Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

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They Neither Marry Or Are Given In Marriage

Make no mistake about it… this was an attempt at a trap question for Jesus. The Sadducees do not believe in resurrection, yet they ask in Mark 12 a question with the premise of resurrection. They were trying to make up a scenario which Jesus would not be able to answer and then use it to discredit the concept of resurrection and Jesus, Himself.

We must study and prepare to give answers to others as well. Jesus was always prepared during His earthly ministry. Whether the question was a trap or a genuine inquiry, Jesus seized the opportunity to teach.

There is additional meaning in this scripture as well, Jesus gives us another brief glimpse of what heaven is like and how it is different than what we are used to on Earth.

Mark 12:18-27

      18Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES and leaves behind a wife AND LEAVES NO CHILD, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. 20“There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21“The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. 23“In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 24Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? 25“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26“But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, and the God of Jacob’? 27“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

I admit, this scripture is challenging for me. I love my wife. She is a core part of who I am in this life. I find it hard to get my mind around that in heaven, there is no marriage. When we rise from the dead and join the angels in heaven, there is no marriage. Whether or not I “like” that or feel “comfortable” with that… it appears to be so by reading what Jesus told us about heaven in this passage.

With all things, we must remember to accept God’s word as truth even for those parts we don’t fully understand and feel comfortable with. Gravity works and is true whether I like it or not. So, too, the truth about the universe and about life and life after death do not change because I may not be comfortable with them. The truth is what it is and it is not relative… it is absolute. There is one truth.

Instead of dwelling in confusion, I seek two paths… further Bible study and prayer to continue to increase my understanding of God’s word and also relying on God in faith. If I don’t understand or “agree” with His design… that makes me wrong rather than Him. I choose to trust Him. I ask Him to help me in my faith and He will.

I believe heaven will be wonderful, even if there are aspects I struggle to get my mind around while I am yet in this life.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Do Animal Sacrifices Still Have Relevance Today?

We no longer conduct animal sacrifices as God’s people. Our repentance and forgiveness are no longer administered through an earthly priesthood, but rather now directly through death and resurrection and relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is both the sacrifice and the priest. He is our savior.

Animal sacrifices documented in the Old Testament were an important part of demonstrating repentance and remaining in communion and relationship with God before Christ’s earthly ministry. There is deep symbolism and meaning to be studied and appreciated that still has meaning today.

The burning body of the animal reminds us of the judgment awaiting those who do not accept the gift of forgiveness by grace through faith offered by Jesus Christ. The penalty for sin is death. God is serious about sin. It is offensive. A holy and righteous God requires a penalty be paid. Fortunately for us, this same loving God came to walk among us as Jesus Christ and pay the penalty for us.

The sacrificial animal was to be without blemish. This is a foreshadowing of the perfection we witness in Jesus Christ.

The owner must choose of his own free will to make the sacrifice. Jesus indeed made this choice of His own free will on our behalf.

The person bringing the sacrifice would take action to put their hand on the head of the animal symbolically so the sacrifice could make atonement on their behalf. Similarly, we must make a choice of our own free will to accept Jesus as Lord and submit our lives to Him. He is our sacrifice, but we must choose Him.

We also see another example of understanding and compassion in our Creator. For those who could not afford the animals of the herd, they could bring one from the flock or even some small birds. God was not demanding someone to go bankrupt with big “donations”. He was leading the people to come before Him asking for repentance and forgiveness. He was helping them to remain aware of their sin and need for repentance.

Leviticus 1

The Law of Burnt Offerings

      1Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. 3‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. 4‘He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. 5‘He shall slay the young bull before the LORD; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 6‘He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. 7‘The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8‘Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 9‘Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.

      10‘But if his offering is from the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer it a male without defect. 11‘He shall slay it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 12‘He shall then cut it into its pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 13‘The entrails, however, and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.

      14‘But if his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young pigeons. 15‘The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 16‘He shall also take away its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar eastward, to the place of the ashes. 17‘Then he shall tear it by its wings, but shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.

There is much more significance than what little I have covered here. The Old Testament is rich with symbolism and meaning to help us understand our Creator and how He wants us to relate to Him even today. Take care not to neglect the study of the Old Testament for sake of only reading the New. That is like reading only part of an instruction manual and assuming you understand the whole thing. Both are consistent. Understanding the Old will help you gain a greater context and understanding for the New. They are intended to work together to communicate the full picture of God’s relationship with His people and how He wants us to live and interact with each other and Himself.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Do As The Lord Commands and Prepare for His Glory

The glory of the Lord is something marvelous to behold. Most of us have not witnessed it first hand, but we can see evidence of His majesty at work when His people come together and do what He commands, just as He commands it to be done. The Israelites worked tirelessly to complete the Tabernacle and priestly garments and then put them together just as the Lord commanded. After serious dedication and obedience, the Lord came to reveal His glory among them and lead them.

