Numbers: Forfeiting Promises From God

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 13-15
Message: Numbers: Forfeiting Promises From God

Hello My Friend,

I remember back in the third grade, this was when it was okay for the teacher to discipline students with paddles. The teacher had a wooden ruler, if anyone acted up the entire class would have to stand in line with our hands out, she would swat everyone on the knuckles with the ruler, and it hurt. Needless to say, no one acted up when we realized she meant what she said. How many times in our lifetime do we get punished for something we did not do? Think about it, we were not in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned, yet we are still subject to the same punishment, death. Does this seem fair? No, but think about this, what did you learn from suffering the punishment along with the offender? While some people will never learn, the majority of us learn that there is a punishment for sin, and we all suffer for sin because we are all sinners.

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 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:” - Romans 3:9,19-22.

Things just do not happen to us, most of the time little things accumulate over time, for about two and a half years God watched the Israelites complain about their travels, very few of them grateful that they were free. Now, the time had come for them to see the promised land, God was going to test them to see if they were ready, He commands Moses to send twelve men, one from each tribe to search it out and see just what they were up against. It was beautiful, grapes the size of cantaloupes, but there was one thing on it that all but two feared, people. When they returned they discouraged the Israelites from going across.

“And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” - Numbers 13:25-31.

“We be not able to go up against the people;” When God gives us things, usually work is involved to see those blessings beyond our basic needs. What His is doing is testing our faith, which is why He places us in the middle of a corrupt world to begin with. God promises to always take care of and protect us, but to be honest, it is fear and pure laziness that keeps us from seeing those huge blessings. No one wants to work anymore, they want everything handed to them, but remember, faith without works is dead. You can believe that Christ exists all you want, but unless you believe He died to save you, admit you are a sinner, and ask Him to save you, you will not be saved. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” - James 1:22-25.

We must realize that if we do not move forward by faith, even when everything looks fearful and giant to us, that we are forfeiting the promises of God. We could be blessed with so much more if we only moved forward by faith. The news from the ten men did not go over very well, the people wanted to kill Moses for bringing them there for nothing, and God became so angry at them that He was ready to kill them all Himself and start over. However, Moses pleaded with God and He decided to punish the ten men who gave the evil report and every adult over the age of twenty.

“Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” - Numbers 14:28-35.

“And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years,” Forty years, one year for each day the men were on the promised land, that is how long the congregation had to live in the wilderness. For forty years, and until every adult died, except Caleb and Joshua, they were restricted from going into the promised land. This makes you wonder if you have forfeited something because of fear or disbelief? There is only one way to the promised land, and that is through Jesus Christ, come through Him and you get to pass, try any other way, and you will be restricted from going. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” - Revelation 3:20,21.

One thing we must realize also, while we may do things that forfeit promises from God, there is one thing that we will never forfeit as long as we know Jesus Christ as our Saviour, our salvation. We may lose out on some huge blessings promised us because of our own disbelief or others, but we do not lose our salvation. Keep in mind that when God says something, He means it, He will not play around with those who try Him. After the uproar God had Moses gather everyone to tell them how every sinner, Jew or Gentile, could reconcile with Him.

“And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.” - Numbers 15:28-35.

“they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.” I had someone ask me how I could follow and trust God when He had a man killed because he picked up some sticks. Here is the thing, it was not what he did that caused his death, it was his attitude. God told them that if a person sinned out of ignorance they would be pardoned for their sin, but this man knew what He was doing and suffered the consequences. There is a huge difference between proving God and trying Him, God loves us to prove Him by faith, He hates us trying Him. We will all be accountable for the things we do, even after we are saved. “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” - Romans 14:8,9,22,23.

