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Does Your “Yes Mean Yes” and Your “No mean No?”

February 26, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Colossians, Goals, Leviticus, Workplace with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 27:1 through Leviticus 27:34; Numbers 1:1 through Numbers 1:54

As we approach the final chapter of Leviticus, the book filled with the laws of holiness, we see a warning against making vows to God and not keeping them. This is an important lesson for today’s world; letting your “yes be yes” and your “no be no” is a rarity in the 21st century.  This wasn’t just an Old Testament concept.  Here’s the Apostle Paul’s take on being a person of your word:

2 Corinthians 1:19-21 (Read this out loud.  It’s powerful!)

For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says.  For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.  It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ.

Isn’t that an amazing scripture?

One of the problems we have with making promises is not counting the costs.  I have always thought I could do more that I really could.  I can’t tell you how many nights I have sacrificed sleep to honor a commitment, because I didn’t count the costs.  Pastor Phil, the senior Pastor at Niceville Assembly said something in a leadership class a few years ago that I have not forgotten.  “There are a lot of things we can do but the question is should we do it.”  Jesus had words of wisdom for us on counting the costs.

But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?  Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.  They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’  –Luke 14:28-30

If you’ve made a commitment, follow through.  Do it with excellence.  You’re doing it unto God and other people are watching.  Your life is a testimony, be a person of your word.

Heavenly Father, help us to taking our commitments seriously.  We want to honor You in everything we do.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 2:1 through Numbers 3:51

Is God Your Tour Guide, Benefactor or Most Important Relationship? –Leviticus 26:46

February 25, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Leviticus, Obedience, Parenting with 0 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 25:24 through Leviticus 26:46

These are the decrees, regulations, and instructions that the Lord gave through Moses on Mount Sinai as evidence of the relationship between himself and the Israelites.  –Leviticus 26:46

Decrees, regulations, and instructions are evidence of the relationship?

Doesn’t this sound just like a parent?

“Sweetheart, I know you don’t like the decrees, regulations and instructions that come with being my child, but this is evidence of my love for you!”

I have certainly said something similar to my children.

Again, is this surprising since we are made in the image of God?  We parent like our Heavenly father!

In the Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary a pattern was mentioned that will be seen many times throughout the children of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land:

  • Obedience brings blessings
  • Disobedience brings Discipline
  • Repentance brings Restoration

As we move into Numbers and Deuteronomy the Israelites will always be in one of these three places.  Here’s the interesting thing, God made provision for the Israelites disobedience in Leviticus 26…

He knew.

The best news is– God made a way to be restored.  God said, “I will not cancel my covenant with them by wiping them out, for I am the Lord their God.”   Back in chapter 25, verse 38, God reminds the Israelites why he brought them out of the land of Egypt—to give them the land of Canaan AND to be their God.  These two can’t be separated.

I’m sure my kids had times when they wanted to separate my gifts and provisions from me being their parent.  They didn’t want to sit and talk, go and do things with their Mom, or clean their room; they just wanted the cash and car so they could go on their merry way.

I wanted to provide for them but I also wanted to be with them!  God feels the same way.  He doesn’t just want to be our tour guide and benefactor to the Promised Land, He wants to be our God and have a relationship with us as we make the trip!

Dear Father, I’m proud to be your child!  Thank you for making a way through your Word for me to know you more!  Amen and Amen!

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 27:1 through 27:34; Numbers 1:1 through 1:54

How Important Is Respect to You?

February 24, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Biblical Principles, Choices, Leviticus with 3 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 23:1 through Leviticus 25:23

Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other.  I am the Lord your God.   –Leviticus 25:17

What is the fear of God?  In this scripture the word fear is translated from the Hebrew word yare’ (yaw-ray) which means to fear, revere, be afraid; to stand in awe of, be awed; to fear, reverence, honour, respect; to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe. (H3372, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

Can you imagine a world where Christians never take advantage of other people?

I think God is telling us, if and when we really, really revere, honor and respect Him, we will be different.

