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OK now I'm getting lost with all of these festivals, burnt offerings, grain offerings and these offering are in addition to the regular morning burnt offerings. "On the fourteenth day of the first month, you must celebrate the Lord's Passover" OK so far so good....this sounds like fun we love celebrating the Lord. "On the following day-the fifteenth day of the month-a joyous, seven-day festival will begin, but no bread made with yeast may be eaten." OK I can handle that. "The first day of the festival will be an official day for holy assembly, and no ordinary work may be done on that day. As a special gift you must present a burnt offering to the Lord-two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. These will be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil, six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram and two quarts with each of the seven lambs. You must also offer a male goat as a sin offering to purify yourselves and make yourselves right with the Lord. Present these offerings in addition to your regular morning burnt offering." hmmmmm ok I could probably work this out, but don't remember what the daily offerings are so would need a refresher.
"On each of the seven days of the festival, this is how you must prepare the food offering that is presented as a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. These will be offered in addition to the regular burnt offerings and liquid offerings. The seventh day of the festival will be another official day for holy assembly, and no ordinary work may be done on that day." What time for ordinary work, I'd be working out my flow chart to figure out these offerings!
"At the Festival of Harvest, when you present the first of your new grain to the Lord, you must call an official day for holy assembly, and you may do no ordinary work. Present a special burnt offering on that day as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It will consist of two young bulls, one ram, and seven one-year-old male lambs. These will be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil-six quarts with each bull, four quarts with the ram, and two quarts with each of the seven lambs. Also offering one male goat to purify yourselves and make your selves right with the Lord. Prepare these special burnt offerings, along with the liquid offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its accompanying grain offering. Be sure that all the animals you sacrifice have no defects." OK so same as the festival after the passover....I think I'm getting this!
"Celebrate the Festival of Trumpets each year on the first day of the appointed month in early autumn. You must call an official day for holy assembly and you many do no ordinary work. On that day you must present a burnt offering as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It will consist of one young bull, one ram and seven on-year-old male lambs all with no defects. These must be accompanied by grain offerings of choice flour moistened with olive oil-six quarts with the bull, four quarts with the ram, and two quarts with each of the seven lambs. In addition, you must sacrifice a male goat as a sin offering to purify yourselves and make yourselves right with the Lord. These special sacrifices are in addition to your regular monthly AND daily burnt offerings, and they must be given with their prescribed grain offerings and liquid offerings. These offerings are given as a special gift to the Lord, a pleasing aroma to him." So same as the other festivals but a bull short.
"Ten days later, on the tenth day of the same month, you must call another holy assembly. On that day, the Day of Atonement, the people must go without food and must do no ordinary work." I would imagine that would be easy being that they seem to have to burn up all their food for the offerings and there's no time to do ordinary work while they are figuring out all these offerings! The offering is the same as the one prior and specifically says "This is in addition to the sin offering of atonement and the regular daily burnt offering with its grain offering, and their accompanying liquid offerings."
"Five days later, on the fifteenth day of the same month, you must call another holy assembly of all the people and you many do no ordinary work on the that day. It is the beginning of the Festival of Shelters, a seven-day festival to the Lord." Now we get into daily offerings for eight days they had to burn up heards of animals! Starting with 13 young bulls, two rams, and fourteen one-year-old male lambs, all with no defects. Each accompanied by the grain offering with olive oil....etc and a male goat. It then goes down to 12 bulls, 11, 10...etc for seven days. Then on day eight you go back to one bull. Total: 71 bulls, 15 rams and 105 lambs over just 8 days for this one festival.
"You must present these offerings to the Lord ast your annual festivals. These are in addition to the sacrifices and offerings you present in connection with vows, or as voluntary offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, liquid offerings or peace offerings." Now if you make a mistake during your offering, and it's not an offering that will get your burnt up, it becomes a sin so you then have to do a sin offering for the offering that caused the sin and if that is messed up you have a sin offering for the sin offering for the festival offering on top of the regular offering with,,,it...eh....huh?
"So Moses gave all of these instructions to the people of Israel as the Lord had commanded him." I sure hope he had a note pad everytime he talked to God......
In Luke today it's the geneology from Jesus all the way back to Adam who was the son of God.
March 18 - John Begins Preaching
Moses gets some disturbing news today from the Lord. He's to "Climb one of the mountains east of the river, and look out over the land I have given the people of Israel. After you have seen it, you will die like your brother, Aaron, for you both rebelled against my instructions in the wilderness of Zin. When the people of Israel rebelled, you failed to demonstrate my holiness to them at the waters." Moses asks the Lord to appoint a new leader so the people wouldn't be like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord grants his request and tells him to take Joshua son of nun, and present him to Eleazar the priest before the whole community and publicly commission him to lead the people. God then tells Moses "Give these instructions to the people of Israel:" and then goes into specifics on offerings. I'm not sure how anyone could focus on anything else back in those days but Gods commands....there were about a million of them for different offerings and if you messed up it would be a very bad day. Thank Jesus for his sacrifice on the cross. The ultimate lamb for our sins because I have trouble remembering what goes for what right when I read it. Imagine if I had to perform a sacrifice for a sin....I would purchase so much life insurance Boo, Pnut and Little Bit would be set for life!
In Luke today it was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea: Herod was ruler over Galilee. This is when John received a message from God and left the wilderness to preach that people should be baptized to show that they had turned to God to receive forgiveness for their sins. Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon and were wondering if John was the Messiah. "I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
One day the crowds were being baptized by John and Jesus himself came to be baptized. As he was praying the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. A voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved son and you bring me great joy."
In Luke today it was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea: Herod was ruler over Galilee. This is when John received a message from God and left the wilderness to preach that people should be baptized to show that they had turned to God to receive forgiveness for their sins. Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon and were wondering if John was the Messiah. "I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."
One day the crowds were being baptized by John and Jesus himself came to be baptized. As he was praying the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. A voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved son and you bring me great joy."
Mar 17 - OOOOPS Where's My Child?
Numbers was all just that...numbers of the different warriors by family that were twenty years old or older that were able to go to war. In summary the registered troops of all Israel numbered 601,730.
In Luke today he talks about how Jesus grew up healthy and strong and was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him. When he was growing up Mary and Joseph would take him every year to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. At 12 years old the went to the festival as usual and when they left to go back to Nazareth they thought he was with other travelers but he actually stayed behind in Jerusalem. The bible says that "His parents didn't miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers." OK these are the two people God left His child with to be raised?:) Luckily the Lord knows all and it was part of His plan...the bigger picture that we can't see. Once they figured out he wasn't with them they went back to Jerusalem and found him, after searching 3 days, in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 'All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.'
"Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
"But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they didn't understand what he meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these thing sin her heart.
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
What happens if your the bully that picks on Jesus in school? God teaches never ending forgiveness so I guess he was OK but it's said God has a sense of humor too:)
In Luke today he talks about how Jesus grew up healthy and strong and was filled with wisdom, and God's favor was on him. When he was growing up Mary and Joseph would take him every year to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. At 12 years old the went to the festival as usual and when they left to go back to Nazareth they thought he was with other travelers but he actually stayed behind in Jerusalem. The bible says that "His parents didn't miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers." OK these are the two people God left His child with to be raised?:) Luckily the Lord knows all and it was part of His plan...the bigger picture that we can't see. Once they figured out he wasn't with them they went back to Jerusalem and found him, after searching 3 days, in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 'All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.'
"Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
"But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they didn't understand what he meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these thing sin her heart.
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
What happens if your the bully that picks on Jesus in school? God teaches never ending forgiveness so I guess he was OK but it's said God has a sense of humor too:)
Mar 16 - Jesus Is Born
Today Balak snnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaps when Balaam blesses the Israelites from this final location he takes him to curse them. "I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times. Now get out of here! Go back home! I promised to reward you richly, but the Lord has kept you form your reward." Pardon my language but how freaking crazy do you have to be to see all of this happening and then shaft the guy out of payment and blame it on God. So of coarse God gives him a little message to pass on to Balak before he leaves. Basically the people of Israel are going to wipe you out and and a bunch of the other lands in the area that are sinning against God. Then Balaam and Balak returned to their homes and I'm betting Balak didn't sleep to well!
Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem in Judea because he was a descendant of King David and there was a census to be taken so everyone had to return to their ancestral towns. While they were in Bethlehem Jesus was born. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby when an angle of the Lord appeared and told them "Don't be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." Suddenly the angel was joined by the armies of heaven praising God and saying "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
The baby was circumcised and then Mary and Joseph then went to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord because the law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a by, he must be dedicated to the Lord." Simeon a righteous and devout man had the Holy Spirit upon him that revealed he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. Mary and Joseph went to the Temple to present the baby. He took the child in his arms and praised God. Simeon blessed them and said "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." It doesn't seem like this is very hard for people to grasp. Christianity is HUGE throughout the world and our beliefs are based off form Jesus being the Messiah and his death was for the salvation of our life. I think it's good to now and again reflect on Jesus' birth and not always just on his death. Yes his death and blood on the cross is what saved us but we also have to remember he came into this world as a helpless baby with earthly parents and grew to become the Jesus we know. I'm interested to see how deep the bible goes into Jesus as a kid and how his parents interacted.....family life.
Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem in Judea because he was a descendant of King David and there was a census to be taken so everyone had to return to their ancestral towns. While they were in Bethlehem Jesus was born. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby when an angle of the Lord appeared and told them "Don't be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." Suddenly the angel was joined by the armies of heaven praising God and saying "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."
The baby was circumcised and then Mary and Joseph then went to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord because the law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a by, he must be dedicated to the Lord." Simeon a righteous and devout man had the Holy Spirit upon him that revealed he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. Mary and Joseph went to the Temple to present the baby. He took the child in his arms and praised God. Simeon blessed them and said "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." It doesn't seem like this is very hard for people to grasp. Christianity is HUGE throughout the world and our beliefs are based off form Jesus being the Messiah and his death was for the salvation of our life. I think it's good to now and again reflect on Jesus' birth and not always just on his death. Yes his death and blood on the cross is what saved us but we also have to remember he came into this world as a helpless baby with earthly parents and grew to become the Jesus we know. I'm interested to see how deep the bible goes into Jesus as a kid and how his parents interacted.....family life.
Mar 15 - His Name Is John
Crazy story about one guy, Balak, asks another guy, Balaam, to come and put a curse on the people of Israel because they were conquering everything through the land and they were camping in his land the plains of Moab so he was afraid. Balaam kept saying no because the Lord had told him those people are blessed do not go. Then the Lord tells him to go ahead and go to Balak but do only what I tell you. Well on the way his donkey keeps seeing an angle of the Lord that was sent and strays away a couple times then lays down the third time he sees the angel. This keeps Balaam from being killed by the Angel. Well Balaam can't see him so each time he gives the donkey a beating. After the 3rd beating the Lord gives the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asks. "You have made me look like a fool!" uuuuhhhhh your talking to a donkey I think your looking like a fool all on your own. They talk a minute and then the Lord opens Balaams eyes so he can see the Angel standing in the roadway with a drawn sword. He falls face down before the Angel. The Angel lets him go on but tells him "say only what I tell you to say.
Balaam arrives and Balak takes him to a few different places to curse the people of Israel and Balaam keeps doing as the Angel tells him and blesses them. Balak finally snaps and tells Balaam "Fine, but if you won't curse them, at elast don't bless them!" But Balaam replied to Balak, "didn't I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?" Then King Blak said "Come, I will take you to one more place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there." Some people never learn!
In Luke today John the Baptist is born! Now they named him John and all the people were confused because no one in their family was named John, but that is the name the Lord gave them to name him. Zechariah motions for his tablet and writes down "His name is John" and instantly he can speak again. Word spread though out the Judean hills about what had happened so everyone was wondering what the child would turn out to be because God was surely upon him in a special way. His father Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant-the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. And you my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." So the ground work has been laid for John and Jesus to full fill the scriptures.....how cool is that!
