Meditation

01/18/2022

“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to hem: ‘If any of y ou—-either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—-presents a gift for a burnt offering to he Lord, either o fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf. It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning. I am the Lord.’” (Leviticus 22:18-19, 30)

The quality of our gift reflects our reverence for God, who deserves only the best. This was true in Old Testament sacrificial offerings and continues to be true for Christians but with the recognition that Christ made the eternal atonement sacrifice for us.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, the practice of sacrificial giving for a variety of offerings and can even be done by Christians, for it is intended to reflect our reverential relationship with God. The exception for Christians is not made for atonement, as Jesus atoned all of us who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior. He made our eternal atonement on the Cross for all of us; past, present, and future people. This we pray. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Christians are called to stand out, not to ‘blend in’!”

KNOWING GOD:

“They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the Lord. So they slaughtered he bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar; next then they slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar. The goats for the sine offering were brought before the king and the assembly and they laid their hands on them. The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar, because the king had ordered the burnt offing and the sin offering or all Israel.” (2^nd Chronicles 29:21-24)

Sacrifices to God were an important part of the Old Testament people’s giving and worship. God revealed the pattern of giving was pleasing to Him. Persons devoted to the Levitical law sacrificed animals and grain products as a way to seek God’s forgiveness in accordance with His revelation. The giving spirit intended in these acts continues even today, including Christians, though because of Jesus’ atonement on the Cross, Christians do not participate in this portion, as Jesus has already atoned for us already.

When I read about all these animals for offerings, the grains, and everything else, it makes me pause and think about this enormous of cattle, goats, lambs, etc. and the keeping of longs on everyone of them, it was large amount of time and work to gather and bring them to the Temple. The altar had huge amounts of blood poured upon it is just mind boggling. Then I think about what Jesus did for us, by His atoning for our sins for all times, and it makes all of the other insignificent. Jesus died on the cross for us, each one of us, if we would simply accept Him as our Lord and Savior. What love God has for us……I read today where the Canadian’s passed a law saying in effect that the Bible is a myth. Beloved, we may entered the end times, at least the beginning of it. We cannot stand aside and say nothing. We must stand up and spread the Gospel message fervently and take the time to work with each person, to help them understand that we are being attacked from every direction and we must not shrink back, but stand up and speak the truth of the Bible. It is no more important today, than it ever has been, because morality is being challenged than ever before. To think of ministers being thrown in jail for preaching the Scriptures, takes us on a steep path that we must take and do so with Christ in our hearts and minds. It is this important.

I AM:

“Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand sheep and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle—-all from the king’s own possessions. His officials also contributed voluntarily to the people and the priests and Levites, Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel, the administrators of God’s temple, gave the priests twenty-six hundred Passover offerings and three hundred cattle. And also Conaniah along with Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jelel an Jozad, the leaders of the Levites, provided five thousand Passover offerings and five hundred head of cattle for the Levites.” (2^nd Chronicles 35:7-9)

There are four U.S. States who are considering the same type of legislation that the Canadian’s passed. It’s been roughly 70+ years since the end of WWII. At the end of that war, those who claimed Christianity as their religion was in the 85 % range, maybe higher. To hear that people want to call the Bible a myth has caused the moral decline in this country to drop so low, that now people want to call it all a myth? I don’t think so my friends. This is a call to stand up for our Father, for the Son, and for the Holy Spirit more than ever before. No long can the silent majority remain silent. We must now speak up about our faith and that the Bible is not some book to read, but a guide for Christians to live by. I implore all of you, if this has not happened where you live, it is coming and you must prepare for it now, not later.

2ND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifice and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred feasts of the Lord, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord, On the first day of he seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.” (Ezra 3:5-6)

Giving to God’s work should be done on a regular, continuing basis. Only ongoing cooperation in giving can provide the resources needed for God’s work.