Read: Leviticus 22:17-23:44; Mark 9:30-10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19
God was specific about the sacrifices. They were to represent our offerings to the Lord. First Peter 2:5 says that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. He goes on to explain what these spiritual sacrifices are: to abstain from fleshly lusts, be honest in our conversations, be submitted to the laws of the land and the leaders that God has put in authority. We are to honor all men, love our fellow Christians, fear God, and honor the President. We are to be good employees even if our employers are mean and unreasonable. Our life and our opinion and rights are what we sacrifice to the Lord. It needs to be without grumbling and complaining. That is not an easy sacrifice!
God gave the Israelites seven feasts that would be road markers and mark times of God moving on the earth. The first three feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits. They occur in the spring around the barley and wheat harvest. They represent our salvation, sanctification and power to rise up and walk in the Spirit. The feasts were to be rehearsals they were to do every year and some years they would be divine appointments. These first three feasts were fulfilled when Jesus came to earth. He died on Passover, becoming the sacrificial lamb. He was in the grave on Unleavened Bread representing our sanctification. He rose on First Fruits being the first to rise from the dead. Pentecost was fifty days after Passover and God sent his Holy Spirit to man representing the seed that was harvested. Three thousand souls were harvested on the Pentecost after Jesus rose from the grave. The next three feasts have yet to be fulfilled. They are Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus will come for his bride on Trumpets, the Tribulation will happen on the days of Atonement and Jesus will return on Tabernacles.
Yesterday, when we read about the Transfiguration, the disciples wanted to build booths for Elijah and Moses because it was the Feast of Tabernacles and they thought they were staying.
In Mark, Jesus tried to tell them what was coming but they didn’t want to hear it. They wanted to believe he was going to Jerusalem to usurp the throne and set up his earthly kingdom. They were concerned with their position. Jesus explained that they needed to stop thinking the way to promotion was through position. It is through humility. It is not a competition with other Christians, other churches, or other ministries. We are all on the same team and all have a different flavor to offer to the world.
Jesus talked about divorce which is one of the most misunderstood teachings. He first told the Pharisees the law. It said that to divorce a man must give his wife a certificate of divorcement which gave her legal freedom and rights. In the days of Jesus, men were not doing this so the wife was not legally divorced. To remarry, she would be committing adultery since she was not divorced from her first husband. The men were not taking care of their first wife legally or respectfully. Even God divorced Israel to marry a Gentile wife. One day, he will redeem Israel and marry her again.
Lord, help us not to be legalistic about your laws, but understand that the law of love supersedes all laws.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Tues.’s Devo - Holy Living
Read: Leviticus 20:22-22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5a; Proverbs 19:18
It is difficult to read today’s reading and understand it if you don’t comprehend the Hebrew mindset of God. God married Israel so they are his wife. So for a priest to marry someone who has in any way given herself to another man is to figuratively showing a heart that has given herself to an idol and forsaken God. To “take a wife that is a whore” would mean to accept or mingle with the profane; willingly sin knowing full well what you are doing.
Marriage was the picture of covenant with God. It was not to be polluted in any way. In 21:10-15, if gives us the requirements for the High Priest, which was Aaron at the time. He was to be anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit so the covenant he made with the Lord was to be kept holy. The different women it mentioned had to do with covenants he was to avoid. The widow in the Hebrew means “a desolate house” which has to do with things out of God’s covering since her covering had been removed. The divorced woman had to do with something that was cast out which depicts a sin or spirit you have driven out. A profane woman has to do with something polluted or dead. Satan came to kill but Jesus came to bring life. All things dead are in our past and not to be a part of our new life in Christ. The harlot stands for a complete rebellion against God.
The priest was to marry a virgin which stands for a heart that has not polluted itself with the world and chosen to stay close to God and obeys his commands.
To come into God’s presence we are to come in holy. To be holy we have to repent of our sin and we will be white as snow. To live a holy life takes commitment and a renewed mind. That is really what all these laws are about.