Balaam arrives and Balak takes him to a few different places to curse the people of Israel and Balaam keeps doing as the Angel tells him and blesses them. Balak finally snaps and tells Balaam "Fine, but if you won't curse them, at elast don't bless them!" But Balaam replied to Balak, "didn't I tell you that I can do only what the Lord tells me?" Then King Blak said "Come, I will take you to one more place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them from there." Some people never learn!
In Luke today John the Baptist is born! Now they named him John and all the people were confused because no one in their family was named John, but that is the name the Lord gave them to name him. Zechariah motions for his tablet and writes down "His name is John" and instantly he can speak again. Word spread though out the Judean hills about what had happened so everyone was wondering what the child would turn out to be because God was surely upon him in a special way. His father Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant-the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. And you my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." So the ground work has been laid for John and Jesus to full fill the scriptures.....how cool is that!
Mar 14 - The Canaanites and Amorites Go Down
Let the whooooping begin! The Canaanite king of Arad attacked the Israelites and took some of them as prisoner. So the people of Israel made this vow to the Lord: "If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroy all their towns." God gives them victory and they destroyed all theri towns. Here we go again....the Israelites set out for Mount Hor and grew impatient with the journey so the began to speak against God and Moses. Why not...Aarons gone so let's just put God in his place. It's not like He's done a zillion miracles and shown his anger on them in the past. So the Lord sends out poisonous snakes to bite them. The people came to Moses and cried out "We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes." So he did and the Lord tells moses, "Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!" I would be walking about 3 feet from that freaking pole! There thousands of people I wouldn't want to be the guy waaaaaaaaaaay in the back that gets bitten at midnight!
The Israelites ask to travel through the Amorites land and the King refuses to let them cross his territory. Instead he assembles his entire army and attacks Israel in the wilderness....bad move the Israelites slaughtered them and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. So with the help of the Lord they start migrating and conquering just as God had promised. Taking the land promised to them for they were blessed by God.....Nice little trinket to have in your pocket the blessing of God:)
In Luke today we are six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy with John and Gabriel goes to Galilee and appears to a virgin named Mary (You've probably heard of her) and says "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!" "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever, his Kingdom will never end!"
He explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of God will overshadow her. The baby to be born will be holy and called the Son of God. He also tells her about her friend Elizabeth pregnant with John. A few days later Mary heads to Judea, greets Elizabeth and when Elizabeth's baby hears Mary's voice he leaps within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary stays with Elizabeth for about three months then goes back home. Two of the greatest people to ever walk the earth are baking in the same tent. All babies are God's children but seriously Mary had God's child! It's an amazing experience to have a child with your wife and raising them is just as big of a blessing. Us men get to play more of a part raising them then the 5 seconds...uh I mean 4 hours we played in the conceiving part. Be a HUGE part of your childrens worlds......I couldn't imagine missing the experience of raising my children with my incredible wife.
The Israelites ask to travel through the Amorites land and the King refuses to let them cross his territory. Instead he assembles his entire army and attacks Israel in the wilderness....bad move the Israelites slaughtered them and occupied their land from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River. So with the help of the Lord they start migrating and conquering just as God had promised. Taking the land promised to them for they were blessed by God.....Nice little trinket to have in your pocket the blessing of God:)
In Luke today we are six months into Elizabeth's pregnancy with John and Gabriel goes to Galilee and appears to a virgin named Mary (You've probably heard of her) and says "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!" "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever, his Kingdom will never end!"
He explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of God will overshadow her. The baby to be born will be holy and called the Son of God. He also tells her about her friend Elizabeth pregnant with John. A few days later Mary heads to Judea, greets Elizabeth and when Elizabeth's baby hears Mary's voice he leaps within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary stays with Elizabeth for about three months then goes back home. Two of the greatest people to ever walk the earth are baking in the same tent. All babies are God's children but seriously Mary had God's child! It's an amazing experience to have a child with your wife and raising them is just as big of a blessing. Us men get to play more of a part raising them then the 5 seconds...uh I mean 4 hours we played in the conceiving part. Be a HUGE part of your childrens worlds......I couldn't imagine missing the experience of raising my children with my incredible wife.
Mar 13 - Aaron Passes On
More whining and complaining from the people of Israel gets Moses and Aaron in hot water. Moses and Aron turn away from the people and their complaining and fall face down at the entrance of the Tabernacle to be with the glorious presence of the Lord. God has Moses assemble the community and he strikes a rock with his staff and water flows out in order for the people and cattle to drink. While they are at the Tabernacle talking with the Lord he says "Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!" Ultimately at the end of today's old testament reading Aaron goes up to the summit of Mount Hor with his son Eleazar and Moses. He puts his priestly garments on Eleazar and dies as the Lord instructed. Then Moses and Eliazar head back down the mountain. Talk about a bummer....He walked with God so that's got to be sweeter then honey but in the end to not even make it to the land promised due to frustrations of dealing with people....I'm sure he's having a better time kicking it in Heaven but still:)
We move on to Luke today in the new testament. The bible states the Gospel of Luke has been called the most beautiful book ever written. So I guess if you want to take one account of Jesus' life rather then read all 4 books just shoot right to what Luke wrote. "Luke was probably a Gentile by birth, well educated in Greek culture, a physician by profession and a companion of Paul at various times."
Luke writes "Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught." He goes on to talk about Zechariah serving God in the Temple when an Gabriel came down and told him his wife Elizabeth would give him a son he would name John. John will be great in the eyes of the Lord and be filled with the spirit and power of Elijah. "He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord." Because Zachariah had doubt Gabriel mad him unable to speak until John came.....that's the account for the start of John the Baptist and it happens just as he said it would.
We move on to Luke today in the new testament. The bible states the Gospel of Luke has been called the most beautiful book ever written. So I guess if you want to take one account of Jesus' life rather then read all 4 books just shoot right to what Luke wrote. "Luke was probably a Gentile by birth, well educated in Greek culture, a physician by profession and a companion of Paul at various times."
Luke writes "Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught." He goes on to talk about Zechariah serving God in the Temple when an Gabriel came down and told him his wife Elizabeth would give him a son he would name John. John will be great in the eyes of the Lord and be filled with the spirit and power of Elijah. "He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord." Because Zachariah had doubt Gabriel mad him unable to speak until John came.....that's the account for the start of John the Baptist and it happens just as he said it would.
Mar 12 - You Can't Keep A Good Man Down!
So yesterday the Lord swallowed up these 3 men and their families and possessions and the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You have killed the Lord's people!" Moses just can't catch a break:) The Lord became angry with the people of Israel and told Moses "Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!" But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. They then ran an incense burner with burning coals from the altar through the crowd to purify them and make them right with the Lord. So they saved a bunch of them but 14,700 did die from the Lord plague. The Lord then has Moses take the 12 leaders wooden staffs and Aaron's staff of the tribe of Levi, and place them in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant. He said "Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the People's murmuring and complaining against you." Moses did as he said and when he returned Aaron's staff budded, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds! The Lord told Moses "Place Aaron's staff permanently before the Ark of the Covenant to serve as a warning to rebels." The Lord then gives a lot of instructions to Aaron and puts him in charge of holy offerings and gives him parts of the all the different offerings. Talk about being friends with the big man! The Lord talks about the tithe being a tenth and that the Levites when they receive from he people of Israel the tithes assigned to thme they have to give a tithe (tenth) of the tithe to the Lord as a sacred offering. Today we give a Tithe of our income to the local storehouse, our church, as our sacred offering. We reap the rewards of sowing those funds to the Lord. Maybe not in big $$$ but we somehow pay all our bills every month, manage to save some and our family is full of Love. I'll take that for a mear 10% any day!
In the New Testament Jesus Rises from the dead today. How you like them apples! Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James purchased burial spices to anoint Jesus' body. The went to the tomb early Sunday morning and the stone was rolled back and an angel was there , "Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galillee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died." The women freaked out and fled saying nothing to anyone because they were frightened. Jesus appears to a few people here and there then he tells the disciples "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved." and Jesus gives them a bunch of miraculous signs to perform. The disciples went out and preached and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. He then anoints a Bunny to go around and give everyone chocolate eggs....No??
In the New Testament Jesus Rises from the dead today. How you like them apples! Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James purchased burial spices to anoint Jesus' body. The went to the tomb early Sunday morning and the stone was rolled back and an angel was there , "Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galillee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died." The women freaked out and fled saying nothing to anyone because they were frightened. Jesus appears to a few people here and there then he tells the disciples "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved." and Jesus gives them a bunch of miraculous signs to perform. The disciples went out and preached and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. He then anoints a Bunny to go around and give everyone chocolate eggs....No??
Mar 11 - Oooops He Was The Son Of God!
Numbers moves on with more rules for what to do with the people that commit an intentional sin and unintentional sin when they arrive to the land the Lord is taking them to. One day Korah son of Izhar conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. They united against Moses and Aaron and said, "You have gone to far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the Lord and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the Lord's people?" In hindsight not such a good idea. What would possess someone who has witnessed the miracles God has performed through Moses and Aaron to snap and riot up against him? Anywho in the end the earth swallows up Korah, Dathan and Abiram along with their families, followers and belongings. The Lord also burned up the 250 followers of those 3 men. Not a good day for those who strayed and went against Moses who was acting on behalf of the Lord.
Today in the New Testament Jesus is given over to Pilate, the Roman governor. The governors custom was to release one prisoner each year during the Passover celebration-anyone the people requested. He gave them the choice of Jesus or Barabbas, a revolutionary who had commited murder in an uprising. The chose Barabbas and shouted out to crucify Jesus! "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?" But the mob roared even louder "Crucify him!" Pilate and hands Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. As sign that read "The King of the Jews." was hung above him. He was moched and scoffed at by people going by. Jesus cried out "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died he exclaimed, "This man truly was the Son of God!" And probably followed that by "SON OF A BISCUIT! I chose the wrong team!" Jesus' body was then taken by Joseph, wrapped in linen cloth and laid in a tomb carved out of rock and a large stone was rolled in front of the entrance. Can you imagine being there at that time to see all of this unfold! What's going through the minds of those that are doubting that Jesus is God in the flesh so they mocked and kicked him now to see this! Would they think it's a magicians trick like the Egyptians did for Moses? I don't know, I wouldn't even want to guess but I would think that some serious fear motored through the people.
Today in the New Testament Jesus is given over to Pilate, the Roman governor. The governors custom was to release one prisoner each year during the Passover celebration-anyone the people requested. He gave them the choice of Jesus or Barabbas, a revolutionary who had commited murder in an uprising. The chose Barabbas and shouted out to crucify Jesus! "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?" But the mob roared even louder "Crucify him!" Pilate and hands Jesus over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. As sign that read "The King of the Jews." was hung above him. He was moched and scoffed at by people going by. Jesus cried out "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died he exclaimed, "This man truly was the Son of God!" And probably followed that by "SON OF A BISCUIT! I chose the wrong team!" Jesus' body was then taken by Joseph, wrapped in linen cloth and laid in a tomb carved out of rock and a large stone was rolled in front of the entrance. Can you imagine being there at that time to see all of this unfold! What's going through the minds of those that are doubting that Jesus is God in the flesh so they mocked and kicked him now to see this! Would they think it's a magicians trick like the Egyptians did for Moses? I don't know, I wouldn't even want to guess but I would think that some serious fear motored through the people.
Mar 10 - Jesus Messiah
So the Isrealites started complaining again. Some of the men that were sent out to yesterday to check out the land they were promised reported back that they would be slaughtered if they entered. The current inhabitants were much bigger and stronger even though the land was as beautiful as promised they didn't want to enter and be killed. "If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!" the people complained. "Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried of as plunder!" "Let's choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!" Now all of this really ticked off the Lord. "How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?" After a long talk with Moses He decides not to wipe them out but has Moses tell them " You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you....You said your children would be carried off as plunder. I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness. And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years." hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm hmmmmmmmmmmmm hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?? Somebody tell somebody have Faith!
