Month: February 2024

Day 50 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 7:28-9:6; Mark 3:31 – 4:25; Psalm 37:12-29; Proverbs 10:5

______

Prepare Your Heart for the Harvest
Behold My Mother and My Brethren
There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. – Mark 3:31-35

He Taught Them Many Things By Parables
And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, – Mark 4:1-2

There Went Out a Sower to Sow
Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: but when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. – Mark 4:2-9

Unto You it is Given to Know the Mystery of the Kingdom of God
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? – Mark 4:10-13

The Word Sown by the Way Side
The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. – Mark 4:14-15

The Word Sown on Stony Ground
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. – Mark 4:16-17

The Word Sown Among Thorns
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. – Mark 4:18-19

The Word Sown on Good Ground
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. – Mark 4:20

There is Nothing Hid, Which Shall Not Be Manifested
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. – Mark 4:21-22

If Any Many Have Ears to Hear, Let Him Heart
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. – Mark 4:23-25

Harvest is a scriptural term and an agricultural term. And we understand seedtime and harvest. There is a time to plant a seed and a time together what the kernel has produced – harvest. That is the way we get our food. So if you are a farmer, when you put the seed into the dirt, you want it to yield fully to its full potential. So Jesus is talking here about different kinds of soil.

The kind of soil we plant in dictates the type of harvest we get. The seed can be excellent but planted in not-so-awesome soil, it will not produce a great crop. But the good seed planted in good soil does bring forth a great harvest.

Jesus was teaching in parable form, and this is a famous parable. It is pretty easy to understand because Jesus interpreted His parable.

We all want the hundred-fold, bountiful harvest. We don’t just want to see it in others. We want it in our own lives. Maybe as we think of gardening and the harvest, we should focus less on missionaries, church outreach, and sharing the Gospel. Those things are wonderful and essential, but first, maybe we need to worry less about whether someone hasn’t heard us because of the condition of their lives and turn to see the state of our own heart. See our hearts as a field of soil. So I ask myself, what kind of soil is in my heart? Whatever type of soil is in my heart will dictate the harvest, no matter how good the seed is.

God nourishes us through His Word every day. His Word is a good seed. But is my heart good soil for His excellent seed? If the seed falls and cannot take root, then it is just going to lay there on the surface, and it is going to get snatched away.

If my heart is hard and stony and difficult, then there is nowhere for the seed to take root. If I am distracted and anxious and full of worry or if I am distracted and chasing other things, other desires, then the soil of my heart is thorny, and it is going to choke the seed out.

We’ve all seen rocky and thorny ground, and we can visualize and understand how difficult, if not impossible, it is for a bountiful harvest to grow under those conditions. In the same way, if our hearts are in that condition, we will not yield that harvest we long to gather.

God is going to do His part. But we each have our part. I have a role to play. I have some gardening to do. It is time to dig up the stony ground and do away with any thorn bushes that I have allowed to grow and overtake. It is time to make my heart fertile and ready for anything God wants to bring into my life today.

______

Prepare Your Heart for the Famine
The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. – Psalms 37:18-19

______

Prepare Your Heart to Gather
He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. – Proverbs 10:5

______

Prepare Your Heart for the Glory
Wave Offering
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings. His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD. – Leviticus 7:28-30

Wave offering: given to God as a show of servitude, peace and commitment. Wave offerings also served to symbolically separate and sanctify the tribe of Levi as servants of God when Aaron, the Head Priest, is commanded to lift and wave each Levite before the altar.

Heave Offering
And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. – Leviticus 7:31-32

Heave offering: a separated portion of the peace offering that was raised and lowered in dedication to God and that afterward was reserved for the priest’s use.

Wave and Heave Offering Taken Off the Peace Offering
He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part. For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel. – Leviticus 7:33-34

Offerings, Consecrations, Sacrifices
This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai. – Leviticus 7:37-38

Anointing
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. – Leviticus 8:10-12

Consecration
And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you. As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. – Leviticus 8:33-36

All the Congregation Stood Before the LORD
And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. – Leviticus 9:5

The Glory of the LORD Shall Appear Unto You
And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you. – Leviticus 9:6

______

Jesus, thank You for this wisdom. You have made it abundantly clear what You desire and the path I am to take. I. know many of the hard places in my life. Reveal others, Lord, that I may work on the soil. Reveal the thorny area and the shallow spots. I need Your help, Lord. I need You to guide me and show me how to become good soil. So come Holy Ghost as I meditate on and consider this, I invite You to come in and take over. Have Your way, Father. I ask it in Jesus’ Name. Amen!!!!

