If anyone knows Melissa…

Day 61 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 25:47–27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 10:22

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Servant of All
And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. – Mark 10:32-45

Jesus didn’t come the way the people imagined. They expected that He had come as a military leader to wipe away Roman oppression and set up the Kingdom of God, promised throughout the Old Testament. 

Jesus did come as that leader, but not as they expected. He didn’t come to first overthrow ungodly leaders and set up a new government, but to establish His Kingdom in the hearts and lives of man.

The disciples, who were closer to Jesus and spent more time with Him than other people, were no different in their expectations. So, Jesus took the opportunity of their arguing over who would be great in His Kingdom, to teach them that to be truly great, you must be a servant to all.

All these years later, expectations have not changed. In our hearts, don’t we often pray, Come, Lord Jesus, but not because we have finished our course? Don’t we sometimes pray that asking that He come and deliver us from the “bad guys,” from sickness, death, and all kinds of evil? Don’t we often focus more on going to heaven ourselves to rule and reign with Him than we do serving and bringing His Kingdom to those in our world that He loves and desires to save? To a lost and dying world?  

Just my thoughts…I preach to myself here!!!

Son of David Have Mercy on Me
And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. – Mark 10:46-48 

What Wilt Thou that I should Do Unto Thee?
And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. – Mark 10:49-52  

Please help us, Father! Please help me! Help me to be Your servant! Give me a burden for the lost and a heart to serve. Help me not to pick and choose but to follow You and live a life of service. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen!

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My Heart is Inditing a Good Manner
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: My tongue is The pen of a ready writer. – Psalm 45:1 

Make His Name to Be Remembered
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. – Psalm 45:17

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Blessing
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. – Proverbs 10:22

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His Servants
For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. –  Leviticus 25:55

If Ye Walk In My Statutes and Keep My Commandments
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. – Leviticus 26:3-4

But If Ye Will Not Hearken Unto Me
But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. – Leviticus 26:14-17

In the Land of Their Enemies I Will Not Cast Them Away
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD. – Leviticus 26:44-45 

All the Tithe of the Land is the LORD’s
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD. – Leviticus 27:30  

Day 60 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 24:1–25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21

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Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth
And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. -Leviticus 24:19-20 

Divine Favor = Divine Responsibility
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God. – Leviticus 24:22

There is not to be one law for the Children of Israel and another rule for strangers. At first glance, it looks like this could favor the stranger in some ways. But this law is for everyone because not only can there not be a separate law for the stranger, but the stranger must abide by every law of the Children of Israel. Therefore they have the same responsibilities.

Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. – Leviticus 25:9-10

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Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me, and Forbid Them Not
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. – Mark 10:13-16

Sell Whatsoever Thou Hast and Give to the Poor
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. – Mark 10:17-22 

Hardly Shall They that have Riches Enter the Kingdom of God
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. – Mark 10:23-27

Lo, We Have Left All and Have Followed Thee
Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. – Mark 10:28-31  

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Who Then Shall Be Saved?
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

You must receive Jesus and trust in Jesus as a child.

And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.

You must trust Jesus alone and let go of your riches (or anything that you put your trust in…friendships, status, heritage)

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? – Mark 10:15, 23, 26

Who then can be saved?

For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved? – Romans 10:13

If you indeed call upon the Name of the Lord, when He calls, you will follow in obedience and leave everything else as the disciples did to put all focus on Jesus and Jesus alone!

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Lips that Feed Many
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. – Proverbs 10:21

Every Secret of Every Heart
If we have forgotten the Name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. – Psalms 44:20-21

No use trying to hide our impurities. The Father knoweth every secret of every heart.

I want to feed many. Help me, God.

Heavenly Father, I come before You this morning to say, I love You. I love You, Your Son, Your Word, and Your Holy Ghost that You have given so freely. Please help me today to follow after You alone and forsake all You would have me to abandon that I might live by Your Word and Your perfect will. Touch my heart that it would be like Yours and that my lips would speak only life-giving words. Father, we have been born into Your Kingdom and are therefore strangers in this land. Please help us to realize the Divine favor that gives but also the Divine responsibility. Help us to live according to Your perfect commands. In Jesus’ precious and holy and wonderful Name, I pray. Amen!!!

Happy Leap Day!

