Exodus: Building Your House

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 37-40
Message: Exodus: Building Your House

Hello My Friend,

An amazing thing happens the second we receive Christ as our Saviour, or choose to live our lives with Him in it, we are given a new life. No, we do not automatically get rid of problems from our lives, but we do get new hope to help is through them. Choosing Christ may not always be joyful and carefree, but it is rewarding and truly does make us new creatures, He uses every circumstance to grow us, strength us, and build our house. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” - 1 Corinthians 3:11-14.

God does not build our house like normal houses, He builds it as we serve Him by faith. The Israelites were given the task of building a tabernacle for God, skilled, faithful, and committed men and women joined as one, and followed the specs, leading the group was Bezaleel. “And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it: And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims. And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about. Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.” - Exodus 37:1,6,9-12.

“And he overlaid it with pure gold,” God only uses the finest materials to build His people, but He does not use material things, He uses faith, trust, trials, and tribulations. It is the pains and afflictions we endure that build our house into something beautiful. Of course, when we are going through trials we feel far from blessed, but when we look back at where we were before Christ came into our lives we can truly see how blessed we are. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” - 2 Corinthians 5:1,6-8,17.

Bezaleel and Aholiab continue building all the parts of the tabernacle, including the garments Aaron and his sons would wear while ministering to God. “And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses. And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary. And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:” - Exodus 38:22-25.

“made all that the LORD commanded Moses.” Another part of building our house is obedience, are we going to do what He asks, exactly as He asks, and at the time He asks? Obedience to God does not come by force or out of obligation, it comes willingly as we walk with Christ, read His word, and follow it. The only obedience needed for salvation is believing in Christ, to go beyond that we need to put on the new garment of Christ and remove the old sinful ones. “No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.” - Mark 2:21.

Now as we grow in Christ we do find new life, we will be surprised and never fully comprehend at all the things God removes from our lives and replaces. Since I dedicated my life to Christ I am no where close to who I was back then, I am a new person, once in a while I run into someone who knew me before Christ, and they cannot believe the change in me. Now, all the work was complete, the tabernacle, the clothes, and the furniture was ready to be used to serve God.

“Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” - Exodus 39:32-35,42,43.

“And Moses did look upon all the work,” We must realize we are being watched, watched by other Christians to see if our works line up with the word of God, watched by skeptics to see if something can show them Christ, and watched by haters, waiting to see us mess up so they can use it against us. While the only one we have to impress is God, He is watching us to see how we handle all these people. I will be honest, sometimes I do not handle people well, I have a way of speaking my mind, and it takes the power of God to keep my mouth shut. But I am learning that most people are going through things themselves and they need encouragement and hope from us who are faithful. God often places difficult people and things in our lives to show Him through us. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:10.

The first day of the month was here and Moses set up the tabernacle just as God commanded, shortly after God moved in His dwelling place. “When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.” - Exodus 40:32-37.

“the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” When we walk with Christ, he shines through us, and let me tell you, people cannot face you if you are living for Christ and they are not. The cloud covered the tabernacle even on the clearest day. This cloud was a token of God's presence day and night, that they might never again question whether God was with them or not, it was their guide and hope. When the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they rested, when it moved, they followed. What the cloud was to the tabernacle, the Holy Spirit is to every person who receives the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. He is our guide, when He moves we move, when He stays put, we stay put, meaning we stick it out and serve God even when we do not see Him. When we endure with Christ, we will see God's hand in everything that we go through.

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” - 1 Peter 2:18-21.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You making it easy for us to become one of Yours, the sacrifice You made is something we will never fully comprehend, but we can learn to appreciate it by allowing You to build us to Your specifications. It's not a requirement, but something we can willingly do to show our love and thanks to You. Lord, help us learn and grow closer to You as we follow Your will and trust that You are building us into the likeness of Your Son. Lead us and guide us, give us Your power, wisdom, and strength to endure all the trials we face and let us keep serving You no matter what we face. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Exodus: Giving An Offering To God

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, January 29, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 34-36
Message: Exodus: Giving An Offering To God