The new testament today Jesus is taken and beaten. The leading priests and high council were trying to find evidence against him but they couldn't find any. The high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus said, "I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy. What is h your verdict?" "Guilty!" they all cried. "He deserves to die!"
Peter is strolling through courtyards and the streets when when he was proclaimed by others to know Jesus 3 times and all three times he denied it. On the last denial he immediately herd a rooster crow the second time. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed though Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he broke down and wept.
Proverbs 11:4 Riches won't help on the day of judgement, but right living can save you from death.
The new testament today Jesus is taken and beaten. The leading priests and high council were trying to find evidence against him but they couldn't find any. The high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus said, "I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy. What is h your verdict?" "Guilty!" they all cried. "He deserves to die!"
Peter is strolling through courtyards and the streets when when he was proclaimed by others to know Jesus 3 times and all three times he denied it. On the last denial he immediately herd a rooster crow the second time. Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed though Peter's mind: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me." And he broke down and wept.
Proverbs 11:4 Riches won't help on the day of judgement, but right living can save you from death.
Mar 9 - Jesus Prays Alone
The people would constantly come to Moses with complaints and needs and it was to much for one to bear so He cried out to God for help. Moses was instructed and gathered the seventy elders and stationed them aroudn the Tabernacle. The Lord came down in a cloud and spoke to Moses. Then gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again. So God made it so the elders could bear the burden of the people along side with him so he wouldn't have to carry it all.
I can tell you first hand that we ALL have the ability to have that Spirit. I had a HUGE problem with the cafe trying to take care of it all myself. Boo can tell you that was a major stress in my life dealing with lawyers, employees, banks, products, landlords.....etc. I tried to carry the entire burden by myself without Gods help. One day I just couldn't take it anymore. I had a contract on the cafe for a new buyer just to dump it and he decided he didn't want it anymore....that was it. That week I went to "the foot of the cross" and cried out for help and sure the next day the buyers came back and we closed them 3 days later. Believe what you will, Karma, dumb luck or a deal to good to pass up but I can tell you 100% that God put His hand on it and the burden was released. I could feel his presence at the altar basically saying "Welcome Back meathead, what can I do for you today":)
In Mark today Jesus is sold out by Judas. Jesus breaks bread with his disciples, this is the famous "Last Supper" that people talk about. They then go to Gethsemane the olive grove and Jesus tells his disciiples to sit while he goes off to pray. He takes Peter, James, and John with him and he became deeply troubled. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He then went a little further and fell to the ground. "Abba, Father," he cried out, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." To me this is HUGE. To read that the Son of Man is distressed and praying for God to let him live. Essentially he's guarenteed a to be back with his father in heaven but death still fears him! Ultimately his request is "Your will to be done, not mine." That is an extremely hard concept to grasp but ultimately it's the best way to live....That's the way I see it:)
I can tell you first hand that we ALL have the ability to have that Spirit. I had a HUGE problem with the cafe trying to take care of it all myself. Boo can tell you that was a major stress in my life dealing with lawyers, employees, banks, products, landlords.....etc. I tried to carry the entire burden by myself without Gods help. One day I just couldn't take it anymore. I had a contract on the cafe for a new buyer just to dump it and he decided he didn't want it anymore....that was it. That week I went to "the foot of the cross" and cried out for help and sure the next day the buyers came back and we closed them 3 days later. Believe what you will, Karma, dumb luck or a deal to good to pass up but I can tell you 100% that God put His hand on it and the burden was released. I could feel his presence at the altar basically saying "Welcome Back meathead, what can I do for you today":)
In Mark today Jesus is sold out by Judas. Jesus breaks bread with his disciples, this is the famous "Last Supper" that people talk about. They then go to Gethsemane the olive grove and Jesus tells his disciiples to sit while he goes off to pray. He takes Peter, James, and John with him and he became deeply troubled. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He then went a little further and fell to the ground. "Abba, Father," he cried out, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." To me this is HUGE. To read that the Son of Man is distressed and praying for God to let him live. Essentially he's guarenteed a to be back with his father in heaven but death still fears him! Ultimately his request is "Your will to be done, not mine." That is an extremely hard concept to grasp but ultimately it's the best way to live....That's the way I see it:)
Mar 8 - Make Some Noise!
In Numbers today the Lord says to Moses "Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp. When both trumpets are blown, everyone must gather before you at the entrance of the Tabernacle. But if only one trumpet is blown, then only the leaders-the heads of the clans of Israel-must present themselves to you. When you sound the signal to move on, the tribes camped on the east side of the Tabernacle must break camp and move forward. When you sound the signal a second time , the tribes camped on the south will follow. You must sound short blasts as the signal for moving on. But when you call the people to an assembly, blow the trumpets with a different signal."
"When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. and blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God." Jimminie Crickets! It seems everyday I read there are more rules and regs and do this then, make that, these people go here, those there, they do this when you do that! How in the heck did they remember all of this! I'm fairly confident that i would have made it about a week and then been turned into a pile of ashes for botching something. Heck I have trouble remembering what Boo and I have planned from one weekend to the next......I have been known to double book in the past:)
In the New Testament Jesus goes with his disciples to eat the Passover meal. He tells the disciples that there is a betrayer among them. Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, "Am I the one?" OK what kind of question is that!? I'm pretty sure that if I was planning to have someone killed I wouldn't have to ask him if I was the one that was going to do it! Especially just hours before it happens!
Jesus replies "It is the one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!" I'm sure glad I wasn't chosen for that job........
"When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. and blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God." Jimminie Crickets! It seems everyday I read there are more rules and regs and do this then, make that, these people go here, those there, they do this when you do that! How in the heck did they remember all of this! I'm fairly confident that i would have made it about a week and then been turned into a pile of ashes for botching something. Heck I have trouble remembering what Boo and I have planned from one weekend to the next......I have been known to double book in the past:)
In the New Testament Jesus goes with his disciples to eat the Passover meal. He tells the disciples that there is a betrayer among them. Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, "Am I the one?" OK what kind of question is that!? I'm pretty sure that if I was planning to have someone killed I wouldn't have to ask him if I was the one that was going to do it! Especially just hours before it happens!
Jesus replies "It is the one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!" I'm sure glad I wasn't chosen for that job........
Mar 7 - Levites Manditory Retirement Plan....The 401G
Today in Numbers the Lord tells Moses to set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make the ceremonially clean. The Lord wants him to assemble the whole community of Israel and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle. He wants Aaron to present the Levites to the Lord as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the Lord's service. "Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both of people and of animals. I set them apart for myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians."
Because the Levites belonged to the Lord they had to begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and they had to retire at the age of fifty. After retirement they could assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they could not officiate in the service. Not a bad set up. Guaranteed work for 25 years and a retirement plan manditory to accept at 50. I like it!
In Numbers it goes on to talk about celebrating the Passover and the Lord's cloud over the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And where the cloud settled, they would set up camp. Sometimes it was just for over night other times it was a lot longer. They must follow the cloud . On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. This was the regular pattern....at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. Lot's of rituals and specific processes in the old testament. I personally don't know how they remembered all that was to be done and when. I guess following the cloud is an easy one but imagine how long it took them to set things up and if the Lord up and moved the next day! That could prove to be a long weekend of labor!
In Mark today Jesus talks about false prophets and messiahs will rise up and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. He goes on to talk about the end of days and how the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, stars will fall from the sky and the powers in the heavens will be shaken and everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. Now I mentioned this when reading Matthew that Jesus specifically says "However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don't know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!" For those that don't believe I guess we'll just have to hang out until 2013, Nostradamas & the Mayan calender will or won't come to pass.....then what will people have to believe in?? The truth of Jesus Christ maybe hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm??
Because the Levites belonged to the Lord they had to begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and they had to retire at the age of fifty. After retirement they could assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they could not officiate in the service. Not a bad set up. Guaranteed work for 25 years and a retirement plan manditory to accept at 50. I like it!
In Numbers it goes on to talk about celebrating the Passover and the Lord's cloud over the Tabernacle. When the cloud lifted from over the sacred tent, the people of Israel would break camp and follow it. And where the cloud settled, they would set up camp. Sometimes it was just for over night other times it was a lot longer. They must follow the cloud . On the day the Tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered it. But from evening until morning the cloud over the Tabernacle looked like a pillar of fire. This was the regular pattern....at night the cloud that covered the Tabernacle had the appearance of fire. Lot's of rituals and specific processes in the old testament. I personally don't know how they remembered all that was to be done and when. I guess following the cloud is an easy one but imagine how long it took them to set things up and if the Lord up and moved the next day! That could prove to be a long weekend of labor!
In Mark today Jesus talks about false prophets and messiahs will rise up and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. He goes on to talk about the end of days and how the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, stars will fall from the sky and the powers in the heavens will be shaken and everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. Now I mentioned this when reading Matthew that Jesus specifically says "However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don't know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!" For those that don't believe I guess we'll just have to hang out until 2013, Nostradamas & the Mayan calender will or won't come to pass.....then what will people have to believe in?? The truth of Jesus Christ maybe hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm??
Mar 6 - Two Small Coins
The Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing: 'May the Lord bless you and protect you, May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.' Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them." Aaron and Moses were the Lords right hand men here on earth for the people of Israel. How would you like that job....well you have it. Thanks to Jesus we have the power of the Holy Spirit inside us that we can share with others.....sweeeeeeeeeeeeet.
In the new testament Jesus sat near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the many rich people put in large amounts, then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus calls his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on." Jesus was leaving the Temple and one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls." Jesus replied, "Yes, Look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!" Isn't that the truth. I sometimes wonder how crazy it is that someone can buy a painting for $15 million when in the end that painting is just going to turn to dust and all it does is sit on a wall. Sometimes I hear that it actually goes in storage and they hang a look alike so not to damage the real painting. They could use that 15 million to build housing, feed the homeless, spread the good word......etc. But in the end it's up to the person with the money and if that painting is going to bring joy into their life then they should buy it. I just hope that they also know the love of Jesus.....it's free and eternal!
In the new testament Jesus sat near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the many rich people put in large amounts, then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus calls his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on." Jesus was leaving the Temple and one of his disciples said, "Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls." Jesus replied, "Yes, Look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!" Isn't that the truth. I sometimes wonder how crazy it is that someone can buy a painting for $15 million when in the end that painting is just going to turn to dust and all it does is sit on a wall. Sometimes I hear that it actually goes in storage and they hang a look alike so not to damage the real painting. They could use that 15 million to build housing, feed the homeless, spread the good word......etc. But in the end it's up to the person with the money and if that painting is going to bring joy into their life then they should buy it. I just hope that they also know the love of Jesus.....it's free and eternal!
Mar 5 - Divisions Of Levi Tribe
So the Lord is talking to Moses and Aaron about the Levi tribe. If you remember this is the tribe that breaks down, moves and sets back up the Tabernacle.
Kohathite division - duties at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects. When the camp moves Aaron and his sons must enter the Tabernacle first to take down the inner curtain and cover to the Ark of the Covenant with it. Then they go through and basically wrap everything up in blue cloth and cover the cloth with fine goatskin leather. The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination but they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. "The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die."
Gershonite division - responsible for general service and carrying loads. They have to carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with it's coverings, the outer covering of fine goatskin leather, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. They also have to carry the curtains for the courtyard walls that surround the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain across the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use.
Merarite division - Their only duty will be to carry loads. They will carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the posts, and the bases; also the posts for the courtyard walls with their bases, pegs, and ropes; and all the accessories and everything else related to their use.