How many times have we heard God tell the Israelites they were to be different?  It goes back to Leviticus 19:18 “Love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord.”  I never realized this was in the Old Testament!

How important is respect to you?   

I think for most of us, it’s a pretty big deal.  It makes sense since we were made in the image of God and respect is huge for Him, so it stands to reason that it would be important to us.  In relationships, respect in key. We could rephrase Leviticus 19:18 and say, ‘respect your neighbor as yourself.’ For God, lack of respect from his children is a deal breaker. It ties his hands.

It took a lot of respect to purposely “not” plant crops during the seventh year (25:8).  God told the Israelites that if they did what He commanded (give the land a Sabbath rest) then they could be assured that He will send blessings in the sixth year, so that the land will produce a crop large enough for three years.

This reminds me of the only thing I remember from my college math class.  If, then conditional statements…

They’re used every day in mathematical word problems; they’re a huge part of computer programs but most importantly there are hundreds of these statements in the Bible.  As parents we make these statements all the time but we don’t always follow thru; “be assured” God always follows through.

The more I think about it, I think this reverential fear/awe/respect is the foundation of a deeper walk with God. 

If we really believe God is who he says He is, and He will do what He says He will do,

then belief, trust, commitment and discipline will follow.

I love the phrase, be assured!  Friends this is just one more reason to be combing through every Word of the Living God.

If He said it, then be assured it will happen!

Be Assured, what God has promised will come to pass!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 25:24 through Leviticus 26:46

What is Spiritual Prostitution? Leviticus 20:5-6

February 23, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Absolute Truth, Biblical Principles, Choices, Leviticus with 5 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 20:1 through Leviticus 22:33

When I first saw the phrase “spiritual prostitution,” I thought it meant being unfaithful to God.  The more I thought about it the more I realized spiritual prostitution is much bigger than unfaithfulness because a spiritual prostitute isn’t just unfaithful, they actually sell their affection in exchange for something.

We have two examples of spiritual prostitution in Leviticus 20.   God warned through Moses that these sins would be punished by death:

  • Sacrificing their children to a pagan God
  • Putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead

Our God is a jealous God.

  1. Exodus 20:5
    You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.
  2. Exodus 34:14
    You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.

Dr. Dell Tackett, who leads the  Truth Project  gives a great definition for El Qanna is the Hebrew word for “a jealous God.” God’s jealousy is not the same as our jealousy. God’s jealousy is a zeal that arises when sin threatens His covenant relationship with us.  I love this explanation!

We may not sacrifice our children to pagan gods or consult mediums and spirits of the dead but do we “do” or “not do” things that threaten God’s covenant relationship with us?

Here are just a few pagan gods that I deal with:

  • Time
  • Order
  • Control
  • Comfort
  • Technology

Too many times I would rather focus on, enjoy and give my affection to these needs or pleasures than to pursue God the way He wants me to.  Is this “spiritual prostitution” that God was talking about?

Dear Heavenly Father, I want to be as jealous and protective of our relationship as You are! Reveal the areas in my life that I’m allowing to be more important than you.  Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 23:1 through Leviticus 25:23

But “Everyone” is Doing It–Leviticus 18:1-2

February 22, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Biblical Principles, Choices, Christian Living, Leviticus, Pride, Sin, Word of God with 2 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 17:1 through Leviticus 19:37

I wish I had a dollar for every time my kids said, “But Mom, everyone else is doing it!” My children are now parents, but I’m sure they would still testify that telling me “everyone else is doing it” didn’t work for them—and it didn’t work for the children of Israel.

In Leviticus 18:1-2, the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the Lord your God.  So do not act like the people of Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you.  You must not imitate their way of life.”

So basically in one sentence, the Lord through Moses told the Israelites, “you aren’t to be like anyone you’ve seen in the past or you will see in the future!”  They were God’s chosen people and He wanted them to be different!

Why did I tell my children not to do what everybody was doing?

