apart mind willing to make the distinction.

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Leviticus 11-15, Clean=Holy

Oooh, these couple of chapters just make me cringe as I am sure they do for you as well. But, it really drives home how much God detests anything that is unclean or unholy. We have talked about the LORD's upmost Holiness and how it requires anyone in His presence to be nothing but holy as well. That is where we come in...

We are unclean. Fact of life. Because we live in a world made sinful after Eve ate the forbidden fruit, we are all born a sinner. Is this hard to digest for you? If it is, just watch the nightly news. If it bleeds, it leads. And there is a lot of bleeding. All caused by unadulterated sin.

But, God created us to be in relationship with Him. He wants us to know Him and love Him, and be loved by Him. One problem, we are unclean.

Unclean: our hearts are clogged up with gunk like hate, pride, jealousy, lust, greed, etc. Our minds are filled with thoughts that we can't imagine others knowing. Our spirit is downtrodden and yearning for the holiness and purity it was originally created for in Eden.

We get back to that original intent through the blood of Christ that washes us clean. He wipes away the dark space that once separated us from our Father.

Clean: filled with the Spirit of God. Satisfied with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. All things that emulate Christ and make us more like Him.

Our holiness is important to God, why else would He send Jesus to the Cross? Make holiness important to you, too. Don't you want to stand in the amazing presence of the Lord, pure, clean, and worshiping Him like crazy!

Psalm 24:4-5
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

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Leviticus 9-10, Affected

Are you affected by God's glory and majesty? I am not talking about the word, effected, but the word affected.

Here's a definition in case you get the two mixed up like I often do:
acted upon; influenced
speaking or behaving in an artificial way to make an impression
moved(p): being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion; "too moved to speak"; "very touched by the stranger's kindness"

So, now that we have that all cleared up, I'll ask again. Are you moved, excited, impressed, or emotional about the Glory of God and His presence around you? Take a look at chapter 9 and see how the Israelites were affected.

22-24 Aaron lifted his hands over the people and blessed them. Having completed the rituals of the Absolution-Offering, the Whole-Burnt-Offering, and the Peace-Offering, he came down from the Altar. Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out they blessed the people and the Glory of God appeared to all the people. Fire blazed out from God and consumed the Whole-Burnt-Offering and the fat pieces on the Altar. When all the people saw it happen they cheered loudly and then fell down, bowing in reverence. (The Message)

The Glory of God appeared-they actually saw a manifestation of God presence and it was a blazing fire. It must have been one awesome fire like none they have ever seen before! How did they react: cheered loudly and bowed down in reverence.

God's shows us His Glory in so many ways. It may not be as obvious as a big bonfire, so we have to be on the look out for it. If we ask Him to open our eyes to see it, I can assure you that the Lord will blow your mind. It might be in a strong emotion you get while worshipping. It could be that He speaks to you in your heart, or through someone else. It could be that He leads you to a certain Bible verse that speaks of His greatness and power. It could also be in a miracle or answer to prayer. So many ways, we just have to be open to recognizing it.

But, we can't just stop there. We must do as the Israelites did and praise the Lord for showing us His glory.

Matthew Henry speaks to this point quite interestingly:
They received it with the highest joy; triumphing in the assurance given them that they had God nigh unto them. And with the lowest reverence; humbly adoring the majesty of that God, who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a sinful fear of God, which drives us from him; a gracious fear makes us bow before him.

Humbly adoring the majesty, I love that phrase. Humbly in that we know He is far greater than us and that is a good thing! Adoring: gazing upon His majesty. Dwelling on Him, meditating on the different adjectives that describe His power and greatness. Praising OUT LOUD. Bowing down in completely reverence. These are all powerful ways to respond when we are affected by the Glory of God.

Allow yourself to be affected. Don't let pride or the distractions of the world make you miss seeing your incredible LORD.

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Leviticus 8, Absolutely Innocent

Leviticus chapter 8 continues the theme of detailed instruction on sacrifices. This chapter specifically focuses on how Aaron and his sons, the priests, must make themselves pure before they perform the sacrifices on behalf of the Israelites.

