Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

WHERE GOD GUIDES; GOD PROVIDES

Posted on December 13, 2024 by randscallawayffm

We broke ground on the property our small congregation of about a hundred people had purchased with a loan and fundraisers. We were renting a building for church and were anxious to avoid rental costs in the future with owning our own building dedicated to God for His glory and for our outreach to a community closer to where most of us lived. I remember my grandpa, elder and worship leader, gathering shovels for the pastor and other elders to ceremoniously turn over the soil on our new property, dedicating it to God. We rejoiced as we gathered in a large circle while imagining what God would do next to provide a building for us in the near future. I was in junior high at the time. This moment in time was impressive to me. It will always be a vivid memory of the dedication of ordinary people, willingly used of God to do extraordinary, miraculous God-sized projects.

We prayed for just right place and God guided us to this property in a place near crossroads heavily traveled. Many more gatherings at the altar, seeking God’s guidance and provision would occur over the next few years as we dreamed of God’s building. My grandpa, a competent carpenter by trade, was chosen to oversee the structure from the inside out and outside in. He donated all his time and labor to this project. I watched him work and saw the joy he had in perfecting each task. Grandpa knew people in construction and was able to keep costs down by seeking skillful people who would donate some of their labor for this new church. In the meantime, the congregation did want they could to raise the money needed for a down payment that would secure a loan for the rest of the building.

It just so happened that my timid, widowed grandma, my dad’s mom, worked for a wealthy woman as her household manager. This oil baroness loved Grandma but avoided talk of her faith as she was not a believer. The wealthy woman’s lawyer visited often and was also impressed with Grandma’s faith and work ethic. One day, Grandma felt led by God to tell them what her church was doing. “What do you need?” was their response! Grandma was anxiously surprised by their asking and told them about God’s building plan with the need. The lawyer worked out a loan that was more than generous as well as timely! God provided the funds needed to build!

There is a lot more to this story, but you get the picture and I enjoyed telling you a portion of the story of God’s provision that occurred from 1965-1969. The completed building appraised later (in that time) for about $100,000 but it was built for about $25,000! It still stands today and is used for God’s purpose—worship of God, learning about God, while serving the people of the community.

God guided; God provided. God leads Moses to His choice of craftsmen, gifted by Him to do all that He has commanded His people to do. Let’s listen in…

Exodus 31

Bezalel and Oholiab

Then the Lord said to Moses, ²“See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— ⁴to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, ⁵to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. ⁶Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: ⁷the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— ⁸the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, ⁹the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— ¹⁰and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, ¹¹and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”

The Sabbath

¹²Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹³“Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

¹⁴“‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. ¹⁵For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. ¹⁶The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. ¹⁷It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

¹⁸When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God enjoys gifting people with all they need to accomplish His Plan and purpose for each one of our lives. God provides all for our good and His glory. The sooner we understand how God works, the sooner we can see the benefits while enjoying His work in and through us! God gives us purpose! There is no one like our God!

The prophet Jeremiah proclaims this truth later as God’s People are exiled while suffering from another bondage. In Jeremiah’s God-led letter to the exiles we learn why it is written;

“This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.(This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.)” Jeremiah 29:1-2

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Jeremiah 29:4-7

In other words, God is in control and His plan will prevail. God is relentless in accomplishing His Plan—just look at Jesus! God’s compassions for His People do not fail. His love for all who believe never fails! Truth.

Within this next text of Jeremiah, of which we often only quote the popular portion, gives us a look at the bigger picture;

“This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:10-14

Jeremiah offered hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. One of the first steps in turning tragedy and trials into triumph is to accept the situation courageously and put ourselves into the hands of a loving God, who makes no mistakes. The Jews, God’s Chosen People since before Moses easily could have waged constant warfare against their idolatrous Gentile captors, but Jeremiah instructed them to strive to get along with the Babylonians. The exiles were to be peacemakers, not troublemakers, and they were to pray sincerely for their enemies; the same message that God spoke through Jesus and his disciples! (Matt. 5:43–48; 1 Tim. 2:1–3; Titus 3:1-2). It was possible to be good Jews even in a pagan land. Mm, food for thought, right? Is it possible to be good believers in Jesus in the pagan world around us? Yes, absolutely!

Jesus is our Hope of eternal life with God. Jesus, God Son, was sent to earth centuries later to speak on a mountain top to thousands who would gather to hear the same message of hope—the outcome of God’s love, mercy, and grace. Here are some portions of His teachings;

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:8-12
“Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10
“Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

In every situation, God’s people have the responsibility to seek the Lord, pray, and ask Him to fulfill His promises, for the Word and prayer go together (Acts 6:4). And we are responsible for observing the Sabbath and keeping it holy for God is holy. This is another commanding provision for our good and His glory!

Whether it’s for building the tabernacle in the Old Testament, building the church in the New Testament, or building our lives and ministries today, the Holy Spirit of God must equip us and enable us to do the work!

“Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy”—

It’s so unfortunate that the scribes and Pharisees added thirty-nine forbidden acts to this commandment so that observing the Sabbath became a burden instead of a blessing (Mark 2:23—3:5). Jesus rebuked the rules, not the Sabbath. The practices of the Pharisees’ interpretation of the Sabbath revealed their hard hearts of unholy in view of a perfectly Holy God. Distasteful to the heart of God! The Sabbath was meant for the good of mankind, made in God’s own image, to rest after six days of labor for the purpose of being refreshed while praising and thanking God for all He has done. It’s pretty simple when you think about it. We must protect this time with God for it is in these moments that God reveals Himself to us. Psalm 46

God Guides—God Provides. Seek God and He will be found—His promise!

Lord,

Thank you for all you have done to bring us to a greater understanding of who you are with all you have provided since the beginning! We were created to love and worship you because of your great love for us. Your greatest desire is for us to love You back with sincere heart. I do love and believe what you say to be true. I will spend the rest of my life telling of your great love for us.

In Jesus Name, for Your glory, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, Jesus, Sabbath | Leave a comment

HOW DO WE SMELL TO GOD?

Posted on December 12, 2024 by randscallawayffm

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”Ephesians 5:1-2

Sweet Smelling or Stinky?

We’ve all experienced it. Some people lift our spirits as soon as they walk into a room. The light in their eyes with a smile that involves their whole face makes us smile in response. I have been in tedious meetings of decision making where you could cut the tension with a knife. Then a person who has doused themselves with the fragrance of Christ settles the discussion and calms all minds with the peace of Christ that oozes from them.

We’ve all had the opposite experience, too. We are about to settle an issue or complete the details of a project when a person walks in with a sour look, sarcastic comments, with a stinky outlook on life itself. We call them “wet blankets” who put out the fires of enthusiasm with the hearts of those who want to make a difference in this life for God. Wet blankets can suck the air from our lungs leaving us questioning with gaping mouths, empty of responses.

Why does Paul calls Jesus a fragrant offering? How can we “smell” better?

Paul’s analogy of Jesus being a fragrant offering, refers to this passage, Exodus 30. Moses’ instructions from God were very specific and each command had significance then and now. During the days of appointed priests, beginning with Aaron and his sons, and on through the Levitical generational line; offerings had to be given for the forgiveness of sins. There were also offerings of peace, as well as burnt offerings and guilt offerings. Paul calls Jesus a fragrant offering because it alludes back to the sacrifices offered in the temple in his time. But the procedures began with Moses.

