Read: Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalm 443:1-8; Proverbs 10:19
Every offering to the Lord was to be perfect even from foreigners. God was holy and he was teaching them to be holy.
God had sacred assemblies that he wanted them to observe every year at the same time of the year. They were called his feasts. Passover began on the fourteenth. The number 14 means to recreate. They were to practice these feasts year after year and one day Jesus would fulfill them. He fulfilled Passover when he because the Passover lamb and died for us. On the fifteenth they were to celebrate the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread. The number 15 means grace, freedom, and sin covered. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was last a week and only unleavened bread was to be eaten. Unleavened Bread was fulfilled when the Bread of Heaven went down to Hades and rescued those who were in captivity. The day after the next Sabbath was the Feast of First Fruits. This was fulfilled when Jesus rose from the dead. From that day, they were to count off 50 days and present an offering of new grain. This was fulfilled when God gave the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. The next three feasts have not been fulfilled yet. The Feast of Trumpets will be when Jesus comes back at the blast of a trumpet. The Day of Atonement will be the days of tribulation where people will be given time to repent and come into the kingdom. The last feast is the Feast of Tabernacles which will last a week. During this time the bride will tabernacle with the Lord in heaven. No work is done this whole week and first there is a harvest as God reaps all the souls into heaven. The books will be opened and judgement will be given to the unbelievers and awards will be given to the believers.
In Mark, the disciples were arguing about which one was the greatest. Jesus explained that the one who serves the best and is the most humble will be the greatest. He used a child as an example. The smallest deed we do will be rewarded. But, those that abuse the least will be judged the greatest.
Lord, give us humble hearts to love the least and worship the greatest which is You!
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, February 27, 2017
Mon.’s Devo - Be Ye Holy!
Read: Leviticus 20:22-22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5; Proverbs 10:18
Moses warned them to keep all of God’s laws so that the land they were going to wouldn’t vomit them out like it would the ones who lived there then. God was calling the Israelites to be his holy nation. By being holy, that meant that they didn’t make idols to worship or participate in any of the idol worship of the people they were going to drive out. They were to stone any woman or man who had a familiar spirit or was a wizard. A person with a familiar spirit was a person who could talk to the dead or speak for someone else with them not present. One of the meanings to the word was “ventriloquist” which is just putting someone else’s personality or voice in your body. The Hebrew meaning of wizard was a person who knew things through the spirit and a person who could conjure up spirits or ghosts. In another version it calls them mediums and spiritualists. We see them everywhere. We call them palm readers, raki healers, shamens, mediums, etc.
So, are we suppose to picket these businesses and throw stones at their windows? NO! We are to live by the spirit and not the law. We stone them with words we pray. We read God’s Word over their businesses and we pray that they repent first. If they refuse to repent then we pray that their power will not have any affect and that their business will fail and leave our nation.
God gave the priests many laws concerning themselves. The priests were to be a representative of Jesus, the spotless, sinless lamb which is the reason for all the conditions for the priests. God was serious about holiness. He still is.
Jesus was holy and he allowed Peter, James, and John to see him in his glorified state. Elijah and Moses appeared with him because they stood for the law and the prophets which both pointed to Jesus. The disciples wanted to build a shelter for Elijah and Moses because it was the Feast of Tabernacles and everyone built shelters around Jerusalem. Then, God appeared in a cloud and spoke, “This is my Son, whom I love, Listen to him!” Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone.
Immediately when they got down from the mountain, a man brought him a son who was possessed by a spirit of dumbness. It had tormented and tried to kill him on many occasions. The disciples had tried to cast it out and couldn’t. Jesus first demanded faith of the father, then did the deliverance. When the disciples asked why they couldn’t do it, Jesus said that this kind can only come out by prayer (and fasting).
Lord, may we be people of prayer and fasting and may we not look to people but to You alone. Guide us by your light and truth.
Moses warned them to keep all of God’s laws so that the land they were going to wouldn’t vomit them out like it would the ones who lived there then. God was calling the Israelites to be his holy nation. By being holy, that meant that they didn’t make idols to worship or participate in any of the idol worship of the people they were going to drive out. They were to stone any woman or man who had a familiar spirit or was a wizard. A person with a familiar spirit was a person who could talk to the dead or speak for someone else with them not present. One of the meanings to the word was “ventriloquist” which is just putting someone else’s personality or voice in your body. The Hebrew meaning of wizard was a person who knew things through the spirit and a person who could conjure up spirits or ghosts. In another version it calls them mediums and spiritualists. We see them everywhere. We call them palm readers, raki healers, shamens, mediums, etc.