Day 59 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 22:17–23:44; Mark 9:30–10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19

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These are My Feasts
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. – Leviticus 23:1-2 

The Sabbath
Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. – Leviticus 23:3 

The Passover
These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s passover. – Leviticus 23:4-5 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread
And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. – Leviticus 23:6 

The Feast of the First Fruits
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. = Leviticus 23:10-11

The Feast of Weeks
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. – Leviticus 23:15-16 

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God. – Leviticus 23:22 

The Feast of Trumpets
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. – Leviticus 23:24 

The Day of Atonement
Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. – Leviticus 23:27 

The Feast of Booths
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. – Leviticus 23:34 

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They Understood Not that Saying and Were Afraid to Ask Him
And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. – Mark 9:30-32 

What Was it that Ye Disputed Among Yourselves By the Way?
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. – Mark 9:33-37 

No Man Doing a Miracle in My Name Can Lightly Speak Evil of Me
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. – Mark 9:38-40 

Whosoever Shall Offend One of These Little Ones
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. – Mark 9:41-48 

Have Salt in Yourselves and Have Peace One with Another
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. – Mark 9:49-50  

Is it Lawful for a Man to Put Away His Wife?
And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judæa by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. – Mark 10:1-4 

What God Hath Joined Together, Let No Man Put Asunder
And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. – Mark 10:5-12 

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He that Refraineth His Lips is Wise
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: But he that refraineth his lips is wise. – Proverbs 10:19 

When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable, But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise. – Proverbs 10:19 AMP

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I Will Not Trust in My Bow, Neither Shall My Sword Save Me
For I will not trust in my bow, Neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, And hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, And praise thy name for ever. Selah. – Psalm 44:6-8  

Day 58 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 20:22–22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5; Proverbs 10:18

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My Exceeding Joy
O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. – Psalms 43:3-4

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The Kingdom of God Shall Come with Power
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. – Mark 9:1 

He was Transfigured Before Them
And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. – Mark 9:2-10 

Elias is Indeed Come
And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him. – Mark 9:11-13 

What Question Ye with Them?
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? – Mark 9:14-16 

Thy Disciples Could Not Cast Him Out
And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. – Mark 9:17-22 

If Thou Canst Believe
Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. – Mark 9:23-27 

This Kind Can Come Forth by Nothing, But by Prayer and Fasting
And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. – Mark 9:28-29

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Separation
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. – Leviticus 20:22-25 

These last years, I have lost some close friends to other friendships and new callings. I don’t take offense at it, but there are days I look back, and on those days, I sometimes ask why. Then the Holy Ghost brings to remembrance that I asked the Lord to be my closest friend. I asked Him to show me the truth of “deep calling unto deep.”

This passage touches me because I know there is a promised land. I know the Father is answering prayer. And though it has required a cost I never counted, the Holy Ghost is taking me to deep places that I likely would have ignored if life were busy with a larger circle of friends. The Lord, my God, has separated me from other people (as the scripture says of the Israelites in today’s passage) for His Glory and my good. It is the Lord that does this…

I know if He has separated me, He has separated others.

That They Profane Not My Holy Name
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. – Leviticus 22:1-2  

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He That Hideth Hatred
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. – Proverbs 10:18

So often, I have had offense and anger toward someone and think the right thing to do is “fake it till I make it.” This verse tells me that approach is foolish. I don’t need to fake anything because faking is a lie. I need to deal with the hatred, the anger – what is according to scripture a spirit of murder.

Help me, Lord, to deal with anger that left unattended turns to so many other things as it grows. Please help me not to speak evil or with evil intent regarding others.

Forgive me, Lord, for those times I have failed in this area. Holy Ghost, I ask You to do Your work in my life right here, right now.  Jesus, please help me to bring these things to You rather than to deal with them myself or by taking them to otheres. Help me to cast away the sinful things in my heart. Help me to remember that the consequences of picking up this kind of evil are to be a fool and separated from Your glorious Presence. Such wickedness is not worth that high cost. Help me, Father. I can’t do it without Your grace. But with in the strength of Your grace, I know I can do all things.

Day 57 One-Year Daily Bible ReadingLeviticus 19:1 – 20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42; Proverbs 10:17

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MY Sabbath and MY Sanctuary
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:30

One little (huge) Word in this verse struck me this morning. MY. God doesn’t say THE sabbath or THE sanctuary. He says MY sabbath and MY sanctuary!

