February 25th One Year Bible Readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Leviticus 16:29-18:30 ~ Mark 7:24-8:10
Psalm 41:1-13 ~ Proverbs 10:15-16

Old Testament - Today we finish up Leviticus chapter 16 with a very simple but powerful statement in verse 34 - "Moses followed all these instructions that the LORD had given to him."  Moses followed all of the instructions...  That sounds so simple, but think about really how amazing it is.  Moses did not veer to the left or the right.  He stayed on the narrow path.  He followed the instructions.  The Sermon on the Mount in Matthews 5-7 is a nice summary of some instructions to us from Jesus.  Can what was said of Moses be said of us today?  Are we following all of the instructions Jesus has given us?  Don't beat yourself up over this if the answer is no.  Not one of us is perfect this side of heaven - except for Jesus.  Moses was not perfect either. But, I think we can hopefully learn something from Moses' obedience to God's instructions.  I do believe that each of us today can walk along the narrow path to follow Jesus in faith, follow his teachings in faith, and become more and more like Him as we go.  Even if we trip or stumble along the Way, if we continue in our faith in Jesus and who he truly is, we will indeed become more like Him as we follow Him.  How well are you doing at following Jesus' instructions in your life today?

Bob Deffinbaugh at bible.org's commentary on Leviticus chapter 17, "The Preciousness of Blood," is at this link.   A quote from Bob from this link - "The Israelite of old learned from Leviticus, as nowhere else up to that point in time, the preciousness of blood to God. How much greater value does blood take on for the New Testament saint, whose blessings are all a result of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. As Harrison summarizes the matter, "The blood is the life of the flesh (Lev. 17:11), and it is through the atoning blood of Christ that the believer receives redemption (I Pet. 1:18-19), forgiveness (Eph. 1:7), justification (Rom. 5:9), spiritual peace (Col. 1:20), and sanctification (Heb. 13:12)."

Leviticus 18 is primarily a chapter about forbidden sexual practices.  However - before we get to those - I think verses 1-5 are incredibly powerful as God reminds the Israelites that he is their God - and that he has set them apart from the pagans surrounding them - and that his laws must be obeyed by the Israelites - "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say this to your people, the Israelites: I, the LORD, am your God. So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life. You must obey all my regulations and be careful to keep my laws, for I, the LORD, am your God. If you obey my laws and regulations, you will find life through them. I am the LORD."  As I read this I see the compassionate nature of God throughout history.  The laws were so much better than the pagan ways of the nations surrounding Israel.  The laws were better.  More compassionate than immorality to be sure.  Check out again Bob Deffinbaugh on Leviticus chapter 18 verses 1-5 titled "Obedience—The Obligation of Being Owned" at this link.  And below is one of my favorite obedience cartoons... :)

For the rest of Leviticus chapter 18 I'm going to punt once again over to Bob Deffinbaugh at bible.org at this link.   Here's a quote from Bob at this link - "Leviticus 18:6-29 has a very simple structure and message. Its intent is to define the boundaries of godly human sexual relationships. There are three of them, which I call the inner, middle, and outer boundaries of godly sexuality. Verses 6 through 18 define the “inner boundary,” prohibiting sexual relationships with close relatives. Verses 19 and 20 define the “middle boundary,” which limits sexual relations within marriage and prohibits them outside marriage. Verses 21 through 23 define the “outer boundary” of unnatural sexual relations. Verses 24 through 29 tell us about God’s judgment upon a nation that crosses these boundaries. They clearly tell us that God’s judgment for sexual sin is all nations, not just the covenant nation of Israel."

New Testament - Mark chapter 7 opens up with a gentile woman begging Jesus to release her daughter from the control of a demon.  Verses 27 through 29 are a fascinating look at Jesus' ministry -  "Jesus told her, "First I should help my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs." She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are given some crumbs from the children's plates." "Good answer!" he said. "And because you have answered so well, I have healed your daughter."  Here we see that Jesus' ministry was initially to the Jews, but here he heals a gentile woman's daughter because of her humility and faith.  And of course as we get to the Great Commission at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus' ministry is clearly for "all nations".  In fact, Mark's Gospel is a good indicator of how Jesus' ministry quickly expanded beyond the Jews as Mark likely wrote this Gospel in Rome and to a primarily Roman gentile believer audience.  Jeff Miller from Bible.org's commentary on Mark chapter 7 is at this link.

Today in chapter 7 verses 32 through 34 we read - "A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. Jesus led him to a private place away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man's ears. Then, spitting onto his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue with the spittle. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and commanded, "Be opened!" Instantly the man could hear perfectly and speak plainly!" I love this image below based on these verses... please meditate on this image for a few moments...  What do you think is going through this man's mind at this moment?  What is he experiencing?