The same reason God told the Israelites, to protect them.

God knew the plans He had for them (Jeremiah 29:11) and He knew the false gods of the Egyptians and the Canaanites would interfere with those plans.

It’s interesting to me that God prefaced his “sex” talk (18:1-30) with the “everybody’s doing it won’t work” talk.  As Larry Richards says in the Bible Reader’s Companion:

“Do as they do” (18:2–3). One of the most common excuses for sexual looseness is, “everyone else does it.” While particularly strong in high school, where many teens are ridiculed for being virgins, our society pressures young and older adults by making sexual promiscuity seem “normal.” God reminded Israel that as His people, they were not to do as the people of Egypt, where they had lived, do. They were not to do as the people of Canaan, where they would live, do. “Everybody else does it” has never been a valid excuse. Because we are God’s people, we are to do as He says, not follow the practices of pagans.

The paganism ( little or no belief in Jehovah God, one who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person) of the Egyptians and Canaanites is alive and well in today’s culture.

I must confess…

  • I have imitated these folks too many times to count!
  • I have been interested in sensual pleasures, material goods and hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification).

If I would have been a Jew is those days, I certainly could have been one of those whose bones were left in the desert!  I’m thankful for Jesus and the grace He offered me!  But I’m sad and have regrets that I fell for the “everybody’s doing it” trick of the enemy of my soul!

Father God, help us to look to Your Word to show us who and what You want us to be.  Help us to be like Jesus, not everyone else!

Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 20:1 through Leviticus 22:33

Do You Need a Scapegoat? Leviticus 16:20-22

February 21, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Failure, Guilt, Jesus, Leviticus, Sin with 0 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 14:33-16:34

Dictionary.com’s definition of scapegoat: A person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.

The other goat, the scapegoat chosen by lot to be sent away, will be kept alive, standing before the Lord. –Leviticus 16:10a

When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land. –Leviticus 16:20-22

…laying the sins of the people on the head of the goat and then driving the goat and the sins into the wilderness.

That sounds like a great idea… Right?

When all was said and done–

The Israelites were still sinful people.

Still dealing with the guilt of their sin.

Until one day, our Heavenly Father decided the Israelites had experienced enough failure to realize…

  • They could not keep the law
  • They could not be good enough to be free from sin and guilt
  • They were hopelessly sinful

That’s the day God sent His son Jesus to this earth to live as a man, suffer, and die for our sins–To be our scapegoat.

It must have been easy for the Jews to understand Jesus’ message of redemption.  They had been using scapegoats for hundreds of years.

They knew something (or someone) had to bear their sins.

They knew a goat wasn’t working.

Let’s fast-forward to today’s world…

What or who have you been using as your scapegoat?

Who have you been blaming for your sins?

  • Parents
  • Teachers
  • Siblings
  • Spouses, significant others
  • Peers
  • Society
  • Our corrupt world

Friends, there’s only one scapegoat that will take your sins so far away they can never show their ugly head again–Jesus Christ.

If you’ve never asked Jesus Christ to be your scapegoat repeat this prayer with me:

Jesus, I know that I was born with a sinful nature and I’m hopelessly lost without You.  I believe You came to this earth, suffered and died for my sins, and rose from the grave to defeat the enemy of my soul who has eternal damnation planned for me.  I believe that if I was the only sinner You would have come just for me.

I ask you to forgive me of my sins, take them from me, and be my scapegoat.  I ask You to come into my heart and live forever.  I believe I’m a different person because of You and Your love for me.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen!

If you prayed this prayer I’d love to hear from you.  Click on the [contact Dianne] tab at the top of this page and send me a short note.  I want to pray for you!

Blessings in Jesus!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 17:1-19:37

Only Jesus Can Make Me Clean–Leviticus 13:17

February 20, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Guilt, Leviticus, Sin with 0 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 12:1-14:32

…the priest will then pronounce the person ceremonially clean by declaring, ‘You are clean! –Leviticus 13:17

There are many practical aspects to Leviticus.  It sounds sort like a crash course in disease prevention.  One thing for sure, if God tells us to do or not to do something, there is a reason…

It’s interesting to think about walking up to a priest unclean and walking away clean.

