February 25 - Leviticus 25:24-26:46

Good morning everyone,

This morning in our reading we will first finish up the laws God set down concerning land in reference to Jubilee and then get right into “Reward for Obedience” and “Punishment for Disobedience”. 

While I, always in the past, have found Leviticus to be one of those long, drawn out, hard to read books, I am finding it not to be the case with this year’s readings. It is all so perfectly clear on what God has planned and how He has it all worked out for the way we are to live our lives. With the New Testament came an end to the many blood sacrifices we had to provide for ourselves to make atonement for our sin, thank you Jesus, but by and large, the fundamental guidelines for the way in which we conduct ourselves are basically the same today as they were for the pilgrims Moses led through the desert. God declares that if you will walk in His law, you will be beautifully blessed, however if you wander from His law, you will be unbelievably burdened. The choice is ours to make.

As individuals, for the most part, we have control over how we choose to live our own lives. We can accept God’s love, use the Bible as our standard of living and we can do that with the blessed assurance of a better life. Oh sure, life won’t always be sunshine and lollipops, we will have heartbreak as well as joy; hard times as well as good. God will take us through the valleys  in order to strengthen our faith and/or prepare us for Him to use somewhere down the road to minister to others. Having said that, we are allowed a privilege to lay all of our worries at the foot of the cross and with that know peace that surpasses all understanding. That is a beautiful life!

However, as a nation we lose a lot of that control and will inevitably suffer the “consequence of choice” of others. Many have turned their back on God, shunned Him. We have allowed people from other nations, people who worship other gods and idols, to reside in our country and not held them responsible to the ways of our land. It is not news to anyone that promiscuity, idol worshiping (anything that you revere more than God), and blatant disregard for our heavenly Father and His ways is at an all time high. We are told here in 26:14-36 that if we reject His decrees and abhor His laws and fail to carry out His commands THEN this is what He will do to us: sudden terror, wasting disease, hearts full of fear, the list goes on; all this to say, He will be hostile toward us as a nation. The laws of God are absolute and when violated the consequences are inevitable and severe. But, and here is the really good news, even if we are living in the land of the enemy, controlled by “politically correct” God still cares for us. Personal victory can still be ours. It is yours and it is mine for the taking. All we have to do is remember who we are in Christ, and act accordingly. It won’t always be an easy or popular road to travel but Isaiah 41:13 encourages us with “ For I hold you by your right hand - I the Lord your God and say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, I am here to help you’”. Is that awesome or what?! God loves you, He loves me. He loved us first!

I pray you have a great day. To God be the glory.

God bless you all …