Isaiah 48

 I had a hospice chaplain tell me that he once knew of an atheist who served as a chaplain. The man knew all the right words and could offer prayers that sounded good. I remembered this when I read this chapter and God saying that he knew those people who were called Israel, took oaths in the Lord's name, and even invoked (prayed) to God but didn't do it in truth or righteousness. I consider not just this atheist but others who say they serve God but don't preach the truth. God knows about them and he will deal with them. He will bring judgment and set things straight. My job isn't to worry about "taking care of them" (getting rid of them in some way) but to live for God and serve him. Yes there are times when we do need to give warnings to God's people who are young in their faith but usually we need to just let God deal with them because He will. 

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Galatians 6

Paul makes it clear that it isn't what is on the outside, especially circumcision or the lack that matters, it is if we have this new creation that Jesus brings on the inside that matters. Looking at this I can think of people who brag that they aren't like those religious people who dress differently, have different hair, don't have tattoos, don't drink socially, and I could go on but I hope you get the picture. They think they are better because they don't put on an outward sign of religion but in Paul's mind they also don't have anything to brag about. You are either saved and have the new life Jesus has given or you haven't and that is all that matters. Pride in either will get you into trouble. 

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Galatians 5

"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God" (verses 19-21). What is the difference between a drunk and an alcoholic? I would say that it is the phrase Paul uses in these verses, "Live like this." An alcoholic knows they have a problem and try to live above it. They may fall but with the help they find get back up and try never to fall again. Many who struggle with addiction and are following a plan to live above it, will eventually live without having that addiction controlling their lives. This is the truth with sin. I might suggest that we are all, sinoholics. We have some sin/s we are addicted to and need God and others to help us. The difference between us and the rest of the world is we are crying out to God for help and learning to live above it so that in time or by some supernatural help we find ourselves living above it. We find that we no longer live like that. 

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Leviticus 8

 

Once the priests were sanctified to do their ministry, they were to stay in the Tabernacle for seven days. There were no exceptions. Later, when two of Aaron's sons die, he isn't even allowed to mourn them while he is consecrated. This may seem harsh, but consider soldiers in the army. They are not allowed to just take off when they feel like it, especially during war. They had a duty. On top of this a sacrifice was made so they could be satisfied to do ministry and the value of the sacrifice would be diminished. A life was given for him to do ministry and leaving would say that sacrifice was unimportant. It would be worse than someone prepaying for you to go to a fancy restaurant with a six-month waiting list and then leaving right before the food is served. 

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Leviticus 7

I like it dead, you shouldn't.

 In a world where food was not always easy to come by finding something you didn't have to hunt down may seem a blessing however God made it clear that Israel wasn't to eat it. They could use it for other purposes but not to put in their bodies. Today with an understanding of diseases and bacteria we can understand that God's intention wasn't to keep the people from getting a simple meal but to protect them from getting sick and dying. Here as in other places, the Law was given to the people to protect them. 

Isaiah 47

In Daniel chapter 5, we read that the king of Babylon throws a party. What isn't commonly known is that this is happening while the city is surrounded by invaders. They are confident that nothing will happen and in a final act against God desecrate the article from the temple. They were guilty before and God was bringing judgment but refused to see that it could happen. God however shows the king that he will fall and sure enough that night the city falls. This is what God warned them about here in Isaiah 47. It also reminds the people of God never to become arrogant because what you believe is impossible can happen. 

Job 42

 

We know that God blessed Job financially after his troubles but what I want to point out is the first way this took place. It took place when others helped. In Verse 11 it says, "All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring." God used people to help Job recover from disaster. This should be a lesson for us and as I look around and see the help that is given to those in need I can attest that at least in this part of the world it normally does happen at least in big disasters. The question is how are we doing it with our brothers and sisters? Yes, there are times when giving someone money. even if they lost everything, would be bad for them, but what about the rest of the time? Are you willing to help someone next door if no one will ever know your name? 

Side note: Notice the equality Job granted his daughter? 

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Galatians 4

 

According to Paul, we are sons of God. We are heirs, not slaves. This doesn't mean we are free to go back into sin, but we are free to live in the nature God places in us. We are free from trying to do the right things, as he says in other places. We are now actually free to live in the Spirit and above(without) sin. Children have the DNA of their parents and thus in many ways will look like them. In the same way, our lives should look like Jesus'.