Day 49 One-Year Daily Bible Passages: Leviticus 6:1-7:27; Mark 3:7-30; Psalm 37:1-11; Proverbs 10:3-4

______

The Fire Shall Ever Be Burning
The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. – Leviticus 6:13

In this passage, we read about the fire on the altar never going out and burning continually. A plume of smoke rose from the altar day and night. The children of Israel could always smell the burning of the wood and the sacrifices. It was a sweet aroma to the Lord, but it was also a sweet smell of sacrifice to the Lord that reminded them of God who saved them and the one true and living God they worshiped and served.

Our prayers in Revelation are compared to the smoke of sacrifice mixed with the atoning work of Jesus and rising as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to God. Shouldn’t we be preparing for that day even now by keeping the FIRE burning through worship, prayer, and knowing our God!!!

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. – Revelation 8:3-4

______

Stop Being Envious of the Wicked
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. – Psalms 37:1-9

Here it seemed like the wicked were prospering, and God wasn’t doing anything about it. So David gives four assurances to believers who question how God is running His world. The first one is part of our reading for today.

1. The Lord can be trusted.
   David gives several instructions in the first nine verses about being assured that God can be trusted.

• Fret not
  Fret – to burn, to get heated up.  When we see evil, we should feel holy anger at sin, but to be jealous of wicked people only leads to fretting, and fretting leads to anger that isn’t holy. The wicked will not always be here. One day they will  be gone, like the grass that either fades away or is cut down and burned.
• Trust in the Lord and do good
  When you fret you are not trusting God. Trust God and wait on Him for what He will do in your life and in the lives of others. While you wait,  do good things, because faith and works go together.
• Delight in the Lord
  Delight – comes from the root that means “to be brought up in luxury, to be pampered.” If you delight in the Lord, you will want to know Him better. The Lord will surely satisfy that desire!!!
• Commit your way to the Lord
  Commit – to roll off your burden. God doesn’t take our burdens away so we can sit around and do nothing. He takes them away so we can serve Him better.
• Rest in the Lord
  Rest – to be silent; be still.  It describes calm surrender to the Lord

Unless we learn to wait silently before God, we will never experience His peace and His joy. Peace and joy and fretfulness cannot coexist. For us to get upset because of the evil schemes of the ungodly is to doubt God’s goodness and justice and when we choose that path we forgo His peace and His joy.

The Meek Shall Delight Themselves in the Abundance of Peace
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. – Psalm 37:10-11

______

Jesus Withdrew Himself and a Great Multitude Followed
But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judæa, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumæa, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. – Mark 3:7-12

Jesus Ordained Twelve
And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: and Simon he surnamed Peter; and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphæus, and Thaddæus, and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house. – Mark 3:13-19

His Friends Said He is Beside Himself
And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. – Mark 3:20-21

A House Divided
And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. – Mark 3:22-30

Jesus healed a blind and dumb man, and the scribes and Pharisees used the miracle to attack Jesus. They called Our Lord by the name “Beelzebub,” which is another name for the devil and means “master of the house.”

Jesus took that opportunity to teach them a thing or two. He said if it was by the power of satan that He cast out demons, then satan was fighting against himself. That would mean that satan’s kingdom was divided and on the verge of collapse. The devil held this demon-possessed man tightly because he doesn’t ever want to lose any territory. He seeks to kill, steal, and destroy as many as he can. But the fact that Jesus delivered this man was proof that He was and is stronger than satan and that satan could not stop Him.

Jesus went on to explain the seriousness of what they had let come out of their mouths. Our words reveal what is in our hearts and what is in our hearts determines our character, conduct, and destiny. What we say can be very costly. Jesus warned these leaders that they were in danger of committing an eternal and unforgivable sin. They were in danger of blaspheming the Holy Ghost by attributing to the devil the Holy Ghost’s works.

I believe we need to take His warning to the religious leaders to heart when we judge what we think is the work of the enemy because it doesn’t exactly fit our doctrine. It is one thing if it does not line up with Scripture, but if it just doesn’t line up with doctrine, we need to be careful. While it may well be of the enemy, we should first take it to God in prayer and let the Holy Ghost direct us. Take it to God and the Word and then act or speak – we can’t go wrong there!!!