Today's Prayer: God, It is Your desire that we stay faithful to Your teachings. Scripture gives many examples of those who knew to do right, but chose to do wrong. The consequences of their wrong actions brought upon death, loss, and emotional pain, not only for themselves, but those around them. Lord, lead us and guide us, teach us to trust You in everything that You allow in our lives, help us to avoid the traps that catch us off guard, and to stand firm in our faith temptation comes. Keep our eyes on You so that we do not fall nor bring anyone else into temptation by not following You in the first place. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Walking By Faith And Waiting

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, February 12, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 10-12
Message: Numbers: Walking By Faith And Waiting

Hello My Friend,

Perhaps the most frustrating thing to do as a Christian is wait for things to happen, especially when that wait gets up in the years. Many times we ponder things like, Is it really God's will?, Am I doing something wrong?, Am I hindering God? Why am I going through this? Id the devil doing this? Let me tell you, we all have questions like these, and while the wait does seem grievous God always has a reason for it, and if we keep trusting Him and walk by faith, the wait will be worth it. “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” - James 1:3-7.

“For let not that man think” While we cannot rush God, the biggest key to seeing Him work faster is faith, if we have no faith in Him we are wasting our time praying because He will not hear our prayers. Part of the waiting is so that we can increase our faith. Now, it had been over two years since the Israelites were set free out of Egypt and embarked on their journey to the promised land. A quite a bit of time they spent on Mt. Sinai, during that time God gave the commands and laws, had Moses and the people build the Tabernacle, and chose Aaron and the Levites to serve in the Tabernacle. The time had come for the camp to move forward and head to the promised land, first, God commanded Moses to make two silver trumpets. These trumpets would be used to sound danger or war, but also let them know it was time to pack it up and move forward.

“And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God. And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” - Numbers 10:8-13.

“And they first took their journey according to the commandment” As Christians sometimes it can seem like we get stuck in neutral, you cannot go backward or forward, just stuck there waiting for God to open a door or do something. Guess what? God has you there for a reason, and no matter how much you try to rush Him or jump ship you are not going anywhere until God says so. I spent the morning crying to God for this very reason only for Him to tell me the very same thing, “When I tell you it is time to move, that is when you move, otherwise, just do what you are supposed to be doing and have faith in me. He also reminded me that nothing is too hard or impossible with Him. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” - James 2:17-20.

We have to be careful when waiting on God that we do not start to lust over the things we are seeking, lust is a very bad thing, it is the one and only thing that makes us fall. Now, after two years of eating manna, some of the people were getting tired of it and wanted meat and vegetables to eat. They complained to Moses, reminiscing over the food that ate back in Egypt,

“And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? Num 11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.” - Numbers 11:4-6,18-20,33.

“But now our soul is dried away:” Our soul is the innermost part of the amazing body God created, it feeds off our spirit and flesh, if our spirit is dried up our soul will be also, and that will cause us to lust for things to feed our flesh. Our soul dries up when we start forgetting the miraculous blessings that God has given us, lusting for the things we had when we were in bondage to the world. You know, part of having faith is being content with what we have right now. So what if we are living off ramen noodles serving God, at least we are not doing God knows what living off steak. While we must never settle for what we currently have, but must be content with what God gives us right now if we are to see Him bless us with more. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:11-13.

At times, our lack of faith or discontent with the present circumstances can cause us to envy those who seem to be blessed with more. Did you ever wonder why God did not choose Moses to be the high priest? This was due to the fact that Moses was married to a foreign woman, remember when he was in hiding out in Midian. God did not discredit Moses or treat him badly for doing this, but it did mean he could not pass on any priestly duties on to his sins because as both the man and woman had to be a Levite. This did not go over well with Moses' sister and brother, in fact they began complaining about him. The bad thing about bad mouthing one of God's servants is that God hears and He confronted Miriam and Aaron.
“And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” - Numbers 12:1-8.

“With him will I speak mouth to mouth,” God does not care where we came from, He cares that we are faithful to Him, and if we are faithful to Him He will give us something of much more value than necessities, His honor and respect. We all have desires that go beyond our basic needs and God is perfectly fine with that. In fact, Jesus says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” - Mark 11:24. God desires to fulfill the desires of His children, He knows what we want, and if we are patient, content, and faithful, He will give us much more than that. Remember, it's all about God getting us ready for the things we are asking, and His timing. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” - Psalms 27:13,14.