In Mark, Jesus took Peter, James and John to a mountain where they saw Jesus in his glory. It was the sixth day showing us that this is a foretaste of what we will see in the sixth millennium. We are approaching that time when we will behold the Jesus in his glory as the King of Kings. They saw Moses and Elijah on the exact mountain that God talked to them about that day when he would demonstrate his glory to the earth.
The disciples were not to mention this until Jesus had risen from the dead because it was not for then but for the future.
Lord, help us to see the ways your are preparing us for what you are going to do in the future.
It is difficult to read today’s reading and understand it if you don’t comprehend the Hebrew mindset of God. God married Israel so they are his wife. So for a priest to marry someone who has in any way given herself to another man is to figuratively showing a heart that has given herself to an idol and forsaken God. To “take a wife that is a whore” would mean to accept or mingle with the profane; willingly sin knowing full well what you are doing.
Marriage was the picture of covenant with God. It was not to be polluted in any way. In 21:10-15, if gives us the requirements for the High Priest, which was Aaron at the time. He was to be anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit so the covenant he made with the Lord was to be kept holy. The different women it mentioned had to do with covenants he was to avoid. The widow in the Hebrew means “a desolate house” which has to do with things out of God’s covering since her covering had been removed. The divorced woman had to do with something that was cast out which depicts a sin or spirit you have driven out. A profane woman has to do with something polluted or dead. Satan came to kill but Jesus came to bring life. All things dead are in our past and not to be a part of our new life in Christ. The harlot stands for a complete rebellion against God.
The priest was to marry a virgin which stands for a heart that has not polluted itself with the world and chosen to stay close to God and obeys his commands.
To come into God’s presence we are to come in holy. To be holy we have to repent of our sin and we will be white as snow. To live a holy life takes commitment and a renewed mind. That is really what all these laws are about.
In Mark, Jesus took Peter, James and John to a mountain where they saw Jesus in his glory. It was the sixth day showing us that this is a foretaste of what we will see in the sixth millennium. We are approaching that time when we will behold the Jesus in his glory as the King of Kings. They saw Moses and Elijah on the exact mountain that God talked to them about that day when he would demonstrate his glory to the earth.
The disciples were not to mention this until Jesus had risen from the dead because it was not for then but for the future.
Lord, help us to see the ways your are preparing us for what you are going to do in the future.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Mon.’s Devo - Eyes to See
Read: Leviticus 19:1-20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42:1-11
Leviticus is God explaining the details of the Ten Commandments. It is the answers to the FAQ’s about them. He even gave laws to provide for the poor. The field workers were to leave droppings from their harvest and not harvest the corners of the land so that the poor could work them. That was so they could obey the next thing he said which was not to steal. If the blessed people would do what God told them to do then the poor would be taken care of and not have to steal. Everyone needs the satisfaction of working for themselves. We rob the poor of that joy when we just hand it to them. It might be the easiest for us, but employing them would be more healthy and fulfilling for them.
God gave many laws about mixture. They were not to mate different cattle together, mix seed when planting, mix different cloths, etc. God hates mixture. We are not to mix good with evil.
God gave them commandments about planting trees that are to bear fruit. Trees represent God’s people (Psalm 1). The trees were uncircumcised the first three years. On the fourth they would be a holy praise to the Lord and the they could be used for food in the fifth year. Sounds crazy unless you understand the process God laid out in Genesis One. First day is our first day of salvation. We enter the kingdom of light and are saved. The second day responds to the second year in today’s reading where we learn to separate what is holy from what is not holy. Then on the third day, seed is planted that will produce that fruit. So in our lives, that represents the way we plant the Word of God into our spirits because we will conform to the seed we plant. But on the fourth day, which represents the fourth year we come under the lordship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On the fifth day we are sent out to minister on the earth. Then our fruit is ripe and we have something to give out.
In our own lives, our life consists figuratively as a week with the seventh day being the day we enter into our rest. We all mature at different rates but we will all go through the same process.