______

Your Soul Will Not Suffer
The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. – Proverbs 10:3

Suffer – to tolerate or allow; to undergo or feel pain or distress; to sustain injury, disadvantage, or loss.
Famish – to suffer or cause to suffer extreme hunger; starve

The Slack Hand vs. The Diligent Hand
He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; But the hand of the diligent maketh rich. – Proverbs 10:4

Poor is he who works with a negligent and idle hand, But the hand of the diligent makes him rich. – Proverbs 10:4AMP

______

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your Word and that it is living and active in my life. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. Thank You for piercing and causing me to look deep within my heart by looking deep within the scriptures. I ask You to empower through the power of the Holy Ghost to cast out any trace of envy in my life. I want nothing of it, Father. Please help me in that area. Lord, would you continue to do work in my life to keep the FIRE always burning. Help the FIRE You have ignited in me to burn brighter and brighter each moment. Thank You that You provide for my every need, and I can cease fretting and wait on You, trust in You, and rest in You. Thank You that You give me the desires of my heart because You have given me YOU, and You are allowing me to know You. I love You, Father. I love You, Holy Ghost. I love You, Jesus…and I pray that all I do today will glorify YOU. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.

Day 48 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Leviticus 4:1–5:19; Mark 2:13–3:6; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2

______

Righteousness Delivereth from Death
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: But righteousness delivereth from death. – Proverbs 10:1-2 

______

The Sin Offering
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: – Leviticus 4:1-2

Bring the Offering – he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: – Leviticus 4:23

Confess the Sin – And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: – Leviticus 5:5

Lay Hand Upon the Head of the Offering – And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering. –  Leviticus 4:29

Priest Shall Make an Atonement – and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering. And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. – Leviticus 4:24-26

The Trespass Offering
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: – Leviticus 5:14-15

The trespass offering was about making reparations. It showed the Children of Israel (and shows us) the seriousness of sinning against God and others, even if accidentally. A sacrifice was to be made to God and restitution was made to the one trespassed against.

______

Follow Me (Levi – Matthew)
And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. – Mark 2:13-14 

Many Publicans and Sinners Sat Also Together with Jesus
And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. – Mark 2:15-17 

Why Do Thy Disciples Fast Not?
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. – Mark 2:18-22 

The Son of Man is Lord Also of the Sabbath
And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. – Mark 2:23-28 

A Man With a Withered Hand
And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. – Mark 3:1-6  

______ 

Thy Faithfulness Reacheth Unto the Clouds
Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. – Psalm 36:5

With Thee is the Fountain of Life
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light, – Psalm 36:7-9

Day 47 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Leviticus 1-3; Mark 1:29-2:12; Psalm 35:17-28; Proverbs 9:13-18

______

A Remnant Goes to the Priests
And the remnant of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire. – Leviticus 2:3

Remnant – A remaining, usually a small part; a fragment or scrap; leftover

Salt of the Covenant
And every oblation of thy grain offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy grain offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. – Leviticus 2:13

What is the Salt of the Covenant? My Bible note says that this most likely means that the covenant is perpetual because salt was used as a preservative.

Perpetual Statute – No Fat or Blood
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord’s. It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. – Leviticus 3:16-17

God does not forbid eating all fat. There is though a specific type of fat that HE wants us to avoid.

Leviticus 1:8 –  And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar.

If you look at the Hebrew word translated as fat from this verse, it is “peder.” According to Strong’s Dictionary this means – “from an unused root meaning to be greasy; suet. The term “peder” was only used three times in the OT and it was consistently used in relation to animal sacrfices. “Peder” means greasy and it refers to the HARD FAT in the animal, usually located around the kidneys, loins, and liver. This is all supported by the following verses:

Leviticus 9:10 – But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses.

Leviticus 3:4 – And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

All of the fats and organs God speaks of have the purpose of either holding, filtering, and/or storing waste products and toxins that can be harmful to the body.

Caul above the Liver – the liver-net, or stomach-net, which commences at the division between the right and left lobes of the liver, and stretches on the one side across the stomach, and on the other to the regions of the kidney.

God knows their purpose because He created them and so He knows that they are unfit for human consumption.

______

Simon’s Wife’s Mother Lay Sick
And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. – Mark 1:29-31

All that were Diseased and Possessed with Devils
And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. – Mark 1:32-34

He Went Out, Departed into a Solitary Place, and Prayed
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. – Mark 1:35-37

Be Thou Clean
And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. – Mark 1:38-42

Shew Thyself to the Priest
And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter. – Mark 1:43-45

They Came Bringing One Sick of the Palsy
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. – Mark 2:1-5

The Son of Man Hath Power on Earth to Forgive Sins
But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. – Mark 2:6-12

______

Let Them Be Ashamed
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. – Psalms 35:26-28

If I rejoice (even in my heart) or feel prideful when someone else suffers, the Psalmist has prayed that I will be brought to shame,  confusion, and dishonor. We should rejoice when someone prospers and be filled with joy and gladness that our righteousness may be a testimony and that we all might magnify the LORD.