Exodus 40

The Tabernacle Erected

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 3“You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. 4“You shall bring in the table and arrange what belongs on it; and you shall bring in the lampstand and mount its lamps. 5“Moreover, you shall set the gold altar of incense before the ark of the testimony, and set up the veil for the doorway to the tabernacle. 6“You shall set the altar of burnt offering in front of the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. 7“You shall set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it. 8“You shall set up the court all around and hang up the veil for the gateway of the court. 9“Then you shall take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and shall consecrate it and all its furnishings; and it shall be holy. 10“You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, and the altar shall be most holy. 11“You shall anoint the laver and its stand, and consecrate it. 12“Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tent of meeting and wash them with water. 13“You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. 14“You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; 15and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.” 16Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did.

      17Now in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was erected. 18Moses erected the tabernacle and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and inserted its bars and erected its pillars. 19He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent on top of it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 20Then he took the testimony and put it into the ark, and attached the poles to the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark. 21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up a veil for the screen, and screened off the ark of the testimony, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 22Then he put the table in the tent of meeting on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the veil. 23He set the arrangement of bread in order on it before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 24Then he placed the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle. 25He lighted the lamps before the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 26Then he placed the gold altar in the tent of meeting in front of the veil; 27and he burned fragrant incense on it, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 28Then he set up the veil for the doorway of the tabernacle. 29He set the altar of burnt offering before the doorway of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 30He placed the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it for washing. 31From it Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. 32When they entered the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 33He erected the court all around the tabernacle and the altar, and hung up the veil for the gateway of the court. Thus Moses finished the work.

The Glory of the LORD

      34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; 37but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. 38For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

Do you want to follow God’s instructions and receive His guidance for your life? Begin by following the instructions He has already provided, even if they are complicated. We all have instructions waiting for us from our Creator. Just pull out the Bible and study and pray to understand what He would have us do and not do. As we continue to walk in faith with Him, He may often reveal more and even reveal specific guidance to our lives or our particular situation that goes beyond the general guidance He provides in scripture. Continue to obey tirelessly and He will continue to reveal more and more of Himself to you.

If you want to experience and follow the Lord’s glory, make a disciplined habit of obeying all of His instructions just as He has commanded.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Just As The Lord Had Commanded

We are called by our Father in heaven to do just as He commands. His instruction and design is far greater than our own. We are to work together as a body of Christ, letting each one use their specific (and unique) God-given talents and abilities to the fulfillment of the whole of what He commands. It is like watching a beautiful masterpiece come together when we obey in this way. Paying attention to fine detail and not rushing our work for God, but rather putting aside the right time and focus for it.  Doing what God commands us is not a distraction we must complete to get back to our lives, but rather it is the main point of our lives!

Exodus 39

The Priestly Garments

      1Moreover, from the blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      2He made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. 3Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman. 4They made attaching shoulder pieces for the ephod; it was attached at its two upper ends. 5The skillfully woven band which was on it was like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      6They made the onyx stones, set in gold filigree settings; they were engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7And he placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      8He made the breastpiece, the work of a skillful workman, like the workmanship of the ephod: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. 9It was square; they made the breastpiece folded double, a span long and a span wide when folded double. 10And they mounted four rows of stones on it. The first row was a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; 11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; 12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were set in gold filigree settings when they were mounted. 14The stones were corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were twelve, corresponding to their names, engraved with the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve tribes. 15They made on the breastpiece chains like cords, of twisted cordage work in pure gold. 16They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. 17Then they put the two gold cords in the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. 18They put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it. 19They made two gold rings and placed them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inner edge which was next to the ephod. 20Furthermore, they made two gold rings and placed them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it, close to the place where it joined, above the woven band of the ephod. 21They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it would be on the woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece would not come loose from the ephod, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      22Then he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; 23and the opening of the robe was at the top in the center, as the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding all around its opening, so that it would not be torn. 24They made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material and twisted linen on the hem of the robe. 25They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the robe, 26alternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      27They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons, 28and the turban of fine linen, and the decorated caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twisted linen, 29and the sash of fine twisted linen, and blue and purple and scarlet material, the work of the weaver, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      30They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, “Holy to the LORD.” 31They fastened a blue cord to it, to fasten it on the turban above, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      32Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. 33They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its boards, its bars, and its pillars and its sockets; 34and the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of porpoise skins, and the screening veil; 35the ark of the testimony and its poles and the mercy seat; 36the table, all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37the pure gold lampstand, with its arrangement of lamps and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38and the gold altar, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the veil for the doorway of the tent; 39the bronze altar and its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils, the laver and its stand; 40the hangings for the court, its pillars and its sockets, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords and its pegs and all the equipment for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41the woven garments for ministering in the holy place and the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests. 42So the sons of Israel did all the work according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses. 43And Moses examined all the work and behold, they had done it; just as the LORD had commanded, this they had done. So Moses blessed them.