Moses and Aaron listed all the men of each division of the Levi clan that was between the age of thirty and fifty who were eligible to serve in the Tabernacle. The total number was 8,580 and every single one of them was given a specific task as the Lord commanded.
Who would want to be the foreman on that job! That's a lot of people and everyone of them was recorded in their specific clan and given a specific job.
In Mark today Jesus is questioned by some Sadducees(religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead) if a woman marries and her husband dies without bearing children Moses gave the law that the brother should marry the widow and if he dies before giving her a child then she should marry the other brother...etc through 7 brothers, who is she wife to in Heaven. A better question might be after about the 3rd death why weren't the cops called! I would have a lot of questions if I was #4 on the list to marry a lady that my 3 brothers all married and croaked. Jesus replied "For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect the will be like the angels in heaven." Got that boys.....This marriage thing is for only here on earth so don't mess it up! That goes for you too ladies:)
One of the teachers of religious law asks Jesus "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength,' The second is equally important:'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." Seems simple enough....I personally think the world would be a whole lot better place if people could grasp this and really grab hold! Unless of coarse you hated yourself then your neighbor could be in trouble:) Once I learned the first one and really put it in my heart, God makes it easy to do the second....Well ya know that's the way I see it.
Kohathite division - duties at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects. When the camp moves Aaron and his sons must enter the Tabernacle first to take down the inner curtain and cover to the Ark of the Covenant with it. Then they go through and basically wrap everything up in blue cloth and cover the cloth with fine goatskin leather. The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination but they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. "The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die."
Gershonite division - responsible for general service and carrying loads. They have to carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with it's coverings, the outer covering of fine goatskin leather, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. They also have to carry the curtains for the courtyard walls that surround the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain across the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use.
Merarite division - Their only duty will be to carry loads. They will carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the posts, and the bases; also the posts for the courtyard walls with their bases, pegs, and ropes; and all the accessories and everything else related to their use.
Moses and Aaron listed all the men of each division of the Levi clan that was between the age of thirty and fifty who were eligible to serve in the Tabernacle. The total number was 8,580 and every single one of them was given a specific task as the Lord commanded.
Who would want to be the foreman on that job! That's a lot of people and everyone of them was recorded in their specific clan and given a specific job.
In Mark today Jesus is questioned by some Sadducees(religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead) if a woman marries and her husband dies without bearing children Moses gave the law that the brother should marry the widow and if he dies before giving her a child then she should marry the other brother...etc through 7 brothers, who is she wife to in Heaven. A better question might be after about the 3rd death why weren't the cops called! I would have a lot of questions if I was #4 on the list to marry a lady that my 3 brothers all married and croaked. Jesus replied "For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect the will be like the angels in heaven." Got that boys.....This marriage thing is for only here on earth so don't mess it up! That goes for you too ladies:)
One of the teachers of religious law asks Jesus "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength,' The second is equally important:'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." Seems simple enough....I personally think the world would be a whole lot better place if people could grasp this and really grab hold! Unless of coarse you hated yourself then your neighbor could be in trouble:) Once I learned the first one and really put it in my heart, God makes it easy to do the second....Well ya know that's the way I see it.
Mar 4 - Roll Call!
Numbers is exactly that a lot of numbers in regards to the divisions of the tribes in the different camps. There were specific tribes of Israelites on each side of the Tabernacle (north, south, east and west)camping beneath their family banners. In all there are 603,550 troops of Israel listed by their families. But this did not include the Levites as the Lord commanded. The people of Israel did everything as the Lord had commanded Moses. each clan and family set up camp and marched under their banners exactly as the Lord had instructed them. Now the Levites were chosen by God to serve as substitutes for all the first born sons of the people of Israel. They belong to God. "On the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both of people and of animals. They are mine; I am Lord." Moses listed every male who was a month old or older in the Levi tribe by families and clans as the Lord commanded. Once Moses burned the bars off his Abacus from doing all of this counting he found 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than of Levites. So he collected five pieces of silver for each of them and gave it to Aaron and his sons as the Lord commanded. Paaaaaayday:)
Jesus is once again being harassed by the teachers of religious law and elders. They demanded he tell them by what authority he was doing all of the miracles. "I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied. "Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer Me!"
They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe Johan. But do we dare say it was merely human?" They were afraid of what the people would do, everyone believed John was a prophet. So they finally replied, "We don't know."
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things." Now that's a trick that could have come in handy for me a few times in the past! Answer a question with a question that no one could answer then just walk away:) Anywho....Jesus began teaching with stories....It's a good one: Mark 12:1-11
Jesus is once again being harassed by the teachers of religious law and elders. They demanded he tell them by what authority he was doing all of the miracles. "I'll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question," Jesus replied. "Did John's authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer Me!"
They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn't believe Johan. But do we dare say it was merely human?" They were afraid of what the people would do, everyone believed John was a prophet. So they finally replied, "We don't know."
And Jesus responded, "Then I won't tell you by what authority I do these things." Now that's a trick that could have come in handy for me a few times in the past! Answer a question with a question that no one could answer then just walk away:) Anywho....Jesus began teaching with stories....It's a good one: Mark 12:1-11
Mar 3 - God....The First Bank Of America/Remax
"If someone dedicates a house to the Lord, the priest will come to assess its value. The priest's assessment will be final, whether high or low. If the person who dedicated the house wants to buy it back, he must pay the value set by the priest, plus 20 percent. The the house will again be his.
"If someone dedicates to the Lord a piece of his family property, its value will be assessed according to the amount of seed required to plant it-fifty shekels of silver for a field planted with five bushels of barley seed. If the field is dedicated to the Lord in the Year of Jubilee, then the entire assessment will apply. But if the field is dedicated after the Year of Jubilee, the priest will assess the land's value in proportion to the number of years left until the next Year of Jubilee, the priest will assess the land's value in proportion to the number of years left until the next Year of Jubilee. Its assessed value is reduced each year. If the person who dedicated the field wants to buy it back, he must pay the value set by the priest, plus 20 percent."
OK now the side of me that LOVES business is getting excited about Leviticus! This is some good profit margin right here especially in this market!:) Also it's the end we then jump into Numbers where the Lord names the leaders of the tribes and who is to be in charge of the Tabernacle and all it's belongings when it is time for the Tabernacle to move....the Levites will take it down, carry it and when it's time to stop, the will set it up again.
In Mark today Jesus enters the temple in Jerusalem and drove out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." This angered the leading priests and teachers of religious law so they began planning how to kill him.
In the beginning I used to bring my blackberry in just in case there was an email I could answer during service or step out to take a call. Like I was just fitting "church" into my schedule. As I grew and began to learn that it's not "church" it's more of a celebration time a chance to sneak out of the world and really dig into praise and worship and feel Gods presence. I don't need the building to do that but it is an intricate part of helping my walk stay on track and strengthen my relationship with God through Jesus. Now I may or may not have my phone on me but it is off of during service. On occasion I may shoot a quick text right when we sit to let a friend know where we're sitting...yes the church is that big:) After service when meeting with friends we avoid talking business understanding this is a time to celebrate God not to finalize a deal:) I'll call them an hour after service to do that:)
"If someone dedicates to the Lord a piece of his family property, its value will be assessed according to the amount of seed required to plant it-fifty shekels of silver for a field planted with five bushels of barley seed. If the field is dedicated to the Lord in the Year of Jubilee, then the entire assessment will apply. But if the field is dedicated after the Year of Jubilee, the priest will assess the land's value in proportion to the number of years left until the next Year of Jubilee, the priest will assess the land's value in proportion to the number of years left until the next Year of Jubilee. Its assessed value is reduced each year. If the person who dedicated the field wants to buy it back, he must pay the value set by the priest, plus 20 percent."
OK now the side of me that LOVES business is getting excited about Leviticus! This is some good profit margin right here especially in this market!:) Also it's the end we then jump into Numbers where the Lord names the leaders of the tribes and who is to be in charge of the Tabernacle and all it's belongings when it is time for the Tabernacle to move....the Levites will take it down, carry it and when it's time to stop, the will set it up again.
In Mark today Jesus enters the temple in Jerusalem and drove out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." This angered the leading priests and teachers of religious law so they began planning how to kill him.
In the beginning I used to bring my blackberry in just in case there was an email I could answer during service or step out to take a call. Like I was just fitting "church" into my schedule. As I grew and began to learn that it's not "church" it's more of a celebration time a chance to sneak out of the world and really dig into praise and worship and feel Gods presence. I don't need the building to do that but it is an intricate part of helping my walk stay on track and strengthen my relationship with God through Jesus. Now I may or may not have my phone on me but it is off of during service. On occasion I may shoot a quick text right when we sit to let a friend know where we're sitting...yes the church is that big:) After service when meeting with friends we avoid talking business understanding this is a time to celebrate God not to finalize a deal:) I'll call them an hour after service to do that:)
Mar 2 - Fell A Little Behind
OK, I fell a little behind but have caught myself up. My wife and I shared this nice stomach bug that Pnut brought home from somewhere. Lot's of fun! Being that Maria's breast feeding it was left breast, I was vomiting, hand baby to me, she goes and vomits, hand baby back, right breast, I go vomit and so on...That's what I call TEAM WORK!
Leviticus the Lord puts the law of the land down! "Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in you r land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God. You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord. If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field Will produce their fruit."
"However, if you do not listen to me or obey all these commands, and if you break my covenant by rejecting my decrees, treating my regulations with contempt, and refusing to obey my commands, I will punish you. I will bring sudden terrors upon you-wasting diseases and burning fevers that will cause your eyes to fail and your life to ebb away. You will plant your crops in vain because your enemies will eat them. I will turn against you , and you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will run even when no one is chasing you!"
OK, I have to admit when I first started looking into this "Finding Jesus" thing and poking around in the bible God seemed like one overbearing, It's all about me or I'll squish you like a bug bully! Why would a creator go through the trouble of making all of this just to push us around and make us kiss His butt...oooh your so great you made the world....big deal! When you just read the words like a book then you let Satan get into your heart and you see the words as that, just words. Think back to the fall of mankind when the serpent was talking to Eve. "You won't die! God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." Satan will continually try to hold us down and have us think that - I'm a good person I'm headed to heaven and if not then I don't want to be ruled by that God anyway.- Our God is an AWESOME God who has nothing but unending love for us. When you pray for forgiveness, pray for help or just to say hey, you start to feel that connection and realize that these aren't just words they're an avenue to help you seek Him. When was the last time you gave up something of great worth for someone else. God built it all, created man, from man created woman and when we fell from grace, forgave us and ultimately gave His one and only son so that we could be with Him. I say all of this not from an outsiders view or a theologist who studies religion, but from an everyday guys point of view who went through it, is continually going through it and is living it today......That's the way I see it:)
Leviticus the Lord puts the law of the land down! "Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in you r land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God. You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord. If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field Will produce their fruit."
"However, if you do not listen to me or obey all these commands, and if you break my covenant by rejecting my decrees, treating my regulations with contempt, and refusing to obey my commands, I will punish you. I will bring sudden terrors upon you-wasting diseases and burning fevers that will cause your eyes to fail and your life to ebb away. You will plant your crops in vain because your enemies will eat them. I will turn against you , and you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will run even when no one is chasing you!"