______

Foolishness Leads to Hell
A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, To call passengers who go right on their ways: Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. – Proverbs 9:13-18

Folly – the state or quality of being foolish; lack of understanding or sense; a costly and foolish undertaking. Unwise investment

Foolish – resulting from or showing a lack of sense; ill-considered; unwise

Oh Lord, Guard us against being foolish and making decisions that are foolish or lead us to folly. You have warned us that folly and foolishness lead to death and hell. Please help us, Father!

Day 46 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 39-40; Mark 1:1-28; Psalm 35:1-16; Proverbs 9:11-12

______

Become – to come, change, or grow to be; to be suitable or necessary to the dignity, situation, or responsibility of.

Becoming a Levite
And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. Thus did Moses: according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he. – Exodus 40:13-16

Aaron was a Levite. 

From my early days as a Christian with a very specific call into the ministry of prayer and as a prayer leader within the church I attended, I have identified myself as a Levite.

Levites have no earthly inheritance because the Lord Himself is their inheritance. That spoke to me!!! 

My dad was a minister and man of God that died leaving no inheritance or blessing when he decided to end his life. His death and all the confusion surrounding it became my identity. Once I was born again, I didn’t want that as my identity or inheritance, and I asked God to take my history and make me “new” there as He had in so many other areas. It didn’t really seem possible but I asked and it didn’t happen immediately. But, one day in the prayer room, the Holy Ghost fell on me as I read Joshua 13:33. I felt that quickening; that knowing. The old grief and longing lifted as I felt my Father reveal to me that my “new” and true identity in Him is as it was before He laid the foundations of the earth. I was a Levite and though I didn’t fully understand at the time, I believe God anointed me that very day as He did Aaron’s sons.

But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them. – Joshua 13:33

Does that mean I am anything extra special? Not at all. We each have a call and an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. I don’t even feel I am all that good ministering. As it regards prayer, I am awkward at times, and so often, I stutter and stumble over my words… but I am driven to pray and passionate about the place of prayer and taking my place in it. I love to minister to the Lord and His people in that way. 

Some may not get it or recognize it; some may not understand what I have written here at all, but that is okay!!! I am proud of my God-given heritage. What more could I ever want or need. My inheritance is the God of Israel Himself!!! 

______

Becoming a Fisher of Men

I Send My Messenger Before Which Shall Prepare Thy Way
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. – Mark 1:1-3

John Baptized and Preached the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judæa, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; and preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. – Mark 1:4-8

Jesus was Baptized of John in Jordan
And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. – Mark 1:9-11

Immediately the Spirit Driveth Him Into the Wilderness
And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. – Mark 1:12-13

Jesus Came Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. – Mark 1:14-15

Becoming a Fisher of Men
Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. – Mark 1:16-17

They Forsook Their Nets and Followed Him
And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. – Mark 1:18-20

He Entered the Synagogue and Taught
And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. – Mark 1:21-28

What stood out to me in Mark 1:17 is that He will make me to become a fisher of men but there is a prerequisite. I must “come after” Him. I must follow. To follow Jesus means not only walking where He walks but doing the things He does. Keeping my eyes on Him; my ears attune to His voice, my mind meditating on all He has said to me as we walk, and my heart pure that I can even walk after Him without stumbling. Then He will make me to BECOME what He desires…and He desires me to become a fisher of men.

______

Becoming Pure
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: – Psalms 35:13-15

David prayed and fasted for his enemies as though he were praying for his friends when they faced adversity. But his enemies rejoiced when misfortune came to his life. God had me turn this around in an interesting way today.

The Bible tells us to love and pray for our enemies. Through this verse, God asked me today, do you pray for your enemies with a pure heart, or do you do it for others to see but secretly harbor an attitude of happiness and arrogance when they fail?

God is dealing with all the impurities in my heart and revealing them to me one by one.

______

Becoming Wise 
If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. – Proverbs 9:10

I am reminded that If I choose to live wisely, it is going to benefit me. If I decide to live foolishly, I will have to deal with the consequences of my decisions. My decisions do not change God, but they change the path I take in life and the rewards or consequences I reap.

I can choose to live a joyful life that honors God or a miserable life that takes me nowhere.

I can take the impurities that God has revealed in the verses from Psalm and foolishly deny they apply to me and reap the consequences. I can deal with them, repent and surrender to the Father’s correction reap the benefits of living in wisdom.

______

Becoming Faithful: Finish the Work
And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. – Exodus 40:33-34

God loves and honors faithfulness. We often start something, and when our recognition for what we do wanes, we slow down and then quit. God gives assignments, and He wants us to finish them…for His glory! Finish because we are faithful to Him. Is there something He has commanded you to do that is half-finished and laid down in that state? Pick it back up and be faithful to finish. The glory of the Lord is at the finish line.

