Read: Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20; Luke 9:7-27; Psalm 72:1-20; Proverbs 12:8-9
God gave them instructions about the feasts many times because they were rehearsals to point to the specific times the Lord would meet with his people. I’ve gone through these before but I will remind us again. Passover was celebrated by sacrificing a lamb to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt and slavery. Jesus fulfilled this when he died on the cross to deliver us from our sins and slavery to the devil. Unleavened Bread started the week of Passover and lasted a week. They were to rid their houses of yeast which stood for sin. Our Unleavened Bread starts the day we come into the kingdom of God through Jesus. We begin our journey of sanctification where we remove the sin from our lives and are conformed into the image of God. It was fulfilled when Jesus went down to Hell during his burial and set the captives free and took the keys of death, hell and the grave. First fruits was celebrated at the end of theses feasts and it was to celebrate the first grains of wheat. It represents the harvest of souls and was fulfilled when Jesus rose from he dead as the first fruit taking many souls with him that had died.
Fifty days later is Pentecost where they would count the seed of the first fruit and then harvest the barley crop. It represented the harvest of the church and was fulfilled at the first Pentecost after Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus had promised them the Holy Spirit. He was given first at this Pentecost.
There are threes more feasts at in the fall but the only one in today’s reading is the Feast of Tabernacles. It was celebrated over the fruit harvest - the olive and the grape (the oil and the wine). It represents the day Jesus returns to set up his earthly tabernacle.
God gave them rules he knew they would need in the future. He even talked to them about kings before they had them because he knew they would have them one day. Notice that he told the kings to be sure they didn’t take horses from Egypt or have many wives or have much gold and silver. Solomon was guilty of all three of these things (1 Kings 10:28, I Kings 11:1,4).
Every king was to write out the law in their own handwriting and read it every day. They were to learn of the Lord and walk in His ways.
In Luke, the people were speculating about who Jesus was. Jesus asked his own disciples and Peter said that he was the Christ of God. Jesus told them not to tell anyone and then told them all the suffering he was going to go through. He was not only talking about the suffering he was going to go through but also theirs. His last statement was, “some of you who are standing here will not taste death before you see the kingdom of God.” I’m sure they didn’t realize that the kingdom of God was coming to earth on the day of Pentecost when the church was birthed. None of the disciples could fathom that the kingdom of God was coming to earth in them!
Lord, help us to live the kingdom of God in our hearts. We do not want to be turned away by “glory, gold and girls” or things that tickle our senses. We want to be wholly sold out for your kingdom.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Friday, March 30, 2018
Fri.’s Devo - The Living Word
Read: Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7
God warned the people that just because a person could do signs and miracles and prophecy the truth doesn’t mean that they are sent by him. The proof is not in their miracles but in their worship. If they worship other gods then they are not to be followed. In Revelations, God warns us of the same thing. In the last days, people will rise up and do miraculous things but their heart will not be the Lord’s and their motives will be selfish. The devil can do supernatural things so we can not be deceived. He is an angel of light looking for a way to deceive God’s elect.
God told them to eat any animal that has a hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. The divided hoof is a picture of the Word that divides soul and spirit that keeps us balanced. Chewing the cud is a picture of meditating on the Word and bringing it back up to “chew” on more.
Creatures in the water that have fins and scales are a picture of spiritual things. Fins keep a fish swimming upright and balanced. The scales are its covering. We are covered with the blood of Jesus.
They were not to eat birds that ate dead things. We are to feed ourselves things that bring us life. The Word of God is the “living” Word of God.
We are to give a tenth of everything to the Lord. It is not that he needs anything we have but the fact that we need to give. Giving humbles you and delivers you from the fear of lack. If you are generous then money will not control you but you will control it.
In Luke, we are reminded that not all the religious leaders were against Jesus. Jarius was a ruler in the synagogue and he had a need that superseded his judgment about Jesus. His twelve year old daughter was more important than his pride. There was a woman in the crowd that had been bleeding for twelve years. She and Jarius had to break protocol to see Jesus. She was considered unclean because of her bleeding, but she was desperate. Jarius probably received rebuke from the other religious leaders but he cared more about his daughter than the opinions of his friends. Jesus healed them both because of their faith.
Then Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them power to drive out demons and cure diseases. He sent them out to do what he did. We are to follow Jesus’ lead.
Lord, help us to realize the authority you give us over the powers of darkness. Let us not be afraid to face our fears and defeat them by the blood of the Lamb.