Hello My Friend,

Offering, An animal, portion of bread, vegetables, gold, silver, or other valuable articles, presented to God as an atonement for sin, or as a return of thanks for His blessings. We just had stewardship month at my church, they do it every January sort of as a way to make resolutions to God. It is finished with a beautiful banquet and a message about making faith promises to God, trusting Him to provide the offering we promise to give each week/month for the year. The following week is time and talent week, we are handed a list of church ministries in which we can offer our time. The first thing we tend think of when the word offering comes up in the church is money, and while it is necessary, we ought to be careful about churches who constantly preach about giving money only. God is looking for something more than money from us, our time. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” - 1 Corinthians 12:1,28,31.

“But covet earnestly the best gifts: ” Some people have many talents, but we all have one talent. God does not want us to covet or desire other gifts or talents, He wants us to desire the very best He gave us and offer it to Him. Now, after all that mess with the golden calf, God instructed Moses to go back up to Mount Sinai with two tables of stone, it was there that He gave him further instructions, and a new covenant with the children of Israel.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.” - Exodus 34:1,2,8-10.

“for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.” Terrible, Adapted to impress dread, terror or solemn awe and reverence. God was about to show His talents, not His wrath, but the amazing acts that would bring Israel to acknowledge (reverence) and respect Him. If we trust Him and follow His commands we show His respect, and not only that, He respects us. While God does want us to fear Him, it's a godly fear, a fear in which we give Him honor and respect for everything He has done for us. “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” - Psalms 119:9,10.

Part of showing respect to God is offering our times, talents, and things to Him. After another forty days and nights on top of the mountain, Moses came down and told that people what God wanted from them. “And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass, The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office. And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.” - Exodus 35:4,5,19-21.

“every one whose heart stirred him up,” God does not want us to give anything out of obligation or force, after all He cannot force us to do anything, He does want us to give willingly. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Once we come to the realization that everything we own belongs to God, including us if we are saved, we will willingly offer anything He needs. Men and women, including Bezaleel and Aholiab, brought their, time, talents, and offerings to build the tabernacle.

“Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded. And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.” - Exodus 36:1-6.

“And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.” God does not just want a one time offering, He wants a daily offering, a daily sacrifice in fact, one in which we give so much to Him, that it pours on others. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” - Romans 12:1-3.

Today's Prayer: God, You have given every one of us talents and gifts that we use every day for provisions or fun, but You have a greater purpose for them, You want us to willingly use them for You. Thank You for the talents, skills, and provisions You have given me, there is not a day that goes by that I am not in awe of what You do for me. Everything I have is a gift from You, and it is time I stop being selfish and offer them back, all of them. Lord, everything I have is Yours, including me, I want to be a living sacrifice that shows Your Son in me and one that conforms me to Him and not the world. I offer myself daily, lead me and guide me, show me what You want me to do for You, and open my heart to give willingly every time. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Exodus: Who Is On The LORD'S Side

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 31-33
Message: Exodus: Who Is On The LORD'S Side

Hello My Friend,

Many people proclaim to be faithful to God when things are going well, but the true test comes when He seems no where to be found. There are three things that God is looking for when He steps aside and lets us in a sense be alone for a while, 1) Faith, 2) Trust, and 3) Obedience. If we walk by faith and trust Him, we will become more obedient to Him even when we do not see Him. “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” - 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

Part of being faithful to God is doing what He calls us to do with the talents that He has given us. We all have skills and talents, He has given them to us to be used for His purpose and glory. When the time is right He will call us to fulfill the purpose He intended for them. As God winds down His long chat with Moses, He tells him who He has appointed to make the parts for the tabernacle. “See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;” - Exodus 31:2-6.

“and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom,” We can learn a lot of things, but it's not the knowledge that makes us wise, it's what we do with it. I have learned many skills, some I have to wonder why, but I do know God has a use for them somewhere. Over the years I have built websites dedicated to teaching His truths, cooked and baked for church events, watched babies, and even worked in a church office, it is not me that gets the glory for any of these things, it is God. Every time I get a job or someone praises me for things I have done, I thank God and tell them, it is nothing I have done, but everything that He has done in me. Being faithful to God is using the knowledge we are given to serve His purpose. “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.” - Proverbs 2:6-9.

