“Blood”

February 21, 2024

February 21, 2024

Read Leviticus 8, Psalm 52, Hebrews 8

Are you squeamish at the sight of blood or are you the type of person that can handle those war movies, medical shows, or other movies that show a lot of blood? Maybe reading this right now puts an uneasy thought in your mind.  Reading through the various instructions for offering sacrifices in the book of Leviticus has reminded me that living in ancient Israel would have been a very bloody ordeal. In Leviticus 8 we read, “Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar” v. 15. You may wonder, what’s up with all the blood? Why does God demand a sacrifice such as this? When we back up we are reminded of the tenth plague in Exodus, the plague of the first born that would die unless any Israelite or Egypt put the blood of the lamb over the doorpost of their home. If we go back even further to Genesis 9 we read that God demanded an accounting for someone who took the life of another. “And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” vv. 5-6. We see already here that the “lifeblood” is used as a system of justice by God.

Fast-forward to the New Testament and of course we god straight to the cross that Jesus shed his blood for us. Jesus blood was shed not just for one person or for one sin, but for the sins of the whole world, once and for all. As you read through the chapters in Leviticus and in Hebrews we are reminded that Jesus is our great high priest and that God brought a new covenant to us through His Son Jesus. “But God found fault with the people and said: ‘The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them,’” vv. 8-9. The blood may be difficult to think about, but without it we would be without hope and doomed to continue the sacrificial system from the Old Testament.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, and themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“A Pure Heart”

February 20, 2024

February 20, 2024

Read Leviticus 7, Psalm 51, Hebrews 7

Psalm 51 is a psalm of David. The subtitle tells you that he wrote it after the prophet Nathan confronted him about committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband Uriah killed. David had thought he had gotten away with his sin. He thought he had covered it up. He had it all planned out, but God wasn’t fooled. The way that Nathan did it you can read about in 2 Samuel 12. It was a bit shocking, but I got David’s attention.

David cries out to God, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin” vv. 1-2. There is also great theology in this psalm. David declares “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge” v. 4. Even thought David did wrong against Bathsheba and her husband, ultimately David sinned against God because it was God’s law that David had broken. Next, we read about sin as imputed from birth. We are born with a sinful nature. A bent to do wrong. “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” v. 5. You do not have to teach a young child to be selfish or to react in their emotions. It comes naturally.

This seems like bad news, but we are not done yet. David knew who to go to for forgiveness and to cleanse him. “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice” vv.7-8. When we find forgiveness from God it restores our joy and removes the guilt and shame that we feel because of our sin. Many people try to hide it today. They want to minimize their sin for various reasons. Remember David was the one that is often called “the man after God’s own heart.” It is only because God is the one who can do what David asked next. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” v. 10. Nothing is unforgivable with God (1 John 1:9). If we are alive, we can seek forgiveness from Him. No matter what we have done, even the worst of the worst can find forgiveness in Jesus. Don’t believe me? Just remember David who committed the sins he did.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes do you see?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Elementary”

February 19, 2024

February 19, 2024

Read Leviticus 6, Psalm 50, Hebrews 6

What do you remember learning in your elementary school years? Shapes, colors, reading, writing, basic math? Maybe you picked up a trade like sewing, gardening, or cooking. I remember learning the basics of music like rhythm, harmony, and playing the annoying little flute like recorder and hurting everyone’s ears.

There are elementary truths we can learn about any subject; this includes the Word of God. We learn that God is Holy, compassionate, good, merciful, gracious, and forgiving. It’s always good to never lose sight of these elementary teaches from the Bible, but at the same time we do not need to stay with just these basic teachings for other deeper teachings in these areas.

In Psalm 50 God speaks boldly here. He tells Israel that He doesn’t need anything from his creation. “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills” vv. 9-10. Later God rebukes those in Israel who simply recite God’s laws but do not care anything for it. He sees right through their lip service. “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you” vv. 16-17. There are people in our world today that try to shame righteous Christians by using God’s own words against them. They make a play on their compassion. It’s a no-win solution. If Christians do something they don’t like they cry, “That’s too much you went too far!” Then When Christians do something for the Lord and they don’t like it they cry just the opposite, “You didn’t do enough, you should have done this too!”

In Hebrews 6 the author challenges us to “leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity” v. 1. He names some things such as repentance, faith in God, baptism, praying for others, and the resurrection and judgment that is to come. Reading that list made me wonder how many people would see those topics as elementary today. We seem to be stuck on the love of God in the culture we live in today. All the surveys tell us that people are more biblically illiterate than ever before. This is why we must stay in God’s Word and have a steady intake of it in our lives. Have you taken a spiritual inventory of your knowledge from the Word of God? No matter what you would place yourself, novice, beginner, intermediate, or advanced, we all have work to do, and we all have room to grow in our knowledge of God’s Word.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“The Sin of Silence”

February 18, 2024

February 18, 2024

Read Leviticus 5, Psalm 49, Hebrews 5

Years ago, a show aired called “What Would You Do?” Using hidden cameras, host John Quiñones observed and commented on how ordinary people behaved when they were confronted with dilemmas that require them either to take action or to walk by and mind their own business. The show had a variety of dilemmas that were setup from acts of racism to coworkers cheating and stealing their companies. John Quiñones would question the bystanders after the setup was over and ask them why or why not they got involved.