So, are we suppose to picket these businesses and throw stones at their windows? NO! We are to live by the spirit and not the law. We stone them with words we pray. We read God’s Word over their businesses and we pray that they repent first. If they refuse to repent then we pray that their power will not have any affect and that their business will fail and leave our nation.
God gave the priests many laws concerning themselves. The priests were to be a representative of Jesus, the spotless, sinless lamb which is the reason for all the conditions for the priests. God was serious about holiness. He still is.
Jesus was holy and he allowed Peter, James, and John to see him in his glorified state. Elijah and Moses appeared with him because they stood for the law and the prophets which both pointed to Jesus. The disciples wanted to build a shelter for Elijah and Moses because it was the Feast of Tabernacles and everyone built shelters around Jerusalem. Then, God appeared in a cloud and spoke, “This is my Son, whom I love, Listen to him!” Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone.
Immediately when they got down from the mountain, a man brought him a son who was possessed by a spirit of dumbness. It had tormented and tried to kill him on many occasions. The disciples had tried to cast it out and couldn’t. Jesus first demanded faith of the father, then did the deliverance. When the disciples asked why they couldn’t do it, Jesus said that this kind can only come out by prayer (and fasting).
Lord, may we be people of prayer and fasting and may we not look to people but to You alone. Guide us by your light and truth.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Sun.’s Devo - The Goodness of the Law
Read: Leviticus 19:1-20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42:1-11; Proverbs 10:17
Moses gave the people the Ten Commandments along with many others. God wanted the people to be holy…not good. It doesn’t take long to realize that personally we have some things to work on and as a nation we have some things terribly mixed up. God is trying to let us know how life is on heaven in His kingdom so we can live there one day.
Every law was to make His children happier and give them a better life. It was to protect them from diseases and heart ache and to keep their consciences clear to hear and love God and others. Too bad, many people looked at the law as a way to inhibit them from fun. God was trying to protect them from harm.
On the Jewish side of the lake and the Pharisees asked for a sign. Jesus had already given them so many signs and they had attributed his power to the devil so Jesus was through trying to convince them. He went to the other side of the lake to the Gentiles. On the way, Jesus and his disciples got into a conversation about bread and their lack of it. Jesus told them to be aware of the yeast of the Pharisees. Yeast is the ingredient in bread that caused it to rise. The bread is the Word of God. The Pharisees had added to the Word and made their additions more powerful than Jesus. Their pride caused them to make their laws rise above God’s law. That was what Jesus was talking about.
When they got to the other side, Jesus began creating new eyes out of dust for a blind man. The man only saw partially at first and men looked like trees walking. Trees represent men throughout the Bible (see Psalm 1).
Jesus did his miracles in secret and didn’t want his disciples telling people who he was because the Jews had rejected him and Jesus didn’t want to start a riot.
Jesus was nearing the end of his life so he started sharing with his disciples what was going to happen. God never does anything that he doesn’t first tell his friends. (Amos 3:7)
Lord, we are thirsty for You and your words of truth. We will put our trust in You, and you will never disappoint!
Moses gave the people the Ten Commandments along with many others. God wanted the people to be holy…not good. It doesn’t take long to realize that personally we have some things to work on and as a nation we have some things terribly mixed up. God is trying to let us know how life is on heaven in His kingdom so we can live there one day.
Every law was to make His children happier and give them a better life. It was to protect them from diseases and heart ache and to keep their consciences clear to hear and love God and others. Too bad, many people looked at the law as a way to inhibit them from fun. God was trying to protect them from harm.
On the Jewish side of the lake and the Pharisees asked for a sign. Jesus had already given them so many signs and they had attributed his power to the devil so Jesus was through trying to convince them. He went to the other side of the lake to the Gentiles. On the way, Jesus and his disciples got into a conversation about bread and their lack of it. Jesus told them to be aware of the yeast of the Pharisees. Yeast is the ingredient in bread that caused it to rise. The bread is the Word of God. The Pharisees had added to the Word and made their additions more powerful than Jesus. Their pride caused them to make their laws rise above God’s law. That was what Jesus was talking about.