We should take a lesson from how Moses and the Israelites completed the details not only of the tabernacle, but also the priestly garments. There were intricate and labor intensive details which God instructed them to complete in a very specific way. Each time, they avoided hurry or rushing, but instead took the time and care necessary to deliver exactly what God commanded. In this passage of scripture alone there are eight times it highlights not just completing a task, but that they had completed each task “just as the LORD had commanded Moses”.

At the very end, we see as a result that the people were blessed.

“So Moses blessed them.”

For guidance, we must study the Bible, seek Jehovah in prayer, and it is also good to seek confirmation from other true believers that do the same. This will help us to understand His character and the general instructions He has already provided for our lives. As we continue to look for His specific will for our lives it is important that we learn how to recognize His voice and confirm through the scriptures and other believers. Remember to pursue what God calls you to do as the main thing, rather than a distraction to be completed so you can go back to your leisure activity or work. Take the time to do it right… do it just as the Lord has commanded… and that always involves a right attitude to go along with physical obedience.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Jehovah Is Bigger Than The Missions He Gives Us

We can often get wrapped up in how big a challenge appears. We can think as if we have to make it happen all by ourselves. We do well to consider, however, that if God is the one who told us to go accomplish the mission, then He already knows how He will enable us to accomplish it. He will provide. We need only listen and obey, even if we don’t see how He will finish the task with us and through us.

Exodus 38:21-31

The Cost of the Tabernacle

      21This is the number of the things for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were numbered according to the command of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 22Now Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD had commanded Moses. 23With him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and a skillful workman and a weaver in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and fine linen.

      24All the gold that was used for the work, in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the wave offering, was 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 25The silver of those of the congregation who were numbered was 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary; 26a beka a head (that is, half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary), for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for 603,550 men. 27The hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary and the sockets of the veil; one hundred sockets for the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. 28Of the 1,775 shekels, he made hooks for the pillars and overlaid their tops and made bands for them. 29The bronze of the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels. 30With it he made the sockets to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and the bronze altar and its bronze grating, and all the utensils of the altar, 31and the sockets of the court all around and the sockets of the gate of the court, and all the pegs of the tabernacle and all the pegs of the court all around.

Think about how overwhelming the mission could or perhaps did appear to Moses and the Israelites to build the tabernacle. They were in the desert, not in a land of plenty! Jehovah laid out very specific instructions and a grand scale for the tabernacle. The people could easily have thrown up their hands and made excuses why it was not possible. They could have quit even before they started. They did not. And consider what they accomplished!

Are you facing a mission or challenge that Jehovah has called you to complete? Does it feel overwhelming? Do not be discouraged or find reasons to reject the challenge. Instead, trust in Him, seek Him, and obey His instructions and guidance. You will be amazed at what He can accomplish through His people.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Jehovah’s Works Are Materpieces

Exodus explains in incredible detail the obedience of the craftsmen in building the Tabernacle according to God’s specifications. God was very particular and intentional in His design. He is a master. The craftsmen whom He gifted and charged with building His design took painstaking effort to deliver exactly what was commanded. It must have been extraordinary to see. I am sure the people took time to appreciate the fine detail and symbolic nature of the Tabernacle as they finished it and ultimately used it according to God’s purpose.

Exodus 38:1-20

The Tabernacle Completed

      1Then he made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide, square, and three cubits high. 2He made its horns on its four corners, its horns being of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 3He made all the utensils of the altar, the pails and the shovels and the basins, the flesh hooks and the firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze. 4He made for the altar a grating of bronze network beneath, under its ledge, reaching halfway up. 5He cast four rings on the four ends of the bronze grating as holders for the poles. 6He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.