I can honestly say that I spent about three years serving God without recognizing His presence in my life, day after day I struggled with depression, temptation, and my faith. I do not know how I got through it, only that it was by the mercies and grace of God. When we do not sense the presence of God the devil uses it as a way to manipulate us, and he is good at it too. If we stop focusing on God one second we will fall, and that is exactly what happen to many of the Israelites as they were waiting for Moses to return. It had been forty days and no sight of God or Moses, they wanted a god they could see, so they forced Aaron to make them a god.

“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.” - Exodus 32:1,7,8,26,27.

“Who is on the LORD'S side?” We are going to mess up, but being faithful to God means humbling ourselves to Him when we know we have messed up and getting back on His side. We are not perfect, our flesh has a way of doing things we are not proud of, but that is what God's mercy and grace are for. Get back up, confess your sin, and get back on the LORD'S side. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:8-10.

I will admit that it was only after I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started moving forward with God guiding me that I was able to feel His presence again. You see, what God was doing while He was no where to be found was showing me that what I wanted was not what He wanted for me, and I needed to get back to the purpose He had for me, which was to keep teaching His Word, and eliminate a hindrance from my life. The amazing thing is that even when we mess up God is faithful to fulfill His promises. It was time for the Israelites to pick up camp and start heading for the promised land, only this time they would not have His presence with them as before.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.” - Exodus 33:1-3,12-14.17.

“and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me.” Most of our faithfulness comes from faith, In fact, God will always test our faithfulness to Him by testing our faith. He may not always stand in the midst of us because we are stiffnecked (stubborn to obeying His word), but He does not leave us alone completely. It is Jesus that goes before us. We are not always going to be in His will, but His grace is what gets us back in our grace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” - Romans 5:1-5.

Today's Prayer: God, As much as we try to be faithful to You circumstances and life seems to always put us to the test. Time and time again, You prove that even when we do not see You You are working in our lives, You are growing us and preparing us for not only the task You call us to do, but to receive the promises You have for us. I am on Your side God, I want to be in Your will, even when You seem far away. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to remain faithful at all times, You grace to get back up when I get stalled, and Your strength to keep going even when I do not see You. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Exodus: Be Cleansed To Stand Before God

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 28-30
Message: Exodus: Be Cleansed To Stand Before God

Hello My Friend,

So often people fear coming to God because they have something in their past or present they think they must get rid of before they are able to stand before Him. You know one of the amazing things about God is that you do not have to be perfect to stand before Him, you just need His perfect Son. You see, if you are saved God no longer looks at you through your sin, He looks at you through His Son, making you able to stand before Him.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” - Romans 3:20-25.

There is a fine line between the laws of works and grace, while we all should be following the example of Christ and living our lives to please God, His grace allows us to error without the fear being struck down by God. Yes, we must be clean to stand before God, He despises sin, but He loves us, which is why He made a way for us to be able to stand before Him holy and clean. As God continues to give Moses instructions on the tabernacle, He focuses His attention on those who would minister to Him, which would be Aaron and his sons. In order for them to be able to minister to Him, they had to put on holy garments, which God describes.

“And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.” - Exodus 28:2-6,29.

“that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.” If we are going to serve God, we need to be consecrated, cleansed of all sin and put on fresh clean garments. Jesus Christ is our fresh clean garment, He consecrates us to be able to serve Him. However, we still get dirty and need to be cleansed daily by confessing and removing any known sin from our lives. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” - 2 Corinthians 7:1.

We must realize once we receive Christ as our Saviour, we are forgiven, nothing we do can take away our salvation, but to serve Him and be prosperous we need to be clean, that comes first by removing any sin from our lives that may be present, including things we hold on to from the past. Now, God gives Moses instructions on how Aaron, who was the high priest and his sons were to be consecrated to stand before Him.

“And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.” - Exodus 29:1-5,9,44,45.