Just by chance, I read this sentence this morning upon finishing up with chapter 8. In his book, The Faith, Chuck Colson writes about Jesus as the pure, innocent sacrifice for our sin before God. I made the connection with Leviticus 8 because of the fact that, not only were the animals to be made pure, but the priests were to be made pure before performing the sacrifice. Read what Colson says about Christ as the innocent sacrifice:

"And it was essential He do it this way. Jesus could never have been the Savior of humankind if He were born into sin, because then His death on the cross would be for His own sins, not for ours alone. Only a totally sinless savior could take our sins upon Himself..." (pg 84)

What does it mean to you that Christ lived a completely innocent life, void of any sin? To me, this is encouragement. I have a awesome example of how to live a life that is pleasing to God. Christ commands us to be like Him.

It pierces my heart that there was no earthly reason why HE was found guilty by the Israelites. But, there was a HEAVENLY reason why. God wanted to be in fellowship with His children. The only way that is possible is for us to be made pure before we can be in His presence. Jesus was just that.

Pure- sinless, guiltless, no fault found EVER. No idiosyncrasies, no vices, no addictions, no anger issues, no rage, no violence, no lust, no vanity, no pride, no selfishness, no over-indulgence...

The list could go on and on. The question is, can you wrap your mind around the fact that His is completely Holy? This is imperative that you at least try to because we must lift Him up to a level in which we worship Him as Holy, Pure, and Powerful.

LIVE IT OUT! application:
Think about this list above and come up with your own faults. Then, please get in a position of prayer and thank Him wholeheartedly for taking your place and being Absolutely Innocent.

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Leviticus 7, Caught up in Details

It is so easy to read through Leviticus and get overwhelmed by all the details. The Israelites were required to go through so many tedious steps to be forgiven of their sin. All the various offerings, animals, procedures makes my head spin. I imagine that, eventually, some people would get caught up in the procedures and forget about the One who was forgiving their sin. They might focus solely on the religion and not on the Redeemer.

Thankfully, we have a more simple way of finding forgiveness. Now, "simple" is not the best word to describe what Christ did on the cross. It was far from simple. But, the reason that I use that word is that there is not a long, confusing, detailed list to follow to ask for forgiveness. All we have to do is recognize that we did something to grieve God and ask Him to forgive that grievance. Then, can you believe it, the slate is wiped clean. God keeps no record!

So, if it were that "simple" why doesn't everyone do it? One thing that comes to mind is pride; good ol' fashion pride. When we won't fess up to our wrong doings, this is called P. R. I. D. E. Or, when we just think we are perfect and can do no wrong. This is called PRIDE. Oh, how it sneaks in before we even know its there. Then, it creates this huge gap between us and the Lord. Not cool.

Take heed to this warning out of Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Save yourself the trouble... If the LORD is telling you that you have some business to take care of with Him, don't let that pride stand in the way. God doesn't let that kind of behavior last long for those who are His children. Sooner or later, He wants us to learn our lesson, some how some way. God, the Father, wants the best for us. And, just like our loving earthly fathers, He sometimes doles out tough love.

Jesus committed the most un-simple act so that we take the simple path to forgiveness, to abundant life on this earth, and eternal life with Him in heaven.

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Leviticus 1-6, Pure Obedience

So, I am at a loss here. I read the first three chapters of Leviticus last night and attempted to blog about it, but nothing came to mind. I was lost in all the details of sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings, etc. Whew! I felt the Lord telling me, "Just keep reading. This is obedience to my command to you to read through the WHOLE Bible." This certainly includes these Old Testament books that are difficult to relate to. I was then led to the following verse which gave me encouragement:

Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

God is not calling us who read Leviticus to go and slaughter animals for sin offerings. Did you catch how bloody that must have been? Wow! What alot to go through for atonement of sin.

Oh but Jesus went through much more. He became that perfect sin offering by dying on the Cross for all of our sin. The Israelites in the Old Testament had to take their offering and go through the motions every single time they sinned. But, Jesus shed His blood ONCE and for ALL who believe Him.

This might not be new news to you. But, be encouraged by the contrast of Leviticus and your present day redemption of sin through Christ. Imagine yourself kneeling before the Cross of Calvary as Christ's blood drips on your head. His pure red blood makes you white as snow to the Lord. Take that image with you every day and have hope and joy that you are free from condemnation and free to be in the presence of Christ our King.

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