OK, I have to admit when I first started looking into this "Finding Jesus" thing and poking around in the bible God seemed like one overbearing, It's all about me or I'll squish you like a bug bully! Why would a creator go through the trouble of making all of this just to push us around and make us kiss His butt...oooh your so great you made the world....big deal! When you just read the words like a book then you let Satan get into your heart and you see the words as that, just words. Think back to the fall of mankind when the serpent was talking to Eve. "You won't die! God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." Satan will continually try to hold us down and have us think that - I'm a good person I'm headed to heaven and if not then I don't want to be ruled by that God anyway.- Our God is an AWESOME God who has nothing but unending love for us. When you pray for forgiveness, pray for help or just to say hey, you start to feel that connection and realize that these aren't just words they're an avenue to help you seek Him. When was the last time you gave up something of great worth for someone else. God built it all, created man, from man created woman and when we fell from grace, forgave us and ultimately gave His one and only son so that we could be with Him. I say all of this not from an outsiders view or a theologist who studies religion, but from an everyday guys point of view who went through it, is continually going through it and is living it today......That's the way I see it:)
Mar 1 - Like A Child
Moses receives more commands to give to Israelites and the punishments for blasphemy of the Name of the Lord with a curse......stoning to death! Anyone who takes another person's life must also be put to death. Anyone who injures another person must be dealt with according to the injury inflicted. They can plant crops for six years but the seventh year is a Sabbath year so they can't plant crops. They must count off seven Sabbath years, seven sets of seven years adding up to forty-nine years in all. Then on the Day of Atonement in the fiftieth year, blow the ram's horn loud and long throughout the land. Set that year apart as holy a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you when each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors and return to your own clan. This fiftieth year will be a jubilee for you. The Lord promises that if the people follow his decrees and obey his regulations then the land will yield large crops, and they will eat their fill and live securely in it.
Man there were a lot of rules and specific too. He dabbles in a little real estate today also. Rules regarding the sale of land and houses and returning it back to the original owners during the year of jubilee. They can purchase male and female slaves, they can purchase children of temporary residents who live among them.
In the new testament Jesus gets angry with the disciples when they try to keep the kids away from Jesus. "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Well then I'm a shoe in for acting like a child is my specialty! It does say....hmmmmm anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God acting like a child will never enter it...I'm in!
Man there were a lot of rules and specific too. He dabbles in a little real estate today also. Rules regarding the sale of land and houses and returning it back to the original owners during the year of jubilee. They can purchase male and female slaves, they can purchase children of temporary residents who live among them.
In the new testament Jesus gets angry with the disciples when they try to keep the kids away from Jesus. "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Well then I'm a shoe in for acting like a child is my specialty! It does say....hmmmmm anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God acting like a child will never enter it...I'm in!
Feb 28 - Two Are Joined As One
OK, I'm officially ready to be done with Leviticus! At least in today's reading God fires it up by making mandatory festivals that have to be celebrated each year on official days in addition to the Lords Sabbath days, and offerings are in addition to your personal.....ok well no offense Lord but your taking the wind out of my sails on these festivals. I would hate to mess something up at a party for God and burst into flames. Thank you Jesus for the ability to celebrate our relationship with you in our own God given way:) We like to rock the house at Celebration church!
In Mark today Jesus wants to spend some more time with his disciples and teach them without the large crowds. He calls his 12 disciples over and starts teaching them in parables. He finishes up today talking about marriage. "'God made them male and female' from the beginning of creation. 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together." It's incredible what the divorce rate is in this world. I wish more people could see marriage from God's point of view. It's not just a commitment that you can hand back in if you don't think it's working right, but a covenant that's meant to last a lifetime. Is it work, somedays, is it worth it....Completely! With God in the mix making the Two become One you can't go wrong.... That's the way I see it....
In Mark today Jesus wants to spend some more time with his disciples and teach them without the large crowds. He calls his 12 disciples over and starts teaching them in parables. He finishes up today talking about marriage. "'God made them male and female' from the beginning of creation. 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together." It's incredible what the divorce rate is in this world. I wish more people could see marriage from God's point of view. It's not just a commitment that you can hand back in if you don't think it's working right, but a covenant that's meant to last a lifetime. Is it work, somedays, is it worth it....Completely! With God in the mix making the Two become One you can't go wrong.... That's the way I see it....
Feb 27 - More Instructions
OK, Well if we were living back in pre-Jesus days I would have books, folders, highlighters, notepads and cliffnotes on the Lords instructions. There are so many different rules for who can do what and how to do it when it comes to offerings to the Lord that I know I would botch one and burst in flames!
In the new testament Jesus takes Peter, James and John, and leads them up a high mountain to be alone. They watched Jesus' appearance transform and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make the. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter didn't know what to say, all three of them were terrified so he said "Let's make three shelters-one for you , one for Moses and one for Elijah" Just then a cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him." and suddenly Moses and Elijah were gone it was just Jesus with them.
As they are heading back down the mountain Jesus tells them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. How cool would it have been to have an Iphone back then! A little Youtube shot of the big man himself speaking to Jesus. I'm sure Peter, James and John weren't in a hurry to tell anyone what they saw anyone....who would believe them.
In the new testament Jesus takes Peter, James and John, and leads them up a high mountain to be alone. They watched Jesus' appearance transform and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make the. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter didn't know what to say, all three of them were terrified so he said "Let's make three shelters-one for you , one for Moses and one for Elijah" Just then a cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him." and suddenly Moses and Elijah were gone it was just Jesus with them.
As they are heading back down the mountain Jesus tells them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. How cool would it have been to have an Iphone back then! A little Youtube shot of the big man himself speaking to Jesus. I'm sure Peter, James and John weren't in a hurry to tell anyone what they saw anyone....who would believe them.
Feb 26 - God Lays Down The Law
God says to Moses, "Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I the Lord your God, am holy." He then goes on to give specifics as to what to do like not putting your trust in idols, respect your mother and father....etc. There are a lot of different rules and what the punishment is if specific rules are broken. "If a man commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death." Look at the penalty for adultery. Seems to me like God puts a lot of stock in wanting His people to stay faithful.
In the new testament the Pharisees heard Jesus had arrived and they came to argue with him. Continually testing him demanding miraculous signs from heaven to prove his authority. Jesus said "Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign." So he got back in the boat and left. The left in such a hurry his disciples forgot to bring any food they just and one loaf of bread so they all started to argue. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "Why are you arguing about having no bread? don't you know of understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? you have eyes-can't you see? You have ears-can't you hear? Don't you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?"
"Twelve" they said.
"And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?"
"Seven" the said.
"Don't you understand yet?" he asked them.
Jesus and the disciples left Galilee as they were walking Jesus asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
"Well, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets."
Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?"
Peter replies "You are the Messiah." But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He goes on to tell his disciples today that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise form the dead. As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. "Get away from me, Satan!" he said. "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Jesus had amazing patience through everything that continues to go on. He has to continually remind his disciples of his greatness and that there is a path that must be walked for the salvation of mankind.
I thought Proverbs was a good one today. 10:17 - People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.
Pnuts not exactly accpeting discipline at this point but as an over energized 2 year old with limitless curiosity and the ability to look you right in the eyes right before she does she knows she's not suppose to do......is receiveing some discipline now and again and we see learning improvements from it:)
In the new testament the Pharisees heard Jesus had arrived and they came to argue with him. Continually testing him demanding miraculous signs from heaven to prove his authority. Jesus said "Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign." So he got back in the boat and left. The left in such a hurry his disciples forgot to bring any food they just and one loaf of bread so they all started to argue. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "Why are you arguing about having no bread? don't you know of understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? you have eyes-can't you see? You have ears-can't you hear? Don't you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?"
"Twelve" they said.
"And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?"
"Seven" the said.
"Don't you understand yet?" he asked them.
Jesus and the disciples left Galilee as they were walking Jesus asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
"Well, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets."
Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?"
Peter replies "You are the Messiah." But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He goes on to tell his disciples today that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise form the dead. As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. "Get away from me, Satan!" he said. "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Jesus had amazing patience through everything that continues to go on. He has to continually remind his disciples of his greatness and that there is a path that must be walked for the salvation of mankind.
I thought Proverbs was a good one today. 10:17 - People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.
Pnuts not exactly accpeting discipline at this point but as an over energized 2 year old with limitless curiosity and the ability to look you right in the eyes right before she does she knows she's not suppose to do......is receiveing some discipline now and again and we see learning improvements from it:)
Feb 25 - Jesus Does It Again
Leviticus - Well it looks like in the old days we weren't allowed to eat or drink blood in any form. Nor was it OK to have sexual relations with a bunch of different close relatives or animals otherwise it would defile the body. I would hope that those weren't hard rules to live by:)
In Mark today Jesus leaves Galilee and heads north to Tyre and tries to keep it a secret of which house he was staying at. Right away word spread and people came to be healed and have family members healed. He left Tyre and went to Sidon before heading back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. He heals a deaf man with a speech impediment and tells the crowd not to tell anyone but the more he said to keep quiet the more news spread.
At about this time another large crowd surrounds Jesus and he feels sorry for them. He takes Seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and feed 4,000 people. He then immediately gets into a boat with his disciples and crossed to the region of Dalmanutha. Another busy few days for Jesus and the disciples.
In Mark today Jesus leaves Galilee and heads north to Tyre and tries to keep it a secret of which house he was staying at. Right away word spread and people came to be healed and have family members healed. He left Tyre and went to Sidon before heading back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. He heals a deaf man with a speech impediment and tells the crowd not to tell anyone but the more he said to keep quiet the more news spread.
At about this time another large crowd surrounds Jesus and he feels sorry for them. He takes Seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and feed 4,000 people. He then immediately gets into a boat with his disciples and crossed to the region of Dalmanutha. Another busy few days for Jesus and the disciples.
Feb 24 - The Heart Defiles The Body
Now we talk about lovely discharges from the body and specific purification periods and of coarse more blood. The Lord speaks to Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons, who died after they entered the Lord's presence and burned the wrong kind of fire before him. The Lord said to Moses, "Warn your bother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Arks cover-the place of atonement-is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover."
Today in Mark, Jesus has a mini-snap at the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. They ask him :Why don't your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony." Jesus replies "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you , for he wrote, 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.' For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition." He hits them with a parable about showing how they cancel the word of God in order to hand down their own tradition. Jesus calls to the crowd "All of you listen and try to understand. It's not what goes into your body the defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart."
Jesus explains to his disciples in private "Can't you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn't go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and goes into the sewer (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God's eyes....Bring on the BACON!) "It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desire, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you."
Can't you feel it when you do something knuckleheaded.....Just remember this.... Matthew 6:33 "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." God's got your back you just have to remember to lean on Him and diligently seek his guidance......That's the way I see it.......
Today in Mark, Jesus has a mini-snap at the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. They ask him :Why don't your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony." Jesus replies "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you , for he wrote, 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.' For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition." He hits them with a parable about showing how they cancel the word of God in order to hand down their own tradition. Jesus calls to the crowd "All of you listen and try to understand. It's not what goes into your body the defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart."
Jesus explains to his disciples in private "Can't you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? Food doesn't go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and goes into the sewer (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God's eyes....Bring on the BACON!) "It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desire, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you."
Can't you feel it when you do something knuckleheaded.....Just remember this.... Matthew 6:33 "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." God's got your back you just have to remember to lean on Him and diligently seek his guidance......That's the way I see it.......
Feb 23 - Jesus Feeds 5000
Leviticus goes on to "These are the instructions for dealing with serious skin diseases, including scabby sore; and mildew, whether on clothing or in a house, and swelling on the skin, a rash, or discolored skin. This procedure will determine whether a person or object is ceremonially clean or unclean." More slaughtering and blood smearing all in specific ways depending on the situation.
In the new testament today the apostles return from their ministry tour and Jesus said "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." So they get in a boat and try to go where they could be alone but many people recognized them and Jesus had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. It gets late in the afternoon and his disciples tell him to send the crowds away to go find food because they are in a rural place. Jesus said, "You feed them." Well they're looking down at five loaves of bread and two fish and a crowd of 5,000 saying...riiiiight.
Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit in groups of fifty or a hundred. He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then he began breaking the loaves into pieces and giving the bread to the disciples to distribute to the people. He also split up the fish for everyone to share. Everyone ate as much as they wanted, and afterward they picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish.