God’s People had to offer a variety of sin offerings to be forgiven of their sins. While this was only temporary and never fully did away with sin, it was a precursor to the ultimate Sacrifice, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the ultimate offering to the Father for the forgiveness of sins. The Lord offered Himself to redeem mankind from our sins. This is why Paul calls Jesus a fragrant offering because Jesus was indeed a pleasing fragrance to God, the Father. And because of Jesus we can boldly go to the throne of God and meet with Him. We can commune with Him in prayer. We build our relationship with God, provided by Jesus, by listening to God. How well we listen, trust, and obey God will determine the “scented fragrance” we give off when we walk into a room!

God begins training Moses to train His People in their new relationship with God. Burning incense is often a picture of prayer. “Let my prayer be set before You as incense,” David prayed (Psalm 141:2), and John, disciple of Jesus, saw the elders in heaven with “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8; see Revelation 8:3-4). Whenever the priest burned the incense, it was a call to the people for a time of prayer (Luke 1:8–10). These instructions were still carried out in the days Jesus walked the earth. God created all the sweet smells and tells us how to use what He has created to remind us of His Holiness. Only God is Holy God.

Exodus 30

The Altar of Incense

“Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense. ²It is to be square, a cubit long and a cubit wide, and two cubits high—its horns of one piece with it. ³Overlay the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and make a gold molding around it. ⁴Make two gold rings for the altar below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. ⁵Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ⁶Put the altar in front of the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law—before the atonement cover that is over the tablets of the covenant law—where I will meet with you.

⁷“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. ⁸He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come. ⁹Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.”

Atonement Money

¹¹Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹²“When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. ¹³Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the Lord. ¹⁵The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives. ¹⁶Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the tent of meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the Lord, making atonement for your lives.”

Basin for Washing

¹⁷Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸“Make a bronze basin, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. ¹⁹Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. ²⁰Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the Lord, ²¹they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”

Anointing Oil

²²Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³“Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, ²⁴500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. ²⁶Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, ²⁷the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, ²⁸the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

³⁰“Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. ³¹Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. ³²Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred. ³³Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’”

Incense

³⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, ³⁵and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred. ³⁶Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. ³⁷Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. ³⁸Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

So, I’m wondering—who are we today? Sweet smelling or stinky?

The better question might be, how do we “smell” to God? When we offer our lives to God in total surrender, it’s a fragrant aroma to God and to others. When we say, “Yes, Lord, I want to do your will, not mine,” it pleases God. It is also a fragrant aroma to others when they see our trust in God as we surrender our way and follow His path. As we’ve watched other believers surrender themselves to Christ and His plan for them, we’ve been able to enjoy the fragrant aroma of their surrender!

We live in a world that desperately needs Christ. We can either sit back, expecting someone else to share the gospel, or we can follow His command in Matthew 28:18-20 to go and make disciples of Jesus with His sweet aroma emanating from us. Are we willing to make Jesus Christ known to those around us? Sharing Christ with others is a fragrant aroma to God and to those who hear the gospel and accept it. But, as Paul reminds us, not all will like the aroma. God wants us to be a fragrant aroma to the world, pointing others to Christ. Are we?

As we bathe this morning to clean up the outside, may we think about who we will represent from the inside out to all we encounter others. As we dress ourselves, may we remember—

“…as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

Most people are drawn to Jesus in us as His fragrance wafts gently and lovingly from us when we clothe ourselves in His ways.

Lord,

Anoint us this day the sweet smells of your love, mercy, and grace. Let the beauty of all you are be seen in me.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bible, Exodus, Faith, God, Jesus | 2 Comments

SERIOUSLY AND COMPLETELY UNTO GOD

Posted on December 11, 2024 by randscallawayffm

Believers in Jesus today are baptized in front of the congregation. It is a grand and moving celebration to see a person once lost in sin declare openly to the church family of their new faith in Jesus! I pray that we also consider the seriousness of this public act of the declaration of their new allegiance to Jesus as our Savior. Repenting to Jesus in His Name of our sins is the spiritual cleansing of our hearts, minds, and souls from the inside out and reconciles (connects) us to God our Father. Our sins, not in part, but the whole, are removed from us! Then God’s Holy Spirit comes to live in us! Baptism, whether splashed or dunked under water from a tub dedicated and consecrated to God, is the profession of our new dedication to following Jesus as Lord!

When Aaron and his sons were washed with water, it was symbolic of an inner complete cleansing from God who commanded it to be done at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for all to see. God was indeed showing His people how to repent of their sins—through His chosen, set apart, ordained and consecrated priests who would carry the sins of the people to God for atonement. Aaron and his sons didn’t have to be bathed all over again; all they had to do was cleanse their hands and feet at the laver. “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean,” said Jesus (John 13:10). Those who have trusted Christ have experienced this inward cleansing from the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

We learn more about God as we study how God taught His People who were once enslaved but now set free to know Him more with how to worship Him alone. God declared in the closing of this detailed lesson of the consecration of lives for Him with the reminder; “They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.”

Exodus 29

Consecration of the Priests

“This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect. ²And from the finest wheat flour make round loaves without yeast, thick loaves without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves without yeast and brushed with olive oil. ³Put them in a basket and present them along with the bull and the two rams. ⁴Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water. ⁵Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. ⁶Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred emblem to the turban. ⁷Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. ⁸Bring his sons and dress them in tunics ⁹and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance.

“Then you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

¹⁰“Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ¹¹Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ¹²Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar. ¹³Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. ¹⁴But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

¹⁵“Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ¹⁶Slaughter it and take the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar. ¹⁷Cut the ram into pieces and wash the internal organs and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces. ¹⁸Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.

¹⁹“Take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. ²⁰Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then splash blood against the sides of the altar. ²¹And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.

²²“Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.) ²³From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the Lord, take one round loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf. ²⁴Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the Lord as a wave offering. ²⁵Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, a food offering presented to the Lord. ²⁶After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination, wave it before the Lord as a wave offering, and it will be your share.

²⁷“Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons: the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. ²⁸This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the Lord from their fellowship offerings.

²⁹“Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them. ³⁰The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.

³¹“Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place. ³²At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. ³³They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred. ³⁴And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.

³⁵“Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them. ³⁶Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. ³⁷For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

³⁸“This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. ³⁹Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight. ⁴⁰With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. ⁴¹Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.

⁴²“For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you; ⁴³there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

⁴⁴“So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. ⁴⁵Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. ⁴⁶They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Since Jesus came and did all the work to save us and set us free as redeemed from confessed sins; I sometimes wonder if God made it too easy for us? Are we so hardhearted and insolent that He had to “dumb down” access to Him? To come to repentance and ask Jesus to forgive us is easy—no bulls or lambs to slaughter, no ceremonial unleavened bread to burn, no waving of anything before the Lord—only the giving up what we think we own for what He want to give us—entry to the throne of God, through Jesus, with the promise of eternal life!

