Tues.’s Devo - A Lesson in Discernment and Faith

Read: Leviticus 11:1-12:8; Mark 5:21-43; Psalm 38:1-22; Proverbs 10:8-9 In Romans 7:14 says that the law is spiritual so all of the laws have spiritual meaning to us. Jesus taught this concept in his sermon on the mount. God gave the children of Israel laws determining food that was good for them to eat and food to avoid because they were an abomination to them. Abomination in the Hebrew means “filth; as an idolatrous object” which makes it more clear as to how God looked on the eating of these things. *** They were to consume animals that had completely split hooves and chewed the cud. This was describing spiritual meat that we are to consume and take part in. It teaches us how to discern what is truth and beneficial for us as God’s children and what is not. The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword able to divide souls and spirit, joint and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. *** Divided hooves means that the truth you are digesting is balanced and not one-sided. To chew the cud speaks of meditating on the Word and bringing it back up at will to use in whatever situation it applies. *** The same is true about eating anything from the water or the Spirit. It must have both fins and scales. In other words it must have fins that balance its movement and scales that cover it like the blood of Jesus covers us. *** They were not to eat winged fowls that swarmed or walked or haunted on all four. This would include insects like locusts who were used in judgment. They were created for destruction and not for life. *** Animals that walked on all four legs but had paws were not to be eaten. This would refer to a person’s walk that was hollow and deceptive. An animal with paws used them to sneak up on its prey. Also they were padded as in a cushy life-style free of trials that make us strong and prove and exercise our faith. *** Animals that scurried along the ground were not to be eaten because they lived earthly lives. *** If any of these unclean animals fell into a clay pot (a man) it would defile the whole man and the man must be broken and cleansed or everything that came from him would defile others. *** Sin is contaminating and easily spread to others. We just have to make sure that we are not the ones spreading the sin. *** Laws were given for the shedding of blood either for death (menstration) or life (a baby). It would take 66 days for the woman to be purified from the loss of blood. Interesting that blood is for life and blood is for death. God was showing his people the difference between the two. *** In Mark, Jesus went back to the Jewish side of the lake where the leader of the local synagogue, Jairus was waiting for him. Instead of wanting to harm Jesus, he begged him to come and heal his daughter who was dying. This girl was 12 years old. As he was passing through the crowd to follow him to her bedside, a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years touched the hem of his garment and was instantly healed. Jesus felt the healing virtue leave his body and turned to address who it went. The woman confessed she was the one and told her story. Jesus told her that her faith had made her well and that she could go in peace because her suffering was over. *** Jesus went on to the daughter’s house and learned she had died. He turned to the father and told him to not be afraid but just have faith. This man had just heard of the woman’s miracle and what Jesus had told her about her faith which had to help him in his time of testing. *** Jesus removed all the people who had no faith and closed himself up in the room with people that did have faith. He spoke to the girl and told her to get up and she did. Faith was honored with healing and life. Lord, may we have faith in our situations to speak life into death.