When they got to the other side, Jesus began creating new eyes out of dust for a blind man. The man only saw partially at first and men looked like trees walking. Trees represent men throughout the Bible (see Psalm 1).
Jesus did his miracles in secret and didn’t want his disciples telling people who he was because the Jews had rejected him and Jesus didn’t want to start a riot.
Jesus was nearing the end of his life so he started sharing with his disciples what was going to happen. God never does anything that he doesn’t first tell his friends. (Amos 3:7)
Lord, we are thirsty for You and your words of truth. We will put our trust in You, and you will never disappoint!
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Sat.’s Devo - Life in the Blood
Read: Leviticus 16:29-18:30; Mark 7:24-8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 41:1-13
We are still talking about the day of atonement that was to take away Israel’s sin for the next year. Every year they would repeat the ceremony to atone for the next year. Over and over you read that the life was in the blood. Our spiritual eternal life is in the blood of Jesus which is why God put so much emphasis on blood.
In leviticus 18 we have all the laws concerning sexual relations. There is only one person that will it is legal to have sexual relations with and that is your spouse. Everyone else made you defiled and cut off from his people. Then they would be guilty of the sins of the nations around them. That is why God told them to destroy these people. He knew that their evil hearts and evil practices would rub off on Israel which was exactly what happened.
In the New Testament, Jesus was in the area of the Gentiles. He entered the house to have some privacy, but word spreads rapidly that Jesus is here. A woman brought her demon possessed daughter and begged Jesus to deliver her. Jesus told him that he came to bring his message first to the Jew. She told him that even the dogs got the bread crumbs that fell from the table. Jesus was amazed at her tenacity and faith. He healed her daughter. He went on to feed 4,000 mainly Gentiles. He did it with 7 loaves and a few fish. After feeding them, they picked up 7 baskets full of food. God always has more than enough.
Lord, you always bless those who have regard for the weak. May we have your heart and follow your ways.
We are still talking about the day of atonement that was to take away Israel’s sin for the next year. Every year they would repeat the ceremony to atone for the next year. Over and over you read that the life was in the blood. Our spiritual eternal life is in the blood of Jesus which is why God put so much emphasis on blood.
In leviticus 18 we have all the laws concerning sexual relations. There is only one person that will it is legal to have sexual relations with and that is your spouse. Everyone else made you defiled and cut off from his people. Then they would be guilty of the sins of the nations around them. That is why God told them to destroy these people. He knew that their evil hearts and evil practices would rub off on Israel which was exactly what happened.
In the New Testament, Jesus was in the area of the Gentiles. He entered the house to have some privacy, but word spreads rapidly that Jesus is here. A woman brought her demon possessed daughter and begged Jesus to deliver her. Jesus told him that he came to bring his message first to the Jew. She told him that even the dogs got the bread crumbs that fell from the table. Jesus was amazed at her tenacity and faith. He healed her daughter. He went on to feed 4,000 mainly Gentiles. He did it with 7 loaves and a few fish. After feeding them, they picked up 7 baskets full of food. God always has more than enough.
Lord, you always bless those who have regard for the weak. May we have your heart and follow your ways.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Fri.’s Devo -Be Made Clean
Read: Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14
Leviticus 15 talks in length about the issue of blood and seman which gives us insight into the plight of the woman with the issue of blood that touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed. For 12 years she had been unable to go into the sanctuary and no one could get near her, sit where she had sat, slept where she had slept nor could she have married a man. She was isolated from social life. Jesus took away her uncleanness and made her clean. The nation of Israel had been unclean for longer than 12 years and Jesus came to touch their nation and make it clean yet many of them rejected him.
Not only is this a spiritual picture but it was also a lesson on hygiene. God was teaching them how germs spread.
Leviticus 16 teaches us about the Day of Atonement which God proclaimed as the only day the high priest could approach the mercy seat which was inside the Holy of Holies. Aaron had lost his two sons because they entered unlawfully so God was giving them instruction of how to do it right.
First, the priest had to bring sacrifices: two goats for sin and a bull for a burnt offering. He was to dress himself in the clothing God had specified - the priestly garments. Then, he was to take an offering of two goats and one ram from the people for their sins. He was to present the goats to the Lord to choose the scapegoat by lots. The other was to be the offering to the Lord and the scapegoat was to eventually go free.