Psalm 37

 

The Psalmist says that he has never seen the righteous forsaken or their seed begging for bread. The first reaction of many is to say, but there are lots of poor and people who do beg. However just because someone is poor doesn't mean they are righteous. Also, consider that this principle is true when you consider that the righteous don't send their children out to beg because they are generous to them and to others around them. There is also the fact that this principle is true unless evil men set in. The righteous are willing to work and share it is only when wicked men step in and bring trouble (also promised for us in Scripture) that the principle doesn't happen. The truth stands, the children of the righteous are far better off than any others. 

Leviticus 6

 

God commanded anyone who gained by cheating or stealing to pay it back with 1/5 extra. God didn't ask for more but did demand that in a way the person who was cheated could recoup a portion of what could have been gained by having that money. When I look into Luke chapter 19 at the repentance of Zacchaeus he didn't do this but paid back 4 times what he had stolen and gave away half of all he had. He was trying to make things right and what did Jesus say? “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham" Luke 19:9. It wasn't the giving that brought salvation it was the repentance which is what Jesus recognized in Zacchaeus. 

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Leviticus 5

 It has been said that "Silence is golden." There are times, a lot of times, when this is true however when we keep quiet when they should speak up then God doesn't see this as golden He sees it as sin. There is a time to keep quiet about things but too often people have kept quiet about sin or even the innocence of others. Usually, it has to do with a perceived or actual fear of reprisal that keeps them quiet. God doesn't accept that. God says if you know something and keep quiet then you will be held responsible. 

Martin Niemöller found out that sometimes the consequences come sooner than one might realize. As he wrote about his time in Nazi German:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

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Isaiah 46

 God gives us the offer of salvation just as he did to Judah. God offers to carry us, unlike idols which have to be carried. This is so true in our lives. We carry around our idols and they weigh us down. We give so much to keep them and they ultimately give us nothing of real value in return. God on the other hand wants to care for us and carry us. When we can't make it he is willing to be there. So what is better? Something that weighs you down or someone willing to carry you? 

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Job 41

 

Job 41:11 Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.

Romans 11:35 "Who has first given to God, that God should repay him?"

1 Corinthians 10:26 "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."

Exodus 19:5 Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations--for the whole earth is Mine.

Deuteronomy 10:14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, and the earth and everything in it.

The crazy thing is that this is what I have heard both well-meaning and less than well-meaning people do. They claim God owes them. One of these is that since he made me he owes me. The argument is flawed because God has given us far more than we deserve. We have free will. We have salvation if we want it. The things that God says are sins are bad for us and the world around us so what he asks is for us to have a better life and a better world. Yet, as is often the case those who don't want to see that won't. I pray I always do. 

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Galatians 3

 

Paul isn't saying that the Law of God is worthless but that it had a purpose and that purpose was to show us our sins and lead us to God. This means that we can not say that we no longer need to obey the moral code that God laid down and Jesus reaffirmed in His teaching. What he is saying is that our Salvation comes not by trying to keep it. He hints here and will later point out that we can now keep the Law not by our own strength but by the power of the new life the Holy Spirit has given us. 

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Proverbs 9

 

Both Folly and Wisdom call out to people. Neither wants to leave people where they are. Wisdom wants to draw people to higher levels. Folly to lower levels where all is about getting for themselves at the expense of others. Is what you are doing at the expense of others? That can be a tricky question because folly will say the honest hard worker is taking advantage of others to the person who doesn't work hard. Yet at the same time, folly will tell the hard worker it's okay you deserve this. This is why we need to make sure we have God's wisdom because he can show us the truth that is in our hearts and in the world around us. 

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Leviticus 4

I notice here that God says that sacrifice is required once a person realizes what they have done. Does this mean that they haven't sinned before this? No, but it does mean that God expects us to make things right when we realize it. That seems obvious, after all, we can't make right what we didn't know was wrong. However, there are times when people realize they did something wrong and rather than admit they did it try to pretend it didn't happen. We realize that we did something and rather than make it right we ignore it? Yes, we have all done that, or at least most of us. God is saying here that when you realize it deal with it. There is no putting it off or ignoring it. When we realize there is a problem God expects us to make things right with Him and I may add others too when appropriate. When we do we find forgiveness. 