But does the ease of coming to Jesus cause us to be less respectful, resolved, with less than glorious awe for all that God did to save us? Jesus did all the work! We are beckoned to come to Him, repent to Him as Savior who “took away the sins of the world” and then follow in His ways. Ah, but the following part—that’s what separates us from the world. Learning to follow Jesus is the more difficult part and will test the resolve of our faith and trust in our Savior who wants to be Lord and who is Lord of all!

The significance of consecration and anointing—

In Scripture, the wearing of garments is a picture of the character and life of the believer. We are to lay aside the “filthy garments” of the old life and wear the beautiful “garments of grace” provided by the Lord. Paul writes to the Colossians about what our new garments of grace look like;

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17 (Read also Ephesians 4:17–32 and the rest of Colossians 3 to get the full picture.)

What we lose and gain in the transaction of redemption: Christ has taken away our dirty rags and given us a robe of righteousness that He purchased for us on the cross (Isaiah 61:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21). Jesus dresses us appropriately holy to meet our Holy God! And we stand in awe of Him who loved us so much He sent His Son to come down from heaven to save us. Wow.

Warren Wiersbe pulls it all together for us;

“Moses poured the oil on his brother’s head, which meant it ran down his beard and therefore bathed all the stones on the breastplate. Those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord have received an anointing of the Spirit of God. In 1 John 2:20, 27, John’s emphasis is on the teaching ministry of the Spirit in guiding the believer into the truth of the Word of God. In 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22, Paul’s emphasis is on encouragement and stability: we have been anointed and sealed by the Spirit, and the Spirit is the “down payment” of future glory (Ephesians 1:14). If God has anointed us, sealed us, and given us a foretaste of heaven, then why should we despair or feel that He will ever desert us?” —Wiersbe Study Bible

He won’t. He is the Lord God!

Lord,

Thank you for your blessed assurance that flows through our hearts this morning of your everlasting, unchanging love for us. You are always a million steps ahead of us. I stand in awe of all you are, what you have done since the beginning of creation, and all you will do in eternity for those who believe in You as Savior and Lord. I believe.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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GOD’S DESIGN FOR PRIESTHOOD

Posted on December 10, 2024 by randscallawayffm

Pastors today are spokespersons for God. Pastors, Evangelists, Bible Teachers and Missionaries, are called of God for His specific purposes in all kinds of places. When God calls and we answer, “Yes, Lord, I’m listening,” as young Samuel did with a heart for God when he first heard the Lord; God begins his unique work to set apart and equip His chosen and called from the congregation of believers. God knows exactly what each called out person will need to fulfill the work God has for them to do. It occurs to me, because I was called of God for a special work for “such a time” that the moment of answering the Call of God; a deeper burden for lost souls without God is placed on our shoulders—just as it was with God’s Son, Jesus.

The Israelites will not only build a special place to meet with God; God is now choosing a generation of priests to enter the Holy of Holies within this structure on special days designed by God for the atonement of sins. These chosen men are to be set apart and made holy by God. They’re work will be to seek God’s wisdom in decision making for the nation. Upon listening to God; they are the spokespersons who will rely what God says to the people.

But it doesn’t stop there. God also wants His priest to be dressed in such a way that the Israelites will know who they are and Who they represent. God, Himself, designed their clothing with distinct significance to remind the people where they came from with knowledge, conviction, awe and reverence for Who they love, worship, and serve. So, God’s priests will be dressed in very specific ways. These significant garments will remind the Israelites of their heritage as decedents of Jacob’s twelve sons—The Twelve Tribes of Israel. We are reminded that Jacob was called Israel by God for a reason as his family would birth a new nation in a new land, a promise made from God to Abraham! After being rescued from the bondage of slavery to Egypt; it is now time to form this new nation of Israel.

Who will lead them? God is now setting apart Aaron and his sons, (and generations to come) to be God’s chosen men who will be dressed and equipped by God to bear the sins of the people on their shoulders as they go into the Holy of Holies to meet with God and ask for atonement (forgiveness with restitution) of those sins. It was God design that the nation be led by His designated priests. As we study the Old Testament priesthood, we will see significant parallels between the work of the Israel’s priests in the past and the ministry of “the holy priests” in the church today.

Exodus 28

The Priestly Garments

“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. ²Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. ³Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his , so he may serve me as priest. ⁴These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. ⁵Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The Ephod

⁶“Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of skilled hands. ⁷It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. ⁸Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.

⁹“Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel ¹⁰in the order of their birth—six names on one stone and the remaining six on the other. ¹¹Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings ¹²and fasten them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord. ¹³Make gold filigree settings ¹⁴and two braided chains of pure gold, like a rope, and attach the chains to the settings.

The Breastpiece

¹⁵“Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ¹⁶It is to be square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. ¹⁷Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; ¹⁸the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; ¹⁹the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; ²⁰the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings. ²¹There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

²²“For the breastpiece make braided chains of pure gold, like a rope. ²³Make two gold rings for it and fasten them to two corners of the breastpiece. ²⁴Fasten the two gold chains to the rings at the corners of the breastpiece, ²⁵and the other ends of the chains to the two settings, attaching them to the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front. ²⁶Make two gold rings and attach them to the other two corners of the breastpiece on the inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷Make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the seam just above the waistband of the ephod. ²⁸The rings of the breastpiece are to be tied to the rings of the ephod with blue cord, connecting it to the waistband, so that the breastpiece will not swing out from the ephod.

²⁹“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord. ³⁰Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.

Other Priestly Garments

³¹“Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, ³²with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening, so that it will not tear. ³³Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. ³⁴The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. ³⁵Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die.

³⁶“Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord. ³⁷Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. ³⁸It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the Lord.

³⁹“Weave the tunic of fine linen and make the turban of fine linen. The sash is to be the work of an embroiderer. ⁴⁰Make tunics, sashes and caps for Aaron’s sons to give them dignity and honor. ⁴¹After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

⁴²“Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. ⁴³Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Let’s begin by defining “consecration”. Consecration is the transfer of a person or a thing to the sacred sphere for a special purpose or service. The word consecration literally means “association with the sacred”. Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups. The origin of the word comes from the Latin stem consecrat, which means dedicated, devoted, and sacred. A synonym for consecration is sanctification; its antonym is desecration.

God instructed Aaron and his sons to become the first temple priests. These priests ministered to the people’s spiritual needs and represented them before God. Priests became mediators between God and the people. The priest carried God’s wisdom to the people and the people’s needs to God. Directed by God to Moses in their forty days and nights together on the mountaintop; Aaron and his sons will be set apart to meet with God on behalf of the people. God not only gave Moses the design for the traveling Temple and the special place within this structure to meet with Him once a year for the atonement of sins; He gave Moses the design and significance of the garments they must wear. It wasn’t the garments that made the priests holy, it was God.

“I am the Lord, Your God. Worship God alone. There shall be no other gods before Me” are the leading commandments God gave to His People who had lived in a land of many gods for centuries. God Chosen priests through Aaron and succeeding generations are being set apart to teach and consistently remind God’s people of their allegiance to God alone, the One who redeemed them! To magnify a holy God, Israel had to be a holy people, and that’s why God chose Aaron and his sons. The task of the priests (Aaron’s family) and later the Levites (the families of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari) were to serve in the tabernacle and represent the people before God. The priests were also to represent God to the people by teaching them the law and helping them to obey it. (See also Leviticus 10:8–11; Deuteronomy 33:10; Malachi 2:7).