He offered the bull to cover his own sin then the goat. He lit the incense altar which made a sweet aroma and produced a cloud of smoke which was a picture of God’s glory that followed them through the wilderness. He was to take the blood from the bull and sprinkle the mercy seat seven times to atone for him and his household. Then he was to do the same with the goat which was the sacrifice to atone for the nation.
Next, the priest would lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, transferring their sins to this goat and send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. Aaron would then shed his bloody garments, wash and put on fresh priestly garments. He was to offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and burn the fat.
The man who took the scape goat had to wash his clothes also and burn everything left of the sacrifice and take it outside the camp.
This whole ritual was a picture of Jesus. Both goats stood for Jesus. He not only died for us but he told our sins away as far as the east was from the west. After his death, Jesus shed his earthly flesh like a garment and put on the glory. When he got to heaven, he offered himself on the altar of heaven.
The Pharisees rebuked Jesus for not making his disciples go through their ritual of hand washing before they ate. Jesus explained to them that they had left the law of Moses and had made us their own laws that were not God’s laws. Then he explained that it was not eating with unwashed hands that was going to make a person unclean, but it was what came out of wicked hearts that would make a person unclean.
Lord, may your mercy cover us like a cloud and may your love and truth always protect us.
Leviticus 15 talks in length about the issue of blood and seman which gives us insight into the plight of the woman with the issue of blood that touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed. For 12 years she had been unable to go into the sanctuary and no one could get near her, sit where she had sat, slept where she had slept nor could she have married a man. She was isolated from social life. Jesus took away her uncleanness and made her clean. The nation of Israel had been unclean for longer than 12 years and Jesus came to touch their nation and make it clean yet many of them rejected him.
Not only is this a spiritual picture but it was also a lesson on hygiene. God was teaching them how germs spread.
Leviticus 16 teaches us about the Day of Atonement which God proclaimed as the only day the high priest could approach the mercy seat which was inside the Holy of Holies. Aaron had lost his two sons because they entered unlawfully so God was giving them instruction of how to do it right.
First, the priest had to bring sacrifices: two goats for sin and a bull for a burnt offering. He was to dress himself in the clothing God had specified - the priestly garments. Then, he was to take an offering of two goats and one ram from the people for their sins. He was to present the goats to the Lord to choose the scapegoat by lots. The other was to be the offering to the Lord and the scapegoat was to eventually go free.
He offered the bull to cover his own sin then the goat. He lit the incense altar which made a sweet aroma and produced a cloud of smoke which was a picture of God’s glory that followed them through the wilderness. He was to take the blood from the bull and sprinkle the mercy seat seven times to atone for him and his household. Then he was to do the same with the goat which was the sacrifice to atone for the nation.
Next, the priest would lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, transferring their sins to this goat and send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. Aaron would then shed his bloody garments, wash and put on fresh priestly garments. He was to offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and burn the fat.
The man who took the scape goat had to wash his clothes also and burn everything left of the sacrifice and take it outside the camp.
This whole ritual was a picture of Jesus. Both goats stood for Jesus. He not only died for us but he told our sins away as far as the east was from the west. After his death, Jesus shed his earthly flesh like a garment and put on the glory. When he got to heaven, he offered himself on the altar of heaven.
The Pharisees rebuked Jesus for not making his disciples go through their ritual of hand washing before they ate. Jesus explained to them that they had left the law of Moses and had made us their own laws that were not God’s laws. Then he explained that it was not eating with unwashed hands that was going to make a person unclean, but it was what came out of wicked hearts that would make a person unclean.
Lord, may your mercy cover us like a cloud and may your love and truth always protect us.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Thurs.’s Devo - Cleansing
Read: Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12
God gave them a ceremony to use when someone was healed of an infectious skin disease. The priest was to take two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop brought by the person who was healed. The priest would order one of the birds to be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. The other live bird was to be dipped in the blood with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop. Then the person that was to be cleansed was to be sprinkled with the blood seven times. The live bird was then released in the open fields. The birds represented Jesus. The first bird was killed signifying His death. Along with the bird were all the symbols at the crucifixion. The cedar wood represented the cross. The scarlet yarn represented the scarlet thread that weaves itself through every book of the Bible. The hyssop was what was offered Jesus to lesson his pain. He chose not to take the hyssop so the hyssop represents the pain and suffering of the cross. The bird that went free represented Jesus resurrected body.