“And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation,” God's tabernacle is within every saved soul of Jesus Christ, naturally since He dwells in every believer He would have to make sure they are consecrated. The second we believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of our sinless Saviour, and accept Him as the blood sacrifice needed to be clean, we are sanctified, holy and able to stand before God through Christ. “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” - John 17:5,17-20.

Ransom, The money or price paid for the redemption of a prisoner or slave. Sin, that is the thing that holds us as a prisoner and makes us filthy before God. Whether something from the past is haunting us or something we cannot let go of right now, we are confined to it's power. Because sin causes such a separation between God and man, He instituted a ransom to be paid for their soul, beginning with Israel.

“When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.” - Exodus 30:12-16.

“to make an atonement for your souls.” We no longer need money, the blood of lambs or goats, or constant pleas to God for forgiveness of our sins, we just need Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the ransom for our souls when He died on the cross, He made it permanent by resurrecting three days later. It was not the blood or money that brought atonement, it was their faith and willingness to turn to God. God used the sacrifice of animals to show Israel that without a sinless blood sacrifice, there was no atonement. He used Christ to be the last sacrifice needed to make give permanent atonement for all who believe in Him. Those who receive Christ as their Saviour are to never forget what He did for them, He made the atonement possible for our souls. “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” - Hebrews 9:12-14.
Today's Prayer: God, We know there is nothing we can do or say to merit salvation, it is a free gift to all who believe in the ransom Jesus paid for our sins. Thank You, Jesus giving Your life and paying the ransom for my soul. Thank You for cleansing me so that I may be able to stand before You holy and be accepted. Help me to be the faithful and profitable servant You need me to be, give me the strength to remove all the hindrances from my life that keep me from serving You with my whole heart. Lead me and guide me away from anything that is unprofitable, and fill me with the things that are acceptable to You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Exodus: A Dwelling Place For God

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 25-27
Message: Exodus: A Dwelling Place For God

Hello My Friend,

God is not some inanimate object you put upon a shelf to get wisdom from, He is not a picture on a wall you look at to get inspiration from, He is not an amulet you hold to get power from. He is God, Jehovah (Supreme Being), the great I Am (Permanent Being), Alpha (Beginning) and Omega (End). He is the omnipotent (possessing unlimited power), omnipresent (present in all places at the same time), and omniscience (the quality of knowing all things at once;) God who dwells in every believer. Why then do so many Christians lack the power of God in their lives? They have not made a dwelling place for Him. We cannot please God if we do not allow Him to dwell with us. “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” - Romans 8:8-11.

Dwell, to abide as a permanent resident. God dwells in all believers in the form of the Holy Spirit permanently once they receive Christ as our Saviour, but that does not mean they allow Him to be a permanent resident. Yes, God wants permanent residency in our lives to show Him in us, not just a room to sleep in once in a while. God does not force us to do anything, if we want Him to be a permanent resident, we must come to Him willingly. As God speaks to Moses on the mount, He gives to him instructions to build a tent, a place for Him to dwell among the people. “Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” - Exodus 25:2-8.

“of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.” Do you remember all the items the Egyptians gave to the Israelites as they were leaving? The silver, gold, linens, and wood? Well, God had a plan for all that stuff, and it was time to see if the people would willingly give up the gifts they received to make a dwelling place for God. Everything we possess comes from God, it is a gift, and if we willingly offer it to Him when He needs it, He will willingly bless us abundantly for doing so. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” - Malachi 3:10.

It was important that Moses follow these instructions entirely, one missed loop could have done a lot of damage. And while we may not ever see the significance of knowing every loop and tache needed in building God's dwelling place, they are significant to God. Every part of the tabernacle, down to the very last pin, was given specific details on how it was to be assembled and attached in order to become one building, just like every person who accepts Christ as their Saviour becomes a part of the body of Christ. Now, God instructs Moses on what is needed to build the most holy place, the place where God would dwell would be hidden from common man with a veil.

“And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.” - Exodus 26:31-35.