      8Moreover, he made the laver of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

      9Then he made the court: for the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits; 10their twenty pillars, and their twenty sockets, made of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 11For the north side there were one hundred cubits; their twenty pillars and their twenty sockets were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 12For the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten sockets; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 13For the east side fifty cubits. 14The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets, 15and so for the other side. On both sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. 16All the hangings of the court all around were of fine twisted linen. 17The sockets for the pillars were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands, of silver; and the overlaying of their tops, of silver, and all the pillars of the court were furnished with silver bands. 18The screen of the gate of the court was the work of the weaver, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. And the length was twenty cubits and the height was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court. 19Their four pillars and their four sockets were of bronze; their hooks were of silver, and the overlaying of their tops and their bands were of silver. 20All the pegs of the tabernacle and of the court all around were of bronze.

What has God done in your life or the life of those around you? Have you taken time to pause and appreciate the fine details He has worked out to accomplish His specific purpose? I can reflect across my life at the journey He has brought me through. Many situations I would never have chosen, were knit together by the Master to help me develop and grow closer to Him. The more closely I seek to understand His instruction for how to live my life and the more closely I apply it in my life the better it gets. I can see how He has transformed me and continues to do so. I can now see it reflected in my family where we have established His word as the guide… the lamp unto our feet. I still find myself growing more and more and learning where I could and should do even better to honor Him, often by choosing His way consciously over my own, even in small things. The details matter. Follow God in the details and pause every once in awhile to admire His work. Then continue to seek Him even more.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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There Are No Perfect Disciples

Only one person who walked this earth was perfect. It was Jesus Christ. He lived a sinless life in obedience to the Father. He endured many trials and suffering on behalf of those who choose to follow Him and accept His offer of salvation. There are no perfect disciples.

Each of us who strives to follow and obey Jehovah in the manner that Jesus did, modeling our lives after His life and teaching, will still fall short of perfection. Be encouraged by Peter and the disciples who were with Jesus. They had highs and lows in their walk with Jesus. Mark 8 shows us that Peter really saw clearly in one moment, recognizing Jesus as the Christ. In the next moment, as Jesus spoke of the things He must suffer, Peter rebuked Jesus!

Mark 8:27-33

     27Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” 28They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.” 29And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” 30And He warned them to tell no one about Him.

      31And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Let us take not be too harsh with Peter. Peter was acting in love for Jesus. He did not want Jesus to go through such harsh treatment. But Peter clearly was grappling with his expectations for the Christ and what Jesus, Himself, was telling the disciples would come to pass. Jesus rebuked Peter with harsh language, referring to him as Satan. Jesus did not really believe Peter was Satan, but appears to be calling out Peter’s focus on the interests and perspective of man instead of God as a type of approach Satan will use (or was using) to try to mess up God’s plans.

For us there are two obvious applications for daily life. First, do not be discouraged if you feel you are really living for God, but stumble from time to time as Peter did here. It happens. Peter did not quit and leave the group. He stayed and continued to disciple after Jesus even after he made the mistake. God used him in powerful ways to share the gospel. Be careful not to use the fact that we will all make mistakes as cover for accepting mistakes and not changing. God calls us to continually repent and change to become more and more like Him. We are not to accept our sins and failures on the basis of clichés like “nobody’s perfect”.

Second, let us remember that God’s interests and perspectives are often very different from those of men. We must seek His instruction and His plans carefully and try to bias what we think we hear from Him based on our own preconceptions. If it were up to Peter during his impulsive answer to rebuke Jesus, Jesus would not have died on the cross. The perspective of man may miss the perspective of God. We must seek God’s purpose and intent, even when it seems different than what we expect.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Money / Finances / Wealth, Peace / Rest, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness, Worry/Anxiety

Can Worry Add Even An Hour To Your Life?

It is easy and natural to worry. We can worry about our family, our jobs, our children’s performance in school or extra curricular activities. We can worry about our favorite sports teams winning or losing. We can worry about what we will be doing next week. There are lots of reasons we can choose to worry.

But what does Jehovah have to say about worry? Actually, He has a lot to say. One such verse to explore is short and to the point.

Philippians 4:4-9

      4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

      8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I do want to make a point that there is a difference between “worry” about something and taking action to address a situation that needs you to do something. I need not “worry” about my future finances when I walk with Jehovah, but He expects me to plan wisely, consistent with His word, and to exercise self control and manage my affairs well. Let us be careful to avoid the mistake of saying “not to worry” means we ignore the situation. This would be wrong and lead to many troubles.