In Chapter 20, God warns against given their seed to Molech. Molech was a false god that they would sacrifice their babies to to get his favor. Molech means “guilt”. We are not to birth things out of guilt. Anything born out of guilt will not endure or bear fruit. Grace is the opposite of guilt. Jesus came to remove the guilt and punishment of sin.
In Mark, Jesus was done with the Pharasee’s because they refused to see the sign standing right in front of them. Jesus told his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. The leaven had to do with their man-made laws that they had added to God’s laws. Their laws were wrong doctrine. The disciples thought he was referring to the fact that they forgot to bring bread. Jesus was upset that they didn’t learn by his feeding the multitude that their needs would be provided. He was not teaching them carnal things, but spiritual. Jesus told Peter, “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Lord, help us to not mind the things of the earth, because you have made provision for us, but help us to put your kingdom first and see the eternal rather than the natural.
Leviticus is God explaining the details of the Ten Commandments. It is the answers to the FAQ’s about them. He even gave laws to provide for the poor. The field workers were to leave droppings from their harvest and not harvest the corners of the land so that the poor could work them. That was so they could obey the next thing he said which was not to steal. If the blessed people would do what God told them to do then the poor would be taken care of and not have to steal. Everyone needs the satisfaction of working for themselves. We rob the poor of that joy when we just hand it to them. It might be the easiest for us, but employing them would be more healthy and fulfilling for them.
God gave many laws about mixture. They were not to mate different cattle together, mix seed when planting, mix different cloths, etc. God hates mixture. We are not to mix good with evil.
God gave them commandments about planting trees that are to bear fruit. Trees represent God’s people (Psalm 1). The trees were uncircumcised the first three years. On the fourth they would be a holy praise to the Lord and the they could be used for food in the fifth year. Sounds crazy unless you understand the process God laid out in Genesis One. First day is our first day of salvation. We enter the kingdom of light and are saved. The second day responds to the second year in today’s reading where we learn to separate what is holy from what is not holy. Then on the third day, seed is planted that will produce that fruit. So in our lives, that represents the way we plant the Word of God into our spirits because we will conform to the seed we plant. But on the fourth day, which represents the fourth year we come under the lordship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On the fifth day we are sent out to minister on the earth. Then our fruit is ripe and we have something to give out.
In our own lives, our life consists figuratively as a week with the seventh day being the day we enter into our rest. We all mature at different rates but we will all go through the same process.
In Chapter 20, God warns against given their seed to Molech. Molech was a false god that they would sacrifice their babies to to get his favor. Molech means “guilt”. We are not to birth things out of guilt. Anything born out of guilt will not endure or bear fruit. Grace is the opposite of guilt. Jesus came to remove the guilt and punishment of sin.
In Mark, Jesus was done with the Pharasee’s because they refused to see the sign standing right in front of them. Jesus told his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. The leaven had to do with their man-made laws that they had added to God’s laws. Their laws were wrong doctrine. The disciples thought he was referring to the fact that they forgot to bring bread. Jesus was upset that they didn’t learn by his feeding the multitude that their needs would be provided. He was not teaching them carnal things, but spiritual. Jesus told Peter, “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Lord, help us to not mind the things of the earth, because you have made provision for us, but help us to put your kingdom first and see the eternal rather than the natural.
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Sun.’s Devo - God Loves Us
Read: Leviticus 16:29-30; Mark 7:24-8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 10:15-16
The Day of Atonement was the most holy day of the year for the Hebrew. It was when the successor to the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and sin for the nation would be atoned for the whole year. This successor was the son of the high priest. Jesus, the son of God, entered into the Holy of Holies with his own blood and became our new High Priest forever (Hebrews 7).
God told his people that they were not to live like the people they left or the people they were going to. They had God’s laws and God was their god. Then God gave them a list of people they were not to have sex with. He had just told them the importance of not eating the blood of animals. He was trying to teach them about DNA even though it had no name. Having sex with a relative mixes blood and dishonors and defiles. Sacrificing children to a false god profanes God’s name. Homosexual sin is detestable and having sex with animals is defiling and a perversion. These were the sins of the people of the promises land that God was going to drive out before them. Their sins had defiled the land so the land vomited the people out. The land does this by volcanoes.