God warned the people that just because a person could do signs and miracles and prophecy the truth doesn’t mean that they are sent by him. The proof is not in their miracles but in their worship. If they worship other gods then they are not to be followed. In Revelations, God warns us of the same thing. In the last days, people will rise up and do miraculous things but their heart will not be the Lord’s and their motives will be selfish. The devil can do supernatural things so we can not be deceived. He is an angel of light looking for a way to deceive God’s elect.
God told them to eat any animal that has a hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. The divided hoof is a picture of the Word that divides soul and spirit that keeps us balanced. Chewing the cud is a picture of meditating on the Word and bringing it back up to “chew” on more.
Creatures in the water that have fins and scales are a picture of spiritual things. Fins keep a fish swimming upright and balanced. The scales are its covering. We are covered with the blood of Jesus.
They were not to eat birds that ate dead things. We are to feed ourselves things that bring us life. The Word of God is the “living” Word of God.
We are to give a tenth of everything to the Lord. It is not that he needs anything we have but the fact that we need to give. Giving humbles you and delivers you from the fear of lack. If you are generous then money will not control you but you will control it.
In Luke, we are reminded that not all the religious leaders were against Jesus. Jarius was a ruler in the synagogue and he had a need that superseded his judgment about Jesus. His twelve year old daughter was more important than his pride. There was a woman in the crowd that had been bleeding for twelve years. She and Jarius had to break protocol to see Jesus. She was considered unclean because of her bleeding, but she was desperate. Jarius probably received rebuke from the other religious leaders but he cared more about his daughter than the opinions of his friends. Jesus healed them both because of their faith.
Then Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them power to drive out demons and cure diseases. He sent them out to do what he did. We are to follow Jesus’ lead.
Lord, help us to realize the authority you give us over the powers of darkness. Let us not be afraid to face our fears and defeat them by the blood of the Lamb.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Thurs.’s Devo - Blessings or Curses
Read: Deuteronomy 11:1-12:32; Luke 8:22-39; Psalm 70:1-5; Proverbs 12:4
God reminded the people that their children didn’t see the miracles and wonders that God did for them when he delivered them from Egypt. They also didn’t live during the days that the Lord disciplined them with plagues and earthquakes. They would have to teach their children these things over and over so they wouldn’t forget them. The live they were going to would not be hard like the life of traveling through the wilderness. The promised land would have fertile fields and rain. God tended to this land and if they obeyed him he would make sure the rain came at the right time and the earth yielded its fruit. All the land that God had mapped out for them would be theirs all they had to do was to set their foot on it. He promised to drive out their enemies. They just had to keep walking.
This is a great promise to us. When we get stuck because of fear we stop possessing our land. If we have dreams then we keep dreaming and planning until God breaks through for us. If we have family issues, we press on in prayer and keep walking with the Lord. To stop is to lose ground.
God gave them the choice of being blessed or cursed. He gives us that same choice. To be blessed is to follow his Word. To be cursed is to disobey them.
In Luke, Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake to the Gentile side. The devil knew he was coming and tried to kill him in the storm but Jesus was not afraid of the devil’s threats. He calmed the sea. When he got there, he immediately met the principality of that region that resided in a man in chains (a perfect picture of a man under Satan’s command). Jesus cast his demons out and put them into the pigs as he had begged. The pigs committed suicide by rushing down the cliff into the water where they drowned. Instead of the people being happy to see this man totally set free, they were afraid of Jesus and made him leave. People are comfortable in their lifestyle of sin. They don’t applaud righteousness and spiritual freedom.
When the man begged to go with Jesus, Jesus told him he had to stay and tell people what had happened to him. Jesus left.
What we didn’t read today is that the man did what Jesus told him to do and the people were able to see the change in this man. The next time Jesus came to this region, the people flocked to see him. We overcome by the power of our testimony and the blood of the lamb.
Lord, help us to be bold in sharing our testimony to those around us. Help us not to be afraid of Satan’s power which is under our feet.
God reminded the people that their children didn’t see the miracles and wonders that God did for them when he delivered them from Egypt. They also didn’t live during the days that the Lord disciplined them with plagues and earthquakes. They would have to teach their children these things over and over so they wouldn’t forget them. The live they were going to would not be hard like the life of traveling through the wilderness. The promised land would have fertile fields and rain. God tended to this land and if they obeyed him he would make sure the rain came at the right time and the earth yielded its fruit. All the land that God had mapped out for them would be theirs all they had to do was to set their foot on it. He promised to drive out their enemies. They just had to keep walking.
This is a great promise to us. When we get stuck because of fear we stop possessing our land. If we have dreams then we keep dreaming and planning until God breaks through for us. If we have family issues, we press on in prayer and keep walking with the Lord. To stop is to lose ground.