Late that night the disciples were in their boat and Jesus just finished praying by himself and he sees his disciples in their boat struggling against the wind and waves. It's about 3AM and Jesus walks out on the water toward them. He intended to stroll on by to the other side of the lake but when they saw him walking on the water they were terrified thinking he was a ghost. Jesus spoke to them at once "Don't be afraid, take courage! I am here!" and he climbs in the boat. Wassup...........just got done praying you all ready to go?
Once they crossed the lake people recognized Jesus immediately and began to bring their sick. Wherever Jesus went they brought the sick out and begged him to let them touch the frindge of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.
In the new testament today the apostles return from their ministry tour and Jesus said "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." So they get in a boat and try to go where they could be alone but many people recognized them and Jesus had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. It gets late in the afternoon and his disciples tell him to send the crowds away to go find food because they are in a rural place. Jesus said, "You feed them." Well they're looking down at five loaves of bread and two fish and a crowd of 5,000 saying...riiiiight.
Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit in groups of fifty or a hundred. He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then he began breaking the loaves into pieces and giving the bread to the disciples to distribute to the people. He also split up the fish for everyone to share. Everyone ate as much as they wanted, and afterward they picked up 12 baskets of leftover bread and fish.
Late that night the disciples were in their boat and Jesus just finished praying by himself and he sees his disciples in their boat struggling against the wind and waves. It's about 3AM and Jesus walks out on the water toward them. He intended to stroll on by to the other side of the lake but when they saw him walking on the water they were terrified thinking he was a ghost. Jesus spoke to them at once "Don't be afraid, take courage! I am here!" and he climbs in the boat. Wassup...........just got done praying you all ready to go?
Once they crossed the lake people recognized Jesus immediately and began to bring their sick. Wherever Jesus went they brought the sick out and begged him to let them touch the frindge of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.
Feb 22 - Life Is But A Breath In Time
Let's burn through Leviticus today.....It's all about pronouncing people ceremonial unclean and what needs to happen for them to be pronounced ceremonial clean when it comes to sores, skin disease, boils, burns.....etc. One thing that caught my eye is Leviticus 13:40 - "If a man loses his hair and his head becomes bald, he is still ceremonially clean." Thank you and Good night!
In the new testament today Jesus returns to his hometown Nazareth and is met with tons of scepticism. He begins teaching in the synagogue and people were amazed. They asked, "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?" Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. And his sisters liver right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family." Because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any might miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Crazy....the man comes back and carpenter or not they were amazed by his teachings and ability to perform miracles yet their hard hearts only wanted to see him as a carpenter. But that didn't stop Jesus he was part of a big plan by God. When God has a plan for your life don't be hammered down by the criticism. Do you have a passion or a Dream that you want to go after but your being pulled down by criticism encompassed with Fear? If your dream has been given to you by God then don't let anything stop you!
I'm living my dream....Well I should say I'm living God's plan which when you line up with His plans for you it becomes the dream you didn't even know you had! Money, big house, expensive car....my old dream not necessarily God's plan for my life. If that stuff comes then Great but if not that's Great too! My wife and I still save for retirement and I do have my own company that I'm working on expanding and interviewing with companies for better paying jobs that's just good sense. I have turned down a directors job in the past and didn't consider a traveling job recently that paid much more because it didn't line up with God's plan....or my new dream to be around and have time to spend my kids and spending time with my wife and helping her through this crazy time of feeding Little Bit every three hours while the Tazmanian Pnut tears up the house Toby Mac (feat. Kirk Franklin & Mandisa) puts it best in his song Lose My Soul "I'm gonna be a daddy who's in the mix and I'm gonna be a husband who stays legit" If you told me that my dream was going to be a great father and loving husband back when I was in my 20's I would have fell off my chair laughing. I put my faith in worldly things with money at the helm and got crushed....twice:) I think that was God pushing me off my platform saying "I have much better for you." Well He was right...imagine that:)
Psalm 39:4-5 "Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered-how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." Everyone always says they can't believe how fast time flies and how quick their kids grew up. I don't want to miss any of it, plus hanging out with Pnut allows me to act like a child experiencing everything as new! Although I get looked at funny when i scream DUCKY, QUACK-QUACK at the mall but what the heck...just living the dream!
In the new testament today Jesus returns to his hometown Nazareth and is met with tons of scepticism. He begins teaching in the synagogue and people were amazed. They asked, "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?" Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. And his sisters liver right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family." Because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any might miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Crazy....the man comes back and carpenter or not they were amazed by his teachings and ability to perform miracles yet their hard hearts only wanted to see him as a carpenter. But that didn't stop Jesus he was part of a big plan by God. When God has a plan for your life don't be hammered down by the criticism. Do you have a passion or a Dream that you want to go after but your being pulled down by criticism encompassed with Fear? If your dream has been given to you by God then don't let anything stop you!
I'm living my dream....Well I should say I'm living God's plan which when you line up with His plans for you it becomes the dream you didn't even know you had! Money, big house, expensive car....my old dream not necessarily God's plan for my life. If that stuff comes then Great but if not that's Great too! My wife and I still save for retirement and I do have my own company that I'm working on expanding and interviewing with companies for better paying jobs that's just good sense. I have turned down a directors job in the past and didn't consider a traveling job recently that paid much more because it didn't line up with God's plan....or my new dream to be around and have time to spend my kids and spending time with my wife and helping her through this crazy time of feeding Little Bit every three hours while the Tazmanian Pnut tears up the house Toby Mac (feat. Kirk Franklin & Mandisa) puts it best in his song Lose My Soul "I'm gonna be a daddy who's in the mix and I'm gonna be a husband who stays legit" If you told me that my dream was going to be a great father and loving husband back when I was in my 20's I would have fell off my chair laughing. I put my faith in worldly things with money at the helm and got crushed....twice:) I think that was God pushing me off my platform saying "I have much better for you." Well He was right...imagine that:)
Psalm 39:4-5 "Lord remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered-how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." Everyone always says they can't believe how fast time flies and how quick their kids grew up. I don't want to miss any of it, plus hanging out with Pnut allows me to act like a child experiencing everything as new! Although I get looked at funny when i scream DUCKY, QUACK-QUACK at the mall but what the heck...just living the dream!
Feb 21 - NO BACON!
Thank you Jesus, if for nothing else, for making it OK for us to eat Bacon!:) OK I appreciate the fact that I don't need to do all those different sacrifices and live by old testament laws, that I'm saved and am heading to Heaven for all eternity as well but would NOT enjoy my short time here on earth if I couldn't have Bacon a staple diet product at Deer Camp! In the old testament the Lord was handing down the laws to Moses for the people about which animals could be eaten, including locusts, crickets and grasshoppers.....yuck.....but not Pigs. The pig has evenly split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is unclean therefore not OK to eat.
The Lord says "For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy."
"These are the instructions regarding land animals, birds, marine creatures, and animals that scurry along the ground. By these instructions you will know what is unclean and clean, and which animals may be eaten and which may not be eaten." There were a lot of them so if your into having a Camel sandwich with a side of seagull with some Gecko for dessert....have at it! I'm just going to stick with the bacon:)
In the new testament today, Jesus goes back to the other side of the lake where the large crowd had gathered and a leader of the local synagogue pleaded with Jesus to come lay his hands on his dying daughter and make her well. Jesus went with him and all the people followed all crowded around him when a lady that had been bleeding for 12 years touched his robe and was immediately healed. Jesus realized that healing power had gone out from him so he asked "Who touched my robe?" His disciples asked "Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'"
The frightened woman, fell to his feet and told him what she had done "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over." So there's one big miracle Jesus performs just through the girls faith!
Jesus finally gets to the house the girl was laying lifeless (she died before they arrived) he's brought only Peter, James, and John with him. He saw much commotion and weeping in the house. Jesus says "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead; she's only asleep." The crowd laughed at him so he kicks them out. He tells the girl "Little girl, get up!" and she gets up and walks around! The family is totally amazed.....as they should be. I've never experienced a miracle of such magnitude directly in my life, but by what Stovall just went through last week with his heart and Josh's daughter Riley who wasn't suppose to live just turned two! God's miracles are all around us we just need to be willing realize that's what they are and not try to explain them off as something else! Yes bad happens too, we can't see or understand God's master plan, does that make His miracles any less incredible?? I don't think so....well, at least, That's the way I see it...
The Lord says "For I, the Lord, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy."
"These are the instructions regarding land animals, birds, marine creatures, and animals that scurry along the ground. By these instructions you will know what is unclean and clean, and which animals may be eaten and which may not be eaten." There were a lot of them so if your into having a Camel sandwich with a side of seagull with some Gecko for dessert....have at it! I'm just going to stick with the bacon:)
In the new testament today, Jesus goes back to the other side of the lake where the large crowd had gathered and a leader of the local synagogue pleaded with Jesus to come lay his hands on his dying daughter and make her well. Jesus went with him and all the people followed all crowded around him when a lady that had been bleeding for 12 years touched his robe and was immediately healed. Jesus realized that healing power had gone out from him so he asked "Who touched my robe?" His disciples asked "Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'"
The frightened woman, fell to his feet and told him what she had done "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over." So there's one big miracle Jesus performs just through the girls faith!
Jesus finally gets to the house the girl was laying lifeless (she died before they arrived) he's brought only Peter, James, and John with him. He saw much commotion and weeping in the house. Jesus says "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead; she's only asleep." The crowd laughed at him so he kicks them out. He tells the girl "Little girl, get up!" and she gets up and walks around! The family is totally amazed.....as they should be. I've never experienced a miracle of such magnitude directly in my life, but by what Stovall just went through last week with his heart and Josh's daughter Riley who wasn't suppose to live just turned two! God's miracles are all around us we just need to be willing realize that's what they are and not try to explain them off as something else! Yes bad happens too, we can't see or understand God's master plan, does that make His miracles any less incredible?? I don't think so....well, at least, That's the way I see it...
Feb 20 - Aaron Presents Offerings
Moses instructs Aaron to go to the altar and sacrifice his sin offering and his burnt offering to purify himself and the people. So Aaron went to the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for himself. dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar. Then he slaughtered the animal for the burnt offering and splattered it's blood against all sides of the altar. He then presented the offerings of the people by slaughtering the people's goat for sin offering and presented the burnt offering. He also presented the grain offering burning a handful of the flour mixture. Then Aaron slaughtered the bull and the ram for the people's peace offering and splattered it's blood against all sides of the altar. Now while doing all of this he was also doing specific things with the body parts like the kidneys, livers...etc as prescribed by the Lord with the help of his sons. When he was all done he blessed the people. He went into the Tabernacle with Moses and when they came back out they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.
I want to take a second and explain what's going on with the new testament. I pulled from another bible this "There is only one gospel, but four accounts of it. So we have here Matthew's version of the "good news" from God. Matthew's name means "gift of the Lord". That is the "Title and Background" that is found at the beginning of Matthews account. We are now into Mark's account and we will move on to Luke and John's accounts of the "good news" of Jesus and his walk here on earth and resurrection.
I the new testament today Jesus continues to teach in parables. The bible states that in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was along with his disciples, he explained everything to them. So Jesus and his disciples get in a boat to cross the lake and a fierce storm kicks in and the boat begins to fill with water. Where's Jesus taking a catnap in the back! The disciples were freaking out and woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" (This has Saturday Night Live skit written all over it!)
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. The he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Then I'm betting he laid down and went back to sleep! I feel like this in my life when a storm picks up whether it be struggles with work, finances or just runs of everything going wrong! It's so huge that I can't handle it on my own I've got to wake Jesus up! Thanks to Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice the Holy Spirit is now within us. God wants us to call out to Him for help when the waves come crashing in. Don't be afraid to wake Him up when trouble hits.....He's there just waiting to help out call on Him before your boat sinks.....That's the way I see it and at times experienced it:)
I want to take a second and explain what's going on with the new testament. I pulled from another bible this "There is only one gospel, but four accounts of it. So we have here Matthew's version of the "good news" from God. Matthew's name means "gift of the Lord". That is the "Title and Background" that is found at the beginning of Matthews account. We are now into Mark's account and we will move on to Luke and John's accounts of the "good news" of Jesus and his walk here on earth and resurrection.