Today's Prayer: God, it is truly amazing that You love us so much that you are willing to live inside of us to guide us and keep us from that dangers of the world. Although we get tired of waiting and try to rush You sometimes, You are faithful to give us the necessities as we wait for our desires. All You as of us is to trust, obey, and have faith, even when we are stuck in neutral waiting for You to tell us to move forward. Lord, lead me and guide me, open my eyes, ears, and heart to listen for You at all times, help me to know the path I am on, whether or it is the right one, and give me the strength I need to wait patiently for Your timing. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: A Burden To Carry

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 7-9
Message: Numbers: A Burden To Carry

Hello My Friend,

Burden, To load; to lay on a heavy load. Perhaps some of the hardest things to endure as Christians are the burdens we carry. Some burdens are actually blessings, some come as a result of our own doing, and yet many come when we are just trying to live our lives the best we can. Regardless of the heavy load we are given to carry we cannot handle them on our own. On top of every load we need to carry Jesus, He will not only make the load lighter, He will give us the strength to endure every bit of it. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30.

The time had come for the congregation to be able to give sacrifices to God, each prince from the head of each tribe brought their offerings for the service of the tabernacle to the Levites. Each family of the Levites were to carry certain parts of the tabernacle, the wagons and oxen were to be used in carrying the tabernacle, both for their ease of transport, and a safer way to keep all the parts together.

“And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service: And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders. And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.” - Numbers 7:1-3,6-10.

“But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none:” Since the Kohathites were to carry the most valuable parts of the tabernacle upon their shoulders they were not given any wagons to carry. God knows how much of a burden we can take, He often uses the least qualified for His greatest work, but He never gives us more than we can carry upon our shoulders. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Being a pastor or preacher is not the only task God gives people, teachers, caterers, doctors, janitors, and even guards are used to serve Him as well. Many times we are given the burden of serving Him, whether in a church or out of it, and if we are going to be working for God He has standards for us to follow. God chose the Levites to be separated from the rest of the congregation in order to serve Him continuously in His ministry. Moses brought the Levites and entire congregation to the tabernacle, where the Levites were offered to God for His service.

“Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.” - Numbers 8:6-11.

“Sprinkle water of purifying upon them,” Baptism, many people and religions for that matter misunderstand what baptism is. The other day I heard the most absurd explanation of what baptism represents, which not a mention of Jesus was made. Baptism is not salvation, baptism does not save us from hell, you cannot just sprinkle a few drops of holy water on someone and be saved from spending an eternity in hell. The only way we are saved is by believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of our perfect and sinless Saviour, Jesus Christ. Baptism is a public profession of our salvation, it shows the world that we are only trusting in Jesus Christ to save us. Anyone can get saved without being baptized, but it is only when we get baptized that we understand the fullness of Christ. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” - 2 Colossians 2:12-14.

Perhaps the biggest burden for all Christians is that God wants us to be a living sacrifice, not a dead one. False religion has done everything from sacrificing children to suicide bombings in an attempt to reach God. Let me tell you, God values life, and any religion telling you to kill yourself of someone else in an attempt to reach Him is going to send you straight to hell. Yes, God is a righteous and just judge God, His judgments never change, He never changes, and the same rules apply to all, saved or not. It was the time of Passover, some of the men who were dealing with a death were not able to participate, one because they were defiled by the dead body, and two, they were away from the camp. God gives a command to allow them to observe wherever they are.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.” - Numbers 9:10-14.

“ye shall have one ordinance,” Every religion has its observances in which they are given time to reflect on their sins and seek redemption from God. Can I tell you that none of these observances get you right with God, and none of them can save you from your sins. One ordinance, one law is given for salvation of sin and that is Jesus Christ. We ought to have observances to reflect on what God has done for us, His blessings, His mercy, His grace, we ought to pray, fast, and not think about pleasing our flesh sometimes, and that is what Passover and all these religious observances are for. However, if we do not know God no amount of fasting, praying, or seeking redemption for our sins will be any good, it is just as worthless as getting baptized without being saved. We must be born again through Jesus Christ to know God, to be redeemed, and to be able to carry our burdens.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” - John 3:16-19.