“and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.” There were two veils, this veil was a partition between the holy place and the most holy place, which not only was forbidden to enter, they could not even look at it. The other veil was for the outer door of the tabernacle, through this veil the priests went in every day to minister in the holy place. Jesus Christ removes the veil that separates God from man, once we receive Him as our Saviour, He cleanses us, makes us ready to minister to God, and allows us to be able to stand before Him. “And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” - 2 Corinthians 3:13-17.

The wonders of God’s presence through the Holy Spirit are known only to those who come inside the curtains of His grace, but we cannot know His amazing grace until we allow Him to dwell with us on a permanent basis. Now, God instructs Moses on the court yard, it was enclosed with hangings of the finest linen that used for tents.

“And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four. All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass. The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass. All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass. And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.” - Exodus 27:16-21.

“to cause the lamp to burn always.” The pure olive oil was to be burned before God daily, it signifies the gifts and graces of His Spirit, who dwells permanently in all believers of Christ. Christ is our Light, and without Him we will remain lost and in the dark, even if we are saved we can get lost in the dark. Today, it is the work of faithful, God dwelling Christians to keep the Light shining by preaching and teaching the Scriptures, which are a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” - John 1:1-4,9.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus to become the sacrifice needed that would redeem me of my sins and bring me to know that You are always with me. It is comforting to know that You dwell in me, but I know there are times that I have gotten lost in my world of darkness. Lord, I want to be a living sacrifice for You, I want to offer myself to be used in anyway that You need me. Lead me and guide me, help me give You a permanent dwelling place in my life. Give me Your power to understand and know Your Word so that I can be the light people need to bring them to Your Son. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Exodus: Blessed By Obedience

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, January 25, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 22-24
Message: Exodus: Blessed By Obedience

Hello My Friend,

There is truly no greater joy than to see God's hand in the blessings we receive, the true test comes when we do not see Him. There are going to be times in our lives where we will not see or hear from God, but that does not mean He is not with us, it means He is preparing for our future. If He cannot trust us to stay obedient when He is not seen, how can He trust us with what He has planned for us. “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” - Matthew 25:23.

God loves His people, He wants them to be prosperous in all that they do, and to supply them with their every need, He is a generous God, and all He asks in return is that we be faithful to Him. God continues to give Moses the commands He wanted the Israelites to follow.

“He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.” - Exodus 22:20-27.

“when he crieth unto me, that I will hear;” When we are faithful to God and following His commands He hears our pleas and takes care of us. It is when we live a sinful life and expect His blessings that our pleas are not hear, that is unless we repent. There is a difference between someone who tries to live for God, and one who lives for themselves looking to God only when they get in trouble. “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.” - Proverbs 28:9,10.

This about this, God promises to always be there for us, to love us, protect us, and provide for us, He really does this whether we obey or not. However, imagine the blessings He would give if we just obeyed Him all the time. God reveals that His Angel that will guide the Israelites and He will bless them for their obedience to Him

“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.” - Exodus 23:20-25.

“For mine Angel shall go before thee,” The Angel here is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. When we walk with Christ He goes before us and directs our path. Are we always going to follow His path? The truth is, most of the time. There are going to be many times in our lives where we do not obey His voice and get off the path, and when that happens affliction comes, but that's what His grace is for. His grace enables us to get back on the right path. “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” - Psalms 25:9-10.

God's laws should be common sense to us. Do you realize He can see everything? He sees what we do, He knows what we think. Nine times out of ten the things we think become actions regardless of whether they are good or bad if we do not obey His law. It is important that we keep godly thoughts with us and separate from those who would bring the temptation in the first place. God was going to test the Israelites faithfulness. After He gives Moses, He calls for him to spend some time with Him on top of Mt. Sinai.

“And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” - Exodus 24:3,12-14,17,18.

“All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.” Here is the test, are we truly going to follow His law even when He seems no where to be found? We must follow all of the words of God at all times in order to be truly blessed and prosperous in this world and in His Kingdom. Okay, since we are now under the law of grace, many of the laws given to the Jews do not apply to us today, but think about this. We belong to God, and since we belong to Him we ought to be doing things that please Him, not our flesh, and certainly not the world. It is only when we walk in His Spirit that we are even strong enough to resist the temptation to please the flesh.