It is sad how few of us keep His sabbath and give reverence to His Sanctuary. Preaching to myself here!!! Some say it is just a building, and that is in some ways right, but most church sanctuaries were set apart for the Lord when they were initially built. Over time they have changed. But even if it were true that it is just a building or part of the building,  the way we treat God’s house (the building) is very representative of how we keep God’s house (our heart). You say, well, His Sabbath is actually on Saturday. It is just a day. But then Saturday or Sunday, if we keep His Sabbath day by treating it as just another day, it very likely an indication of how little time is given to God every day.

This passage hits home for me and brings me conviction. I am more apt to revere His sanctuary (the building) than my heart, His Sanctuary.  Do we treat our hearts and what goes in our hearts with reverence? Do we regularly clean out anything that is not in line with His Word and His Way? In the same line, keeping His Sabbath, as  He created His Sabbath to be, has become less and less a day of rest and worship and more like just an hour or two at church before we go out to lunch and then head off to other things of this world. If we keep on the path of slowly eliminating one thing and then another that we think doesn’t matter, eventually there will be only shells of the church but no real church. It is not just a building. If we aren’t gathering together, we are scattered abroad. When I see old churches that are closed down, I often wonder where the people are now.

Keep – To hold to; retain in one’s possession; not to lose or part with; to preserve; to retain; to tend to.

Reverence – Fear mingled with respect; to regard with respect and affection. We reverence superiors for their age, their authority, and their virtues. We should reverence God, His Word, and His ordinances; an act of respect such as a bow or a curtsy.

God help me to keep your instructions, even as You told us in our Proverb today, that I might be on the correct path – the Way of LIFE. Help Your church, Father!!!

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Keep His Instruction
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. – Proverbs 10:17

Keep His instruction, and you will be on the right path; refuse it, and you will lose your way.

Erreth – to go astray in thought or belief; be mistaken; be incorrect; to deviate from the Truth

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Thirst
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? – Psalms 42:2

Thirst is a hard thing to bear. Thirst, if left unfulfilled, can cause desperation and panic. This verse makes me ask myself, am I thirsty for God? Am I desperate to appear before Him, to draw close to Him and know Him? Help me, Lord, to thirst for You!!!

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Why Doth this Generation Seek After a Sign?
And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side. – Mark 8:11-13 

How is it That Ye Do Not Understand?
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? – Mark 8:14-21 

He Put His Hands Again Upon the Blind Man’s Eyes
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town. – Mark 8:22-26

Who Do You Say That I Am?
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. – Mark 8:27-30

We each have a personal relationship with Jesus. He asks each of us, Who do you say that I am? Jesus is not interested in you saying what you heard the person next to you saying. He is not interested in what you read on the internet. He wants to know who you say He is, what is in your heart regarding Him.

Get Thee Behind Me Satan
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. – Mark 8:31-33 

Whosoever will come after Me…
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34

Deny yourself– to refrain from satisfying one’s desires or needs; practice self-denial
Take up your cross – to hold, grasp or grip; pick up; receive and accept willingly
Follow Him –  to come after; to conform to, comply with, obey; to imitate or copy; to go in pursuit of

What Shall a Man Give in Exchange for His Soul?
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. – Mark 8:35-38 

Day 56 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 16:29–18:30; Mark 7:24–8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 10:15-16

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Yet the Dogs Under the Table Eat of the Children’s Crumbs
And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. – Mark 7:24-30

And Straightway His Ears Were Opened
And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; and were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. – Mark 7:31-37 

They that Had Eaten Were About Four Thousand
In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away. And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. – Mark 8:1-10

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The Blood
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. – Leviticus 17:11

Life is in the Blood. Thank You for Your blood, Jesus. Your Blood is LIFE to me. Your Blood made atonement for me. Your Blood heals, delivers, cleanses, saves.

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The Destruction of the Poor
The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: The destruction of the poor is their poverty. – Proverbs 10:15 

The Labour
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. – Proverbs 10:16

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23

The fullness of life is God’s reward to those rooted in Him and living out their faith. It’s incredible how God came down and took our place on the Cross that we may be made righteous. It’s amazing how we can just believe in Jesus and have eternal life but also then become a channel of LIFE (the labour) to bring others to believe (tendeth) in Jesus (Life) that they may also be a channel of LIFE….and it goes on and on.