Here in Leviticus 5 we see a biblical mandate to do what this show put to the test in our culture. “If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible” v. 1. We see the law called it a sin to know something and yet sit in silence and do nothing. When Cain was confronted by God after killing his brother Abel, Cain responds, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” I think there is some responsibility that Leviticus teaches us to own.

A few verses later we see that we must also carefully consider the promises that we make and keep them to our highest level of intent. “Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil—in any matter one might carelessly swear about—even though he is unaware of it, in any case when he learns of it he will be guilty” v. 4. The world makes so little of lying compared to other sins they commit, but God says it is a big deal. All these verses tell us we must carefully think through the big and little decisions we make in life. We must own up to our responsibility as children of God and as His representatives.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Nothing in all Creation is Hidden From God’s Sight”

February 17, 2024

February 17, 2024

Read Leviticus 4, Psalm 48, Hebrews 4

What are some things that you wonder about? Today I have wonder what the intentions of an advertisement was. I wonder if people really understand Jesus’ message and mission. Do you wonder what a person might really think about you? Do you wonder about some specific detail in the Bible? Do you wonder about your future? There is so much that we do not know.

Leviticus 4 describes how an Israelite is to atone for a sin that they commit unintentionally or unknowingly. We cannot know someone else’s intentions unless they tell us or write them down. That is something that is locked up in their minds and is between themselves and the Lord. The question arises, “If I do something accidentally is it still wrong?” This chapter teaches us that it is. “If a member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, he is guilty” v. 27. The good news is that we can be forgiven just as with a sin we intentionally commit. “In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven” v. 31. God’s Law will show us when we are off the path.

The author of Hebrews tells us that nothing is hidden from God. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” v. 13. God knows everything that takes place in the secret places, behind the closed doors. He even knows our hearts and what we are thinking. That should bring both a little fear and comfort to us. He knows when we are wronged and deceived by others and He knows when we are the ones doing the deceiving.

This is also a benefit to us. When we walk in a relationship with God, we can have limited access to the knowledge that He choose to share with us. God revealed himself to us though His word and in the person of Jesus. Verse 12 tells us the benefit of His word in our lives. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” v. 12. We are judged by God’s Word. It acts like a mirror in which it shows us where we should be and where we are not. His Word is here to guide us …if we will follow it.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Jesus > Moses”

February 16, 2024

February 16, 2024

Read Leviticus 3, Psalm 47, Hebrews 3

When I was a student pastor or when I was coaching a rec league soccer team, I knew I could always get the students talking by asking some opinion questions. Who is the greatest basketball player of all time… Who is the greatest soccer player of all time, who is the greatest superhero of all time…. This would always kick start a debate between everyone. As a cello player the debate was between Lenard Rose or Yo Yo Ma and Pablo Casals. You probably have people that you consider the greatest (fill in the blank) as well.

When it comes to the greatest person to have ever lived You must go to Jesus of Nazareth. He was a real historical person who lived in the first century AD. (In fact, He is the reason we split time BC/AD). There has been no other person on the planet that has ever had the influence and power to change people’s lives that Jesus the Christ. He did not amass an army, try to conquer any land or territory and yet He alone has changed the world. How many other religions want to claim a piece of Jesus because of his influence? To Buddhist Jesus was one of the 28 Buddhas that have come, To Muslims Jesus was a mighty prophet, and there are many other religions that will try to connect him to their own worldview.

The author of Hebrews is writing to a Jewish audience. His main point in Hebrews 3 is that Jesus is greater than Moses. “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house.” vv. 4-6a. The author of Hebrews was using an analogy that Moses was a servant in God’s house, but Jesus, the Son was the owner of the house.

The rest of Hebrews 3 is the first of four warnings in Hebrews. These warnings are to encourage the believers not to “fall away” in disbelief. “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” vv. 12-13. These verses point out the danger of sin. If we persist in sin or allow it to take hold in our lives it can pull us away from our relationship with the Lord. The good news is that any one of us can turn back to God in one moment. Repentance is a positive word.

If you are searching and really looking for what’s true. If you are trying to decide what is the right worldview, what is the correct religion, let me encourage you to start with Christianity with the original Jesus and his own teachings about himself and reality.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“The Measure of a Man”

February 15, 2024

February 15, 2024

Read Leviticus 2, Psalm 46, Hebrews 2

Have you heard the phrase, “the measure of a man” before? It has been used in book titles, Movie titles, and apparently in Star Trek episodes too. The phrase means, “That which shows the value of a person’s life; one’s non-monetary worth.” Hebrews 2 asks the question, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” v. 6. This is the deep mystery that I think all those who believe in the Christian God of the Bible wrestle with? Why would an infinite God with the power to create and destroy and who is limitless be mindful and consider us His creation? There are many reasons that people assign worthiness to a person. Their education, their wealth, their power or influence, their relationship with others, have all been used to determine someone’s worthy. The Bible teaches that simply because we are made in the image of God, we contain value to God. None of the reasons above determine our value with God.