But over the centuries, the priests forgot God as fell into pride with attempts to be God. This ushered in a Darkness that permeated the world. God fell silent for over 400 years. The nation of Israel, because of their priests’ pride and power seeking, felt captive again. Many were ready to give up but there were some who were still devoted and clung to the words of the prophets of God who spoke of a Messiah who would come and take away the sins of the world and set them free once more.

The Promise was fulfilled in Jesus, God’s Son, the Messiah sent to seek and to save the lost. God chose to send His Son in the form of infant to be born to a virgin who was chosen because of her dedication to God. Her espoused husband was also dedicated to God and chosen to lead them. God called them for a specific task and they were pleased and happy to answer yes—no matter what people would say in their community.

God sent His One and Only Son to earth, to be His Light in dark world of self, falling for evil’s work to destroy all the God created within us—the very people made in His own image. But God’s Enemy could not and would not destroy what God had created for His purpose, to be set apart and consecrated as a human on earth to be sacred and perfectly holy. Jesus, became High Priest, who was above all other priests, who not only represented God—He was God.

Jesus, our High Priest forever, carried all the sins of the world on His shoulders as he hung on the cross of punishment and humiliation that we all deserve but did not have to endure. Jesus endured it all, paid it all, so that we could be set completely free from all our sins, sins to be remembered no more, along with the Hope of eternal life forever with Him! No other human priest on earth could do that—only Jesus!

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

Believe and be saved!

Lord,

Thank you for leading us to see your glory at work through all generations! You are God. there is no one else like You. You have proven Yourself thoroughly from Genesis to Revelation! I believe. I’m listening. I wait on You daily with expectant Hope. I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul. I praise you with all that is in me for saving my soul and making me whole. I thank you for tough times that build my faith with resolve. Thank you for opportunities to tell your story of redemption so others will know. Thank you for helping us come out of the darkness into the Light of Your love, mercy, and grace. To you be the glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE ALTAR OF BRONZE!

Posted on December 9, 2024 by randscallawayffm

My dad was the superb griller of all that can be cooked over charcoal on the back patio. He worked hard to get all the meat just right; not too pink and not to overcooked, but just right. I wouldn’t be surprised if dad prayed over his grill as it cooked so our food would be blessed by the Lord as perfect to eat! My dad was indeed a perfectionist!

We had all kinds of grills over the years of my growing up as dad was always on a search of the “best one”—“the one and only”! Companies who made them such as Coleman, Weber, and others tried to make each new model better than the summer before; but it all came down to this: Will it last? Will it hold up to a summer of cooking over charcoals? Will the grill hold up to weather and not rust? Will the extreme temperatures of a fire in a box be contained safely? Will our food be cooked well or be charred beyond recognition as a burnt offering? I am smiling at the last question, because there was a time, The Griller was distracted by joining in a yard game, and our meat was burned to a crispy black substance. He called it his “burnt offering” but we ate cheese sandwiches instead that day.

God designed a grill beyond all other grills! He instructs Moses to build an altar that will be the place where real burnt offerings of sacrificial animals will be made by the priests as the way to atone for the sins of God’s People. The awesome smell of meat cooking that we love is also pleasing to God; as sweet incense to Him because it means even more to God, people bringing their unblemished lambs to sacrifice for their sins!

The altar of sacrifice will last as it is mostly made of bronze! All the cooking utensils will be made of bronze. The grate and grill plate is bronze. Everything will be overlayed in bronze. Yes, God designed His altar to be practical, movable, and built to last on the wilderness journey. This altar is a holy place that will serve to cover over sins of people and will gain them entry in the courtyard of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. But only the yearly designated priest will enter the holy of holies where God meets with man for the final act of atonement. It will be the anointed and called of God work of Aaron and his descendants to be the priests who will keep the oil lamps burning to signify God’s Presence with them always.

God is teaching the wilderness wanderers who He is with how to worship Him in Truth.

Exodus 27

The Altar of Burnt Offering

“Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. ²Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. ³Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. ⁴Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. ⁵Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. ⁶Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. ⁷The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried. ⁸Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

The Courtyard

⁹“Make a courtyard for the tabernacle. The south side shall be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains of finely twisted linen, ¹⁰with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. ¹¹The north side shall also be a hundred cubits long and is to have curtains, with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases and with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

¹²“The west end of the courtyard shall be fifty cubits wide and have curtains, with ten posts and ten bases. ¹³On the east end, toward the sunrise, the courtyard shall also be fifty cubits wide. ¹⁴Curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, ¹⁵and curtains fifteen cubits long are to be on the other side, with three posts and three bases.

¹⁶“For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer—with four posts and four bases. ¹⁷All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases. ¹⁸The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases. ¹⁹All the other articles used in the service of the tabernacle, whatever their function, including all the tent pegs for it and those for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.

Oil for the Lampstand

²⁰“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. ²¹In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Today, we only need Jesus. Jesus was, is and always will be Savior and Lord, the One without sin, who didn’t just cover our sins, He removed them—”as far as the east is from the west”— “to be remembered no more”! Yes, Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross, taking all the sins of the world, yours and mine, upon his shoulders to die in our place of punishment once and for all and then rising again in resurrection power negates the need to bring lambs to a priest for burning on an altar.

All Scripture points to Jesus as the once and for all sacrifice that takes away the sins of the world. God’s Plan, from the beginning, was to lead all people of all nations to Him. This Plan will be fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus, who is God in flesh, came down to seek and to save all who believe in Him, restoring a right and holy relationship with God. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. The curtains designed with purpose by God for a holy place to meet with Him for that time and place and held in honor for generations to come will be ripped from top to bottom in two pieces when Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross. The final work to redeem all who believe in Jesus will be accomplished. All who believe in Jesus gain entry to God!

Warren Wiersbe provides proof through God’s Word that helps us to understand the significance of then and now—

“Preachers and evangelists sometimes invite people in their congregations to “come to the altar,” but there are no longer altars on earth that are ordained of God or acceptable to God. Why? Because the death of Jesus Christ took care of the sin problem once and for all (Hebrews 9:25–28). No more sacrifices can be or should be offered. The Lord’s Supper (Communion) is a reminder of His sacrifice, not a repeat of His sacrifice.

The only “altar” believers have today is Jesus Christ Himself, who bears on His glorified body the wounds of the cross (Luke 24:39; John 20:20; Hebrews 13:10).

As a holy priesthood, we “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). We present to Him our bodies (Romans 12:1, 2), our material wealth (Philippians 4:18), praise and good works (Hebrews 13:15, 16), and a broken heart (Psalm 51:17). —Wiersbe Study Bible

As believers in Jesus who is the Light of the World, we keep His light burning and shining with us that is reflected to a world desperate for a Savior and Lord. All believers in Jesus are called of God as His “royal priesthood;” now designated to point the world to Jesus who reconciles (reconnects) all who believe to God! (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Notice there was only one entrance to the courtyard enclosure and therefore only one way to get to the altar of God. God’s design until Jesus. Jesus claimed to be the only door (John 10:9) and the only way to God (John 14:6), which explains why Peter said, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). God’s fulfillment of His Plan to redeem the world.