Day 45 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 37-38; Matthew 28; Psalm 34:11-22; Proverbs 9:9-10

______

He Will Teach Me the Fear of the Lord
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. – Psalms 34:11

The Beginning of Wisdom
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. – Proverbs 9:10

______

Obedience to God’s Commands
And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses. – Exodus 38:22

______

The Angel of the Lord Descended from Heaven
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. – Matthew 28:1-4

He is Not Here For He is Risen
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. –Matthew 28:5-8 

As They Went to Tell His Disciples, Behold, Jesus Met Them
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. – Matthew 28:9-10

The Elders Gave Large Money to the Soldiers
Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. – Matthew 28:11-15

Th Eleven Disciples Went Away into Galilee
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. – Matthew 28:16-17

Go, Baptize, Teach
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – Matthew 28:18-20  

______

Oh, Father, I come before You tonight with Your Words on my heart. You are a good, good Father, and I praise You and worship You; I love You! I love Your Son, Jesus. Father, I thank You for sending Your Holy Ghost that teaches me to fear You. I know the Holy Fear of You will bring wisdom and knowledge and understanding. I ask for wisdom. I ask You to teach me wisdom by bringing great revelation of Holy Fear into my life. Lord, Help me to be obedient to everything that You command me to do in the coming days. Help me to Go Therefore wherever You say to go. Help me to teach all nations as You have commanded. Help me to remember that You are with me always, even when others can’t be or won’t be. Lord help me not to be afraid. Help me not to doubt You and Your Words. Help me to be open to the new things that You have prepared especially for me in this season – remembering always Your promise – that You redeem the soul of Your servants and if I trust in You I shall not be desolate. Help me Lord to remember always. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen! Amen!

Desolate – barren; devastated; lonely, abandoned; deprived; dreary, gloomy

Day 44 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 35:10–36:38; Matthew 27:32-66; Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 9:7-8

______

I Sought the LORD, and He Heard Me
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. – Psalm 34:4

They that Seek the Lord Shall Not Want Any Good Thing
O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.– Psalms 34:9-10

______

A Willing Offering Unto the LORD
The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. – Exodus 35:29 

Filled with the Spirit – In Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, and Workmanship
And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; and to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work. – Exodus 35:30-35 

The Stuff They Had was Sufficient
And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. – Exodus 36:5-7

The Veil Was Made
And he made a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work. – Exodus 36:35

______

A Place Called Golgotha
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. – Matthew 27:32-34 

And They Crucified Him
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. – Matthew 27:35-38 

They Reviled Him and Mocked Him
And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. – Matthew 27:39-44 

Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. –Matthew 27:45-49 

The Veil was Rent in Twain
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. – Matthew 27:50-53

Truly this was the Son of God
Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children. – Matthew 27:54-56 

Joseph of Arimathaea, who was also Himself Jesus’ Disciple
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. – Matthew 27:57-61 

Command Therefore that the Sepulchre Be Made Sure
Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. – Matthew 27:62-66 

“When I take my first step beyond the veil, I will only have just begun Life With The Father.” ~ John G. Lake

______

Rebuke a Wise Man
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. – Proverbs 9:8

______

An Encounter with God
A few years ago, I had an encounter with God reading the passages for this day, and this morning, the Holy Ghost had me revisit it as I read these verses again:

O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.– Psalms 34:9-10

When I got out of bed that morning and left the room I was sleeping in with my grandkids, I forgot to take my eyeglasses. Because of that, I couldn’t see the Word to read my Bible. I could listen to the Daily Audio Bible but had difficulty reading the text, even enlarging it.

I began to scroll through Facebook and for some reason landed on a “live” video of someone I have never listened to for more than a few minutes. I tried to listen to her but she was going in all different directions and I said out loud – JUST GET TO THE POINT! I was annoyed, and as I had done many other times on this particular person’s feeds, I started to get off and move on, but for some reason, I couldn’t. It was the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost let me know loud and clear that He wanted me to stop judging people in the natural and by things like dress or speech patterns and stuff like that. He wants me to go deeper. To learn to hear with spiritual ears and see with spiritual eyes. He let me know that I had to be open to hearing many others and that He would teach me how to discern what I needed to listen to and what was false by checking to see if they lined up with the Word of God. This woman said these things, but the Holy Ghost was having every Word bear witness in my heart. And He began right then and there to teach me in a way that left me in awe.

The first thing He taught me was this. As many have been preaching and the Bible says, there is gross darkness covering the world, but in those moments, He was most concerned about the gross darkness surrounding my heart. In a Word – Jealousy. Bitterness. Offense. I am tired of what these feelings are doing to my life, and He is even more tired of it!!!

God had taken this woman to heaven, and she was talking about your spirit “talking” there – without words to others. That this was possible because hearts and thoughts are known there.