There is no record of this ritual ever being done but when Jesus healed the Jewish man of leprosy, he told him to go and present himself to the priests. They would have had to perform this ritual.
The person made clean represened a person who comes to Jesus and gives his sin to Jesus. He was to wash his clothes which represented putting away his past sinful habits. Then he was to shave off all his hair representing his change of coverings. He was no longer trying to be good apart from the grace of God. Jesus blood is our covering that makes us righteous, not our works. He was then invited to come back into the camp, but he was to spend his first 7 days outside his tent. On the 7th day, he had to shave off all his hair on his body, wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he would be clean.
When we become Christians we are invited into the camp of God. We spend our life on earth. On our “8th day” we enter heaven. We are completely rid of the power of death and sin before we enter heaven. This is our spiritual bath and shaving.
God also dealt with mildew in a house which represents bloodline sins. Anyone who comes into this family is affected by their curses or sins that they participate in. They must be cleansed the same way leprosy is cleansed. They have to be brought to the cross and have the blood of Jesus applied to their hurts and wombs.
In Mark, the disciples realized the people were as hungry as they were and wanted them to go home. Jesus told the disciples to feed them. They immediately looked at the natural and realized that was an impossibility. Jesus was trying to train them to see with spiritual eyes. Jesus fed the 5,000 and sent his disciples across the lake so he could go up on the mountain to pray. After Jesus spent time with his Father, he started walking across the water to join his disciples on the other side. His disciples were fighting angry waves of Satan who did not want them to make it to the other side. Jesus had already showed them what to do in a storm so he passed them on his way over. They recognized him and cried out in fear. Jesus calmed their fears and the sea calmed down as he entered the boat.
They came to Gennesaret where he had delivered the man of Legion and been kicked out. This time the people came from everywhere. They begged him to touch them. The man that had been delivered had done his job and spread the news of what Jesus had done for him. They were ready to hear this time.
Lord, help us to learn how to do the things that you did with great faith. Enlarge our hearts and our faith.
God gave them a ceremony to use when someone was healed of an infectious skin disease. The priest was to take two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop brought by the person who was healed. The priest would order one of the birds to be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. The other live bird was to be dipped in the blood with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop. Then the person that was to be cleansed was to be sprinkled with the blood seven times. The live bird was then released in the open fields. The birds represented Jesus. The first bird was killed signifying His death. Along with the bird were all the symbols at the crucifixion. The cedar wood represented the cross. The scarlet yarn represented the scarlet thread that weaves itself through every book of the Bible. The hyssop was what was offered Jesus to lesson his pain. He chose not to take the hyssop so the hyssop represents the pain and suffering of the cross. The bird that went free represented Jesus resurrected body.
There is no record of this ritual ever being done but when Jesus healed the Jewish man of leprosy, he told him to go and present himself to the priests. They would have had to perform this ritual.
The person made clean represened a person who comes to Jesus and gives his sin to Jesus. He was to wash his clothes which represented putting away his past sinful habits. Then he was to shave off all his hair representing his change of coverings. He was no longer trying to be good apart from the grace of God. Jesus blood is our covering that makes us righteous, not our works. He was then invited to come back into the camp, but he was to spend his first 7 days outside his tent. On the 7th day, he had to shave off all his hair on his body, wash his clothes and bathe himself with water, and he would be clean.
When we become Christians we are invited into the camp of God. We spend our life on earth. On our “8th day” we enter heaven. We are completely rid of the power of death and sin before we enter heaven. This is our spiritual bath and shaving.
God also dealt with mildew in a house which represents bloodline sins. Anyone who comes into this family is affected by their curses or sins that they participate in. They must be cleansed the same way leprosy is cleansed. They have to be brought to the cross and have the blood of Jesus applied to their hurts and wombs.
In Mark, the disciples realized the people were as hungry as they were and wanted them to go home. Jesus told the disciples to feed them. They immediately looked at the natural and realized that was an impossibility. Jesus was trying to train them to see with spiritual eyes. Jesus fed the 5,000 and sent his disciples across the lake so he could go up on the mountain to pray. After Jesus spent time with his Father, he started walking across the water to join his disciples on the other side. His disciples were fighting angry waves of Satan who did not want them to make it to the other side. Jesus had already showed them what to do in a storm so he passed them on his way over. They recognized him and cried out in fear. Jesus calmed their fears and the sea calmed down as he entered the boat.