In today’s pluralistic society, many people like to think that every way is acceptable to God, but that attitude leads to death (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25; Matthew 7:13–27).

As we move along in our study of God’s People learning how to worship God on their journey to the Promised Land; may we be ever mindful of the truth that Jesus was with God as part of God, waiting to fulfill God’s complete plan to redeem the whole world. God is not finished with us until we see Him face to face in all of His glory!

One God. One Savior. One Lord. One Holy Spirit. Worship God alone in sprit and in truth.

Lord,

We are learning more about you as we read about the journey you took your people on through the wilderness. Sometimes we wander and we need your guidance to bring us closer to you and what you desire for us. Thank you for cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, and restoring the joy of your salvation in us as we daily look to you for guidance for each new day. I love you, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen

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THE TRAVEL-READY TENT OF MEETING

Posted on December 8, 2024 by randscallawayffm

If you watch old movies, (the really old ones) that depict the beginning of populating the country west of the Thirteen original colonies, you have seen episodes of traveling preachers who come to town and set up a huge tent of poles and canvas. The tent had no floor and no sides. It merely covered a place of ground secured from a local farmer or rancher. Inside the tent was usually a wood platform for the preacher to speak above the crowd who would gather. The platform also served as an altar for these preachers who were fiery in delivery with a passion for sinners to be saved and the infirmed to be healed. The outside world believed until proven otherwise. It depended on the character of the preacher when he left the platform and walked among the people for a few days before leaving for the next town. His life proved who he followed as Lord.

Back “in the old days,” a preacher with his traveling church, was the only preaching and teaching most little towns and communities had. If there was a church in town, the building was also used as the school and town hall. Most attenders were hungry for listening to God’s Word spoken. To others it was the “circus” that had come to town. Attending was better than herding livestock for a time.

My dad used to tell me of tent meetings that would come to his community. As a young, curious boy, living on a farm, he and his brother used to go near the tent, peek inside and watch the boisterous worship and loud preachers with a few people in congregation filled with the spirit, who might even get up and run around yelling in a “spiritual language” no one else could understand. Some, however were seriously saved by God’s grace in Jesus Name through repentance of their sins. Lives were changed.

But some were snookered to giving as much of their limited funds as possible to the traveling false preachers of ill repute.

We praise God for those who were saved by grace. We praise God for the integrity of Billy Graham, who began with a tent ministry progressed to filling whole colosseums in major cities! God called this young man to show the Light of Jesus to the world, no matter what it took! Billy answered and obeyed. God blessed. Billy Graham was one who you could trust to tell the Truth! The Graham team would also train pastors and teachers in each city and community to receive the lost no found and “make disciples, baptizing them in Jesus Name”!

Moses now has been given instructions from God who designed a portable sanctuary that was built in carry with them through their wilderness journey. Tabernacle (mishkan), was first mentioned in the Torah, (Genesis to Deuteronomy) in Exodus 25. Mishkan comes from the Hebrew root meaning “to dwell;” the tabernacle was considered to be the earthly dwelling place of God. In Exodus 25:8-9, God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to build a mikdash (sanctuary) where God may dwell, specifying exactly how the tabernacle should be designed. More proof that God delights in all the details of our lives!

God designed the first Tent Tabernacle! Imagine God designing our homes, churches or businesses with such details! God’s plan for His Tabernacle was filled with significance and meaning. God’s Tent of Meeting or Tent of Congregation as it is also called; was also built for travel but beautifully sustainable for God to meet with His People who He loved. Notice all the specific tasks to be done by skilled workers who were specifically gifted by God to accomplish. God, who created the world in six days could have made this for His people; but He chose to accomplish this with His people; “humans made in His own image”! Camp on that thought…

Exodus 26

The Tabernacle

26 “Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. ²All the curtains are to be the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. ³Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. ⁴Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. ⁵Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. ⁶Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.

⁷“Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. ⁸All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. ⁹Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. ¹⁰Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. ¹¹Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit. ¹²As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. ¹³The tent curtains will be a cubit longer on both sides; what is left will hang over the sides of the tabernacle so as to cover it. ¹⁴Make for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.

¹⁵“Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. ¹⁶Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, ¹⁷with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. ¹⁸Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle ¹⁹and make forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. ²⁰For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty frames ²¹and forty silver bases—two under each frame. ²²Make six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, ²³and make two frames for the corners at the far end. ²⁴At these two corners they must be double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both shall be like that. ²⁵So there will be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

²⁶“Also make crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. ²⁸The center crossbar is to extend from end to end at the middle of the frames. ²⁹Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

³⁰“Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.

³¹“Make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. ³²Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. ³³Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. ³⁴Put the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law in the Most Holy Place. ³⁵Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.

³⁶“For the entrance to the tent make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. ³⁷Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God does not require our “tent of meetings” or churches to look like this today. And we are glad! What God is doing for His people then was to remind the people that all they took from the Egyptians, at His command, was now to be used for a place of indwelling for His people to enjoy God’s Presence while giving God the glory for redeeming them! This traveling tent of meeting will also be used as a place to confess sins with the promise of atonement for those sins. A perfect, without blemish animal is chosen to be that sacrifice. It will be killed on an altar outside the tent. Then the shed blood of the lamb will be used to “cover” the repented sins of the people. It was the work of the chosen priest to ceremonial atonement of sins. Throughout the Bible, God provides ways for his people to have fellowship with him. The diligence and care with which the Israelites built the tent of meeting demonstrated their reverence for God.

Significance of the Details–

Detailed instructions for making the ark, the table, and the lampstand demonstrated his transcendence above the common everyday features of the world.
The ark’s portable nature represented God’s desire to be with the Israelites wherever they traveled.
The ark of the covenant was a rectangular box containing the trio of the most precious Hebrew artifacts: a gold jar of unspoiled manna, Aaron’s walking stick that had budded long after it was cut, and the precious stone tablets that had felt the engraving finger of God.
Two cherubim of gold, with outstretched wings, faced each other and looked down on the golden lid with the mercy seat on the lid. They represented the majesty of Jehovah watching over the law and the needs of the people.
The ark symbolized God’s provision (the manna), God’s power (the staff), God’s precepts (the commandments), and, most of all, God’s presence.
During the temple era, the high priest would be granted a once-a-year audience with the ark. After offering personal sacrifices of repentance, he would enter the Most Holy Place with, according to legend, a rope tied to his ankle lest he perish from seeing and being in the presence of God and need to be pulled out.

Max Lucado parallels the old covenant with the new covenant provided by the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, as the once and for all sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

“A twenty-six-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same. Brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet solid enough to weather two thousand years of storms and questions. If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. And God’s treatment is prescribed in John 3:16.

He loves. He gave. We believe. We live.

The words are to Scripture what the Mississippi River is to America—an entryway into the heartland. Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them. Would a British historian dismiss the Magna Carta? Egyptologists overlook the Rosetta stone? Could you ponder the words of Christ and never immerse yourself in John 3:16?