Psalms - Today we read in Psalm 41 verse 1 – “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.” For some reason this verse really opens up my heart. Something about the word “weak.” Maybe this verse really speaks to me because I myself feel weak at times. And yet, I am so blessed in so many ways. And I realize that there are so many others out there in this world who may not have the blessings that I have, and who are struggling through an extremely tough cycle of weakness. And I wonder – what am I doing to help those who are weak? Do I really have regard for the weak? Do you? What in our life really demonstrates that we have regard for the weak? Are we investing time or finances into the weak? Are we praying for the weak? Are we loving the weak?

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 16 is powerful stuff! "The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin."  This is so true.  I know there have been times in my life in the past where I was not walking with the Lord and I absolutely squandered my money on sin - and my life was certainly not enhanced in the process. For some reason this verse also makes me think about how sometimes we pursue big salaries and big jobs or careers so that we can spend big bucks on a lavish lifestyle.  And I wonder... at the end of the day what that game buys us?  I don't think much.  I have been thinking more and more lately about how much wisdom there is in living a simple godly life.  Maybe take a job that pays less.... but where you work less... you are less stressed... but you can do things like spend more time with God, your family, your friends, and serving others....  where you can read more good books... exercise more.... sleep a full 8 hours a night....  enjoy each day and not be so worried all the time about the future...    Sure - with a job that pays less you won't be able to be out and about on the town each night living the "high life".  But is this really living?  Really?    In my own life, I do think about how much "earnings" do I really need - and if maybe.... perhaps.... somehow less is actually more?

Comments from You & Question of the Day - Based on these Proverbs reflections above, do you think living with less can somehow actually add more to our lives?  Is there value in living a simple life?  What are some simple life habits that you are practicing these days?  Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Comments

[Pat]

I have made simplicity my goal for this year. I use to work long hours and didn't have time for anything. I was miserable. I spent time with God in prayer and boy did he give me a nice part time job and I make more on this job than on the one I spent hours working. He really has blessed me. I have time for my personal life. I was more concerened about having time for things like church and spending more time with family and he just has really blessed me. Isn't that just like our God????

In reading Leviticus, It reveals how precise and exact our God is to things and though it might not make sense to us, it draws my attention to how awesome God is. He covers every minute detail and leaves nothing undone. This should speak to us about how thorough God is in seeing to it that we are taken care of. It also makes me Grateful and thankful that Jesus fulfilled all this through His dying on the cross and accounting for all sin and became the Supreme Sacrifice and escape goat that we not have the consequences of our sins fall on us but, our sin fell instead on Him who died and rose again just for us so we might be set free from all these year to year sacrifices for sins and being unclean.

It should make every person with deep respect to God for all that He has done for us and all he asks is simple obedience to Him. He already prepared, and provided all, A-L-L- for us and Just wants us to simply Believe and accept.

Why we make it so complex is because of the finite ways that we as yet are growing daily out of and as the Holy Spirit of God does what Philippians 1:6 says we are being conformed in to the image of His dear Son.

May every one as we approach Easter in another month, begin to meditate on these things that God gave for us to be having continual fellowship with Him as If they had never sinned. Now we must learn to let Him change us within through our prayers, reading of His Word and letting His Holy Spirit work in our lives.

[Cory]

Mike,
Simplicity goes to perspective. For example, do we compare ourselves to the rich or the poor? With hat and whom do we surround ourselves, thus setting the context by which we view our own lives? In order to set a proper perspective it's becoming my practice to begin any economic discussion or deliberation with this thought: "Every three seconds a person dies of AIDS or poverty." (http://one.org )

[Laverne]

Its interesting to see how the Holy Spirit works in my life. Our Ash Wednesday sermon came from Matthew 28: 19-20 the sermon was titled "From Believer To Disciple". Our Rev. challenged us to choose a day of the wek and spend ONLY $1.00, so that we might see how some people all over the globe are living. Now one of our comments you're asking is based on the same principle. Well aw'ritey!! I totally believe that if we can learn to live on less then God will bless us with more..That is not the reason I am doing it but for the greater good of being diciplined.

[Ang]

i just want to thank mae for opening my heart to all this. i've had a really, really rough year last year and i don't know what i would have not done without her, even though she probably thought at some times i was a total pysco path and i probably am. but she is such an encouragement. i see how happy and at peace she is and i want that same feeling. someday i know i will have it too. slowly. as i tell her, baby steps. all in good time. i've never met someone quite like her in my life before. i've always had people judge me and its always hurt like, well, you know. but not mae. and she made me realize that not only she doesn't judge, but she taught me that neither does god, and that he is always there for me even when i get so flippin angry at him and try to close him out, which i did for a long time. but since i opened my heart and asked for forgiveness, i feel like for once in my life, my prayers are finally being answered. and i'm starting to feel some peace in my life. i'm seeing a whole new light. i've been "stalking" this page for a month or two now and decided i was ready to join it and to learn more.