If God’s people did these things they would be cut off from their people. This is not my opinion…this is God. In our world of political correctness and not wanting to offend and the doctrine of coexistence, we have watered down and cut out God’s laws. Being a Christian, we will be called bigots, hypocrites, judges, etc., but we can not water down God’s laws. They were not meant to restrict us, they were meant to keep us safe and give us life.
In Mark, Jesus healed the Greeks. He delivered a daughter from demons, opened the ears of a deaf man and he spoke for the first time. Then he fed the four thousand and had seven basketfuls left over. He did this all in the land of mainly Greeks. Jesus came to save the world.
Lord, help us to obey you even when we don’t understand why. Your motive is always good and love.
The Day of Atonement was the most holy day of the year for the Hebrew. It was when the successor to the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and sin for the nation would be atoned for the whole year. This successor was the son of the high priest. Jesus, the son of God, entered into the Holy of Holies with his own blood and became our new High Priest forever (Hebrews 7).
God told his people that they were not to live like the people they left or the people they were going to. They had God’s laws and God was their god. Then God gave them a list of people they were not to have sex with. He had just told them the importance of not eating the blood of animals. He was trying to teach them about DNA even though it had no name. Having sex with a relative mixes blood and dishonors and defiles. Sacrificing children to a false god profanes God’s name. Homosexual sin is detestable and having sex with animals is defiling and a perversion. These were the sins of the people of the promises land that God was going to drive out before them. Their sins had defiled the land so the land vomited the people out. The land does this by volcanoes.
If God’s people did these things they would be cut off from their people. This is not my opinion…this is God. In our world of political correctness and not wanting to offend and the doctrine of coexistence, we have watered down and cut out God’s laws. Being a Christian, we will be called bigots, hypocrites, judges, etc., but we can not water down God’s laws. They were not meant to restrict us, they were meant to keep us safe and give us life.
In Mark, Jesus healed the Greeks. He delivered a daughter from demons, opened the ears of a deaf man and he spoke for the first time. Then he fed the four thousand and had seven basketfuls left over. He did this all in the land of mainly Greeks. Jesus came to save the world.
Lord, help us to obey you even when we don’t understand why. Your motive is always good and love.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Sat.’s Devo - Issues of the Flesh
Read: Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14
Today we deal with running issues out of the flesh. That is pretty self-explanatory. It is when the sins of the flesh are out in the open and obvious. That person is unclean and every thing he touches is affected by his sin. We are seeing many examples of that in the news. A man has a sexual issue and abuses innocent young girls. It affects everyone involved. God is bringing it all to light.
Men are not the only ones who are guilty of issues of their flesh. Women are the seductresses, the manipulators and the Jezebel’s of society also. Their influence on the next generation is devastating.
Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more and where their is a tower of evil, God always plants his stronghold of righteousness. We fight evil with good, so the opposite of running issues of the flesh is an overflow of the river of God. We need to let the Holy Spirit flow out of us in righteousness and grace.
God told Moses that he had to keep the Israelites separate from things that made them unclean, so they would not die in their sin of defiling God’s dwelling place, which is among them. If we are Christians then the dwelling place of the Lord is within us.
In Mark, the Pharisees were all upset about the mechanicals of resisting sin and staying clean. They wanted to look good on the outside, but their hearts were full of evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. These were the things that Jesus told them made them unclean.
Lord, may the issue of our flesh be purified by the blood of Jesus. Give us a heart to live righteously and turn from temptation.
Today we deal with running issues out of the flesh. That is pretty self-explanatory. It is when the sins of the flesh are out in the open and obvious. That person is unclean and every thing he touches is affected by his sin. We are seeing many examples of that in the news. A man has a sexual issue and abuses innocent young girls. It affects everyone involved. God is bringing it all to light.