The verse is an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to the Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels. Read it again, slowly, and aloud, and note the word that snatches your attention. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

God so loved the world . . . We’d expect an anger-fueled God. One who punishes the world, recycles the world, forsakes the world . . . but loves the world?

The world? This world? Heartbreakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers prowl this orb. Dictators rage. Abusers inflict. Reverends think they deserve the title. But God loves. And he loves the world so much he gave his . . . Declarations? Rules? Dicta? Edicts?

No. The heart-stilling, mind-bending, deal-making-or-breaking claim of John 3:16 is this: God gave his Son . . . his only Son. No abstract ideas but a flesh-wrapped divinity. Scripture equates Jesus with God. God, then, gave himself. Why? So that whoever believes in him shall not perish.” –Lucado, Max Lucado’s Encouraging Word Bible

Lord

From the beginning, you wanted to be with us, love us, guide us to what is better—Your very best. And you provide for us on our journey to get where you are, and at the same time you are where we are, counting the hairs on our heads! God, there is no one like you who cares so much and loves so greatly that you would give your One and Only Son in sacrifice for our sins. Jesus, there is no one else who would willingly go to hell and back so that I can live forever with you. There are not enough words to express how amazing you are; but I will not stop trying to thank you and praise with what I do have in my vocabulary—without ceasing!

In Jesus Name, for our good and your glory, Amen!

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GOD TEACHES THE TANGIBLE WORSHIP OF GIVING

Posted on December 6, 2024 by randscallawayffm

When I was ten years old, my mom and dad decided I was old enough to receive a small allowance each week. But the allowance came with a lesson. All I heard at first that I would be allowed to carry money in my own pocket! In the sixties, dad who was a blue-collar worker and mom a secretary, worked hard to make ends meet, so 50 cents was a big deal and a bonus to me on top of my parents’ provision of food to eat and clothes to wear. Did I mention the lesson? The lesson was of the stewardship of my allotment. Ten percent would go to the church. I could choose Sunday School offering or the whole church offering. Another ten percent would be saved in a jar. The rest was mine to manage in whatever way I chose.

I was taught consistently by example that giving back to God in this way was a form of the many ways to worship Him. I understood this concept as my parents and my grandparents were great examples with a strong faith in God who cares for us and loved us so much He sent His Son to save us. So, 5 cents into the offering plate for me was a small jester of loving God back for all He has done.

I wonder how many parents today have “sit-downs” to teach this valuable lesson of giving back to God a portion of all He has given to us to manage; knowing that God owns it all anyway? How many church goers today understanding that worship is indeed so much more than singing a song and listening to a sermon each week? Worship is a tangible way for humans, made in the image of God, to give back to God a portion of what God has provided for us to hold, build upon, and manage. Why? God wants us to learn to give like He gives so that we can become more and more Him; The Giver of Life!

Giving promotes gratitude and praise for God. For it is in the giving that we realize just how much God has provided. Giving is a matter of the heart. Our hearts decide the measure of our treasures that we hold and place the most importance upon. The opening phrase of God’s message to Moses tells it all; “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering…from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.”

Exodus 25

Offerings for the Tabernacle

The Lord said to Moses, ²“Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. ³These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; ⁴blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ⁵ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; ⁶olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁷and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

⁸“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. ⁹Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.

The Ark

¹⁰“Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. ¹¹Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. ¹²Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. ¹³Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. ¹⁵The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. ¹⁶Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law, which I will give you.

¹⁷“Make an atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ¹⁹Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. ²⁰The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. ²¹Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. ²²There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

The Table

²³“Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high. ²⁴Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it. ²⁵Also make around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. ²⁶Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. ²⁷The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. ²⁸Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them. ²⁹And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. ³⁰Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

The Lampstand

³¹“Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. ³²Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. ³³Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. ³⁴And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. ³⁵One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. ³⁶The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

³⁷“Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. ³⁸Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. ³⁹A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. ⁴⁰See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

If you have ever been involved in the building a new structure to worship and meet with God as a growing congregation, these specific instructions from God to Moses makes sense! The offerings, collected from a grateful, sincere heart, will be collected for a purpose—to build a “meeting place” to worship God with honor and thanksgiving for all He has done. God lets the people know that He wants a “place” to meet with them! God wants to be with His people. Don’t miss this truth—Almighty God who created all and owns all—desires to meet with us!

Today, WE are His Sanctuary as believers and followers of Jesus! Our bodies are His Temple. When God looks inside the Temple of a sincere believer of faith; He sees our hearts, minds, and souls and considers these parts of the “sanctuary” as pure gold to Him. Hearts of golden, unwavering faith, are hearts that last for eternity!

Our Father comes to dwell in our being with a love that is so profound, unconditional, and so deep embedded into our being that it is hard for us to fully realize at times. Pause to listen to Him, love Him back, thank Him and then let us make ourselves an offering to Him this morning. (Romans 12:1-2)

We will read later how these offerings to God will be parceled out to the artisans and gifted craftsmen and women from among God’s People so they can construct the “tent of meeting” that can be taken down and set back up on their journey throughout the wilderness to the promised land. God’s directions are specific and purposeful. Their work is be obedient even if they do not fully understand the directions.

Mm, how obedient are we to God’s directions, without asking why?

Notice that the Great Designer includes crafted details that will reflect His Creation of heaven and earth. Remember, all the gold, silver, and other precious stones needed for this structure was given to them by the Egyptians who gave willingly to them as God’s People left town! Mm. Food for thought. God uses the resources of the enemy for His glory and for our good.

Lord,

I am so grateful for all the God-led lessons handed down to me by generations of faith filled people. I am grateful for the continued lessons You teach me today. May we learn and grow in our understanding of who You are, while realizing the depth of love and care you have for us. To you be the glory! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, with a grateful heart, Amen!

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COMMITMENT TO THE COVENANT

Posted on December 5, 2024 by randscallawayffm

“You promised we could go; you promised we would have fun; you promised it would happen!” These words sting a parent’s whole being when we must disappoint our children by unfulfilling a promise given. In our humanness, living in an imperfect world, trying to manage time while others manage your time for you, we cannot always deliver on promises given to our children. As parents, we quickly learn to never make promises that we might not be able to deliver. But what we can do is promise to love them—unconditionally—forever.

The only promise we can rely on is God’s love, mercy, and grace. What God says He will do—He does! God guides. God provides. God never leaves us to fend for ourselves. God doesn’t hide His instructions like clues in a scavenger hunt for treasure. God states clearly in His Word and through His Son, Jesus what He wants from us—our full, undivided love and attention when He speaks. God loves us deeply. God wants His best for us. So, God gave us Jesus to demonstrate just how deeply and completely He loves us. It is no wonder that God wants men and women, created in His own image, to love like He loves us with focused, committed love that never quits with devoted adoration for who He is because He never gives up on us! Our love, which is God’s love in us, prompts us to worship God with desires to please the One who loved us first!

Our love for God is a loyal commitment to Him as the One and Only God. Our love births a desire to serve the One we love because loving and serving is one in the same. You can’t have one with the other! Jesus demonstrated how to be a servant who responds with Love. (Philippians 2)

I’ve read and studied God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation many times throughout by lifetime. After years of classes and seminars, theological discussions with seminary leaders as experts in the Word, it all boils down to this: God simply wants us to love Him back—with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our souls—all that is us. God is love and created us to love and worship Him. Real Love is the character and “created image of God” in us. God calls and we must listen for the call to commune with Him.

