Posted in Bible Journaling, Life Inspiration

God’s Not Playing Games

Holy

Happy Independence Day! In West Virginia today it’s another rainy day with yet another threat of flooding in some areas that could really use a break. Please pray as clean up and restoration continues in hundreds of homes across our State. As I sit high and dry on Mt. Zion Ridge this morning my heart breaks for those in crisis, and for a country in crisis. How I wish that God’s blessings could rain down on America but I’m too conscience of where America is at morally to believe that that is a possibility today. I am forever the cockeyed optimist who will never fail to believe that God could changes hearts in heartbeat… it just scares me as to what it might take for that to happen.

Reading in Leviticus this morning of the instructions laid out to Moses and Aaron of the Levitical law for sacrifice, God’s attention to detail was apparent and serious! Nine chapters of instruction and Aaron performs a sacrifice which was so awesome that the glory of the Lord shown in such a manner that the entire congregation shouted and fell on their face. Glory to God that must have been an awesome sight! So why is it that we find in the tenth chapter that Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu are struck dead for offering a stranger fire before the Lord? What didn’t they understand? Unfortunately the same thing America doesn’t understand when it comes to receiving the blessing and protection of a Sovereign, Holy God. God’s not playing games.

Leviticus 10:10

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

There’s a difference. Whatever the strange fire was that Nadab and Abihu offered wasn’t God approved. And regardless of religions and government which says some “things” are now approved, it doesn’t change the fact that God’s not in it and He’s still every bit as serious about holiness today as He was in 1400 B.C; perhaps even a little more serious being that the final sacrifice that was made was the Son of God, not a critter.

So what does holiness look like today? It’s not perfect living because our sin nature won’t allow it. It’s not offering a sacrifice in any manner or form because we can’t do anything greater than God has already done.

Simply put its saying “Lord, You are Holy. Nothing is before You or greater than You, I’m a sinner in need of grace and mercy and it is You Who offer it and I who accept it. You Lord, are enough.”

America has nothing but God. For now He still extends grace and mercy. Let us not fail to thank Him and praise Him for that today.

God… please bless America.

Posted in Christian Service, Church attendance, Life Inspiration

Don’t Walk Away From the Father’s Table

chick dinner

Although we are far outside the days of Old Testament Law, and we’re now living in the age of grace, there’s still much to learn from the Old Testament Word of God. Grace certainly doesn’t make it irrelevant or null and void, it simply means that rather than working for salvation we now work towards a relationship with Christ.  Salvation comes from the sacrifice of Christ alone. Nothing else. But relationship… that’s where many Christians miss out.

A Levitical law for the children of priests found in Leviticus 22:12 rang out in my heart this morning.

If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

Meaning this: If the priest’s daughter married outside of the priesthood she was no longer allowed to eat of the holy things and was cut off from the family of priests. Although this sounds harsh by today’s standards, on this Sunday morning I feel that they’re have been many children of the High Priest (Christ) who have willingly walked away from His table today to link hands with the world and have been cut off  from the holy things of God.

Sunday’s are the best! I long for fellowship with other believers and to hear the Word of God as preached by the man of God. My soul feeds on the all of it and carries me through the coming days. My heart has been broken on numerous occasions as brothers and sisters in Christ have walked away from that same blessing and married themselves to the world, forgetting the cross and the cost for which our Savior made. If they were truly saved it doesn’t change the fact that they are still children of the Most High God, but it stops the blessings received at His table.

No more hor s’oeuvres  The communion with brothers and sisters in Christ, that precious friendship of the saints is no longer enjoyed and thus giving Satan an avenue to implant all kinds of notions into your mind about those friendships that you once treasured.

The Meat of the Word – The Sunday School hour where the Word of God is expounded on in detail and a time that you never outgrow. To say that you no longer need to study the Word of God is to imply that you have learned enough… dangerous, dangerous ground.

The Main Course – 1 Corinthians 1:21 says that For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”  It was the means to our salvation and it is the means to our continued growth in relationship with Jesus Christ. How wonderful it is to sit in a service and listen to the Word of God, that whether there be twenty or two thousand in attendance, the same Word is something different for everyone and exactly what they needed. It never ceases to amaze me!

And then there’s dessert! – That time when the service is coming to a conclusion, you’ve received the meat of the Word, God is working in your heart and then He places the icing on the cake when you feel the stirring of the Holy Spirit as God lays out His best made plans for you today. You step out and kneel at the altar and God meets you there. Oh Glory!!! I love that time.

Has it been a while for you? I hope today finds you in the house of God. If you know what I mean… Praise Him today!!!

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