Men are not the only ones who are guilty of issues of their flesh. Women are the seductresses, the manipulators and the Jezebel’s of society also. Their influence on the next generation is devastating.
Where sin abounds, grace abounds even more and where their is a tower of evil, God always plants his stronghold of righteousness. We fight evil with good, so the opposite of running issues of the flesh is an overflow of the river of God. We need to let the Holy Spirit flow out of us in righteousness and grace.
God told Moses that he had to keep the Israelites separate from things that made them unclean, so they would not die in their sin of defiling God’s dwelling place, which is among them. If we are Christians then the dwelling place of the Lord is within us.
In Mark, the Pharisees were all upset about the mechanicals of resisting sin and staying clean. They wanted to look good on the outside, but their hearts were full of evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. These were the things that Jesus told them made them unclean.
Lord, may the issue of our flesh be purified by the blood of Jesus. Give us a heart to live righteously and turn from temptation.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Fri.’s Devo - Kingdom Thinking
Read: Leviticus 14:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10
The answer to our sin problem is the cross, so the answer to their fleshly diseases was a ceremony that depicted the cross. They were to take two clean birds, wood, red thread and hyssop. The priest was to kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. The other bird and all the props were to be dipped in the blood of the slain bird. The person to the cleansed was then sprinkled seven times with the blood of the dead bird. Then the live bird was released into a field.
The person was to wash his clothes, shave off his hair and bathe with water then he would be “ceremonially” clean. He was to stay seven days outside his tent and on the seventh day he was to totally shave every hair from his body, wash his clothes and bathe himself with water and he would be clean.
This is the perfect picture of salvation. Jesus is both birds. The first bird was Jesus the sacrificial lamb. All the props were seen at the scene of his crucifixion. The sinner must first come to the cross and apply the blood of Jesus to their sins. Then they can witness the resurrection power of Jesus which is demonstrated in the live bird that goes free. This man is now ceremonially clean which means he is saved by faith. He will not be eternally saved until he dies, after living his “seven days”. Then, he will be completely clean of all his sins and enter into heaven.
On the eighth day, he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb with 3/10ths of an ephath of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and one log of oil. The priest who pronounces him clean will present both the man and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
The eighth day represents our first day of heaven. We enter heaven by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19) that is represented by the lambs. The flour represents the Word and the oil is the Holy Spirit. These are our tickets in. Jesus, himself, received our sacrifices and welcomes us in.
Leprosy in the house is a sin or curse in your family. You are to remove the stones that had the leprosy and replace them with new ones. In other words, you must rewrite your covenant. We make covenants with our words, so we must proclaim what we want to have and renounce what we don’t. Our words have power and move mountains.
In Mark we have the first feeding of the multitudes. Jesus was trying to get them to think and see into his kingdom which always has enough and never runs out. Their hearts were hard so they couldn’t use what they had learned when they came to the storm. If we don’t glean the lesson in the times of plenty, we will not be able to stand in the storm.
Lord, help us to see into your kingdom and live from that kingdom instead of living in the natural. Remind us that we are supernatural.
The answer to our sin problem is the cross, so the answer to their fleshly diseases was a ceremony that depicted the cross. They were to take two clean birds, wood, red thread and hyssop. The priest was to kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot. The other bird and all the props were to be dipped in the blood of the slain bird. The person to the cleansed was then sprinkled seven times with the blood of the dead bird. Then the live bird was released into a field.
The person was to wash his clothes, shave off his hair and bathe with water then he would be “ceremonially” clean. He was to stay seven days outside his tent and on the seventh day he was to totally shave every hair from his body, wash his clothes and bathe himself with water and he would be clean.
This is the perfect picture of salvation. Jesus is both birds. The first bird was Jesus the sacrificial lamb. All the props were seen at the scene of his crucifixion. The sinner must first come to the cross and apply the blood of Jesus to their sins. Then they can witness the resurrection power of Jesus which is demonstrated in the live bird that goes free. This man is now ceremonially clean which means he is saved by faith. He will not be eternally saved until he dies, after living his “seven days”. Then, he will be completely clean of all his sins and enter into heaven.