Today's Prayer: God, I offer myself freely to You. May my actions not be based on man’s changing words or the standards of the world, but by Yours. I want Your unchanging, living Word to be an anchor for my soul so that I will keep moving forward with my Saviour Jesus Christ. Whatever burden You have given me to carry, give me the strength to endure it, help me to be watchful for those who are veering off course so that I can encourage them to remain faithful to You, and let me not get caught up in any false doctrine that takes away Your truths. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: Separated For God

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 4-6
Message: Numbers: Separated For God

Hello My Friend,

A Christian Marine fell in love with a Muslim woman while serving in Iraq, he helped her escape the country and married her, still today they are suffering because she is still a Muslim. There is this marquee at the entrance of a Muslim community not very far from where I live, it spells out, Muslims Believe In God. The truth is many people believe in God, if you ask someone if they know for sure they are going to heaven when they die, most unsaved respond with, “I hope so.” So, while many believe in God, there still is only one way to worship Him, and that is by personally knowing the Lord, Jesus Christ as your Saviour. As Christians we are going to meet a lot of people, and while we are to love them all, we are not to be joined with them all. God separates us from whose who may cause problems for us, even other Christians because He knows we will suffer needlessly for it. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Corinthians 6:16-18.

When we receive Christ as our Saviour we are no longer like the world because we have the only living God living inside of us. While thousands of people do believe the Gospel and get saved not everyone lives by the word of God. Every day Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics, Atheists, even gay people get saved, but they remain living under their religion, whichever that may be, and this is why God separates those who are not likeminded. That does not mean He does not use them for His purpose, but He will only allow them to go so far. As God continues to give the Levites instructions on who would do what in serving Him, He separates them according to their kindred.

“Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.” - Numbers 4:2-5,15.

“but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die” You see, while God still used the Kohathites to carry the supplies they were not allowed to touch any of the holy things with their bare hands. When we serve God in His church, especially when it concerns His word, we need to be holy because He is holy, that means knowing and following all of it. False religions have a way of creating mock versions of God's word to try and get people to be accepted in their church, the truth is they are not fully accepted by God because it is not His church. While anyone can get saved, He only trust those who trust and obey all of His word with His holy things. “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 1:20,21,30,31.

God fearing Christians are not perfect, they mess up all the time, but the key to their faithfulness and being used of God is confessing their sins. A lot of people, including Christians, are unaware that they may be living in sin. Sin is any wrong doing in ones life that God sees as immoral, wicked, corrupted, or abominable. So, naturally if one is living in sin, God is going to separate them from His church. God explains this further to the Israelites.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him. And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his. And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.” - Numbers 5:6-10.

“Then they shall confess their sin which they have done:” While a saved person will not end up in hell, God will separate them His faithful. It is only when we confess sin that we can get right with God and join in with the population. Saved or not, God will separate the ones who continuously live in sin. Why? It is contagious. Sin is like a disease, and it spreads quickly if not contained. We must understand that while God never denies a person the opportunity to walk into one of His churches to learn and grow with Him, He will keep His faithful separated from His unfaithful until they become faithful. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” - 1 John 1:8-10.

Vow, a solemn promise made to God. When we vow to live a godly life, God expects us to keep it, if we do not follow through we are going to face some difficulties. A Nazarite was a person vowed to separate themselves completely from the things of the world, giving total commitment to God. God gave special commands for those who made a vow to be a Nazarene. Now, this does not mean that they were perfect, but it did mean that their lives were centered on God and would do their best to avoid any temptations that would cause them to sin.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.” - Numbers 6:2,7-11.

“He shall not make himself unclean for his father,” There is one important thing we need to remember, when we serve God, we vow to be committed to Him, and that means presenting ourselves in a way that is holy. Many of our family, friends, and loved ones drag us down in their sin or keep us from doing the things God wants us to do. Now, family is very important to God, but we must be willing to let them go for Him, He wants complete and total commitment from us. “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” - Matthew 19:28,29.