i absolutely believe that living less can actually add more to our lives. i was working in a factory making close to 13 dollars an hour. i hated it there. one huge reason i took a volunteer layoff. then my unemployment started running out and i had to get another job. i work less hours, and make less money but for once, i'm happy. we still do the things we normally do but for some reason, i'm happier. i'm here in town, only 1 minute from home instead of a 30 minute drive. and the people are so much nicer and the job is a whole lot less stressful. i AM less stressed, (just ask mae!!!! lol), i'm able to work on my art more and read more, go to the movies in the afternoon and to the coffeehouse without obnoxious teenagers and its quieter and i'm happier. i don't like crowds. they make me nervous. so my hours work out great for me. and again, i'm happy. me and my husband are getting along much better now also. which is a huge plus.
i guess simple life habits is reading this everyday, and trying to take my vitamins everyday which is a huge chore for me since taking pills is hard for me. i have a hard time swallowing them so i just decide not do to take them. even though they make me feel better and i have more energy. and trying to keep my big mouth shut when i get angry. trying to control my temper. and trust me, i have a nasty bad temper.

psalms 41 verse 1 stood out to me. i guess i just love the chapter of psalms. it has always calmed my nerves and i feel like god really understands how i feel and that he is talking to me. (is that weird of me to think that?) that here he is telling me that he is there in my time of troubles. cuz when i'm in trouble and feel like i have no where to go and no one to go to, i feel weak and vunerable. but yet hes there and then i feel better.

[Mae]

Sweetie, you don't have to thank me, you know that, right? But I'm glad you did ha ha ha ha ha You know what, the Lord really helped me, He gave me the directions. He wanted you to be in His Kingdom and that's why He helped me! You know how much I love you, right? Well girl, He loves you even more ... I know, I know ... it seems impossible since I love you to the moon and back, but really ... God loves you even more, He loves you eternally!!! I'm so happy you asked God for forgiveness, that's what we need, right? I'm proud of you! I'm proud of who you are and what you do! Babysteps are just fine, I mean ... that's really what you are right? A baby? Just like I am LOL I was saved only 5,5 months ago, I'm a baby!!!! I love you so much, my silly silly girl!!!!!

And you know, it's not weird of you to think that God really understands you, because He DOES understand you! He lives in your heart, so He knows what's going on in there! I'm happy to hear that He talks to you ... now you can experience that you're never alone!

I'm so happy you posted a comment ... you really made my day and warmth my heart!
Again: I love you!!!!

I absolutely love the question of the day: Based on these Proverbs reflections above, do you think living with less can somehow actually add more to our lives? Is there value in living a simple life? ~ I used to be one of those girls (women? LOL) who thought that materialistic things could ease my heart. I wanted it BIG, I wanted it EXPENSIVE. So the world could see that I was a manager, I had money, I was a respected woman. UGH, how sad ... I wanted expensive brands, because I thought so less of the 'regular' brands. I've always been casual and not bling bling, but the Jeans HAD to be Diesel, my shirt HAD to be DKNY, my shoes HAD to be Jimmy Choo, my purse HAD to be Bjorn Borg. Things have changed a while ago when I started to realize I missed something in my heart. Expensive clothes, expensive furniture and my shopaholic behaviour didn't help me fill up that aching gap in my heart. So two years ago I gave my husband all my cards and told him not to give it back to me any time soon. Even if I was threathning him with the big D-word LOL It was a life-changing experience for me, I know, it sounds sad, but it did change my life a lot. The first months were pure torture for me ... honestly! It was so painful that I wanted to steel!!! I just needed to HAVE the new DKNY cologne! One morning I looked in the mirror and was ashamed of the person I saw in it ... 'I needed to HAVE things'. That was absolutely NOT how I was raised by my parents. A little while after that moment we were at the point that we almost got bankrupt and I had to take a job, ANY job. I cried my eyes out, because taking any job, meant: no matter what your resume sais ... you just get a job! So I applied for just any job ... I didn't care: cleaning offices ... if I had to, I would! This was actually the time when I got saved. At that time Jesus was knocking at my door, not only knocking, He kept asking me how long I thought I could be this stubborn. Me being a Christian changed a lot in me, it makes me the person I want to be! Happy ... satisfied ... patient ... friendly ... I don't care what other people think of me, I care what God thinks of me. Of course I still love DKNY, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany's ... come on, I'm a woman!!!! But I've come to peace with it that I don't NEED it! The beauty of it all is that Rene will be promoted soon and I know we'll be able to afford all those things again. With him promoted and me having a great job ... but I don't need it! I buy what I like, I buy what I really need ... not what I think I need. We don't life in a new and expensive neighborhood, but we don't care, we're happy here. When we first moved here, I just saw this as an in-between-house, just till we'd find something better. But we love the house and I don't care what other people think anymore. This year we won't go to Bali for a vacation, this year we'll be taking care of a little girl from the United Kingdom. It's this European Children Foundation we entered. We'll take care of a child that lives in a poor family and they can't afford to go on vacation or go places for a day. This makes me happy, the thought of making a child happy makes me happy! A simple life furfills my life more than walking around like a psycho-shopper!!! Ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!