Something “clicked” in me. It wasn’t words that she spoke, but words that the Holy Ghost planted within.

If God knows our hearts here and brings conviction on us and we don’t yield and repent, we won’t be in heaven. Why? Because hearts and thoughts are known in heaven. But those thoughts of jealousy and bitterness and offenses can’t be there. They are wicked. Those seeds we secretly hold on to might be able to remain hidden from others on earth, but you can’t hide them in heaven. Your hearts and your thoughts are known in heaven. No sin is in heaven. This filled me with holy fear. I want to be in heaven with my Father. He wants me there with Him but I am the one who has to make a choice to be obedient to His directions and warnings. He said in the first scripture I posted – there is no want to them that fear Him. Thank You, my GOOD, GOOD FATHER.

On that day, it was personal to me. It applied to me. But this morning it still applied to me, but I saw it differently. This week, I felt the sting of someone jealous of me. Because of that, they lashed out in a way that embarrassed me. I barely knew this person, and that they embarrassed me as they did angered and hurt me, though I knew it was rooted in envy. What I felt was just as nasty though and that was offense!!! And the Lord said this morning – have compassion on them and pray for them like you have never prayed before. PRAY – because the jealousy that they think is no big deal and have not dealt with will have the same result. PRAY – because the offense you have because of jealousy will also have the same result. 

Oh LORD! Forgive me again for allowing offense in my life. Thank You for again convicting and helping me root that out by repenting and fearing You that I might also move freely and forward today with a clean heart. Touch the jealous and offended and open their eyes, Lord. Let them encounter You and bring that same beautiful, life-changing conviction to their heart. Lord, thank You for forgiving me and for teaching me to not harbor jealousies and offenses by teaching me the “whys.” Thank You for bring Your truths so vividly into my life. Help me now to continue to rebuke and turn away from these wicked ways each and every time the enemy raises his voice to try to destroy me. Oh Abba Father, thank You for loving me enough that as I seek You in new ways this day, You have allowed me to find You in new ways just as you did before through Your Word and bringing to remembrance this encounter of a few years ago. Take me Lord deeper in You. Cause me to crave You more than I crave the things of this world or people in this world. Set me on FIRE, FATHER!!!! Let Your FIRE cleanse and purify me. I want to be holy, like You! Help me Lord…I ask in Jesus Name. Amen!!!

Day 43 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 34:1-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 23:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6

______

The Lord’s Way is the Way of Understanding
Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. – Proverbs 9:6

The enemy’s way is foolish. Forsake him. The way of the Lord is the way of understanding. Follow God’s way, and you will live.

Forsake – to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert
Follow – to come after in sequence; to go or come after; to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey; to imitate or copy, to move forward

______

God Reveals Himself
And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. – Exodus 34:5-7

I have never seen something in today’s passages of Exodus. The Lord stood with Moses, and the Lord proclaimed His Name and who He was to Moses…and so to us. Yes, we should declare His Names back to Him and this dying world, but first, He has declared them to us. He is the Lord God, Merciful, Gracious, Longsuffering, abundant in Goodness, abundant in Truth, Forgiving, Just.

Proclaim – to announce or declare officially or formally; to make known publicly or openly

God Warns
Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: – Exodus 34:12

God instructs the children of Israel to be careful entering into new lands; to be careful not to come into agreements with the inhabitants of the land in ways that might change their beliefs of the laws God gave them. This is a good warning for us as well. We should be careful when establishing core relationships. Whether it sounds “politically correct” or not, those we spend the most time with have the most influence on us…whether that group is a work group, a social group, or family.

Heed – to give careful attention to
Snare – anything serving to entrap or entangle; a device for capturing small game; to catch or involve by trickery or wile.

God’s Presence Changes Us
And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. – Exodus 34:29-30

God was concerned that the Israelites would spend time with the inhabitants of the land and be changed. In the same type of way, when we spend time with others, we are changed. When we spend time in the Presence of God, we are changed. He changes us, and the people around us can see the change, just like the children of Israel could see Moses face shining with the Glory of God. There is only one way we can truly be carriers of the Light and that is to spend time in the Presence of the Light of the World. His Name is Jesus!

______

Envy Killed Our Lord
Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. – Matthew 27:15-18 

When we allow envy into our hearts, when we accuse without the proper course, when we harbor jealousy in any form, we will enable the spirit of envy to grow within. The same spirit that took over the Jewish religious leaders and ultimately led to the death of Jesus, our Lord. 

Instead of replaying things in our mind that leads to “no good thing,” how much better had the accusers of Jesus and if we would take a breath, intentionally step away from jealousy, and allow ourselves to hear and receive what we need from the Lord Himself. If we don’t stop the enemy right there in his tracks, we will receive a seed of envy that will grow and, if not rooted up, will produce the seed of murder. It says in this verse that “for envy, they had delivered him.” What killed Jesus? It started with envy.