God gave them the choice of being blessed or cursed. He gives us that same choice. To be blessed is to follow his Word. To be cursed is to disobey them.
In Luke, Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake to the Gentile side. The devil knew he was coming and tried to kill him in the storm but Jesus was not afraid of the devil’s threats. He calmed the sea. When he got there, he immediately met the principality of that region that resided in a man in chains (a perfect picture of a man under Satan’s command). Jesus cast his demons out and put them into the pigs as he had begged. The pigs committed suicide by rushing down the cliff into the water where they drowned. Instead of the people being happy to see this man totally set free, they were afraid of Jesus and made him leave. People are comfortable in their lifestyle of sin. They don’t applaud righteousness and spiritual freedom.
When the man begged to go with Jesus, Jesus told him he had to stay and tell people what had happened to him. Jesus left.
What we didn’t read today is that the man did what Jesus told him to do and the people were able to see the change in this man. The next time Jesus came to this region, the people flocked to see him. We overcome by the power of our testimony and the blood of the lamb.
Lord, help us to be bold in sharing our testimony to those around us. Help us not to be afraid of Satan’s power which is under our feet.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Wed.’s Devo - Parables and Understanding
Read: Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 8:4-21; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 12:2-3
God was going to give the nation of Israel the land of nations much greater and stronger than them and He wanted them to know that it was going to be him that did it. He made it plain that it was not because of their righteousness or integrity that he was doing it for them but it was because of the wickedness of the nations in the land. God reminded them of all the times they had disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord. Their whole history was one of rebellion, but once more he was reaching out to tell them what pleased him. It was to fear him and walk in his ways, loving and serving him with all their heart and soul and obeying his commands which were for their good. He implored them to circumcise their hearts which means to soften their hearts and repent of their own ways and follow his. Over and over God told them to love the foreigner because they were once foreigners. That is like God telling us to love the sinner because we were once sinners.
In Luke, Jesus gave the people the parable of the seed and the sower. Jesus told parables all the time and anyone could have asked him what they meant. The Pharisees didn’t want to seem ignorant and many of the parables were against them so they never asked, but the disciples wanted to understand, so they asked. Jesus explained it to them. The seed is the Word of God and whether the seed took root and grew depended on the heart of the one it fell into. Jesus was the light bringing revelation to their hearts. He had come to the world to stand up and show the world the truth. He warned them to consider carefully how they listened. Revelation comes to those who are hungry and seeking truth, not justification. The more you receive, the more you will get. If we hear the Word with our hearts and apply it to our lives then we are considered as close as Jesus’ mother and brothers.
Lord, give us ears to hear and hearts to understand.
God was going to give the nation of Israel the land of nations much greater and stronger than them and He wanted them to know that it was going to be him that did it. He made it plain that it was not because of their righteousness or integrity that he was doing it for them but it was because of the wickedness of the nations in the land. God reminded them of all the times they had disobeyed and rebelled against the Lord. Their whole history was one of rebellion, but once more he was reaching out to tell them what pleased him. It was to fear him and walk in his ways, loving and serving him with all their heart and soul and obeying his commands which were for their good. He implored them to circumcise their hearts which means to soften their hearts and repent of their own ways and follow his. Over and over God told them to love the foreigner because they were once foreigners. That is like God telling us to love the sinner because we were once sinners.
In Luke, Jesus gave the people the parable of the seed and the sower. Jesus told parables all the time and anyone could have asked him what they meant. The Pharisees didn’t want to seem ignorant and many of the parables were against them so they never asked, but the disciples wanted to understand, so they asked. Jesus explained it to them. The seed is the Word of God and whether the seed took root and grew depended on the heart of the one it fell into. Jesus was the light bringing revelation to their hearts. He had come to the world to stand up and show the world the truth. He warned them to consider carefully how they listened. Revelation comes to those who are hungry and seeking truth, not justification. The more you receive, the more you will get. If we hear the Word with our hearts and apply it to our lives then we are considered as close as Jesus’ mother and brothers.
Lord, give us ears to hear and hearts to understand.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Tues.’s Devo - The Redeemed
Read: Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20; Luke 7:36-8:3; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 12:1
God gave them instructions about the people in the land they were going to possess. They were not to make treaties with them or have mercy on them. They were not to intermarry with the people in the land because they would turn them away from the Lord.
The Israelites were not as numerous or strong as their enemy, but God was going to drive out the seven nations that were in the land and give them the land. He was also going to bless them and multiply them. God promised to keep them well and safe and prosperous if they kept his commandments and lived by them. It sounded so easy, but that promise is still ours. God’s way is always the only one that will lead us to the promises he has given us. God wants only good for us.