Today's Prayer: God, You have a purpose for each and every one of us. May You use me for the purpose of showing Your Son in the crazy and corrupt world. Lord, I don't want to live like the world, I want to live as You would have me, with You centered in my life. Lead me and guide me, show me the way You want me to go, let me not turn to the right or left, but keep moving forward, following You. Give me the strength to walk away from anything that will separate me from You, help me to make the right decisions, and reveal to me any hidden sin that might be hindering my blessings. I love You and ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Numbers: What's In A Number?

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Chapters: Numbers 1-3
Message: Numbers: What's In A Number?

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Numbers is the forth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains thirty-six chapters. The author of the book is Moses and it was written to the Jews. The timeline for these events took place between 1490-1451BC. The purpose of the book was to record the forty years that the Jews were wandering in the wilderness as a result of their disbelief in God. What we are to learn from the book is that God is not pleased with anything less than trust and obedience. “If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.” - Numbers 30:2.

Numbers, to the human mind numbers have no meaning except as units, but to God numbers are important, for instance, the number seven symbolizes completion, God created the world in six twenty-four hour days and rested on the seventh, hence and complete week. Another number, three, also symbolizing completion as in the body, soul, and spirit, is three persons all rolled up in one great God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The body, soul, and spirit relate to God, the Father created the body, the Son gives life to the soul, and the Holy Spirit is us makes us complete. It had been two years since God brought the Jews out of bondage to Egypt, He orders the first census among the people. He begins numbering all the males, 20 years and older.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.” - Numbers 1:1-4,45-47.

“But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.” The Levites were not numbered here because God had other plans for them, the rest would be used to build an army. While God saves a few people to work for Him in His ministry, the majority of His people are used outside the church. He does this to brings others into the church. “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; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” - John 17:18-21.

Do you ever wonder why you are where you are in your life right now? I believe that everything we have done in our past leads up to where we are today, that it was God preparing the way for us. Now, we have hindered God, we have diverted our direction, but God allowed all of it to prepare us for what He really wants us to do. You see, God has patience, great patience, and He will wait until we are ready to handle the task He calls us to do. Nothing go through happens by chance or luck, it is all God putting us in order to serve Him where we will be more useful to Him. After the tribes were numbered they were given specific areas within the camp to dwell according to the number of people in their tribe.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.” - Numbers 2:1-3,32-34.

“so they pitched by their standards,” The tribes were to encircle the Tabernacle, which was in the center of the congregation, this was to show all that God sees all, and gives all the same opportunities. God never denies anyone the opportunity to know His Son, and He gives the same gift to all who do, eternal life. Just like the tribes encircled the Tabernacle, every family member of God encircles Christ. Now, He will place us in many areas, move us around a few times, and even place many people in and out of our lives, but it is all done to edify Him and remind us that He is right there inside of us. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” - 1 John 4:4-6,12-14.

While the other tribes were soldiers for God the Levites were set apart to be minsters of God, those working to bring people to God. Now, God numbers the Levites, and gives specific instructions for what they were to do in the work of the Tabernacle. “These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.” - Numbers 3:1-7.

“that they may minister unto him.” Every person God creates has a purpose. Sadly, the numbers of God's creation outnumber those who actually become His children, but there will be many, and they will be used for a greater purpose. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” - Ephesians 1:4-6.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for giving us a way to not only be saved, but be one of Your children and serve You according to Your will for us. It's amazing that You chose us, and even more amazing that You continue to use us either as soldiers, teachers, or simple laymen to serve You and show the world that You are a merciful, gracious, and loving God who just wants to be a part of their lives. Lord, I want You to be in the center of all that I do, lead me and guide me, teach me Your ways, and give me Your power to be the child You want me to be by Your standards. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Leviticus: Blessings And Curses

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, February 08, 2016
Chapters: Leviticus 25-27
Message: Leviticus: Blessings And Curses

