After exploring the first six chapters of Numbers, I can clearly see how very orderly, and well structured our God is. The book of Numbers begins with a census, having Moses take a head count (if you will) of the people of Israel. I have to admit reading the first couples of chapters of Numbers, after finishing Leviticus is a bit to take in. But, I understand the importance of why all this information has been carefully saved and preserved for me to read at this very moment of my life. God is a God of order, and structure and very well planned. He gave certain duties to certain members of the tribes, which i thought was amazing. There are times when i feel like i have to be the GO-TO-GUY! My heart is sometimes bent on wanting to be the guy that does all the jobs well. But in reality that usually isn't the case, and i end up very frustrated in the end. Knowing that God has given me a purpose and passion for specific certain things, I know now to focus on that task and honor the Lord completely with my life by answering the call He has given me.
prayer: Heavenly Father, Lord of creation. I thank you so very much for giving my life purpose. Lord pour out your wisdom into my heart for my life. take my hand Lord and direct my paths to stay focused on the duties you have placed in my heart before i was even brought into this world. Glory be to your name that brings salvation. in Jesus name, Amen.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Leviticus 18-19
I was blown away to read the fingerprints of Jesus throughout these chapters in Leviticus. chapter 19:17 it says You must not hate your brother in your heart. in Matthew 5:21 we read Jesus saying this "You have heard it was said said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be established to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment". God was concerned about the heart and spirit of the law, right from the very beginning. Jesus doesn't come to people with a new set of rules but only reminding them of the laws given to them since the covenant. We also read about God's fair and loving commands towards the blind, poor, widow, and the foreign person.
prayer: Lord almighty, Heavenly Father, amazing in all of your glory. I come to you asking to reveal to me the heart of the matter. Keep me away from just keeping the rules, and bring me closer to keeping a relationship with you. Pour out your mercy for I am a sinner, filled with pride, fear, and unable to trust in you. Soften my harden heart with your loving grace, in your glorious name Jesus Christ, Amen.
prayer: Lord almighty, Heavenly Father, amazing in all of your glory. I come to you asking to reveal to me the heart of the matter. Keep me away from just keeping the rules, and bring me closer to keeping a relationship with you. Pour out your mercy for I am a sinner, filled with pride, fear, and unable to trust in you. Soften my harden heart with your loving grace, in your glorious name Jesus Christ, Amen.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Leviticus 8-16
Once again the overall theme through the chapters of Leviticus is God showing the people His Holiness. The people of Israel are given specific instructions on what animals they should, and should not eat. They are given laws of purification from diseases caused by mold, skin rashes and contaminated objects. While reading these chapters i cant help but think of how hard it must have been to upkeep all of the laws God has given them to just stay in a right relationship with God. but now I am beginning to understand the overall message is God is a Holy God, and we often lose site of this and fall short of fulfilling the requirements to be holy ourselves. If it wasn't for these chapters in Leviticus i would not truly see my need for a savior to cleanse my heart in order to enter into God's presence without being consumed by his holy fire.
prayer: Lord, today I give my all of my short comings, I give you all of myself to be made clean. You Lord, through your son Jesus can only make my heart pure and clean to allow me to walk with you. I pray heavenly Father for your forgiveness and to give me the hunger to strive for holiness in my everyday life.
God is Holy + Man cant match up = A merciful and forgiving loving God to come down to wash us clean in order to be holy with him.
