Holy Ground [ Exodus 3 v1- 6 ]

I have read the book of Leviticus many times, but personally I have not studied it in depth,at this time I am studying it,using as a help a book by Derek Tidball ,I am up to chapter 8 and have found this book very helpful,
this chapter deals with the ordination of Aaron and his sons.This was carried out publicly by Moses,for all to see,it was not done in secret.The first thing that was done was,they were washed,symbolically indicating
cleansing.there is standard for all Christian ,holiness,besetting sins must be dealt with.So from cleansing to clothing.and it is here that DT points out that there is no mention of footwear,I never noticed that before ,indicating
that they performed their duties barefoot,as DT points out,''as was considered fitting for those who were standing on holy ground in the
presence of the Lord''My mind turned to the time when Moses met with God at the burning bush,and was told,'' Take  of your sandals, for the place
where you are standing is holy ground''[Exodus 3 v 5 ]Now I am not saying that we should take of our shoes  when we come to worship Him,but I would say we should at all times remember that God is Holy.Robert Louis Stevenson,would conduct family worship in the mornings for his household.
he always concluded by praying the Lords Prayer.One morning in the middle of the prayer,he left the room.His wife followed him ,thinking he was unwell.He told her, I am not fit to pray the Lords Prayer.''Robert had suddenly discovered that when one comes into Gods presence we are standing on Holy Ground.

                                      This is the place
                                      Where dreams are found,
                                      Where vision comes
                                      Called holy ground.

                                       Holy ground,
                                       I'm standing on holy ground
                                       For the Lord my God
                                       Is here with me.

                                       Your fire burns
                                       But never dies;
                                       I realise
                                       This is holy ground.

                                       The Great I Am,
                                       Revealed to man;
                                       Take off your shoes,
                                       This is holy ground.
                                    
                                       [Words by Dave
                                         Bilbrough]

Tiny sins and big sins.[ James 2 v10 ]

The Roman Catholic church teaches that there are two classes of sin, mortal and venial '',Mortal sin is described because it is a great offence against the law of God, and is so called because it is deadly ,killing the soul and subjecting it to eternal punishment. It can be forgiven. but they believe that an unknown amount of punishment remains to be expiated in purgatory. Venial sins on the other hand, are small and pardonable offences against God or our neighbour. Technically, venial sins need not to be confessed since they are comparatively light and can be expiated by good works, prayers, extreme unction,and the torments of purgatory''[Loraine Boettner]It is Derek Tidball who says that there is no hierarchy of sin, and yet many people see that there is, of course there are sins that are more serious ,and yet all sin in Gods eyes is serious. God we are told is holy and the reality is that all sin is equally offensive to God, He looks not on any sin in a light manner,and will judge the offender,our human reasoning thinks that, the Hitlers,child murders,etc deserve hell,in fact we would rule  them out of ever getting into heaven.But the fact is even one sin would bar us from heaven,because in Gods sight all sin is an act of rebellion,and must be
dealt with ,rebels will never be allowed into heaven. Until we see sin in its entirety, and that it needs  forgiven, we will never be saved, never.
                                    
                                         A  prayer.
Dear God help us all to see the seriousness of all sin,that there is no hierarchy of sin,that all sin needs to be forgiven ,or it will condemn us to a lost eternity,in Jesus name we ask this Amen.

The fire is extinguished [Isaiah 53 ]

Let us return to that verse in Leviticus 6 v13,''The fire must be kept burning
on the altar continuously, it must not go out''. Consider what this may mean
in relation to Christ ,for as Derek Tidball writes,'' The ultimate significance of  Leviticus finds its fulfilment in Christ''.It was John the Baptist who called Jesus the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.[ John 1v29],and in that great chapter of Isaiah 53,we read of one who was a lamb
being led to the slaughter[v7 ].Now consider those words in Leviticus as regards the fire on the altar not going out. In Hebrews 12v29 and Deuteronomy 4 v24, we are told that God is a consuming fire, the animals
that were sacrificed by fire, reminds us of Gods wrath  being poured out, continually. All through Israel's history the fire on the altar would continually be as it were be poured out on the animals that were sacrificed. So it would continue until the lamb of God, Jesus would experience the wrath of God for all who would be saved, in other words the wrath of God that was their due would be extinguished, they would be saved from wrath to come.[1 Thessalonians 1v10]For as we are told in Isaiah 53 v10,that it was the Lords will to crush him, the result would be ,those who trusted in Him would not be crushed.So it is that on a coming day those who have not trusted Him will be crushed.