Getting envy out of our lives is not easy, but from what we see in the scripture above, it is necessary. Here are a few more verses to hide in our hearts to keep us vigilant about noticing and cutting off jealousy and envy in our lives. What other verses would you add to this list? 

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. – Proverbs 14:30

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. – James 3:16

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:21

Jealousy – feeling resentment against someone because of that person’s rivalry, success, or advantages
Envy – the feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another’s advantages, success, possessions.
Covetousness – eager or excessive desire, especially for wealth or possessions

What Evil Hath He Done?
When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. – Matthew 27:19-23

His Blood Be on Us and Our Children
When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. – Matthew 27:24-25

When He Had Scourged Jesus, He Delivered Him to Be Crucified
Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. – Matthew 27:26-28

They Led Jesus Away to Crucify Him
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. – Matthew 27:29-31

______

The Lord Sees and Knows Each of Us
The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considerth all their works. – Psalm 33:13-15

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. – Psalms 33:18-22

The Lord is watching and sees not only what we are doing but what is in our hearts and the actions we take. 

Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. The question now is, do you hope in the Lord? If we are as faithful to hope as He is merciful, what a change we would find in our lives.

Father, I come before You on bended knees thanking You for Your presence that changes me in so many great ways. Thank You Lord for Your warnings and Your Way of Knowledge. Place me on that path Lord and don’t let me stray. I want to live a life abundant in faith, and joy, and love. I want to know You. Lord forgive us when we allow foolish things to grow in our lives. Things like Jealousy, envy, pride. These things You hate because they lead only to eternal death. Show us the areas that we’ve held on to and that we need to surrender. I know that I have spent way more time than I should being jealous of others. Forgive me, Father. I want to live a life of holiness following You. Help me today! Plant Your Word in my heart and plant a life of prayer within me! Set my spirit on FIRE, Lord. I ask in Jesus Name. Amen! Amen

Day 42 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 32-33; Matthew 26:69-27:14; Psalm 33:1-11; Proverbs 8:33-36

https://anchor.fm/melissa-flood/embed/episodes/February-11–2024—My-Presence-Shall-Go-With-Thee-e2fkrdr#?secret=nRm8bYbowF

______

If I have Found Grace in Thy Sight
And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle. And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. – Exodus 33:11-16

Oh God, You know me by name, and You have extended grace to me over and over. Oh Lord, if I have found favor in Your sight today, will You extend Your grace once more and teach me Your ways? Will You tell me what You would have me to know so that I may know more about You, Lord? I want to know You, and I want to know Your ways and continue to find grace in Your sight. God, I am lonely in this place, and I need You to go with me. If not You, who will go with me? Oh Lord, draw me close to You and help me through this day. Give me FIRE and help me to live a HOLY life and a life free of regret and offense.

And God says to me as He said to Moses – My Presence shall go with thee (Melissa), and I will give thee (Melissa) rest.

Thank You, Father. I love You, my Good, Good Father, and Your beautiful Son Jesus. I adore You, wise and comforting Holy Ghost. Thank You for teaching me Your ways this morning through prayer and Your Word and Your still small voice. Thank You for Your rest.

I Beseech Thee, Shew Me Thy Glory
And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: and I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. – Exodus 33:17-23

______

His Words are Truth
Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. – Matthew 26:69-75

Bewrayeth – To reveal or expose; to betray

Well, regarding Peter, I’ve been there and done that. I have been the one weeping bitterly. Sometimes we forget what the Lord has spoken as a prophecy or warning. We think we will go down the right path, and then we find that we didn’t. What a hard truth – that we have the capacity within us to deny Him unless He guides every Word.

Today, I am so thankful for a merciful and forgiving Father. Yesterday a situation came, and with it, the temptation came to use my words for the cause of evil. To curse, to speak doubt, to dishonor. These are temptations, but that is where it all starts. In the temptation, I felt as though the Lord put His mighty hand over my mouth and kept me silent. Oh yes, the Lord’s hand is all that held me back. Without Him, I would mess up my life every day. This morning I am so thankful that I surrendered to His hand.

Thank You for Your mighty Hand, Father. Please continue to put it over my mouth, eyes, and heart that all my life and every word and action would be pleasing to You. In Jesus Name, I pray!!!

