When We’re Wronged

When We’re Wronged

February 4

Read:  1 Peter 2:19 - 23

When you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. – Peter 2:20

The Bible In One year

Leviticus  24 – 27

Its natural to want to defend ourselves again injustice and to strike back. But if we’re quiet and peaceful when others mistreat and persecute us, we are responding in a Chirst like way. God wants to develop in us qualities that are unnatural for us. Anyone can be patient when everything’s going his or her way. The greater virtue is to remain calm and controlled under provocation (1 Peter 2:20).

Fenelon, a 17 century theologian, put in this way: “Don’t be so upset when evil men and women defraud you. Let them do as they please; just seek to do the will of God… Silent peace and sweet fellowship with God will repay you for every evil thing done against you. Fix your eyes on God.” He allows painful situations to come into your life, and according to Fenelon, “He does this for your benefit.”

For our benefit? Indeed! As we respond to injustice in a Christ like way, our anxiety, insecurity, and pessimism will be transformed into tranquility, stability, and hope.

Why do we lash our when we’re mistreated? Why are we so quick to defend ourselves or to seek revenge? Is it not that we place too much value on our own comfort and rights? If so, we must pray, echoing the words of Augustine, “Heal me of this lust of mine to always vindicate myself.” – David Roper

Life can be live with joy and peace

Amid its heartache and pain

For with God’s help our hate can cease

And peace and justice will reign. – D. De Haan

The best way to respond to wrong is to do what’s right. 

February, Leviticus, When We’re Wronged 12:32 AM No comments

Love Gives Value

Love Gives Value

February 3

Read:  Hebrews 9:23 - 28

[Christ] bore our sins in His own body on the tree. – 1 Peter 2:24

The Bible In One year

Leviticus  20 – 23

Wayne and Red served in the same platoon when the Allied forces marched across Europe in World War II. Wayne volunteered to be “point man,” leading the platoon into enemy territory. Red bucket him up.

The two led their men through several battles until they reached the famed “Siegfried Line.” They ran across no man’s land and jumped into the enemy trench. When a live grenade exploded in front of them, Wayne, who was in the lead, was wounded by the blast. Seeing his helplessness, red stepped forward, Grabbed Wayne, whirled around, and shielded him from gunfire. A few seconds later Red was hit by an enemy bullet and died instantly. Wayne, who survived, later wrote, “No one has ever valued me more.”

In a sense, Jesus “took the bullet” that was intended for us, we were born in sin, and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Because of God’s great love, the Son of God became man, lived without sinning, and took our penalty by dying on the cross(1 Peter 3:18. because Jesus died, we can have eternal life.

Do you have that life? If not, put your faith in Christ today. Then you to will be able to say, “No one has ever valued me more.” – Dave Egner

Christ died for me – what blessed words!

He bore my guilt one day;

No greater price has e’er been paid

Than when He took my sins away. – Egner

Jesus took my place on the cross to give me a place in heaven 

February, Leviticus, Love Gives Value 12:30 AM No comments

The Difference God Make

The Difference God Make

February 2

Read:  Ecclesiastes 6:1 – 6

[Do not] trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. – 1 Timothy 6:17

The Bible In One year

Leviticus 17 – 19

One evening a new program devoted its entire broadcast to the problems of many young athletes who suddenly becomes multimillionaire sports celebrities. They start out buying expensive cars, living luxuriously, and partying. Then they get into immoral conduct and illicit drugs. Soon their careers are in shambles.

The writer of Ecclesiastes could have empathized with these young athletes. He illustrated the emptiness of a life that has wealth and riches but does not include God. Two men are portrayed. The first is either a workaholic or a playboy. He is a quick success but is unhappy and dies with no heirs (vv. 1 – 2). The second lives longer and has many children but is also unfulfilled and dies unloved (vv. 3 – 6). The writer conclude that is is better not to have lived at all than to be rich and famous but miserable!

The apostle Paul said that when we give God Control of our lives, earthly blessings can be enjoyed, for He “gives us richly all things to enjoy”(1 Tim. 6:17). And when we use money to do good, we are using it for God’s eternal purposes, and we “lay hold on the true life” (a literal translation of verse 19). A bright future and a joy filled present that’s the difference God makes! – Herb Vander Lugt

You may have much gold and grandeur,

Yet by God be reckoned poor;

He alone has riches truly

Who has Christ, though nothing more. – Anon.

To be rich in God is better than to be rich in goods. 

February, Leviticus, The Difference God Make 12:28 AM No comments

God is Great

God is Great

February 1

Read:  Psalm 86

You are great, and do wondrous things; you alone are God. – Psalm 86:10

The Bible In One year

Leviticus 14 – 16

Only God is great, that was the solemn and unexpected declaration of Jean – Baptiste Massillon as he began his sermon at the funeral service of King Louis XIV

The king, who liked to be referred to as Louis the Great, had ruled France from 1643 – 1715  with absolute power and splendor. His funeral was held in a magnificent cathedral that was lit by a single candle alongside the ornate coffin. When it was time for Massillon to speak, he reached out and extinguished the flame. Then he broke the silence with the words, “only God is great,”

We recognize and admire some of our fellow mortals who are considered to be great thinkers, great scientists, great inventors, and great achievers in every field of endeavor. In many ways they tower above all of us ordinary people, but they still have the same needs we do. They experience aches and pains. They have troubled minds and hungry hearts. They connot stave off death nor guarantee life beyond the grave.

Only God is truly great – great enough to meet all our needs, great enough to forgive all our sins, and great enough to carry us through the dark valley of death into eternity, to be with him forever. So we declare with the psalmist, “You are great,… You alone are God” (Ps. 86:10). – Vernon Grounds

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious – Thy great name we praise. – Smith

In a world of empty superlatives, God is the greatest.