To disobey God’s laws leads to destruction. We see this every day as people and we ourselves choose to go our own way which leads to self-destruction.
In Luke, one of the Pharisees had invited Jesus to eat at his house. A prostitute came in and washed his feet with her perfume and wiped them with her hair. The Pharisee was outraged that Jesus would let her do this since she was a prostitute and if he was a prophet, he should know this about her. Of course, Jesus knew that about her. Jesus explained to Simon that he didn’t think he had any sin, so he didn’t love like she did, but she knew her sin and the depth of her debt. She was so grateful and humble where Simon felt entitled and proud.
Jesus’ ministry was supported by the women like Mary of Mandala and Joanna who ran Herod’s household. Mandala was a city know for cloth dying it was known as the “city of color”. Mary must have been a wealthy cloth-dyer as well as a notorious sinner.
Lord, thank you for your mercy and salvation. Help us to remember where we came from and all you have done for us.
God gave them instructions about the people in the land they were going to possess. They were not to make treaties with them or have mercy on them. They were not to intermarry with the people in the land because they would turn them away from the Lord.
The Israelites were not as numerous or strong as their enemy, but God was going to drive out the seven nations that were in the land and give them the land. He was also going to bless them and multiply them. God promised to keep them well and safe and prosperous if they kept his commandments and lived by them. It sounded so easy, but that promise is still ours. God’s way is always the only one that will lead us to the promises he has given us. God wants only good for us.
To disobey God’s laws leads to destruction. We see this every day as people and we ourselves choose to go our own way which leads to self-destruction.
In Luke, one of the Pharisees had invited Jesus to eat at his house. A prostitute came in and washed his feet with her perfume and wiped them with her hair. The Pharisee was outraged that Jesus would let her do this since she was a prostitute and if he was a prophet, he should know this about her. Of course, Jesus knew that about her. Jesus explained to Simon that he didn’t think he had any sin, so he didn’t love like she did, but she knew her sin and the depth of her debt. She was so grateful and humble where Simon felt entitled and proud.
Jesus’ ministry was supported by the women like Mary of Mandala and Joanna who ran Herod’s household. Mandala was a city know for cloth dying it was known as the “city of color”. Mary must have been a wealthy cloth-dyer as well as a notorious sinner.
Lord, thank you for your mercy and salvation. Help us to remember where we came from and all you have done for us.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Mon.’s Devo - Remember
Read: Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25; Luke 7:11-35: Psalm 68:19-35: Proverbs 11:29-31
Moses gathered the people and read to them the law that he had been given on Mt. Sinai. This was their marriage covenant with the Lord. If they would obey these laws it would go well with them and their children forever. They would live and prosper and live long in the land God was giving them. They were to impress them on their own hearts and the hearts of their children and talk about them as they went about their day. They were not to forget them when they became prosperous and blessed. They were not to forget the slavery that God brought them out of.
This is a great reminder to us. We pray and pray for God to bring us out of our tough situations and when he does, how quickly we forget. Life is so distracting but God doesn’t want us to forget the wonderful things he has done for us. It becomes part of our testimony that we can use to encourage others of what God can do for them. It is also what keeps us humble and grateful.
In Luke, Jesus walked into a funeral possession of a widow’s only son. He had compassion on the mother and raised the young son from the dead. This caused quite a stir and the miracle reached John’s ears in prison. He sent his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the Messiah or did they need to wait for another. They watched as Jesus healed the blind, the lame, the lepers, delivered the oppressed and preached to the poor. Then he told John, “blessed is he who shall not be offended in me.” John knew the scriptures and knew that the Messiah would do all these things, but he also knew that the Messiah would open the prison doors and set the prisoner free and he was in prison. That is why Jesus said, “blessed are those who are not offended in me.” He knew that John was fighting offense against Jesus because he didn’t set him free. It was not John’s time to be set free. He had done his commission and had to die so that Jesus could live. It was part of the plan even though John didn’t understand.
That is so true in our lives. We do not understand the trials we have to go through but they are divinely chosen for our growth and our path. We have to learn to submit to God’s plan even when we don’t understand and it doesn’t make sense.
Lord, help us to trust when we cannot see beyond our hurts. You are our loving Father who never lets us down.
Moses gathered the people and read to them the law that he had been given on Mt. Sinai. This was their marriage covenant with the Lord. If they would obey these laws it would go well with them and their children forever. They would live and prosper and live long in the land God was giving them. They were to impress them on their own hearts and the hearts of their children and talk about them as they went about their day. They were not to forget them when they became prosperous and blessed. They were not to forget the slavery that God brought them out of.