Leviticus 3

 

The Fellowship or Peace Offering had a unique aspect to it. What was not offered to God was shared in community. There wasn't a Fellowship Offering where the food was only between God and one person. This was a community or family offering. It was shared. It is a reminder as in the New Testament that may come to God as a result of a personal choice we join a group, a family. Our Gospel is a social gospel. As an introvert, I'll be honest and say this makes me a little uncomfortable but thankfully being social doesn't mean that we can't be alone with God, because there is a lot of that in the Bible too. The truth is we need both the personal and the social aspects of our faith. We are neither a hive nor a lone wolf. 

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Isaiah 45

 

Here again, God is making it clear there are no other gods, but Him. He makes it clear that what he has been doing and will do is for His own purpose, but also for the good of His people. Judah had faced bad times and some were wondering what God was doing. God, however, makes it clear he is in charge.

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Job 40

 

Can we throw out God's justice and do better? People have tried there have been claims that the proud and powerful have been brought down but the only problem with that as I see is that they have only changed those who stand proud. Yes, the previously proud and powerful have been brought down but now there is a whole new group. Many people think they could do better than God but the history of mankind shows that they never last and never deliver what they promise. They might actually kill you if you point that out but God sees the truth. 

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Galatians 2

 If we can earn our salvation then Christ died for nothing. This is Paul's argument, since we know that God doesn't make a mistake why would he send Jesus if we didn't need him? That is Paul's point, we need Jesus' sacrifice on the cross to receive salvation. If we are trying to earn our salvation any other way then we dismiss the importance of the cross. For Paul, if the cross isn't our way to salvation then he would say we are not Christians. In fact, he says that in the previous chapter, the people who are trying now to earn their salvation through the Law are following another religion, because they aren't Christian. 

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Psalm 36

 It is by God's light that we see light, to see the truth, but our conceit, our pride, keeps us from seeing our own sins. How true. It is so easy to see the faults in others and miss them in ourselves. What is the problem? We are the problem. This is why we need God so desperately. He can show us our sin but also he shows us our worth. Either focus is a problem. If we only see our sin then we can't come to God and see our worth. If we only see our worth then we can't see the sin that separates us from God. God is the one who can show us the whole truth. 

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Leviticus 2

 Like the Burnt and Peace offering, the Grain offering was a volunteer offering to God. The words used to describe it convey the idea that it is an inferior giving something to a superior. I note that this offering might have aided those who wanted to give more to show their devotion to God but didn't have the animal to sacrifice. It is also interesting that these volunteer offerings are just that volunteer. God didn't demand total surrender of them, yes He wanted it but didn't make it mandatory. God didn't require that they from their hearts submit to Him as their superior but wanted it. God even in what was to be a nation under God and by God's rule gave man the freedom to choose him fully, just as he does today.  

Though this offering was volunteered it wasn't to be given any way the giver decided, there was still a specific way God wanted the a freewill offering given. Yes, God gives us freedom to choose Him but not freedom on how we do it.

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Leviticus 1

 In verse 9, there is the command which we will see repeated concerning the burnt offerings, that the inward parts of the animal were to be washed before offering them to God. The burnt offering was a free-will offering that gave the entire animal to God. Other offerings had a portion of the meat returned to the person offering it, making the offering not just a sacrifice to God but a blessing to the one giving it. Not so with the burnt offering in it, the person offering it got nothing back. So why wash the inner parts? and if the inner parts needed washing why not the outside of the animal?  The answer I say is best summed up in something Jesus said in Matthew 23:26 "Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." David pleads to God in Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." God was showing the people that when they offered themselves fully to God they needed to be cleaned up on the inside. 

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Isaiah 44

 In this chapter, we see a term for Israel that is rarely used, Jesurun. It means "upright one" and according to some scholars is a term of affection. Others see it as God saying "Gentlemen" as what that would mean in old English. Whichever way you look at it God is giving the people of Israel a title which at times doesn't match their actions at all.  However, God has promised to blot out their sins and thus we could say that due to God's work, they match the name they have been given. 

God in the New Testament has promised this forgiveness for whoever calls on him, Romans 10:9-13. God will restore us the people he wants us to be, the bearers of His image. 

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