They Bound Him, Led Him Away, Delivered Him to Pontius Pilate
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: and when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. –Matthew 27:1-2 

Judas Cast Down the Silver, Departed, Went, and Hanged Himself
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. –Matthew 27:3-5 

The Chief Priests Took the Silver and Bought with Them the Potter’s Field to Bury Strangers
And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me. – Matthew 27:6-10 

When Jesus was Accused He Answered Nothing
And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. –Matthew 27:11-14 

______

The Goodness of the Lord
For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. – Psalms 33:4-5

God allowed Moses to see His glory, and the scripture describes His glory as His goodness.

Lord, will You show me Your glory today. Would You stop everything, even this morning, in this prayer room and pass by as I sit in the “cleft of this rock.” This rock of prayer, worship, and the Word. This little crevice on my own “Mountain of God.”

______

Whoso Findeth Me Findeth Life
Hear instruction, and be wise, And refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death. – Proverbs 8:33-36

Oh my God, You are altogether wise. Would you speak to me today? Father, would You help me to surrender to Your wisdom and knowledge of You and Your ways? Help me watch for Wisdom, for there I find You…and I find LIFE and favor. If I have found favor, Father, touch me today and change me today and send me forth today in Your world. Send me as a light in the darkness—a light in the gross darkness that covers the earth. Lord, if warring in the Spirit in this little prayer room and learning more of Your Word and ways… is my assignment, for now, help me be content. If there is more that You would have me to do, please open Your doors and windows wide. In Jesus Name, I yield and come before You with these requests. Amen. Amen.

Day 41 One-Year Daily Bible Reading – Exodus 30:11-31:18; Matthew 26:47-68; Psalm 32:1-11; Proverbs 8:27-32

https://anchor.fm/melissa-flood/embed/episodes/February-10–2024—Mercy-Shall-Compass-Him-About-e2fjsmb#?secret=UlRHgLFmRA

______

Filled with the Spirit of God
And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee. – Exodus 31:3-6

This is another scripture where the Spirit of God fills the people with wisdom, understanding, knowledge and ability. The scripture says to devise cunning works and do all kinds of crafts and “workmanship.”

Cunning – skill employed in a shrewd or sly manner, craftiness; showing or made with ingenuity. Artfully subtle.

The Sabbath
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. Exodus 31:13-16

God instituted observing the Sabbath as a sign between Himself and each child. It is a part of His never-ending covenant, and honor our part of that perpetual covenant.

Perpetual – continuing or enduring forever; everlasting
Covenant – a solemn agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something. In the Bible a covenant is the conditional promises made to humanity by God, as revealed in Scripture. The agreement between God and the ancient Israelites, in which God promised to protect them if they kept His law and were faithful to Him.

______

I Will Confess My Transgressions Unto the LORD
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old Through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. – Psalm 32:2-5

He that Trusteth
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about. – Psalms 32:10

______

Then Came They, Laid Hands on Jesus, and Took Him
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. – Matthew 26:47-50

Then All the Disciples Forsook Him, and Fled
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. – Matthew 26:51-56

Fled – past tense of flee
Flee – to run away; as from danger or pursuers; take flight; to move swiftly.

Forsook – past tense of forsake.
Forsake – to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert; to give up or renounce

The Chief Priests, Elders, and Council Sought False Witness
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. – Matthew 26:57-60a 

At the Last Came Two False Witnesses, Jesus Held His Peace
At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. – Matthew 26:60b-64 

He Hath Spoken Blasphemy, He is Guilty of Death
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? – Matthew 26:65-68

To me, these are a few of the most heartbreaking words in the Bible. I know the disciples were disappointed and ashamed of themselves. They may have questioned all they had done over the three years prior; everything they had learned. When circumstances disappoint, I often find myself fleeing or wanting to run. How much better would it be to be still, take a deep breath, and ask God for wisdom that we also read about today and are promised to receive?

______

I Am Wisdom (part 2)
When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

Then I was by him, as one brought up with him:
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him;
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
and my delights were with the sons of men.

Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children:
for blessed are they that keep my ways.
– Proverbs 8:27-32

Father, I enter Your presence today filled with gratitude and a heart of joy that You are covering me and carrying me through this time in my life. It is a time of much chaos personally and in our nation, but I know You are here, and You are ordering my steps. Thank You for helping me to keep my emotions in check. Thank You for granting me mercy when I have failed and made oversights. God, I ask You in these next days to help me to trust You more. To help me not to forsake You and flee when the going gets tough. I can’t remain faithful without You, so I ask You for faithfulness. Fill me with Your Spirit afresh today. I ask You for wisdom, knowledge, skill, and ability to handle what is assigned to me. Help me to let go of the dreams and “assignments” I have created, that are not Your plan. Oh God, I want to live pleasing to You. Help me to walk in Your will and Your ways. Help me to trust You alone so that Mercy may compass me about, Oh Lord. I ask this all in Jesus’ holy Name. Amen! Amen!