Blessed is He that Considereth the Poor
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: And thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. – Psalm 41:1-2 

Everlasting to Everlasting
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. – Psalms 41:13

Psalm 41 affirms to me that the Lord is my first and my last. Jesus is my everything. He is here when I need Him and when I suffer and go through various trials. When I am in the midst of hard things for His Name, Holy Ghost is closer than I can ever realize or comprehend. He is my Hope, my deliverer, and He is my very present help in my time of need. I bless my God and my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the precious and ever-present Holy Ghost.

Blessed – Worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship; divinely or supremely favored
Everlasting – eternal; lasting forever
Amen – It is so; so be it

Please help me, Father, today!!! Touch my mind, body, and my spirit that I may live this day pleasing to You. In Jesus Name, I pray! Amen and Amen!!!

Day 55 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14

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Let All Those that Seek Thee Rejoice and Be Glad
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: Let such as love thy salvation say continually, the LORD be magnified. – Psalm 40:16 

Poor and Needy, Yet…
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou are my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. – Psalms 40:17

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An Issue of Blood
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. – Leviticus 15:25-28

This passage makes me think about the woman with the issue of blood (found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48).  She had 12 years of continuous bleeding and so 12 years of separation and uncleanness. Imagine what she was going through and her desperation as she went through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. She had to have touched others because, according to scripture, there were many pressing in. She couldn’t have been proclaiming “unclean,” as was the law. She went for it. Had she not been healed, perhaps she would have been killed by those she “defiled” that day. This woman took a great risk. Her risk shows us how strong her desperation was but even more how strong her faith was. She was poor and needy, yet Jesus met her there!

Why Separate them?
Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. – Leviticus 15:31

The children of Israel had to be separated when they were unclean because God dwelt in the tabernacle that was among them. Sin cannot be in the presence of the Almighty God. If a person is in sin in His Presence, they die as Aaron’s sons died. Moses and the Israelites took so much care when they went before the Lord. Have we become too flippant about that? If we carry the Spirit of God within us everywhere we go, if we are the Temple and God resides in us, should we not consider the state of our hearts?  Can God live where unholiness and sin abides? Teach me, Holy Ghost!!!

Speak Unto Aaron that He Come Not into the Holy Place
And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; and the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. – Leviticus 16:1-2 

Aaron Offered the Sin Offering and Made an Atonement for Himself and His House
Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. – Leviticus 16:3-6 

The Goat on Which the Lot Fell Will be the Scapegoat
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. – Leviticus 16:7-10 

One Goat Shall Bear the Iniquities; One Goat Shall be Let Go in the Wilderness
and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. – Leviticus 16:21-22

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Understanding vs. Lack of Understanding
In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction – Proverbs 10:13-14

One of the fruits of those with understanding is wisdom. Those that lack understanding will go through the discipline and pain of correction and consequences.  

This verse goes right along with some of our other scripture today. What comes out of the mouth shows what is in the heart. If understanding comes out, there is wisdom. The fruit of the mouth that is void of understanding will be destruction.

Those passages remind me of another verse:

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. – Luke 6:45

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When They Saw the Disciples Eating Bread with Unwashen Hands They Found Fault
Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. – Mark 7:1-4 

Why Walk Not Thy Disciples According to the Tradition of the Elders?
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. – Mark 7:5-7 

Ye Hold the Tradition of Men and Reject the Commandment of God
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. – Mark 7:8-13 

Not What Enters but what Comes Out that Defiles
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. – Mark 7:14-16

Are Ye So Without Understanding Also?
And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? – Mark 7:17-19

Things that Defile
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. – Mark 7:20-23

I like the Amplified version of these verses because it explains them a bit.

And He said, What comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and render [him] unhallowed. For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, Coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous ad destructive wickedness, deceit; unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride (the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness). All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed. – Mark 7:20-23 AMP

Day 54 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12

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Love Covers 
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. – Proverbs 10:12

Love covers all sins. ALL means ALL!!!!

Cover – to protect or conceal; to hide from view, screen; to place something over or upon, as for protection, concealment, or warmth.