[John]

Mark

At first glance there does not seem to be a connection between Jesus' discourse on "clean and unclean" and today's readings.

Notice however that today's readings center around Jesus' ministry in the region of the "Gentiles". To the Jewish person - the Gentile was referred to as a "dog". Israel was God's chosen people, and these people - well, they were not even regarded as people - but as "dogs". This is an extension of the clean and unclean discussion except now it is about people.

Jesus came for the whole world - yes, first it was for the Jew, but ultimately for the "whole" world.

John 3:16
"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. (NIV-CAPS MINE)

Note Jesus defeats evil, heals sick, and feeds - all the same things He has been doing in Israel. Symbolically it represents His powers in the spiritual world - conquers evil, restores from sin, and feeds the "bread of life".

[NOTE: Jesus is back in the Decapolis region. The last time He was there was in dealing with "Legion". The people asked him to go - now they came to Him in droves. Legion's testimony and witness of God was very powerful.]
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Jesus in dealing with the deaf and speech impaired man is interesting. Jesus took him aside - touched his ears (indicating He would heal them), touched the man's tongue (indicating his speech would be restored), and looked up to heaven (indicating the source of the healing was God). A sigh - perhaps representing the invisible agency of God in the healing (Holy Spirit???).

Once healed - notice Jesus addresses the crowd "Jesus commanded THEM". The crowd was amazed at the action - the sign - but the man healed knew the source of the act. He was allowed to go witness because he knew the truth. The crowd was commanded (and the verb tense indicates in a continuing manner) not to witness - because they only knew the partial truth. God doesn't deal in partial truths.
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Feeding the four thousand

I think two things are worthy of note here:

Jesus had compassion for the people - the Gentiles. Preparing the way and as an example to the disciples for their future ministries.

Seven leftover baskets - If the twelve leftover baskets represented Jesus' ability to (spiritually) feed the nation (twelve tribes) of Israel to an overflowing capacity. What about the seven baskets here?

Seven is the number of completeness - so perhaps it means Jesus could spiritually feed the "complete" world. Jews and Gentiles. Or - There are seven continents - so again the concept of the whole world. Or - the tribes in the region were the seven tribes thrown out of Israel - (all the "ites") - so Jesus could feed the Gentiles (again the rest of the world) in an overflowing state.

[John]

Leviticus

Sabbath - when atonement is done once a year for the nation - they are to cease work - sabbath rest.

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior - we are resting from trying to earn (work) our way into heaven. We are trusting in, relying on, depending on the Lord. We rest, and leave it up to Christ and His shed blood. On the day we make that commitment to God - our sins are atoned for - not just on an annual basis but forever.
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God has symbolically pointed out up to now in Leviticus - our needs as mankind - and how He makes provisions to fill them.

Now in Leviticus - God starts discussing Standards of Behavior. However, note the order. God is not a legalist. He does not just throw down commands and expect them to be obeyed by a fallen mankind. First - He provides the basis from which to operate - fulfilling the needs of man so that man has the power to meet the standards. The problem with Israel is that eventually they gave lip service to the sacrifices - and they became ritualistic and never met their needs - thus they, as a nation, became far from God.

The same is true today - Our needs are met and we are given the provision by Christ on being in fellowship and synch with God - then we are to obey the laws written in our hearts. Without Christ - we would have no chance on this matter.
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Blood

Do not offer blood to false gods, and do not drink the blood.

Life is from God - do not denigrate God by making sacrifices to satyrs (goat idols). There is no power in them, and God is mocked when sacrifices to false gods occur.

Do not drink the blood - yes, because blood represents "life" and "life" is God's to give. On another level - blood drunk from these animals would be partaking from the life of an animal that is part of a fallen creation.

For us - symbolically- we are not to feed on the "flesh" of our fallen life, but - symbolically - on the flesh and blood of Christ - to become one with Him. We are not to partake of the fallen - but the divine.
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Sex

Some people say this generation is no worse than the last - just more publicized. Maybe. But Historians will point out that the fall of most great civilizations is coincidental to a great decline in moral values (sex included).

God has no problem with sex - as long as it is in a marriage. The list of things not to do - are outside of marriage.

When violated, especially on a widespread basis - it will destroy a nation. Some would even say - God is pointing out here that it is tied to ecological disaster. (The land vomiting out its inhabitants). I leave each one of you to figure that one out.