Monday Easter Week Seven -- June 2
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Meditation
Monday, Easter Week Seven, drew the line in the sand for believers. Sunday will be Pentecost. Knowing who would have been on the side of God versus those against God became the issue.
In the Old Testament lesson in Leviticus, Moses and Aaron were front and center establishing the pattern of worship, especially the ordination of the leaders of Israel. Aaron, his sons, and elders of Israel had been chosen to be the priests, to offer sin offerings of bulls and rams. Aaron went first to purify himself and then he was able to receive the offerings of the people, place them on the altar and fire came from heaven, consuming the offerings. The Hebrews believed because they saw God accept the ordination of Aaron et al.
There would be some among the Hebrews, who were not true followers and their disobedience would have fatal results.
The Psalmist was clear on his allegiance to God. He proclaimed that believers were to worship God in holiness, because God was holy. God spoke to Aaron and Moses in the cloud and they obeyed. Obedience to what God wanted resulted in blessings.
The New Testament lesson in Peter continued his highlighting the fact that Christians would suffer. Get used to it. Christ suffered. Believers behaving like Christ would suffer. Expect it. Besides, there would be a huge distinction between the behavior before and after. People, who chose to be aligned with Christ were going to suffer because of the hatred for Christ-followers, would be so focused on preaching the Gospel and surviving, they would not be involved in the behaviors of excess—idolatry, sexual debauchery, drunkenness and shameful excesses. Instead, the goal was to strengthen the ‘spiritual muscle’ in order to be prepared for the onslaught from people that believers used to ‘hang with’ before changing their lives.
What does that mean for us today? Our lives are not threatened much in the western world where religious positions might be scorned but not punished. In the US, religious freedom protects us from being tortured or killed for beliefs.
Not true in the Sudan. Mariam Ibrahim, has been sentenced to death for confessing that she is a Christian, being the daughter of a Muslim man. She will be released in a few days, after giving birth to a healthy daughter last Tuesday, in prison. The pressure has mounted from the international world. However, the Sudanese officials did not elaborate the reason for the release. Sudanese law allows for a convicted mother of an infant to have her sentence postponed for two years while she raises her child for two years—a weaning age. So this could be a temporary stay of execution. They are not saying, but they haven’t said her sentence has been commuted. Keep her and her family in your prayers. We must never forget those who suffer for Christ’s sake.
For ourselves, our challenges may seem small by comparison, but maybe nonetheless difficult for us to deal with. We must seek the ‘exercising of our spiritual muscles’ which you are doing if you are reading this. Reading, studying and reflecting on the Word of God—i.e. always read the Bible—will strengthen anyone, and bolster the ability to respond to every challenge with a Christ-like power.
Thanks be to God.¬¬
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Easter Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 93;2 Kings 2:13-15;John 8:21-30&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Monday, Easter Week Seven
Psalm 99
Leviticus 9:1-11
Leviticus 9:22-24
1 Peter 4:1-6
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Proverbs 3:5-12 King James Version (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
1 Peter 4:1-6
King James Version (KJV)
4 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Holy God, You are so far above us, we cannot enter the Holy of Holies, yet you provided us means to transform—from Aaron and the priests, to Christ sacrificing for our sins—and now we must rise in strength to respond to the evils in our world. Give us eyes to recognize it; voices to protest it; muscles to fight it and power to succeed. In Jesus name. Amen
Conclusion
Monday, Easter Week Seven prepared the believers for the challenges ahead by drawing the line in the sand. This is what God expects of believers. Suffering will be a part of the challenge and the only way to combat it would be to increase holiness. From the Old Testament where Moses and Aaron established priests to be the liaison for purity and holiness to the New Testament where Peter encouraged believers to strengthen themselves in preparation for the onslaught of challenges that anyone might face. In some environments, it may be life or death issues, as it was in the early church, and anyone choosing to face death, would not be spending their time in drunken excesses. For those of us, not facing imminent death for our faith, there is still a challenge for excesses. We must continue to strengthen our spirituality, so that we might be prepared for anything we face, and be good representatives of God.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Monday, Easter Week Seven, drew the line in the sand for believers. Sunday will be Pentecost. Knowing who would have been on the side of God versus those against God became the issue.