February, God is Great, Leviticus 8:51 PM No comments

A Book for Pilgrims A Book for Pilgrims

A Book for Pilgrims

January 31

Read:  Leviticus 18:1 - 5

You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord of your God. – Leviticus 18:4

The Bible In One year

Leviticus 11 – 13

Many people who determine to read the Bible through in a year get bogged down and quit about half – way through Leviticus. After the fascinating narrative in Genesis and the dramatic deliverance in Exodus, Leviticus seems to unfold with all the excitement of a technical manual for ancient clergymen. But don’t let the priestly details fool you. A life – guide for people who have been delivered from their past and are on their way toward a glorious, God – planned future.

He told them they must not imitate the people of Egypt where they had been, or the practices of those in Canaan where they were going. In Leviticus 18:4, he said to them,  “you shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus is also filled with word pictures of God’s salvation, painted almost 1,500 years before Jesus was born. Every offering and sacrifice points to the cross of Christ, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

On your journey from Genesis to Revelation, don’t let Leviticus stop you. Instead, let it be a wonderful bridge that takes you from the sacrifices to the savior. – David McCasland

The offerings of animals,

Where made in days of old,

To point us to the Lamb of God,

His sacrifice foretold. - Fitzhugh

The Old Testament altar points to the New Testament cross.

A Book for Pilgrims, January, Leviticus 7:55 PM No comments

God’s Great Love

God’s Great Love

January 30

Read:  John 3:1 - 18

[1 pray] that you… may be able to comprehend… the love of Christ which passes knowledge. – Ephesians 3:17 - 19

The Bible In One year

Leviticus 8 – 10

God’s love for us is so deep that we have a hard time comprehending it. It reaches down to us through the darkness of this sinful world, even though we are hopelessly undeserving. The Bible says that before God created our planet, he had decided to display the dept of His love for us through His Son’s death on the Cross( 1 Peter 1:20; Rev. 13:8).

In my imagination I look back over time and see the Lord raising mountains to majestic heights, cutting valleys for flowing rivers, and stretching out vast plains. I envision Him crating the mighty oceans and beautiful lakes. Then I see Him pause and reflect on the goodness of His creation. He gazes at that part of the world where His Son will be born. He knows that Jesus will be rejected and crucified. With a sweep of His hand He could obliterate the world and spare His Son from the agony of the cross. But he doesn’t.

Because of God’s love, the Son came to earth and was slain. On Calvary He died to pay the penalty for our sins. In John 3:16 we read, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

            Oh, how great is God’s love for us! – Dave Egner

THINGKIG IT OVER

What is your response to God’s love? Have you

Confessed your sin and accepted His forgiveness?

Are you living in grateful obedience to Him?

Eternal life is made possible by God’s eternal love. 

God’s Great Love, January, Leviticus 7:32 PM No comments

Be a Revolutionary

Be a Revolutionary

January 29

Read:  Luke 6:27 - 38

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. – Luke 6:27

The Bible In One year

Leviticus 5 – 7

People who can love their enemies are revolutionaries. A graduate student name Jack became such a revolutionary. One summer he asked God for a ministry. He contacted several organizations but found no openings. Finally he had to take any job available. He ended up driving a public transportation bus in Chicago. A street gang rode his bus every day without paying and made threats against him.

One day they dragged him off the bus and heat him unconscious. In the hospital, jack was bitter toward them and God. “Lord,” he complained. “I prayed for a ministry and all you gave me was this lousy job and a beating!”

Jack pressed charges, and the gang member were arrested and found guilty. But during the trial, God began replacing jack’s bitterness with compassion and love. When the judge pronounced the sentence, Jack asked for permission to serve their combined jail time. Stunned, the judge said, “There’s no precedent for this!” “Yes, their is,” jack replied, explaining that Jesus died on the cross for a guilty world. Jack’s request was denied, but he began visiting the young men in jail and saw most of them come to know Christ.

When we love others in the way, it’s revolutionary! – Joanie Yoder

Doing good those who hate us,

Lord, id difficult to do;

Help us by your grace to love them,

Praying they will turn to you. – Sper

To love a friend is natural to love an enemy is Christlike. 

Be a Revolutionary, January, Leviticus 7:30 PM No comments

We were There!

We were There!

January 28

Read:  Col. 2:20 – 3:11

You died, and your life hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:3

The Bible In One year

Leviticus 1 – 4

Christa McAuliffe was one of the seven astronauts who lost their lives in the explosion of the space shuttle challenger on January 28, 1986. she had been selected from among many applicants to be the first teacher in space. Her commitment to education and the space program had capture the imagination of many. At a memorial service, one teacher said. “When Christa stepped onto that shuttle, we stepped on with her. And when she died, a part of us died too.”

These comments about Christa remind me of a much deeper identification – the believer’s spiritual union with Christ. Because of our relationship to Him, we can say, “Where he was lifted up on that cross, we were their with Him. When he died, we died!” The apostle Paul said that we died with Christ (Col. 2:20; 3:3), and we were also raised with Him (3:1). Therefore, in Him we are accepted  and forgiven by God(Eph. 1:6 – 7).

What remains to be seen is whether our lives show that we really do believe we were united with Christ in Him death and resurrection. Our confessionof faith must be more than a memorial statement. It must show that we have put away our old life of sin and have set our mind on thins above. – Mart De Haan

I have been to the cross where my Savior died,

And all my life is made new –

In the person of Him I am crucified.

I have been to the cross. Have you? – Frazee – Bower

To show His love, Jesus died for us; to show our love, we must live for Him!

January, Leviticus, We were There 7:28 PM No comments