They came to Gennesaret where he had delivered the man of Legion and been kicked out. This time the people came from everywhere. They begged him to touch them. The man that had been delivered had done his job and spread the news of what Jesus had done for him. They were ready to hear this time.
Lord, help us to learn how to do the things that you did with great faith. Enlarge our hearts and our faith.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Wed.’s Devo - Offenses
Read: Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10
The plague of leprosy is a picture of offense. Romans tells us all about the flesh. Romans 8:8 says that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. So the flesh is a picture of our sin nature. Leprosy is a disease of the flesh. It is the disease of unforgiveness. If we hold unforgiveness in our hearts it will eventually spread to our conversations and cause us to become bitter. This is leprosy that has gotten under our skin. Our leprosy will spread to those around us and cause them to take up our offense. On the seventh day, judgement day, we will all be judged for the condition of our hearts. We must be free of all unforgiveness before we can enter heaven. Our hearts must be pure and clean.
The person who had leprosy was to cry out “unclean” to anyone who came near. He was to live alone outside the camp. Bitterness does cause other people to not want to be around us and it causes us to close our hearts so we don’t open up and embrace people. It makes us afraid to be hurt again. Jesus never gave up on love, no matter how he was hurt. He continued to reach out with compassion and we have to do the same.
People who live in bitterness are very lonely people who are in need healing. Jesus came and healed many people of their leprosy.
Unforgiveness opens the door to so many other sins to enter. The man of the Gaderenes had a legion of demons that had entered him through the door of unforgiveness.
People fear what they cannot understand. The people didn’t understand Jesus so they tried to use reason. Reason will never help us understand God’s kingdom. It is a kingdom of faith and miracles, signs and wonders which defy human reasoning.
The people of Jesus’ home town did not understand who Jesus was because they could only see him in the natural. They were offended by him. They had leprosy of the heart. Herod was offended by the message that John the Baptist preached because it exposed his sin. Herod killed him in the natural, but he couldn’t kill his message. Jesus continued the message. Neither can we kill the message of repentance and forgiveness. We have to forgive others, no matter what they did to us just as Jesus has forgiven our sins.
Lord, help us to forgive those who have offended and used us. Cleanse our hearts so we can freely love.
The plague of leprosy is a picture of offense. Romans tells us all about the flesh. Romans 8:8 says that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. So the flesh is a picture of our sin nature. Leprosy is a disease of the flesh. It is the disease of unforgiveness. If we hold unforgiveness in our hearts it will eventually spread to our conversations and cause us to become bitter. This is leprosy that has gotten under our skin. Our leprosy will spread to those around us and cause them to take up our offense. On the seventh day, judgement day, we will all be judged for the condition of our hearts. We must be free of all unforgiveness before we can enter heaven. Our hearts must be pure and clean.
The person who had leprosy was to cry out “unclean” to anyone who came near. He was to live alone outside the camp. Bitterness does cause other people to not want to be around us and it causes us to close our hearts so we don’t open up and embrace people. It makes us afraid to be hurt again. Jesus never gave up on love, no matter how he was hurt. He continued to reach out with compassion and we have to do the same.
People who live in bitterness are very lonely people who are in need healing. Jesus came and healed many people of their leprosy.
Unforgiveness opens the door to so many other sins to enter. The man of the Gaderenes had a legion of demons that had entered him through the door of unforgiveness.
People fear what they cannot understand. The people didn’t understand Jesus so they tried to use reason. Reason will never help us understand God’s kingdom. It is a kingdom of faith and miracles, signs and wonders which defy human reasoning.
The people of Jesus’ home town did not understand who Jesus was because they could only see him in the natural. They were offended by him. They had leprosy of the heart. Herod was offended by the message that John the Baptist preached because it exposed his sin. Herod killed him in the natural, but he couldn’t kill his message. Jesus continued the message. Neither can we kill the message of repentance and forgiveness. We have to forgive others, no matter what they did to us just as Jesus has forgiven our sins.
Lord, help us to forgive those who have offended and used us. Cleanse our hearts so we can freely love.
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