Hello My Friend,

Blessing; Any means of happiness; a gift, that which promotes temporal prosperity and welfare or secures immortal happiness (eternal life). Curse, Affliction; torment; great vexation, Condemnation; sentence of divine vengeance on sinners. The second we believe in and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we are blessed, given the gift of eternal life. Praise God! An unsaved soul is cursed with condemnation, eternal death. Although a saved soul cannot lose eternal life, it can be cursed, afflicted with torment if it does not repent of their sins (I am talking about known continued sin). This is why I believe that if you are saved and living in sin you are already suffering for your sins, and if you do not repent, turn away from them, it will continue until God brings you home. “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” - Revelation 2:5.

The law of Moses laid a great deal of emphasis on the sabbath, it was designed for keeping up the knowledge and worship of God. The sabbath not only became a weekly routine, many were added throughout the year during feast days. Now, God institutes the sabbath year of rest from the harvest, and the jubilee. Jubilee, every fiftieth year, being the year following the revolution of seven weeks (forty-nine)of years, at which time all the slaves were liberated and lands which had been alienated during the whole period, were returned to their former owners.

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.” - Leviticus 25:2-5,10,25.

“then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.” When we receive Christ as our Saviour we are redeemed by the curse of the law, and redeemed by the curse of sin. Interestingly, the year that Christ died on the cross was a jubilee, and this was the very last time it was observed. When we receive Christ, we are set free, given liberty from the bondage of Satan and eternal death. We should never use our salvation as a means to continue living in sin, that comes with a greater curse. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” - James 1:21-25.

God promises to bless those who believe in His Son and follow His commands, following the commands of God apart from accepting Christ to be saved has nothing to do with our salvation, it has everything to do with receiving His blessings beyond that. Before God gives the blessings and warns of the curses that will come if they do not follow His commands, He gives a strict warning. “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.” - Leviticus 26:1-6.

“Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image,” Here that worshipers of the virgin Mary, Buddha, the Pope? You cannot worship or pray to these people, only to the Creator, God Himself. By the way, Satan is a great liar, if it seems as though people are being blessed by worshiping idols, pictures, or people it is not God, it is Satan to keep them from believing or learning the truth. Ignorance does not save us, only knowing Christ and receiving Him does. When we choose to follow God, He expects us to be loyal to Him, which is why curses come upon those who know Him, but do not follow His commands. God reveals the curses that will come from them if they turn away, but also gives hope as well.

“And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.” - Leviticus 26:15-18,40-42.

“and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:” To be saved, we must admit we are a sinner and that the punishment for sin is death and hell. If we accept that we can accept Christ. Before we can even know God and see Him work in our lives, we need to lose our pride. Pride is the very thing that keeps anyone from admitting they are a sinner and need Christ. “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” - Proverbs 16:17-19.

If anyone made a vow to serve God, and consecrated themselves to be employed there in some form, as sweeping the floor, carrying out ashes, running of errands, or the like, God would graciously accept the good will offering, and actually pay them for their worth. “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation. Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death. And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.” - Leviticus 27:2,28-31.

“the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.” We get rewarded not for our salvation, but the things we do after our salvation. “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” - Revelation 22:12.

Today's Prayer: God, It is because of the great love of Your Son, Jesus, and His willingness to take on our sins to redeem us that we can receive Your inheritance. It is truly amazing, the love You have for me and every soul, when I was lost, broken, and without hope, You found me, You took me in, accepted me, and You made me one of Yours. Lord, I want to show my thanks to You, to give honor and respect to You as Your child, lead me and guide me, help to understand and obey Your commands, give me Your strength, wisdom, love, and grace so I can be the child You want me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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Leviticus: Feast Unto God

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, February 07, 2016
Chapters: Leviticus 22-24
Message: Leviticus: Feast Unto God

Hello My Friend,

Food, meat, flesh or vegetables eaten for sustaining human life. While water is the biggest necessity we need to survive, food is what gives the body nourishment to keep us healthy and able to function. Just as we need to feed our bodies with good food to sustain it, we need to feed our spirit with food to sustain it. Think about it, when our spirit is weak, our body is weak also, it literally takes everything we have to get out of bed. Jesus is the bread that sustain our spirit, without Him with us every day we get weaker and weaker. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life.” - John 6:47,18.