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” - Romans 8:3,4,26,27.

Today's Prayer: God, As much as I try to live right I know that I am going to mess up from time to time. Thank You for sending Your Son to pardon me of the judgment I faced, and thank You Jesus for the sacrifice You made. Lord, help me to be obedient to Your commands, to love everyone as Christ loves me, and to keep serving You, even when I do not see with the promise that You are preparing me for something amazing. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Exodus: Following The Law

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, January 23, 2016
Chapters: Exodus 19-21
Message: Exodus: Following The Law

Hello My Friend,

Law, The principles and regulations established in a community by some authority and applicable to its people, whether in the form of legislation or policies recognized and enforced by judicial decision. Laws are everywhere, and just like any law, when it is broken there are consequences. Some broken laws come with huge penalties, even death. While there are many man made laws, our true lawmaker is God, our judge is Jesus Christ, and we will all stand before Him and give an account for the lives we lived. “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” - John 5:21-25.

“when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:” The dead, all souls are dead until they hear the voice of Christ and receive Him as their Saviour. Once saved you are given life, eternal life and will one day join Him in His Kingdom. Until then we have laws we must obey while we are here on earth, laws that separate us from common man. Now, three months into their journey to the promised land, the people camped out below Mt. Sinai, which is where God spoke to Moses and all the congregation concerning His laws.

“And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.” - Exodus 19:3-9.

“then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:” While everyone and everything belongs to God, He only associates with those who listen to and follow His law, which is the Bible. Following God's law does not mean we are better than anyone else, it means we belong to God and He expects better things from us than what the world is doing. Today, God still has only one family of people, but they are not limited to the children of Israel, they are those who receive Christ as their Saviour. “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” - 1 Peter 2:3-5,9,10.

God gave the laws that we are to live by, not in order to get to heaven, but to separate us from the world. Those who have Christ in them are God's peculiar treasure, and should stick out like sore thumbs. If they obey Him, not grudgingly, but willingly, others will see the need for Christ and be saved also. God Himself speaks from the mountain, with a voice like trumpets playing, He speaks the first ten laws we should still be following today.

“And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.” - Exodus 20:1-6,18-20.

“for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,” Ever wonder why you get jealous when someone flirts with another? We are made in the image of God, He gets jealous when we flirt with other gods. Have no other gods before me, make no images or statues to worship as a god. False religion, even some Christian based, corner the market on images and statues featuring a god like figure or person of great influence in reaching God. While it is good that we have images as remembrances of Mary, the apostles, and other great men and women of the Bible, we are not to worship any of these. Religion is not the only thing that makes God jealous, He gets jealous if we worship any person or thing more than Him, to Him it is as a god. “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” - John 4:22-24.

By the way, to fear God means to honor, respect, and worship only Him, those who love God will want to follow His commands naturally as they walk in His Spirit. Since the Israelites just came out of slavery, God thought it necessary to address the issue of servants. The Israelites had been servants themselves and now that they had become their own masters, God made laws or judgments concerning the mild and gentle usage of servants or what we see them as, slaves. There were different laws concerning men and women who were sold either by themselves, to their parents through poverty, or by judges for crimes they committed.

“Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.” - Exodus 21:1-8.

“and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul;” Awl, An iron instrument for piercing small holes in leather. This tool was used to brand a person who loved their master and wanted to spend a lifetime ins service to them. We too get branded when we believe in and trust Christ as our Saviour. When we choose Him, and obey God's law, we are not giving up our freedom, we are actually set free, free from sin, free from the guilt of sin, free from the control sin once had over us, and above all free from eternal death and hell. When we choose Christ we are telling Him that we love Him and want to spend our lifetime with Him, serving Him, and in return we are blessed for our efforts. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:14-16.

Today's Prayer: God, You love Your people too much to leave us as we were before we received Your Son as our Saviour. You have given us Your law to not only separate us from the rest of the world, but to show them that we belong to You, and can know You too. Lord, Lead me and guide me, show me what Your will is for my life and give me Your power to serve You faithfully and under Your law, after all, You know what is best for me, and Your commands are not grievous. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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