                           The wrath of God that was my due
                            upon the Lamb was laid.
,

Do it. .[Philippians 2 5 -11]

In the book of Leviticus 6 v13 we read that ,''The fire must be kept burning on the altar continually it must not go out'' First of we see it was a command of God, let us consider what it meant for them, it meant what it said, it was as simple as that, God said it they must simple do it. there's was to reason why ,there's was to obey .May be there were those serving in the tabernacle,
may have  thought it was beneath them to do that job. Listen any job, task God gives us to do is important,no matter what it is. Consider that great an important lesson Jesus taught us when he took a bowl of water, and washed the disciples feet. He said'', I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you[John 13 v15]Jesus said that He was a servant[Luke 22v27],  consider those awe inspiring words we read in Philippians 2v6-7,''Who being in the very nature  God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped ,but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant''. Today the challenge comes afresh to us to serve,
no if's or but's, do it, no matter how lowly a task it is.
                                            A  prayer.
Dear Lord as you served others, so help us all to be  obedient servants, Amen.

We prayed. [ Acts 12 v12 ]

We prayed. A fellow Christian has Parkinson, when my wife called to see  his wife, she was distressed, her husband was not responding in her efforts to wake him up. My wife phoned me asking me to inform the prayer chain that is set up in our fellowship. This I did and of course I prayed for him, later in the morning ,my wife and I called to see them, and the good news was ,the brother was awake, and reasonably bright, I heard the lady saying that it was an answer to prayer. We prayed,have faith, yes ,faith when you pray, that God hears and answers our prayers. I know there are things we pray about and they are not answered, or so it appears, but the fact is this, we are encouraged and challenged to pray, and keep praying, trusting God whose ways are perfect, and one who will never cause his children to shed a needless tear. So keep on praying,and when we get to heaven we will be surprised to discover just how many times God has intervened, on behalf of others, because we prayed.

                                       By Thy birth,Thy cross,Thy passion,
                                       By Thy tears of deep compassion,
                                       By Thy mighty intercession,
                                       Lord and Saviour,help us.
                                        [Words Henry Alford ]

Think spiritually [Psalm 73 ]

In a movie ,one he character is looking down on someone she loved, she was breaking her heart, because he was dead. She looks to a friend who is standing by, and asks why does it hurt so much, and he replies, because it was real. A person I know who lost his wife many years ago, and yet he still
mourns her death, and he asks the same question that the character asked in that movie, why after all those years does it hurt so much, and the reply is the same as was spoken in the movie, ''because it was real''. How does one cope, how are you coping with your losses and cross's?. The godly people 
in the bible experienced  trials, observed the evil ,and struggled to cope
with what they saw and were going through. I have been following Selwyn
Hughes comments on Psalm 73,which I have found helpful. It is all about a man who was struggling, he did not blurt out his doubts to anyone but sought God, and received an answer. Selwyn points out that the man had been allowing a human viewpoint to dominate his thinking rather than thinking spiritually about his problem. Ultimately Selwyn writes ,''the problems and difficulties of life are all spiritual, so the sooner we learn to think spiritually the better we will be''. That man who lost his wife ,whom he loved dearly,told me looks at a verse which reads,'' And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God''[Romans 8 v28 ],and those words comfort Him, even though he does not fully understand the reason why his wife died, so it is, like him we must think spiritually,
                                      A  prayer.
Dear God help us to think spiritually, to resist the temptation, to give into
doubt and despair, in Jesus name Amen.

Are you thirsty. [ John 4 v 10- 15 ]

I have just purchased a smart TV, I don't thing I will be smart enough to use it other than for ordinary TV. Why is it called a smart TV?, has it been to 
university?, how many O, OR A, levels has it? It again bears in upon me how things have changed, an older brother said they had when he was young a TV, with an nine inch screen. Modern TV screens are getting bigger and bigger. there was time long ago when it was questionable to have TV,it was considered worldly. Now ,that has all changed, leaders of a church years ago, forbid their members to own a TV, but now those same leaders are appearing on TV.I wonder if the thought ,man shall not live for TV alone, is  appropriate for this generation?, we could also apply to  so many things, to  sport ,to buying ,to sex. Do we live in sex grazed world?we can make gods of anything, and everything. I knew a person when he was dying ,he found it hard that he would not be able to drive his car.In our home group we have been looking at the book of Ecclesiastes, it was written by Solomon because he was so rich, and so powerful, he tried everything possible,but in the end, found so much that he tried, pointless ,and meaningless. God speaking of his people, said they had forsaken Him, the spring of living water, for that which could not satisfy.[Jeremiah 2 v 13 ]. It is our Saviour who cried out,''If anyone is thirsty , let him come unto me and drink.[John7 v 37]
                          
                                  Are you thirsty?