I the new testament today Jesus continues to teach in parables. The bible states that in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was along with his disciples, he explained everything to them. So Jesus and his disciples get in a boat to cross the lake and a fierce storm kicks in and the boat begins to fill with water. Where's Jesus taking a catnap in the back! The disciples were freaking out and woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?" (This has Saturday Night Live skit written all over it!)
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the water, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. The he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Then I'm betting he laid down and went back to sleep! I feel like this in my life when a storm picks up whether it be struggles with work, finances or just runs of everything going wrong! It's so huge that I can't handle it on my own I've got to wake Jesus up! Thanks to Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice the Holy Spirit is now within us. God wants us to call out to Him for help when the waves come crashing in. Don't be afraid to wake Him up when trouble hits.....He's there just waiting to help out call on Him before your boat sinks.....That's the way I see it and at times experienced it:)
Feb 19 - It's All About The Soil!
Leviticus - Moses finishes with the Lord and takes all his instructions to the community and presents Aaron and his sons. Moses presents a bull for the sin offering a ram for the burn offering and another ram, which was the ram of ordination. All presented in the specific way God commanded with Aaron and his sons.
In Mark today Jesus gives one of my favorite parables:
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
He explains to his disciples:
"The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all to quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
Are you a farmer taking God's word to others or a better question is are you like the footpath, rocky soil or thorns wishing to be more like the good soil? I think I've been all four at certain times in my walk with God. The good soil is the way to be....Well at least that's the way I see it:)
In Mark today Jesus gives one of my favorite parables:
"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
He explains to his disciples:
"The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all to quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
Are you a farmer taking God's word to others or a better question is are you like the footpath, rocky soil or thorns wishing to be more like the good soil? I think I've been all four at certain times in my walk with God. The good soil is the way to be....Well at least that's the way I see it:)
Feb 18 - Jesus Picks His Disciples
So I'm still in Leviticus in the old testament. Now I see why they make the daily readings one from old testament and one from new because Leviticus is killing me. Now don't get me wrong it's in God's word so there must be a very important reason God wanted it in the Bible. Maybe it's so we can appreciate that we don't have to go through all of these different offerings and ceremonial dressing to have a personal relationship and forgiveness for our sins. Jesus was the lamb for that all so we can have the Holy Spirit inside of us and ask God directly for forgiveness instead of going Freddy Kruger on some poor animal!:)
In the new testament today Jesus preaches from a boat just off shore so not to be crushed by the crowds coming from all over. When he's done he appoints his 12 apostles. They would accompany him and he would send them out to preach giving them authority to cast out demons.
Simon (whom he named Peter)
James and John (the sons of Zebdee, but Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder")
Andrew
Philip
Bartholomew
Matthew
Thomas
James (son of Alhaeus)
Thaddaeus
Simon (the zealot)
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)
Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires.
In the new testament today Jesus preaches from a boat just off shore so not to be crushed by the crowds coming from all over. When he's done he appoints his 12 apostles. They would accompany him and he would send them out to preach giving them authority to cast out demons.
Simon (whom he named Peter)
James and John (the sons of Zebdee, but Jesus nicknamed them "Sons of Thunder")
Andrew
Philip
Bartholomew
Matthew
Thomas
James (son of Alhaeus)
Thaddaeus
Simon (the zealot)
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)
Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires.
Feb 17 - More Sin Offerings
Leviticus goes on as the Lord tells Moses how he is to deal with those who sin unintentionally. More bulls and goats are looking at having very bad days when someone messes up. The Lord is very specific as to what is sacrificed and how for what specific sins. Thank God for Jesus on the cross to be the Lamb that was sacrificed for our sins! I would have spent a lot of days growing up vomiting....did I mention I can't handle blood?
In Mark today Jesus is firing out the parables! As Jesus walked along , he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. Disciple number five. Jesus goes to Levi's house for dinner and eats with many tax collectors and sinners. So of coarse the Pharisees saw him eating with them and asked the disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"
Jesus heard this and tells them "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
This is a HUGE belief in our church. Stovall tells you if your a crack addict, thief, porn addict, prostitute, Christian, just an average everyday person....whatever get through the doors of Celebration church! The church is here to save the lost and where better to save them then in a safe environment full of love and understanding. Heck I'll bet about 90% of our church is made up of people that were a mess! It's amazing what can happen when you give God the controls.
I thought Psalm 36:1 was interesting today. "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all." As we see these high profile people getting caught in situations that get them fired, may destroy their marriages and even some destroy their entire way of life it makes you wonder. If they were in fear of God knowing that He knows and sees all would they have done what they did? Stovall preaches about "planning not to have an affair" and in the same line "plan not to surf porn", "plan not to get drunk", "plan not to abuse your wife"....etc. What in your life should you "Plan not to do" knowing in your heart that it's wrong. I'm in no way perfect and do my best to not mess up but like everyone else I make mistakes and ask for forgiveness when I do. If you don't want to live in "Fear" of God how about living in respect of his commands knowing that He loves us and only wants the best for us. From what I've read and experience everyday it doesn't seem like such a bad way to live.....That's the way I see it:)
In Mark today Jesus is firing out the parables! As Jesus walked along , he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. Disciple number five. Jesus goes to Levi's house for dinner and eats with many tax collectors and sinners. So of coarse the Pharisees saw him eating with them and asked the disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"
Jesus heard this and tells them "Healthy people don't need a doctor-sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."
This is a HUGE belief in our church. Stovall tells you if your a crack addict, thief, porn addict, prostitute, Christian, just an average everyday person....whatever get through the doors of Celebration church! The church is here to save the lost and where better to save them then in a safe environment full of love and understanding. Heck I'll bet about 90% of our church is made up of people that were a mess! It's amazing what can happen when you give God the controls.
I thought Psalm 36:1 was interesting today. "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all." As we see these high profile people getting caught in situations that get them fired, may destroy their marriages and even some destroy their entire way of life it makes you wonder. If they were in fear of God knowing that He knows and sees all would they have done what they did? Stovall preaches about "planning not to have an affair" and in the same line "plan not to surf porn", "plan not to get drunk", "plan not to abuse your wife"....etc. What in your life should you "Plan not to do" knowing in your heart that it's wrong. I'm in no way perfect and do my best to not mess up but like everyone else I make mistakes and ask for forgiveness when I do. If you don't want to live in "Fear" of God how about living in respect of his commands knowing that He loves us and only wants the best for us. From what I've read and experience everyday it doesn't seem like such a bad way to live.....That's the way I see it:)
Feb 16 - Leviticus....Yuck!
OK, now I see why Stovall joked about preaching from Leviticus.
The Lord called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him, "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an offering to the Lord, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats." The Lord goes on to give Moses specifics for offerings. It's like a Friday The 13th scene. Now it's not just go in a hack it up God was very specific on how the offerings were to be done and where to smear the blood, what to do with the organs....etc. I hope the craftsman whipped up a few puke buckets when they built the rest of the Tabernacle.
In Mark today Jesus finishes preaching in the synagogue and goes to Simon and Andrew's home and heals Simon's mother in-law. He heals many demon -possessed and sick of various diseases. Before daybreak the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place to pray. Jesus meets up with Simon and the others and tells them "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too." So they travel throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.
Jesus returned to Capernaum and soon the house he was staying at was packed with visitors. Right in the middle of his preaching four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man and couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the large crowd so they dug a hole through the roof and lowered the man down right in front of Jesus. Sounds like a scene out of a Monty Python movie! I can see him preaching away then...squeeek, squeeeek, squeeek some guy gets lowered down right in front of him on some random pulley system.
Jesus tells the paralyzed man "My child, your sins are forgiven." So some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!" Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking so he told the paralyzed man "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" And the man did! Everyone began to praise God.
The Lord called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him, "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an offering to the Lord, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats." The Lord goes on to give Moses specifics for offerings. It's like a Friday The 13th scene. Now it's not just go in a hack it up God was very specific on how the offerings were to be done and where to smear the blood, what to do with the organs....etc. I hope the craftsman whipped up a few puke buckets when they built the rest of the Tabernacle.
In Mark today Jesus finishes preaching in the synagogue and goes to Simon and Andrew's home and heals Simon's mother in-law. He heals many demon -possessed and sick of various diseases. Before daybreak the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place to pray. Jesus meets up with Simon and the others and tells them "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too." So they travel throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.
Jesus returned to Capernaum and soon the house he was staying at was packed with visitors. Right in the middle of his preaching four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man and couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the large crowd so they dug a hole through the roof and lowered the man down right in front of Jesus. Sounds like a scene out of a Monty Python movie! I can see him preaching away then...squeeek, squeeeek, squeeek some guy gets lowered down right in front of him on some random pulley system.
Jesus tells the paralyzed man "My child, your sins are forgiven." So some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!" Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking so he told the paralyzed man "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" And the man did! Everyone began to praise God.
Feb 15 - The Tabernacle Is Given To Moses
The craftsman made all the beautiful sacred garments for Aaron as the Lord had commanded. Bezalel made went through and made all the rest of the stuff for the Tabernacle to be complete and they brought the entire Tabernacle to Moses to inspect. When Moses found that it had been done just as the Lord had commanded he blessed them. The Lord instructed Moses to "Set up the Tabernacle on the first day of the new year." and gave him all the instructions on where to put everything. He did as the Lord commanded and I'm sure slept extremely well afterword.
Today we start reading from Mark. This is his view on Jesus' life from when John the Baptist spoke of his coming. John announced: "Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!" Jesus came up from Nazareth one day and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came out of the water the heavens split apart and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy." Talk about making an entrance!
Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" and they left their nets at once and followed him. Two disciples lined up 10 to go!
A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee's sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He call them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with hired men......number three and four.
Today we start reading from Mark. This is his view on Jesus' life from when John the Baptist spoke of his coming. John announced: "Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!" Jesus came up from Nazareth one day and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came out of the water the heavens split apart and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy." Talk about making an entrance!
Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" and they left their nets at once and followed him. Two disciples lined up 10 to go!
A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee's sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He call them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with hired men......number three and four.
Feb 14 - He's Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Bezalel goes on to make the Ark of the Covenant, the cover, the table, lampstands....etc all to the specifications of which God had given to Moses. As you read through today's reading it is quite astounding how beautiful everything must have looked, but then what else would you expect from God. After all he made my wife and a darn fine job he did I might add....she's Hot! I the most respectful way:)
Today in Matthew Jesus rises from the dead. It's Early Sunday morning and Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (how would you like to be known as "The Other Mary" throughout history), anywho, they went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly their was a great earthquake, the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.
Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." "He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there."
Now some guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. A meeting with the elders was called, they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe to say Jesus' disciples came at night while they were sleeping and stole the body. Their story spread among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Proverbs was kind of cool today: Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgement.
I'll tell ya right now I could have used some help with good judgement throughout the years. I did a lot of "learning from your mistakes" training:).....That's the way I see it.
Today in Matthew Jesus rises from the dead. It's Early Sunday morning and Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (how would you like to be known as "The Other Mary" throughout history), anywho, they went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly their was a great earthquake, the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.
Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." "He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there."
Now some guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. A meeting with the elders was called, they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe to say Jesus' disciples came at night while they were sleeping and stole the body. Their story spread among the Jews, and they still tell it today.
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Proverbs was kind of cool today: Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgement.
I'll tell ya right now I could have used some help with good judgement throughout the years. I did a lot of "learning from your mistakes" training:).....That's the way I see it.
