October 14, 2023

Did you know that God has a plan for your life? Following his promptings by listening to the Holy Spirit, you will find it quite detailed and specific. You probably won’t know the truth until it falls into place. It reminds me of the adage, “Hindsight is 20-20”. I’ve started reading Numbers, and, oh my goodness, there were a lot of Israelites! God gave Moses specifics on where they were to set up their tents, and he kept their families in mind and placed them in groups together. Isn’t it interesting that God considers our family dynamics when putting together his plan for us? The most important part of that plan is where he placed the Tabernacle, right in the middle of the camp. How comforting must it have been to have the temple of God right in the heart of the community? The church used to be the center of everything, and it’s a shame that we’ve gotten away from living that way. However, we are very mobile with our vehicles and can easily travel to the church of our choice and interact with the children that God wants us to be in communion with. If you haven’t made church a part of your life, are you living in God’s plan? The answer is no. We are a social people, and we are expected to share our lives with other Christ-followers. Find a Bible-believing church and go!

Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards. Numbers 2:17

October 13, 2023

The current event unfolding before our eyes makes my point of being prepared for living without power and water supplies. Imagine being in an area where the governments have control of those things, and they cut off the supply. Gather what you can and make room; add to it as you buy your weekly groceries. Eat the older things first. Get a few extra bottles of propane and a grill so you have a source to cook on. Remember, the food in your refrigerator and freezer will eventually go bad without electricity; eat that first. Consider what you require for comfort and ensure you are well-supplied. You may also want to arm yourself. It’s not about people being at war with one another; it’s about power-hungry officials forming against the people and their armies blindly following their command. If nothing happens, you have supplies for the future, but if it does, you will be comfortable. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to this, but we all need to be ready if it does. Rather than worry, prepare. Yes, God knows you need food and provisions, but will they miraculously appear, or will he prompt you by the Holy Spirit to gather those things beforehand? You decide. Don’t expect manna from heaven. 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

October 12, 2023

Jesus closed the door on the law of Moses and set us free from the obligation to keep it. 

These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai. Leviticus 27:34

Though going through Leviticus seemed daunting, I am grateful to have studied it because it opened my eyes to how truly blessed we are to have Jesus. He has made it easier to worship God and redeemed the tasks associated with keeping the law. 

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Romans 10:4

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

We are not under the heavy yoke of the law and are set free in our worship. Even though we are not burdened under the law to honor God by our sacrifices, we must do our part by loving Him and loving others. The law and the prophets are summed up by loving God and loving people. If you get these two things right, you will have covered the law and pleased God by your actions. Worship Him in spirit and truth.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40

October 11, 2023

My kids never know what to get me for my birthday because I don’t need anything; I’m very well provided for. Plus, I would prefer they keep their money. However, they always get me something, so I may as well tell them what I want. I love gardening, and fruit trees are my favorites, so I sent them pictures of a few unusual trees and where they could find them. Today, I’m tasked with finding a good place to plant them where they can grow and thrive. One thing I didn’t know about fruit trees is that according to what God told Israel when they plant trees in the promised land, they shouldn’t eat the fruit until the fifth year. The tree should be established and healthy first. I have trees with fruit that I should have picked off to give the tree a chance to grow. The fruit belongs to the Lord in the fourth year, and then you can eat it in the fifth year! It seems like a long time; however, being a priest of the Lord, sanctified by Jesus, I think we can eat it in the fourth year! You live, and you learn. 

And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. Leviticus 19:23

A promise comes with obedience and a curse for disobedience. Because of Jesus, we are under the promise of the New Covenant; our crops should meet one another, from the growing of grain to the production of fruit. It seems we should always have fresh food on our table. Thank goodness! I love to eat!

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. Leviticus 26:5

October 10, 2023

My cabinets are becoming less and less of store-bought food and more home canned goods. Some of the food I grew myself, but others were purchased at the market, including meats. One of the great things about putting away food is that I know the ingredients, and I only use products that are safe for our consumption. Another thing is that it makes a quick meal; everything is already cooked, so you heat and eat. I like that part the most. If the world goes wild (it’s precarious right now) and the power grid goes down, most of our food is in the cabinets, and we won’t go hungry while we wait on a garden harvest. 

The Bible talks about Israel letting their land rest during the seventh year. That meant they had to store plenty of food to get them through that year. It took planning and careful calculation to make sure they had enough on hand to cover that year. I don’t know how they did it, but I guess they dried the grain and the fruits then carefully stored them, keeping the moisture out. If you feel compelled by the Holy Spirit, begin planning for your future if things fall apart. You can see from the news how quickly life changed for many people. I feel that it’s essential for all of us to prepare for an urgent situation. Listen to what God tells you, and get ready if he leads you in that direction.

And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store. Leviticus 25:22

October 9, 2023

Cursing God’s name was such a severe offense that even in today’s writings, the Jewish people are careful not to use it in vain and write it like this: G-d. If a person took the Lord’s name in vain, the witnesses would place their hands on that person’s head, and then the congregation would stone him to death! Today, we use God’s name carelessly, and it rolls off our tongue as if it is no big deal. We’ve never seen anyone stoned or taken part in a stoning to see what happens to a person who doesn’t choose their words carefully and in consideration of the deity of God. If we had seen or participated in such a brutal death, our language skills would have improved drastically and quickly! The truth is that we should love the Lord our God with all our hearts, so the last thing we would do is blaspheme his precious name. It was such a heinous crime that they couldn’t lay that sin on an animal; they had to bear it themselves. Once we have the Holy Spirit, can we be forgiven of that sin, or must we take the consequences ourselves? If you have a bad habit of using God’s name as a curse word, you need to stop. At some point, you may cross the line into dangerous territory.

Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. Leviticus 24:14-15

October 8, 2023

New Testament scripture is making more sense. In the Old Testament, if you were not a part of the priest's family or a Levite, you were not allowed to eat the sacrificial offerings. If you did, on purpose, you took on the iniquity of that offering. However, if the priest bought you with his own money, you became his and considered a part of his household. At that point, if you ate the sacrifice you were sanctified. If you weren't bought by him or weren't a member of his family, the burden of that sin sacrifice was now laid upon you!

Jesus is our Priest. He bought us, and we are now a part of his household. Because of the price He paid for us, we are allowed to eat of the sacrificial offerings. He said his body was the bread. If an unbeliever partakes of Christ's body, just as we have but have not committed to him, it appears they will be overtaken by a heavy burden of the sin we've committed and been forgiven of. It makes so much sense why a warning comes with taking communion. However, because Jesus bought us, we are free to eat. It is unbelievers who should be warned, not us! I have never been so scared for someone who has taken communion without being saved. It's like they are now the sacrifice. Fear not for yourself; fear for those outside of Christ who didn't heed the warning.

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 22:11

And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them. Leviticus 22:15-16

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. Matthew 26:26

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:20