prayer: Lord, today I give my all of my short comings, I give you all of myself to be made clean. You Lord, through your son Jesus can only make my heart pure and clean to allow me to walk with you. I pray heavenly Father for your forgiveness and to give me the hunger to strive for holiness in my everyday life.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Leviticus 3-7
In these chapters, God gives the laws for sin and burnt offerings. In my bible i thought the commentary for one of the chapters was very interesting. 5:10 The sin offering preceded the burnt offering because one was obligated to be in good standing before God before he could worship Him. Coming immediately after the sin offering, which atoned for for sin, the burnt offering symbolized the restoration of the offender and represented his first act of worship. Jesus was the needed sin offering once and for all. Through Him we can now have a restored relationship with God and continue to live a life that worships God in a way that pleases Him.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. I come before your throne through the sacrifice of your son Jesus Christ. Lord fill me with your Holy spirit to lead a life that truly reflects a restored relationship with you God. Search my heart today and help me offer whatever i am struggling with, as a sacrifice to your Holy name. In your loving sons name Jesus, Amen.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father. I come before your throne through the sacrifice of your son Jesus Christ. Lord fill me with your Holy spirit to lead a life that truly reflects a restored relationship with you God. Search my heart today and help me offer whatever i am struggling with, as a sacrifice to your Holy name. In your loving sons name Jesus, Amen.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Exodus 39-40 /Leviticus 1-2
The closing chapters of Exodus highlights the importance of the priestly attire, and the setting up of the Tabernacle. Leviticus picks up after the tabernacle has been in place and God gives the laws in how to properly worship him. So we have the priest and what he is to do to enter the holy of hollies, which reminded me of Hebrews 9:11
11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
It is so amazing to me to see how God was setting up for the coming of his son Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest, with the laws he gives his people. In the first chapter of Leviticus we read of the unblemished sacrifice that is to be made to God, so they will be accepted by the LORD. In Hebrews 9:13-14
13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
So we have Jesus as our ultimate high Priest, and He is to be the ultimate sacrifice that will allow God's people to be accepted by Him. That sacrifice was an act of worship, and when you look at the life of Jesus Christ, nobody worship better than he did, even to the point of becoming the actual sacrifice. Reading these chapters has really opened my eyes to God's plan for a savior.
prayer: My Loving Father, you are truly amazing! My heart cries out for your Holy spirit to pour into my life your grace today. Thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who is our High Priest, and the Sacrifice in which we can now come before your throne. Help me to worship you the way your son does, help me to be more like my High priest Jesus, and hlp me to make my life a living sacrifice to you. in Jesus name, Amen.
11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
It is so amazing to me to see how God was setting up for the coming of his son Jesus Christ as the ultimate high priest, with the laws he gives his people. In the first chapter of Leviticus we read of the unblemished sacrifice that is to be made to God, so they will be accepted by the LORD. In Hebrews 9:13-14
13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
So we have Jesus as our ultimate high Priest, and He is to be the ultimate sacrifice that will allow God's people to be accepted by Him. That sacrifice was an act of worship, and when you look at the life of Jesus Christ, nobody worship better than he did, even to the point of becoming the actual sacrifice. Reading these chapters has really opened my eyes to God's plan for a savior.
prayer: My Loving Father, you are truly amazing! My heart cries out for your Holy spirit to pour into my life your grace today. Thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who is our High Priest, and the Sacrifice in which we can now come before your throne. Help me to worship you the way your son does, help me to be more like my High priest Jesus, and hlp me to make my life a living sacrifice to you. in Jesus name, Amen.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Exodus 34-38
In these chapters we read about God allowing all of his goodness to pass in front of Moses, to show Moses his glory. The Lord tells Moses that no man can see the face of the Lord and live, so he places Moses in the crevice of a rock on the mountain, and the Lord will cover him with his hand. Amazing that through the life and story of Moses that we read in the book of Exodus, we are given the details of a man who probably isn't very different than ourselves. Moses has issues with his identity, was he a Hebrew or an Egyptian, he had speech issues, anger problems, and sometimes he faith tank was on empty. And this was the man God chose to use to lead his people, this is the man whom the Bible says he spoke to God as a friend would speak to a friend. I longed so much to see the glory God showed Moses on that mountain, a glory that would leave my face radiant for everyone to see. I now realize that God has shown anyone who puts his trust in Jesus Christ the same glory. It is a glory that just does not give our faces a certain glow, but illuminates our hearts a new, to give light to a world of darkness.
Exodus 34:6-7
Yahweh-Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.
prayer: O compassionate Heavenly Father. I am so thankful of who you are. I give you praise and glorify your Holy name. I ask that you open the eyes of my heart to see your goodness pass before me just as you did with Moses today. I know you are working all around me, Lord lead me to walk in the path you have set before me to see your glory revealed. Make my ears sensitive to hear your Holy voice speak truth into my heart today. In your loving sons name i pray Jesus Christ, Amen.
Exodus 34:6-7
Yahweh-Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving wrongdoing, rebellion, and sin. But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation.
prayer: O compassionate Heavenly Father. I am so thankful of who you are. I give you praise and glorify your Holy name. I ask that you open the eyes of my heart to see your goodness pass before me just as you did with Moses today. I know you are working all around me, Lord lead me to walk in the path you have set before me to see your glory revealed. Make my ears sensitive to hear your Holy voice speak truth into my heart today. In your loving sons name i pray Jesus Christ, Amen.
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