Feb 13 - Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross
Moses instructs all of the gifted craftsmen to get starting on constructing everything the Lord has commanded. That's the Tabernacle, lampstands, curtains, Ark.....etc. Lot's of incredible stuff. 'So the whole community of Israel left Moses and returned to their tents. All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord.'
The Lord chose Bezael son of Uri, grandson of Hur of the tribe of Judah as the master craftsman to build everything. "The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholioab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary."
In Matthew today Jesus is hung on the cross with a sign above his head reading "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Two other people were crucified with him one on each side. People passing by shouted abuse and mocked Jesus. "You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!" The leading priests, elderls, and teachers of religious law also mocked him. "He saved others, but he can't save himself!" Right there I would think a light would kick on that oh that's right he did perform many unexplainable miracles and did good for others.....what the heck are we doing??
At about 3 o'clock Jesus called out "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" Apparently some bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. "Wait! Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him."
Now comes the time when I bet a lot of people said OH SHOOT we just killed the Son of God! Uhhhhhhhhhh I was just watching I didn't have anything to do with it I believed him all along!
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. The said, "This man truly was the Son of God!" We want a Do-Over!!! Oooops our bad.
The Lord chose Bezael son of Uri, grandson of Hur of the tribe of Judah as the master craftsman to build everything. "The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholioab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary."
In Matthew today Jesus is hung on the cross with a sign above his head reading "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Two other people were crucified with him one on each side. People passing by shouted abuse and mocked Jesus. "You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!" The leading priests, elderls, and teachers of religious law also mocked him. "He saved others, but he can't save himself!" Right there I would think a light would kick on that oh that's right he did perform many unexplainable miracles and did good for others.....what the heck are we doing??
At about 3 o'clock Jesus called out "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" Apparently some bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. "Wait! Let's see whether Elijah comes to save him."
Now comes the time when I bet a lot of people said OH SHOOT we just killed the Son of God! Uhhhhhhhhhh I was just watching I didn't have anything to do with it I believed him all along!
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. The said, "This man truly was the Son of God!" We want a Do-Over!!! Oooops our bad.
Feb 12 - Moses Instructs The People
So God tells moses to chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and He will write on the the same words that were on the last tablets and please don't smash these! Or something similar. Moses heads back up the mountain with the tablets and the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him. Can you imagine just chillin on top of a mountain in the presence of the Lord! We'll thanks to the Holy Spirit you now can:) God tells Moses that He will go ahead of them and drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. He instructs Moses to "break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherah poles." He tells him to be careful not to make a treaty with the people that live there and fall into evil. "You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you."
The Lord then gives moses instructions and tells him "Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel." Moses remained on the mountain with the Lord for 40 days.
When he came down carrying the two tablets Aaron and the people of Israel were afraid to go near him because his face had become radiant from speaking to the Lord. Moses calls them and gives them the instructions from the Lord.
In Matthew today Pilate, the governor, gives the crowd a choice to either release Jesus or Barabbas a notorious prisoner. They shout to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. Pilate gets a bowl of water and washes his hands in front of the crowd saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. The responsibility is yours!"
The people yelled back, "We will take responsibility for his death-we and our children!" Hey that's not fair to drag your kids down with you. I'll bet the day of the Crucifixion a bunch of people from that group wished they could take a mulligan! Jesus is given to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. The governor's soldiers stripped him, put a scarlet robe on him and wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head then knelt before him, mocking and taunting him. "Hail! King of the Jews!" spitting on him and poking him with sticks. When they became tired of that they put his clothes on him and led him away to be crucified.......I would NOT want to be one of that bunch!
The Lord then gives moses instructions and tells him "Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel." Moses remained on the mountain with the Lord for 40 days.
When he came down carrying the two tablets Aaron and the people of Israel were afraid to go near him because his face had become radiant from speaking to the Lord. Moses calls them and gives them the instructions from the Lord.
In Matthew today Pilate, the governor, gives the crowd a choice to either release Jesus or Barabbas a notorious prisoner. They shout to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. Pilate gets a bowl of water and washes his hands in front of the crowd saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. The responsibility is yours!"
The people yelled back, "We will take responsibility for his death-we and our children!" Hey that's not fair to drag your kids down with you. I'll bet the day of the Crucifixion a bunch of people from that group wished they could take a mulligan! Jesus is given to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. The governor's soldiers stripped him, put a scarlet robe on him and wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head then knelt before him, mocking and taunting him. "Hail! King of the Jews!" spitting on him and poking him with sticks. When they became tired of that they put his clothes on him and led him away to be crucified.......I would NOT want to be one of that bunch!
Feb 11 - The People Get Bored
Moses has been up on Mount Sanai for a while so the people get antsy and gathered around Aaron. "Come On," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt." Now talk about lack of loyalty and faith. Over and over again the Lord has used Moses to come through for the people and again once things get questionable the people want an Idol to worship! So Aaron makes one out of their gold.......Miiiiiiiiiistake! The people were about to be wiped out right there by the Lord but thanks to Moses and his favor with God they were spared. Moses goes down the mountain with the commandments on two tablets and the everyone is partying and celebrating giving sacrafices to the false idol, a golden calf Aaron made. When Moses saw this he was furious and threw the tablets to the ground smashing them.
I Love this...sounds like a type of excuse one of my kids will use.....Moses asks Aaron "What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?" He gives a rundown of what they said and says "I simply threw it (the gold) into the fire-and out came this calf!" Ya right.......:) Moses gives them one last chance to be on the Lord's side....all the Levites gathered around him. The next day they killed all of those that weren't with the Lord.
Moses asks the Lord to show him his presence. God replies "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. but you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live." He then has him stand by a rock and covers him with his hand until he passes by to let him see Him from behind.
Everything Jesus talked about was starting to come to pass. Peter rebuked that he didn't know Jesus 3 times then the rooster crowed. Judas realizes that Jesus had been condemned to die so he tries to take the 30 pieces of silver back, paid to him to deceave Jesus, to the elders.....no dice. So he threw the coinds and left and hanged himself. The priests used the money to buy the potter's field fullfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,
"They took the thirty pieces of silver-the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel, and purchased the potter's field, as the Lord directed."
I Love this...sounds like a type of excuse one of my kids will use.....Moses asks Aaron "What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?" He gives a rundown of what they said and says "I simply threw it (the gold) into the fire-and out came this calf!" Ya right.......:) Moses gives them one last chance to be on the Lord's side....all the Levites gathered around him. The next day they killed all of those that weren't with the Lord.
Moses asks the Lord to show him his presence. God replies "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. but you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live." He then has him stand by a rock and covers him with his hand until he passes by to let him see Him from behind.
Everything Jesus talked about was starting to come to pass. Peter rebuked that he didn't know Jesus 3 times then the rooster crowed. Judas realizes that Jesus had been condemned to die so he tries to take the 30 pieces of silver back, paid to him to deceave Jesus, to the elders.....no dice. So he threw the coinds and left and hanged himself. The priests used the money to buy the potter's field fullfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,
"They took the thirty pieces of silver-the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel, and purchased the potter's field, as the Lord directed."
Feb 10 - Moses Is Given The Stones
The Lord finishes up with Moses regarding all the Tabernacle specifics, the wisdom of the craftsman to build it, ceremonies, garments to make and much more. Moses sure could have used a recording device I'm sure......."When the Lord finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, written by the finger of God."
Jesus is betrayed by Judas today.......That's a day I'm sure Judas wish he had just stayed in bed.....That's the way I see it anyway:)
Jesus is betrayed by Judas today.......That's a day I'm sure Judas wish he had just stayed in bed.....That's the way I see it anyway:)
Feb 9 - Ceremonys And More Work For Craftsman
So God is building one dandy Tabernacle, Ark of the Covenant, with a mac daddy cover, clothes, tables for the Tabernacle....etc. He gives all this information to Moses and gives the wisdom to the craftsman to build all of this in order to allow Aaron and his sons to meet with Him and He could be with the people. That my friends sounds like true love to me! We have wedding ceremonies to show our love when we get married, animals have mating ceremonies before they shucka, shucka.....God doesn't just have specifics on the ceremony he has the most incredible location built for it to take place! Once a year Aaron was to purify the alter and it was to be an annual event from generation to generation.....this was the Lord's most holy altar.
Jesus tells the disciples "One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for the man if he had never been born!" has his last meal with his disciples, breaks bread and gives them wine saying "for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is pured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many." and lays down the answers to what the future holds as far as the loyalty of them to him once he is taken. The disciples all say they will stay 100% faithful to him. They all head out to the Mount of Olives for Jesus to pray.....I'm sure glad I wasn't picked to betay the Son of Man!
Jesus tells the disciples "One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for the man if he had never been born!" has his last meal with his disciples, breaks bread and gives them wine saying "for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is pured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many." and lays down the answers to what the future holds as far as the loyalty of them to him once he is taken. The disciples all say they will stay 100% faithful to him. They all head out to the Mount of Olives for Jesus to pray.....I'm sure glad I wasn't picked to betay the Son of Man!
Feb 8 - Pastor Stovall Weems' Operation
Our Pastor at Celebration church went under the knife yesterday to have open heart surgery. The operation seems to be a success and it didn't take as long as they though it would praise God! Please keep pastor in your prayers. That crazy man was used by God to help bring me to Jesus!
Feb 8 - Aaron Represents The People Of Israel
God instructs Moses to have a craftsman make sacred garments for Aaron and his sons that are glorious and beautiful. The Lord has filled the craftsman with the spirit of wisdom to create the garments and incredible garments they must have been. The Lord once again specifically breaks down how the garments are to look and what the meaning is leaving nothing for question. The garments are to be made for Aaron and his sons so they may serve the Lord as priests. Exodus 28:1-43
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him then he will sit upon his glorious throne." Jesus goes on to talk about the King will say those on his right are blessed by my Father and they inherit the Kingdom because when he was hungry, you fed me, thirsty you gave me a drink. He was a stranger and you invited him into your house, he was naked and you gave him clothes......
"I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"
"I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."
Extend a hand to the less fortunate in these incredibly trying times. See someone that needs a meal buy them one....you have a closet full of clothes you don't wear anymore, donate them to a homeless shelter. Small random acts of kindness can go a long, loooooooooooong way:)
"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him then he will sit upon his glorious throne." Jesus goes on to talk about the King will say those on his right are blessed by my Father and they inherit the Kingdom because when he was hungry, you fed me, thirsty you gave me a drink. He was a stranger and you invited him into your house, he was naked and you gave him clothes......
"I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"
"I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."
Extend a hand to the less fortunate in these incredibly trying times. See someone that needs a meal buy them one....you have a closet full of clothes you don't wear anymore, donate them to a homeless shelter. Small random acts of kindness can go a long, loooooooooooong way:)
Feb 7 - That's One Heck Of A Tabernacle
Moses gets specific instructions on how to build the Tabernacle and to put the Ark of the Covenant inside. Our Lord knows how to build one sweet Tabernacle!
In Matthew today he's busting out the parables again. "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom." 5 were left in the dark.....all pun intended:) I like the one about the servants who received the silver. It's a lot like us being Christians....if we just bury our heads in the ground and don't tell people about how awesome life has been since we've come to Christ then we won't build his kingdom. We'll just kind of mosey on through life......I'm certainly glad Charley shared with me and left the door open so when I was ready to walk through. HEY time for a Matrix Quote that's relevant! Morpheus: I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.
In Matthew today he's busting out the parables again. "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom." 5 were left in the dark.....all pun intended:) I like the one about the servants who received the silver. It's a lot like us being Christians....if we just bury our heads in the ground and don't tell people about how awesome life has been since we've come to Christ then we won't build his kingdom. We'll just kind of mosey on through life......I'm certainly glad Charley shared with me and left the door open so when I was ready to walk through. HEY time for a Matrix Quote that's relevant! Morpheus: I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.
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