How can that happen?

The unclean person had to do something, make a sacrifice.

But were they really clean?

Were they really changed?

Probably not.  That’s the reason they had to make sacrifices for their sins on a daily basis.  It wasn’t just that they had sinned, they were sinners.In the days of Leviticus most folks spent a lot of time in front of the priest trying to get clean.

Can you say with me,

“Thank the Lord we don’t live in the days of Leviticus!”

Thank you Jesus, our High Priest for settling the sin issue on the cross 2,000 years ago.

  • A priest can’t make us clean
  • Sacrificial offerings can’t make us clean
  • Punishing ourselves can’t make us clean
  • Ignoring our sins can’t make us clean
  • Numbing our pain with drugs, alcohol, sex, work, etc. can’t make us clean

Only You Lord, can make us free from the guilt and responsibility of our sins.

Only You Lord, can make us clean.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the cross.  Thank You for thinking we were worth the sacrifice of Your Son.  Jesus, thank You for forgiving me of my sins and making a way for me to come to Your once and be free from the pain of my sinful nature.  Thank You Lord that I can come to You anytime I mess up and You are faithful and just to forgive me (1 John 1:9).  Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus!

In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen and Amen!

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 14:33-16:34

What’s the Difference Between Sacred and Common? –Leviticus 10:10

February 19, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Holiness, Leviticus, Pride with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 9:1 through Leviticus 11:47

In today’s reading we saw both the glory of God and the holiness of God displayed in a way that leaves us wide-eyed with shock. It’s such a somber thought to imagine what it must have been like to have been there that day.  It began as a celebration…

It was eight days after the ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons.  They were finally beginning their ministry.  Aaron did everything Moses commanded him to do and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.  When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.

What an amazing thing to witness!  This was God’s approval of everything that had happened thus far.  Aaron must have felt happy and relieved that his first duties as Priest went off without a hitch!

And then everything changed.

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu offered the wrong kind of fire.

The commentaries that I read weren’t sure if this was an intentional or innocent mistake.  Either way both of these sons of Aaron died before the Lord that day.

Can you imagine how quickly the mood changed?  To top it all off Aaron and his remaining sons weren’t allowed to grieve for Nadab and Abihu.

How did the Israelites make sense of this?

How do we make sense of this?

Moses offered our only explanation:

Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord meant when he said, ‘I will display my holiness through those who come near me.  I will display my glory before all the people.’”  And Aaron was silent. –Leviticus 10:3

This is an example of the responsibility of being a spiritual leader.  The priests were held to a higher standard; they were the ones who came near the Lord.  As The Bible Reader’s Companion says “Priests, whose duty is to guard the holiness of the nation, must show themselves holy by strict obedience to God’s Word.”

A few verses later the Lord spoke directly to Aaron without the mediation of Moses,

“You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle.  If you do, you will die.  This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation.  You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common.” –Leviticus 10:9-10

Heavenly Father, I know that You sent Your son Jesus to rescue us from death.  I know we don’t live under Levitical Law anymore but  I don’t want to take Your holiness for granted.

  • I want to come near the Lord
  • I want to have a healthy fear and reverence of You Lord
  • I don’t want to relate to You in a common way
  • I want my actions and my obedience to display the sacred privilege of serving Him
  • I want to be looking for You glory in my everyday life

Lord, I don’t understand the somber events of today’s reading, but I know this…

I want to see Your glory displayed. I want to come  near You.  I want to be a display of Your holiness!

In Jesus Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 12:1 through Leviticus 14:32

What Good is Sacrifice if Change Doesn’t Occur?

February 18, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Guilt, Leviticus, Obedience, Sin with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 7:1 through Leviticus 8:36

As I read the instructions for guilt offerings and peace offerings I began to ask questions…

“Did the guilt go away after the guilt offering?”