This is a great reminder to us. We pray and pray for God to bring us out of our tough situations and when he does, how quickly we forget. Life is so distracting but God doesn’t want us to forget the wonderful things he has done for us. It becomes part of our testimony that we can use to encourage others of what God can do for them. It is also what keeps us humble and grateful.
In Luke, Jesus walked into a funeral possession of a widow’s only son. He had compassion on the mother and raised the young son from the dead. This caused quite a stir and the miracle reached John’s ears in prison. He sent his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the Messiah or did they need to wait for another. They watched as Jesus healed the blind, the lame, the lepers, delivered the oppressed and preached to the poor. Then he told John, “blessed is he who shall not be offended in me.” John knew the scriptures and knew that the Messiah would do all these things, but he also knew that the Messiah would open the prison doors and set the prisoner free and he was in prison. That is why Jesus said, “blessed are those who are not offended in me.” He knew that John was fighting offense against Jesus because he didn’t set him free. It was not John’s time to be set free. He had done his commission and had to die so that Jesus could live. It was part of the plan even though John didn’t understand.
That is so true in our lives. We do not understand the trials we have to go through but they are divinely chosen for our growth and our path. We have to learn to submit to God’s plan even when we don’t understand and it doesn’t make sense.
Lord, help us to trust when we cannot see beyond our hurts. You are our loving Father who never lets us down.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Sun.’s Devo - To the Jew First, then to the Gentiles
Read: Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Luke 6:39-7:10; Psalm 68:1-18; Proverbs 11:28
Moses spoke to them his last words. In it he was trying to imprint upon their hearts their identity. God wanted them to know how he chose them, spoke to them, performed miracles for them and now had given them this land. He wanted them to know that no one had a God that was near to them and heard their prayers. No other nation had a personal father in heaven who loved them. Even though they could not see him, he was there always for them.
He warned them of being enticed into other forms of worship of other gods and the temptations they were about to encounter. God instructed them to teach their children their heritage and where they came from and who their god was. He told them to ask him about things that happened before their time when God created the earth because he wanted them to learn about him. He told them that no one on earth had laws that were as righteous and good as his and that they would keep them strong and blessed if they obeyed them. God had great things in store for them if they obeyed his laws.
In Mark, Jesus tried to enter town secretly but it didn’t take long for the people to find out he was there and start bringing their sick to him. A mother brought her daughter who was possessed by an evil spirit. She was Greek and begged Jesus to cast the demon from her daughter. Jesus told her that first he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. He used the expression of tossing the children’s bread to their dogs. The woman was desperate and countered with, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Her reply got her what she wanted. Her daughter was released from the demon.
Jesus’ reply to the woman sounds mean and harsh but he was profecying his mission. It was first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.
Jesus went on to heal a man with a speech impediment who was deaf and fed a multitude with seven baskets of food left. It is important to know that Jesus is in the territory of the Gentiles.
Lord, your ways are so beyond my understanding but I know that you do all things well.
Moses spoke to them his last words. In it he was trying to imprint upon their hearts their identity. God wanted them to know how he chose them, spoke to them, performed miracles for them and now had given them this land. He wanted them to know that no one had a God that was near to them and heard their prayers. No other nation had a personal father in heaven who loved them. Even though they could not see him, he was there always for them.
He warned them of being enticed into other forms of worship of other gods and the temptations they were about to encounter. God instructed them to teach their children their heritage and where they came from and who their god was. He told them to ask him about things that happened before their time when God created the earth because he wanted them to learn about him. He told them that no one on earth had laws that were as righteous and good as his and that they would keep them strong and blessed if they obeyed them. God had great things in store for them if they obeyed his laws.
In Mark, Jesus tried to enter town secretly but it didn’t take long for the people to find out he was there and start bringing their sick to him. A mother brought her daughter who was possessed by an evil spirit. She was Greek and begged Jesus to cast the demon from her daughter. Jesus told her that first he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. He used the expression of tossing the children’s bread to their dogs. The woman was desperate and countered with, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Her reply got her what she wanted. Her daughter was released from the demon.
Jesus’ reply to the woman sounds mean and harsh but he was profecying his mission. It was first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.
Jesus went on to heal a man with a speech impediment who was deaf and fed a multitude with seven baskets of food left. It is important to know that Jesus is in the territory of the Gentiles.
Lord, your ways are so beyond my understanding but I know that you do all things well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)