Maybe one of the reasons that God is mindful of us and holds compassion for us is because Jesus became one of us. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” v. 9. We can take comfort knowing that we have a Savior who can identify with us. When we face trouble, we can turn to Jesus who also took the form of a man and endured the life of a human and ultimately the cross.

What else do you see in these verses? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Superior”

February 14, 2024

February 14, 2024

Read Leviticus 1, Psalm 45, Hebrews 1

How many words or companies do you know that have the word superior connected to them? There’s Lake Superior, Superior HVAC, Superior Tire, Superior Credit Union, and we could go on forever. Superior as an adjective means greater in quality, quantity, etc. of high or extraordinary worth, merit, etc. The Bible teaches that God is superior. Jesus as God is equally superior to anything else in the world.

As you read Leviticus 1 you will read about the instructions from God to Moses on how to bring a proper offering to God and offer it as a sacrifice. It must be “without defect” v. 3 and meet other specifications. Why? Because God is superior and worthy of our praise and worship. Following the guidelines and doing it as God described makes it into “an aroma pleasing to the Lord” v. 17. The temptation in our times is to minimize God’s character and authority for something else, either ourselves or something created rather than the creator. How do you view God? Is He superior in every way or just some cosmic creator we must “deal” with?

Psalm 45 is a psalm credited to the Sons of Korah. The description calls it a wedding psalm which was sung during royal weddings. It praises the King who is to be married and paints him in a good light. The psalm starts by praising this king of the Jews. The psalm hints at a Jewish king who is more than just an ordinary person. “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” v. 7. There were 40 kings of Israel and Judah between the northern kingdom and southern. All the kings in the northern kingdom were wicked and described as doing evil in the eyes of the Lord. Only eight of the 20 kings in the southern kingdom of Judah were described as good and that they followed the ways of David and the Lord. This psalm may point to a future king of Israel that loves righteousness and hates wickedness.

The book of Hebrews is a book that compares Jesus to the Old Covenant and how that Jesus is superior to angels, Moses, the priests, and many other Old Testament things. We do not know who the author of Hebrews is. Hebrews 1 tells us that Jesus is superior to the angels because He is the Son of God. Jesus “the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” v. 4. Jesus as the Son is superior because the angels are just servants of God, and they worship Jesus. There is also a quote from Psalm 45 in Hebrews 1. This is confirmation that the psalmist indeed was referring to Jesus as a future righteous king. “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the sceptre of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy’” vv. 8-9.

Take a moment to recognize the superiority of Jesus in your life. Do you view and worship the Lord as you should? Have you slipped away from your view of how superior the Lord is to you and how his greatness affects your life and how you live it for the Lord.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“God’s Presence”

February 13, 2024

February 13, 2024

Read Exodus 38-40, Psalm 44

Where do you think of when it comes to experiencing the presence of God? Is it in a church service? Do you find the presence of God being out in nature? The beach or mountains? Maybe you find the presence of God in the expression of other believers as they minster and serve. In Psalm 139 David asks, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” vv. 7-8. Truthfully, we know that God’s presence can be with us anywhere.

In the last chapters of Exodus, we read about the finishing of the Tabernacle, the clothing for the priests, and the instruments that would be used in the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was the portable temple in which God instructed Moses and the Israelites to build in order that they might make sacrifices to the Lord and for God’s presence to dwell. “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle” vv.34-35. The very last verses of Exodus describe how God would lead them and how they were to travel and stop. “In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels” vv. 36-38. The big question is, are we running from God’s presence or are we running toward God’s presence?

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

“Downcast”

February 12, 2024

February 12, 2024

Read Exodus 35-37, Psalm 43

What topic or area of life seems to get you downcast more than any other? Is it an injustice that you see often? Is it a person or group of people that can easily bring you down? Several years ago, I made the conscience decision to stop watching the 24/7 news programs. I catch 5-7 minutes of news each day and then I move on to other things. I saw the difference this change in my habits made to my own good after several months had past.

The author of psalm 43 seems to struggle with the ungodly nature of the men and nations around him. “Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men” v. 1. His response is to ask God to direct and guide him, “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me;” v. 3. He knows he needs to be near God and in His presence, “let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell” v. 3. If something frequently causes us to struggle in our walk with God, not only do we need to distance ourselves from it, but we also should replace it with a stronger relationship with the Lord. The psalmist writes, “Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God” v. 4. Finally like the psalmist does, we need to remind ourselves, to trust in the Lord and not on the temporary earthly things that we see around us. “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” v. 5.

How can you remind yourself to trust God in the day to day when you are tempted to lose hope and despair? Do you memorize and quote Scripture? Do you start each day reading God’s Word? Do you spend time in prayer each day for yourself and your situation?

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, themes, or phrases stand out to you?
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Posted by John Weldon

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