“Was there peace in the camp after the peace-offering?”

After the last few days of reading we know the significance of the shedding of blood, but were the people changed?

Was the blood shed in vain?

Here in lies the problem with the law.  We can follow every tradition, ritual, or superstition that changes the outside but if change doesn’t happen on the inside, sooner or later we have to ask, what’s the point?

At the end of today’s reading Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Everything we have done today was commanded by the Lord in order to purify you, making you right with Him (The Lord).”  –Leviticus 8:34

This is the same Aaron who just a few chapters back gathered the Israelites’ gold and made them a golden calf to worship in Moses absence. (Exodus 32)  As I think back I really haven’t seen Aaron’s relationship with the Lord growing.  I know, my problem is—I’m comparing him to Moses.  I’m just wondering out loud, but do you think Moses might have said, “Okay Aaron we’ve done everything we can to purify you and make you right with the Lord, now you better not mess this up!”

Jesus’ words to a group of priests in Matthew 23:25-27 would come many years later, but I couldn’t help but think of these words as I imagined Aaron and his sons in their priestly garments.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!  You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.

Think about how beautiful Aaron and his brothers must have looked in their priestly garments but were they “filled with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurities”?  Were they just going through the motions or did they want to “What Good is Sacrifice if Change Doesn’t Occur?  Were they just “going through the motions’ or did they really want to “Know Him More?

Father, help us to filter every religious tradition, ritual, and superstition through the Your Word. God show us our motives.  Lord, “create in me a clean heart, O Lord. Renew a loyal spirit within me”. (Psalm 51:10)  …help us to Know You More!

Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 9:1 through Leviticus 11:47

Redemption, What A Dirty Job!

February 17, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Christian Living, Failure, Leviticus, My story, Sin with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 4:1 through Leviticus 6:30

One of the things about Leviticus that draws me closer to God is the provision He made for the redemption of sin. The attention to detail and the great lengths God went through to make sure there was a way of escape amazes me.  Yes, it was bloody and stinky, but there was a way out!

Try to imagine the reality of what we are reading.  It certainly gives new meaning to getting dirty at work.  Mike Rowe, from Dirty Jobs would have certainly made a show about the Levite Priests if he would have lived in those days.

When I think about everything the Levite Priests had to do, it makes me wonder if it was a blessing or a curse to be “chosen”to be a priest.

God always made a way of escape for sin.

When was the first time you realized you had sin in your life?

When did you become aware of your sin (Leviticus 4:23)?

I was in the fourth or fifth grade.  My Mom, brother and I attended Hiland Park Baptist Church is Panama City, Florida.  We faithfully attended Sunday school and church each week.  I can’t remember how many weeks I felt this way, but Sunday after Sunday I would feel the conviction of my sinfulness.  You may be thinking what kind of sin could a fifth grader have committed?  Oh, I’m sure I had done things I shouldn’t have, but this conviction was about the sinfulness (sinful nature) that I inherited from my great, great…grandparents Adam and Eve.

At ten years old I got it!

I knew I needed a Savior.

One Sunday I responded to the pastor’s invitation to invite Jesus into my heart to clean up my sinful nature.  No I didn’t have to bring an animal to be slaughtered for my sin. I just had to admit that I was a sinner and ask Jesus to forgive me!  Whew, I’m glad I’m a New Testament girl!

The Old Testament is a foreshadowing (the act of providing vague advance indications) of the New Testament.  The living-out of the Law that we are reading about helps us to realize our need of a Savior.  There is no way anyone could be perfect enough to keep all those rules and regulations. When Jesus came and died for us He became the ultimate sacrifice.  In verses 24-30 of chapter 6 we read about the holiness of the body and blood of the animal that was sacrificed.  Sounds like the body and blood of Christ that we remember in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16).

As we read the details of the rules, regulations, and sacrifices in Leviticus let’s thank God after every verse for sending His Son, Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 7:1 through Leviticus 8:36

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