On the eighth day, he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb with 3/10ths of an ephath of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and one log of oil. The priest who pronounces him clean will present both the man and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
The eighth day represents our first day of heaven. We enter heaven by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19) that is represented by the lambs. The flour represents the Word and the oil is the Holy Spirit. These are our tickets in. Jesus, himself, received our sacrifices and welcomes us in.
Leprosy in the house is a sin or curse in your family. You are to remove the stones that had the leprosy and replace them with new ones. In other words, you must rewrite your covenant. We make covenants with our words, so we must proclaim what we want to have and renounce what we don’t. Our words have power and move mountains.
In Mark we have the first feeding of the multitudes. Jesus was trying to get them to think and see into his kingdom which always has enough and never runs out. Their hearts were hard so they couldn’t use what they had learned when they came to the storm. If we don’t glean the lesson in the times of plenty, we will not be able to stand in the storm.
Lord, help us to see into your kingdom and live from that kingdom instead of living in the natural. Remind us that we are supernatural.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Thurs.’s Devo - Forgiveness and Healing
Read: Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10
God gave them specific instructions about infections and leprosy. Leprosy is a disease of the flesh caused by bacterium. Leprosy in the Old Testament is what sin was in the New. Sin is a disease of the flesh. It usually starts with an offense and manifests some way in our health and our actions. If it gets “under our skin” then it has affected our heart and how we perceive things. It will turn into a bitter root and then we will be contagious because it will affect what comes out of our mouth and our whole attitude on life. The priest had to quarantine those people until they healed. The priest is God. If we refuse to forgive and carry a root of bitterness, we will be put on the shelf while we heal. When we are healed, then God will set us back on the path of ministry and wholeness.
Leprosy affected their clothing like sin affects our spiritual armor. If we are bitter or mad at God then our faith, our walk, our testimony, and our spiritual shield is down. We are open to the attacks of the devil and our testimony will be contaminated. The good news is that forgiveness and God’s love can cover a multitude of sins. We can heal from the hurts of other people, our past, and our upbringing with grace and forgiveness. We can wear white robes of righteousness and healing.
We have a picture of what unforgiveness will lead to in Mark. Herodias harbored an offense against John the Baptist because he spoke out against her adultery. Her offense led to murder. We might not murder someone we hold offenses against but we will kill them with our words. If our heart is evil, then it will come out of our mouths. James 3 says that out of our mouths come blessing and cursing and it ought not to be that way. Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Lord, let the fruit of righteousness be sown in peace in us.
God gave them specific instructions about infections and leprosy. Leprosy is a disease of the flesh caused by bacterium. Leprosy in the Old Testament is what sin was in the New. Sin is a disease of the flesh. It usually starts with an offense and manifests some way in our health and our actions. If it gets “under our skin” then it has affected our heart and how we perceive things. It will turn into a bitter root and then we will be contagious because it will affect what comes out of our mouth and our whole attitude on life. The priest had to quarantine those people until they healed. The priest is God. If we refuse to forgive and carry a root of bitterness, we will be put on the shelf while we heal. When we are healed, then God will set us back on the path of ministry and wholeness.
Leprosy affected their clothing like sin affects our spiritual armor. If we are bitter or mad at God then our faith, our walk, our testimony, and our spiritual shield is down. We are open to the attacks of the devil and our testimony will be contaminated. The good news is that forgiveness and God’s love can cover a multitude of sins. We can heal from the hurts of other people, our past, and our upbringing with grace and forgiveness. We can wear white robes of righteousness and healing.
We have a picture of what unforgiveness will lead to in Mark. Herodias harbored an offense against John the Baptist because he spoke out against her adultery. Her offense led to murder. We might not murder someone we hold offenses against but we will kill them with our words. If our heart is evil, then it will come out of our mouths. James 3 says that out of our mouths come blessing and cursing and it ought not to be that way. Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Lord, let the fruit of righteousness be sown in peace in us.
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