“My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8, NLT

Exodus 24

The Covenant Confirmed

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, ²but Moses alone is to approach the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.”

³When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” ⁴Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.

He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. ⁶Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. ⁷Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”

⁸Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

⁹Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up ¹⁰and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. ¹¹But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

¹²The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

¹³Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. ¹⁴He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”

¹⁵When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, ¹⁶and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. ¹⁷To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. ¹⁸Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God has invited Moses to spend some quality time with Him—forty days and nights to be exact! Mm, we recall Jesus going out into the wilderness of the desert when He walked the earth to fast and to commune with God, His Father, before beginning His ministry for forty days and nights, too. (Matthew 4) God likes the order and significance of numbers! We also know that the Enemy of God met Jesus there to try to distract, deceive and deconstruct the Son of Man who felt hunger. The Enemy knew Jesus was also the Son of God, evil’s ongoing opponent, the One present when evil was kicked out of heaven for trying to be God. The Enemy’s goal is to defeat Jesus. The Enemy’s goal today is to defeat anyone who believes and follows Jesus!

From the beginning, God created mankind with the purpose to bless them with His love. God created mankind for the pleasure of their company. God loved being in communion with them in a pure, loving relationship. Genesis 3 says God would come to the garden in the cool of the evening to spend time with Adam and Eve—until their disobedience and new alliance with evil broke the bond of their relationship. God had created beauty and perfection for them to enjoy. God provided all they needed with only one request—don’t eat of the tree of knowledge of evil. But the sin of wanting it all with all they thought they deserved; along with evil’s suggestion that they be God, not just be like God, led them to hide from God. Their sin upset the “apple cart”, so to speak, of a perfect communion with God—and for all who would follow.

God’s love is so deeply embedded into humanity as a precious resource that gives life! This is why it pains Him with jealousy when we choose less than God think we can do life without Him. God knows when we choose anyone or anything but Him; we are refusing all the blessings He stands ready to pour out over us!

Walking with God means doing what He says for our good and His glory. We learn that obedience to God shows our love for Him that flows from our hearts to His. Pleasing God becomes our holy response to God—if we stay focused on God like loyal servants would to a king. King’s servants are trained to know what the King wants when He wants it before He asks! Great servants jump at the chance to serve their king with the mere nod of his head or wave of his hand.

Loving, respectful servants of God, committed in a holy covenant with God know instinctively how to respond to the One who gave all He had so that could have eternal life. When God gives us nod with the wave of His hand; He is giving us opportunities to respond with respect, awe, honor and praise for the One gave us His One and Only Son.

Saved By the Blood

God gave the Israelites guidelines for their relationships with each other (even their enemies) and with him. These guidelines set Israel apart from the other nations. God also gave a special ceremony that confirmed the agreement between God and his people. In the ceremony blood from animals symbolized forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God.

Jesus was sent to earth to shed his sacrificial blood as the new covenant to remove our sins once and for all an reconcile us to God. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Because of Christ’s shed blood, God is able to forgive us of sins because He took our punishment.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

God rescued His People from bondage to the Egyptians. God provided a safe passage out of Egypt as they walk through dry ground through the Red Sea. God guided His People through the desert on their journey to a new land, the land promised to their ancestors by God. God fed them daily and gave them plenty of fresh water to survive on the journey.

God does the same for us who believe in Jesus and walk in His ways. God lays it all before us as He illuminates the right path, even when it the path leads us through thick brush or rocky climbs up a mountainside. God leads us step by step with all we need for the journey. God shows us His purposes for us; not only in our arrival to our destinations but in the journey itself. God was, is and always will be God. Thanks be to God!

Lord,

Thank you for this journey of thoughts that reminds me again of your awesome power and provision. Thank you for always being with us and not giving up on us.

In Jesus Name, for our good and Your Glory, Amen!

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THE LAW OF LOVE

Posted on December 4, 2024 by randscallawayffm

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name
All oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Even before the prophet Micah delivered this message from God, God delivered this message through Moses to God’s people as the primer to learning what justice, mercy, and walking humbly with God truly means. These words expand the intention of the Ten Commandments with ways to govern each other.

Exodus 23

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

²“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, ³and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. ⁵If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

⁶“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.

⁸“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

⁹“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Sabbath Laws

¹⁰“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, ¹¹but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

¹²“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.

¹³“Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

The Three Annual Festivals

¹⁴“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

¹⁵“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

¹⁶“Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field.

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.

¹⁷“Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁸“Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.

“The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.

¹⁹“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

²⁰“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. ²¹Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. ²²If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. ²³My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. ²⁴Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. ²⁵Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, ²⁶and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.

²⁷“I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. ²⁸I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. ²⁹But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. ³⁰Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

³¹“I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. ³²Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. ³³Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It all began with Moses’ obedience to God. But through the ages, God’s Law was disastrously misinterpreted or completely ignored! God was forgotten. The world was in darkness. Then Jesus, God’s Son entered the dark, lost world with the Light of God’s Love that drove the darkness away for all who saw the Light and believed!

“Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” –Jesus, Matthew 5:21-22
“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:25-26
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:27-28

Jesus came to show us how to walk humble with God. Jesus was counter cultural to the religious who took charge over God, His Law, and His People. Truly God loved us and sent His Son to set the world right again with the offer to reconcile to God through believing in Jesus. Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins but before laying down His life for ours; He gave Light to the world by telling and explaining the Truth about God’s Law of Love that the religious leaders were so intent on misinterpreting for their own advantage and power.

God’s Chosen People were given the His Law for their good and His glory first to Moses to a freed from slavery people who were learning what true justice, mercy, and walking with God meant. But God’s Law was used and abused, ignored, and even added onto by men who wanted to lord it over the people to whom they were appointed to serve.

The Return to the Law of Love

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”—Jesus, Matthew 5:43-48

Only our perfectly Holy God can make us holy through the sacrifice of Jesus, our Savior, who removed our sins. We cannot do this for ourselves. We are not perfect in living here on earth, but we are surely perfectly forgiven and made right with God because of Jesus’ work on the cross. We cannot “be good” just because we desire it; or walk humbly with God without God helping us. Jesus knew we would need help after ascending back to heaven to the Father. So, God sent another gift to believers–the power, wisdom, and guidance of God’s own Holy Spirit who takes up residence without our being! Listen to Him!

Christ is the Lord
Oh praise His name forever
His power and glory
Evermore evermore proclaim
His power and glory
Evermore evermore proclaim

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
O night
O night when Christ was born
O night divine
O night O night divine

Lord,

I believe and I will always sing of your love, mercy, and grace with every breath within me.

In Jesus Name, for Your glory, Amen! Yes!

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LIVING THE LAW OF GOD

Posted on December 3, 2024 by randscallawayffm

“Do you solemnly swear that what you are about to say is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” Still said today, with one hand on the Bible, before witnessing in front of a judge and jury.