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They Told Jesus What They Had Done and What They Had Taught
And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. – Mark 6:30

They Were as Sheep Without a Shepherd
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. – Mark 6:31-34 

Give Ye Them to Eat
And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. – Mark 6:35-38 

They Did All Eat and were Filled
And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. – Mark 6:39-44 

He Departed Into a Mountain to Pray
And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. – Mark 6:45-46 

Jesus teaches his disciples by example that there comes a time in ministry that it is necessary to depart from everyone’s company so that you can spend time alone with God. Jesus went alone to the mountain to pray. He prioritized His time along with God. Jesus needed that particular time with God because people needed Jesus and the power and authority He carried. His time with His Father was His source of strength and power. Jesus teaches there is a time for fellowship and work, but there is equally a time for rest and solitude and communing with the Father. That time prepared Him, and it will prepare us for what lies ahead. So, what lay ahead for Jesus?

They Considered Not the Miracle of the Loaves
And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: for they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. – Mark 6:47-52 

As Many as Touched Him Were Made Whole
And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. – Mark 6:53-56

All those that touched Him, even the edge of His garment, were healed and made whole. His power came from His time with His Father in prayer.

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I Waited Patiently for the LORD
I waited patiently for the LORD: and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings – Psalm 40:1-2

Sacrifice and Offering Thou Didst Not Desire
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. – Psalms 40:6, 8

A life following God is a life of sacrifice and offering. But, God cares more about our obedience than what we sacrifice or give. He opens our ears, eyes, and our hearts so that we can hear and live by His commands.  Living by His law is an action that leads to delight in His will and His ways. When you are filled with the Holy Ghost, sacrifice and offering still won’t be required, but you will give them because You will have His heart and His is a heart that serves and gives. 

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Atonement
And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.

And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the Lord.

Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the Lord.

But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean. – Leviticus 14:18, 20, 29, 31, 53

We are still reading all about cleansing, purifying, skin diseases (leprosy), and mildew! JESUS can take care of all of these and has taken care of all of these. JESUS made our atonement on the Cross of Calvary. He did it all. He said, It is finished. We have the tremendous privilege and ability to be made right by Jesus by believing in Him and confessing Him and following Him. His blood cleanses us, heals us, and makes us whole. From what? Sickness and disease, oppression and possession, things like insecurities, doubts, fears, regret, shame, and an eternal death and life in hell. Jesus paid it all.

To Teach When it is Unclean and When it is Clean
This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall, and for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house, and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot: to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy. – Leviticus 14:54-57

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Thank You so much, Father, that You sent Your precious Son, Jesus, to make atonement for my sins. Thank You, that You don’t desire or require sacrifices, but You provided the perfect sacrifice in Jesus Christ. Oh, heavenly Father, let me always keep Your price in the forefront of my mind. Such great LOVE that came to this earth and covered all of my sins. Such great LOVE that saved me from hell and gave me Eternal Life. Such great LOVE – His Name is Jesus!!! I am thankful, and I praise and glorify the Lamb of God today. He covered my sins. He was the atonement for ME. He did it willingly. Father, Your Word says that if I love YOU, I will keep Your commandments. Help me, God. Help me to obey and to delight in Your will more than I ever thought that I could. Help me prioritize my time with You as Jesus did that I may hear and follow Your every command immediately. Oh, Father, during this time of fasting, help me to pray like never before. Please help me to get into the Word like never before. Help me to draw closer to You than I ever imagined I could. Fill me again to overflowing with Holy Ghost. Fill me again with Your power. Anoint me to do the work You have assigned to me…and I will give You alone the Glory, the honor, and the praise. In Jesus Precious Name, I pray. Amen

Day 53 One-Year Daily Bible Passages – Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 6:1-29; Psalm 39:1-13; Proverbs 10:10

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Defiled
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.– Leviticus 13:45-46

Today’s reading in Leviticus would be easy to bypass. It is a lot of instructions about leprosy and skin diseases. God had to instruct the Israelites because they had never lived outside of captivity or in a wilderness. They didn’t have modern medicines, antibiotics, emergency rooms like we do. They couldn’t look up their symptoms on WebMD. If they caught a disease and someone didn’t deal with it and them aggressively, it could be tragic for the whole nation. God had to set up their government, and He also had to teach them many things, including cleanliness.