In the Old Testament lesson in Leviticus, Moses and Aaron were front and center establishing the pattern of worship, especially the ordination of the leaders of Israel. Aaron, his sons, and elders of Israel had been chosen to be the priests, to offer sin offerings of bulls and rams. Aaron went first to purify himself and then he was able to receive the offerings of the people, place them on the altar and fire came from heaven, consuming the offerings. The Hebrews believed because they saw God accept the ordination of Aaron et al.
There would be some among the Hebrews, who were not true followers and their disobedience would have fatal results.
The Psalmist was clear on his allegiance to God. He proclaimed that believers were to worship God in holiness, because God was holy. God spoke to Aaron and Moses in the cloud and they obeyed. Obedience to what God wanted resulted in blessings.
The New Testament lesson in Peter continued his highlighting the fact that Christians would suffer. Get used to it. Christ suffered. Believers behaving like Christ would suffer. Expect it. Besides, there would be a huge distinction between the behavior before and after. People, who chose to be aligned with Christ were going to suffer because of the hatred for Christ-followers, would be so focused on preaching the Gospel and surviving, they would not be involved in the behaviors of excess—idolatry, sexual debauchery, drunkenness and shameful excesses. Instead, the goal was to strengthen the ‘spiritual muscle’ in order to be prepared for the onslaught from people that believers used to ‘hang with’ before changing their lives.
What does that mean for us today? Our lives are not threatened much in the western world where religious positions might be scorned but not punished. In the US, religious freedom protects us from being tortured or killed for beliefs.
Not true in the Sudan. Mariam Ibrahim, has been sentenced to death for confessing that she is a Christian, being the daughter of a Muslim man. She will be released in a few days, after giving birth to a healthy daughter last Tuesday, in prison. The pressure has mounted from the international world. However, the Sudanese officials did not elaborate the reason for the release. Sudanese law allows for a convicted mother of an infant to have her sentence postponed for two years while she raises her child for two years—a weaning age. So this could be a temporary stay of execution. They are not saying, but they haven’t said her sentence has been commuted. Keep her and her family in your prayers. We must never forget those who suffer for Christ’s sake.
For ourselves, our challenges may seem small by comparison, but maybe nonetheless difficult for us to deal with. We must seek the ‘exercising of our spiritual muscles’ which you are doing if you are reading this. Reading, studying and reflecting on the Word of God—i.e. always read the Bible—will strengthen anyone, and bolster the ability to respond to every challenge with a Christ-like power.
Thanks be to God.¬¬
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Easter Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 93;2 Kings 2:13-15;John 8:21-30&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)
Monday, Easter Week Seven
Psalm 99
Leviticus 9:1-11
Leviticus 9:22-24
1 Peter 4:1-6
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Proverbs 3:5-12 King James Version (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
1 Peter 4:1-6
King James Version (KJV)
4 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Holy God, You are so far above us, we cannot enter the Holy of Holies, yet you provided us means to transform—from Aaron and the priests, to Christ sacrificing for our sins—and now we must rise in strength to respond to the evils in our world. Give us eyes to recognize it; voices to protest it; muscles to fight it and power to succeed. In Jesus name. Amen
Conclusion
Monday, Easter Week Seven prepared the believers for the challenges ahead by drawing the line in the sand. This is what God expects of believers. Suffering will be a part of the challenge and the only way to combat it would be to increase holiness. From the Old Testament where Moses and Aaron established priests to be the liaison for purity and holiness to the New Testament where Peter encouraged believers to strengthen themselves in preparation for the onslaught of challenges that anyone might face. In some environments, it may be life or death issues, as it was in the early church, and anyone choosing to face death, would not be spending their time in drunken excesses. For those of us, not facing imminent death for our faith, there is still a challenge for excesses. We must continue to strengthen our spirituality, so that we might be prepared for anything we face, and be good representatives of God.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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