Rejoicing always sounds tough for most of us… but just because it is different than what we expect, does not mean that it is wrong. Often, what we have become accustomed to is wrong and we need to seek God’s way in the Bible and change our ways. Paul was more than just talk on “rejoice always”. He rejoiced even under persecution such as when he was beaten and put in prison. He rejoiced in the sovereignty and love of the Lord Jesus!

Be thankful for what we have in Christ and what He has already provided us even as we come before Jehovah to ask for our needs or requests.

When we focus on what is good, honorable, right, pure, lovely… we can truly learn, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be anxious for nothing.

I leave you with a common expression you may have heard before for consideration and reflection.

“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

Do you know who said this first? It was Jesus, as documented in Matthew 6:27.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Father / Yahweh, Guide, Obeying God

Obey God Even In The Details

I am sure we could explore much detail and symbolism in regards to the details Jehovah provided in designing the ark. However, something else strikes me while I read Exodus 37… Bezalel took a tremendous amount of time to properly execute the details of the work according to Jehovah’s instructions. He did not just “wing it” or “hurry it”. He used his skills with painstaking detail and patience to complete the work exactly as Jehovah instructed… and it was magnificent.

Exodus 37

Construction Continues

      1Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, and its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits; 2and he overlaid it with pure gold inside and out, and made a gold molding for it all around. 3He cast four rings of gold for it on its four feet; even two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. 4He made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry it. 6He made a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 7He made two cherubim of gold; he made them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat; 8one cherub at the one end and one cherub at the other end; he made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at the two ends. 9The cherubim had their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward each other; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.

      10Then he made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long and a cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. 11He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a gold molding for it all around. 12He made a rim for it of a handbreadth all around, and made a gold molding for its rim all around. 13He cast four gold rings for it and put the rings on the four corners that were on its four feet. 14Close by the rim were the rings, the holders for the poles to carry the table. 15He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold, to carry the table. 16He made the utensils which were on the table, its dishes and its pans and its bowls and its jars, with which to pour out drink offerings, of pure gold.

      17Then he made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work, its base and its shaft; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18There were six branches going out of its sides; three branches of the lampstand from the one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it; 19three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, a bulb and a flower in the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 20In the lampstand there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers; 21and a bulb was under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 22Their bulbs and their branches were of one piece with it; the whole of it was a single hammered work of pure gold. 23He made its seven lamps with its snuffers and its trays of pure gold. 24He made it and all its utensils from a talent of pure gold.

      25Then he made the altar of incense of acacia wood: a cubit long and a cubit wide, square, and two cubits high; its horns were of one piece with it. 26He overlaid it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and he made a gold molding for it all around. 27He made two golden rings for it under its molding, on its two sides—on opposite sides—as holders for poles with which to carry it. 28He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 29And he made the holy anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense of spices, the work of a perfumer.

When Jehovah calls us to live a certain way or do a certain task, do not take shortcuts and just try to get it “sort of right”. Take time to understand and follow all of the details in God’s instructions to us. God has much wisdom in His plans. We should take care not to miss the glorious because we choose to cut corners and take shortcuts on our obedience to Him.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you any areas in your life where you are not wholeheartedly seeking to obey God even in the details and ask for His help for you to rededicate yourself to live out the details of your life as God intends.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Encouragement, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loneliness, Loving / Kind, Peace / Rest, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Worry/Anxiety

Come To Me, All Who Are Weary and Heavy-Laden

Yeshua (Hebrew name for Jesus) came to be among us for our benefit, not for His. He lived to show us how we should live. He took on Himself the punishment for our sin and died to pay for our transgressions. He rose again, overcoming the grave, and is now with the Father. Nothing is beyond His power. He still loves those who follow after Him. He welcomes those who are weary and heavy-laden. He offers us rest.

Matthew 11:28-30

      28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Notice that Yeshua speaks about rest for our souls. He does not mean that we can be lazy and physically do very little. This has never been the intent. We can find peace and rest for our souls through Jesus Christ.

Many read this scripture and misunderstand because they do not understand farming. I misunderstood for years. When Jesus says to take His yoke upon us, He is not asking us to pull a burden for Him. Quite the opposite. A yoke is a tool that enables more than one animal to work together to pull the load. He offers for us to put on His yoke so that He will help us with our burdens! When He is helping us, the burden is light, despite all of our difficulties. The yoke  does not remove the work or burden. It allows someone else to help you do the work or shoulder the burden.

Take care not to overlook that we must come to Him. He will not force Himself on us. It must be a conscious choice on our part to seek Him. We will still have to deal with all the troubles that life has to offer, but when we share Yeshua’s yoke, He helps us bear the load. We can find peace and rest for our souls no matter what we are dealing with.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.