We know that God put these instructions in the Bible, which means they are eternal, so also for us today. To find the spiritual application, we must look below the surface as the priests had to look below the surface to see if a disease had defiled the body. That being said, we don’t have to look too far.

If something is on the surface, it can be dealt with quickly—a little quarantine. Serious problems can cause deeper issues if left unattended. The problem is we can’t always see that it is happening.  Uncleanliness (sin) on the surface of our lives – whether in body, mind, or spirit – shouldn’t be left to grow and fester. Sin not dealt with will threaten our eternal lives and touch everything and everyone around us, much like the effects of leprosy.  What kinds of things? Well, to name a few – jealousy, competition, gossip, bitterness, anger, lust. The list goes on and on, but these types of sins are not easily seen in their beginnings.

Reveal the hidden sins in my life today, Father, that I might deal with them now and live a clean and holy life. Help me, Holy Ghost, to yield to all You are doing in and through me. In the precious Name of Jesus! Amen!

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Dumb (with silence)
That I May Know How Frail I Am
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. – Psalms 39:1-5, Psalm 39:7

It is incredible how slow life sometimes seems but how fast life can turn around. One day, you are young, and the next, you are old. One day, you are healthy, and the next, your body has started showing signs of age and deterioration. One day, you are pleased where you are, and the next, you look for something different. The things that never bothered you before are, for some reason, now daunting. Life, indeed, is fleeting.

Teach us to number our days, Lord. Teach us not to take one day for granted. To work while we are able and to also prepare for the time when we can’t. Help us trust You in each season and realize that even if we are still young, we are all very frail…without YOU!!!

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Is Not This the Carpenter, the Son of Mary?
And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. – Mark 6:1-3

Dishonored
But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. – Mark 6:4-6

Familiarity will cause us to reject what God is doing in someone’s life. The rejection looks like unbelief but also could have roots of jealousy, pride, and bitterness. But, familiarity issues don’t have to have all that. Sometimes we don’t hear the Word from someone familiar – someone we are used to hearing preach or teach the Word. You can listen to your Pastor preach a sermon and feel almost nothing, but an evangelist can come in and give the same Word, and you respond.

Help us, Jesus, not to dishonor what You are doing in and through others!!!

He Began to Send Them Forth Two and Two
And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; and commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: but be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. – Mark 6:7-10

Whosoever Shall Not Receive You, Nor Hear You
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. – Mark 6:11

They Went Out
And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. – Mark 6:12-13 

Herod Said It is John Whom I Beheaded
And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. – Mark 6:14-16 

Herod Knew John was a Just Man
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. – Mark 6:17-20 

When a Convenient Day was Come
And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his Lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; and when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. – Mark 6:21-28 

When His Disciples Heard
And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. – Mark 6:29 

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Distressed
He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. – Proverbs 10:10

My dad always taught me not to trust anyone who winks. He must have read this verse because in my opinion, the message of this verse is that one who winks does not take wickedness and foolishness seriously.

Had the priests in Leviticus not taken leprosy seriously and had they winked at the uncleanliness of even one person, that uncleanliness would have spread until it couldn’t be contained.

There is no room to ignore (or wink at) any sin or wickedness. There is no room to wink at (or ignore) the person committing that sin and wickedness. Yes, we are to love the sinner and hate the sin, but we need to be very careful in our “loving” them, that we do not give a wink to their sin in any way.

People need to know that their sin is of the enemy, and it is not WHO they are.  God created them to live for Him and believe in His Son and follow Jesus by the power of the Holy Ghost.

But, the enemy comes to drag them away to the life of sin. The person in front of you is precious to God, but the sin is not. He doesn’t wish that any should perish, so He won’t, and we shouldn’t ignore the sin and uncleanliness that festers. If we do, it can be as tragic as it would have been for the children of Israel.

If someone calls out sin in your life, don’t despise it. It might not feel wonderful at the moment, but they didn’t wink at your sin, which is the most loving thing they can do. To not call it out will cause eternal distress for the person as opposed to the temporary distress of one dealing with their sin. One glorious day, someone called out my sin, and I often think where would I be, had they not had the courage to confront me!!!

Give us boldness and great courage, God, to take the authority given to us by Your Son Jesus to confront the evil all around us. In Jesus Name, fill us with Your FIRE to work today for You and all for Your Glory. Amen!!!