Do you ever wondered where the ideas for the laws and judgements of our land come from? As we read and study The Law of God given to Moses, we see where it all comes from—from the crimes to punishment—all decided by judges in court who decide who did what with punishments of restitution. The Law described in detail in Exodus clearly gives humanity the outline for law abiding.

God began their journey with Him by giving His People the Non-Negotiable Ten Commandments as simple statements that cover all that is for humanity’s good while giving God all the glory for being their God of redeeming rescue, provider, healer, and protector. But what if, even after all God has done, some people break the Law? God, who knows us well and knows that there will be some who for whatever reason do not adhere to the Law, presents ways to judge offenders with punishments to deter the perpetrators from sinning again. God knows we need the discipline of law because left on our own we resort to self-preservation tactics. Our own American history of pioneers moving west where no law was established proves that without the protection of rules of behavior, we become the “wild west of lawlessness” that leads to disastrous outcomes for humanity—whom God loves. We need laws to guide us and keep us honest.

Exodus 22

Protection of Property

“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

²“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; ³but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. ⁴If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.

⁵“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.

⁶“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

⁷“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. ⁸But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other.

¹⁰“If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, ¹¹the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. ¹²But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. ¹³If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.

¹⁴“If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. ¹⁵But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.

Social Responsibility

¹⁶“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸“Do not allow a sorceress to live.

¹⁹“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.

²⁰“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.

²¹“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

²²“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. ²³If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

²⁵“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. ²⁶If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, ²⁷because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

²⁸“Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

²⁹“Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons. ³⁰Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.

³¹“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Our nation, under God, was established before getting off the ship from England with the writing of the Mayflower Compact. These rules and procedure began a government “by the people, for the people” as they rebelled against English rules of submission. There are many reasons for leaving the tyranny of English rule for this new land called America but one thing is for certain, the settlers were led by God. The Word of God would be their guide for establishing a way to live by the Laws of God.

Our greatest accomplishment as a nation was the establishment of “checks and balances.” Three branches of our government oversee the adherence to the laws created to protect us and guide our behaviors toward each other. This 3-pronged approach was simple and clearly stated. I still remember the words taught to me by my government teacher in seventh grade: The Legislative Branch is made up of representatives of the people, write, edit, revise, and pass new laws by a majority vote. The laws are designed to protect all people. The Judicial Branch was designed to judge the people who broke the law by giving fair verdicts of restitution with punishments. The Executive Branch was given the responsibility to enforce the law. Enforcement was also designed for protecting the innocent while watching over those who might do harm, standing ready to intervene under authority of the Law. When each branch “stays in their lane” of responsibility; our government is a well-oiled machine for the protection and provision of all people who live what we call the UNITED States. When we do not stay in our lanes; we are less than united.

God’s Design of His Law was for the purpose to unite His People—not separate them from each other or from Him. God’s People are united by God and His Law for their good and His glory. When we rebel and decide to be our own god, thinking we know what we need better than God and live in ways to please only ourselves we live without His Protection. We shun God’s Law of Love and the Compassion He has for us that He longs for us to have with each other. And we wonder why our lives fall apart when we choose anything or anyone other than God! When we choose disobedience; we are no longer united with God. In our rebellion, we are disconnected. I bet you are now realizing with me that God knew the disconnect would happen among people who live in an imperfect world brought on by the rebellion of His first created humans, Adam and Eve, right? So let’s go there. We know now that God had a plan that would resolve humanity’s sin problem of rebellion and disconnect—beyond judgements and punishment. That plan was Jesus who came as “God in flesh” to fulfill every Law given while paying in full the punishment we deserved but spared.

As I decorate to celebrate the reason for Christmas my thoughts go to when God chose a virgin and a devout man to bring Jesus into the world as a helpless infant through her womb. These God-led people raised him and loved him while living a humbled lifestyle. Despite all the rumors and gossip, growing up of being born of a virgin; Jesus lived a holy, perfect life without sin. Jesus learned the Jewish way of life, God’s Law in the local synagogue school, and became the joy and amazement of His teachers. After a journey in the desert to fast and pray and to battle the Enemy’s temptations; God made Him more than ready to be His spokesperson. God’s Son who would explain and expand the thinking of everyone who thought they knew the Law with God’s real intent of the Law originally given to Moses! “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” (Matthew 5-7)

But the “Gatekeepers” of the God’s Law, (teachers, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and zealots) added to the Law as they saw fit to appease themselves to create more power for themselves. These appointed religious leaders used and abused God’s Law for their benefit with the ruse that this was the only way to have peace with the Romans—the oppressive government in their day. They had a good thing going—until Jesus came, preached, and told the Truth about God’s Law meant for protection His people while showing His people how to love Him back and to love each other. God’s verdict for the gatekeepers? “Their hearts are far from me.”

Jesus, Promised Messiah, came down from heaven and moved into the neighborhood of humanity and showed God for who He really is, telling the Truth of God. The religious hated him and wanted Jesus killed. The plotted against Him as they showed up at the places where Jesus preached and taught to harass Him. The disconnected to God could not and would not listen. But that did not stop the Son of God from God’s mission to seek and to save the lost, to serve all who would come for help, while telling all who would listen the Truth. Jesus embodied Truth. He became the Only Way to reconnect to God who offered Eternal Life for all who would believe. But a price had to be paid for this work to be complete.

The night before arrest and judgement, Jesus would pray to God, His Father; “Not my will but Your will be done.” And it was done—completely. God’s plan for our redemption, in every excruciating detail was accomplished, according to what the prophets foretold centuries earlier. The will of God, his Father was to give us Jesus, His Son, in exchange for our redemption. Jesus paid for our sins with His life on a cruel cross. Jesus, Son of Man, felt the pain of the beatings, humiliation, betrayal from his friends, the grieving of leaving his earthy mother behind for a while, the metal whips tearing away his flesh and then the nails—oh the nails that pierced his flesh—in ways so that his body could hang for hours on cross beams of wood.

Jesus, who knew no sin, paid for the all the sins of the world—yours and mine. Paid in full—fulfilling the Law by God for us. So, as believers we look upon the laws of God and the laws of our government differently than non-believers. Our desire is to please God because of our love for God. We love Him because He first loved us. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Our obedience to Him and the laws of our land are opportunities to show our love for God and others. We don’t obey to simply avoid the wrath and punishment of disobedience; we obey because of all God did for us through Jesus, His Son! Jesus unites us to God and to each other! Believing reconnects us to our Father who loved us so much He gave Jesus to save us and set us free from our sins!

“To obey is better than all sacrifice,” says God to His people. (1 Samuel 15:22) That means to simply obey what God says, which is always for our good and shows our love for Him—more than keeping busy with church work, giving to the poor, and working hard so others will know how hard we work. The good we do must be motivated by our love for God while being led of God.

To daily offer ourselves as an offering is a great way to worship and praise God. (Romans 12) It is also a way to know His good, perfect and pleasing will that deters our temptation of going about life on our own.

Oh Lord,

So many lessons were offered today by the reading of Your Word! My heart, mind, and soul is full. I will meditate on Your Word all day long. Thank you for Your Word and Your Holy Spirit who leads us to understand more and more each day. Lead and help us in all the details of this day given back to you for your glory.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bible, christianity, Faith, God, Jesus | Leave a comment

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