It is really easy to become spiritually malnourished when we do not keep feeding on Jesus daily. While we who are saved never lose Christ, we can lose the sense of His presence when we let the trials of life eat at our spirit.

As God winds down the commands of His law He ends with Aaron's family, these would be those who would serve Him in His ministry. They too were subject to the same laws regarding cleanliness and sacrifices as the rest, but also had some additional commands to follow.

“What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him; Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water. And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food. That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD. They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.” - Leviticus 22:4-11.

“But if the priest buy any soul with his money,” No priest or member of his family was allowed to touch or eat of the offerings unless they were cleansed, no stranger was allowed to eat of them either unless their soul was bought and they became part of the family. Jesus Christ bought us when He gave His life for us, if we believe in and receive Him as our Saviour we become part of His family. Today, the same commands apply to those who belong to Christ, be clean. When Christ chooses us, He provides for us, but if we accept it unworthily, we will suffer. We cannot serve God and live the life of a heathen, of course, we are not perfect, but if we are going to serve Him, we need to remember we were bought with a price, and that price was the blood of Christ. “Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” - 1 Corinthians 7:21-23.

We are about a month out of the holiday season, usually that is the time of year where we seem to eat more food than any other. I heard that the average person gains ten pounds in six week time span, which is why so many people start diets the first of the year. Holidays are more than a celebration of food, most if the time they are to observe an event or cause. In America and Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day dedicated to peace and harmony and a successful harvest. I believe every nation has a feast day reflecting a bountiful harvest, and Israel was no except. God institutes several yearly feasts or holy days, these were special sabbath days of rest from work to give Him honor and remind them that He is the sustainer of life.

“These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.” - Leviticus 23:4-8,38-40.

“and beside all your freewill offerings” The greatest joy God will ever get from us is receiving His Son as our Saviour. You see, He does not want to see any soul end up in hell, even the worse offender has the ability to be saved, but God will not save anyone who will not receive His Son. But God wants more than to see us get saved, He wants us to be committed to Him, to give our lives to Him. Holidays are a time when all gather in harmony, and for a short time take a break from the world and the sinfulness of it, to give thanks and honor to God, and seek reconciliation with Him if we have gotten away from Him. “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.” - Romans 12:1,2.

When we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice and feast on Christ daily we lose the need to want to feed our flesh on the things of the world. We cannot serve God and the world, it we do there will be consequences. Now, God is merciful and will save anyone, but mock Him and it will be the last thing we do. To prove to the Israelites that God was serious about anyone mocking Him, He shows His judgment toward a man who was half Egyptian.

“And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death. And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.” - Leviticus 24:10-12,15-17,22.

“Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger,” Knowing this man was have Egyptian tells us that God will accept anyone who comes to Him. It does not matter what family we are born into or if we believe in Christ, the same law applies to all, eternal death to those who do not know or reject Him. We must realize that while God is a merciful God, He is also a just God. He will stand by and watch those who claim to know Him make a mockery our of His name or His Law. How do you feel when someone speaks bad about you, accuses you of things, or even worse uses your name falsely? You would be pretty angry. God loves all of His creation, but will not be mocked. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” - Galatians 6:7-9.

Today's Prayer: God, It is so hard to get up out of bed some days, but You are my strength to get up and do what I need to do to not only nourish my body, but mind and spirit as well so I be a healthy vessel for You. Lord, day to day struggles often eat at my spirit and before I know it my body is feeling the affects of it. From fatigue to anxiety, I know it is a result of me trying to do too many things without feeding on Your Spirit first. I just cannot handle things on my own, no matter how I try I need You and I am sorry for thinking that I had to handle it without You. Lead me and guide me, empty me of all the things that eat at my spirit and fill me with Your Spirit, the only thing that brings life to my body, mind, spirit, and soul. I love You Lord, and ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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