February 8, 2023
Daily Reading – Exodus 29-30 / Matthew 24:1-26

 

GOD’S WORD:

Exodus 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.

 

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    To most people who know me, they know that I am an early riser. Well, early according to most people that is. Somewhere between 4 and 5:30 AM is my normal time to get up, make a pot of coffee, and then spend time in prayer, reading, God’s Word, and writing about what I have read. That is where these Daily Devotions come from. I choose to do so because there are very few interruptions for me at that time of day. The robot (nuisance) callers have not begun their pestering calls yet. Most people are still sleeping or taking a shower getting ready for work or school. This is a great time for me to be alone with God, pray, and meditate on His Word.

 

    While reading Exodus we find this morning schedule was part of God’s desire for the priests of that day as well. Incense was to resemble the sweet smell of prayers offered to the Lord. David the Psalmist prayed in Psalm 141:2; “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” I know some of you may be thinking, “well that is good for you preacher, but I am not a priest.” However, 1 Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” Spend a little quiet time with God each day. It will do you well and may cause a sweet aroma in Heaven.

 

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    In your quiet time of meditation this week, try saying this verse back to God. Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” 

 

What is your daily time of meditation like?

 

 

February 7, 2023
Daily Reading – Exodus 27-28 / Matthew 23:23-39

GOD’S WORD:

Exodus 28:34-35 … a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening…?” If you have ever been around a horse drawn sleigh or wagon, and the harness of the horse were fitted with bells, there is a constant jingle-jangle all the while they are in earshot. Even standing still, or somewhat still, with every move there is a sound from those bells. Then, as they begin to trot off, a jingling rhythm is created for the listeners to hear. You always know when they are around. The Jingle-Jangle gives them away.

    The robes crafted for the High Priest to wear into the Holy of Holies were also made with bells on the hem. They may have looked decorative, but they also had a function. Exodus 28:35 tells us of the function. It says, “And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.” You see only the High Priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies. Before they went in, they were to go through a purification ritual. Sacrifice was made for their own sin. During this ritual a Priest would tie a rope to the ankle of the High Priest before they went into the presence of God. They would stand outside to listen for the Jingle of the bells on the robe. Since no Priest was allowed in the Holy of Holies, if it stopped for a considerable time, they would pull him out with the rope. The idea of sin in the presence of God would not be allowed. Our life in Ministry matters.

     

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    God sent His Son Jesus to pay the price for our sinfulness. It is the blood of Jesus that blocks our sin from the sight of God. However, God still says, be ye Holy. Why? Well, that is simple, because He is Holy and still hates sin.

In your life of ministry, would your bells still ring?

Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”
Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12

February 6, 2023
Daily Reading – Exodus 25-26 / Matthew 23:1-22

 

GOD’S WORD:

Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

 

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    Have you ever seen a home where the owner built what is affectionately called a “mother-in-law apartment?” It is often a beautiful place, not too far from the main residence. It is also not too close to the main house either. Close enough to get to if there is an emergency. Far enough away not to intrude on the privacy of the main house..

    Sadly, that is how many people look at their relationship with Christ today. God is always there in case of an emergency but kept far enough away not to interfere with daily life. That my friend is not Christianity, that is insanity.

    God told Moses how to build a place in the center of Israel’s camp so that He would be very near every tent, and more important, the people in that tent. God said Exodus 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” God did not desire to be a God called out of Heaven. He wanted them to know just how close He really was. His desire was to dwell among them.

    One day in glory, we will all see exactly what He intended. Revelation 21:3 “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” 

 

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    One way we know we are saved is that God dwells in us today. 1 John 4:13 “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” 

 

Where do you go to find God in times of trial?
Is that the only time you seek Him?

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Exodus 24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and alaw, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    How many times have you planned an event with someone else or written a contract to be signed at a later date, when in the midst of it all one party will say, “well, it is not written in stone, we can still change things.” This simply means, we have not completely made up our minds. It is not the final draft. Things can still be changed if need be. However, at some point, decisions must be made, and a final journal written out.

 

     In Exodus 24:3 it says; “And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.” The children of Israel have heard the words of God and agreed to them. I have to wonder if anyone in the crowd may have said to themselves, “well, nothing is really written in stone.” That would not to be true for long. God was about to write these things down for Moses to teach on tables of stone. The journal of God’s conversation would literally be concrete.

 

     When we accepted Christ, an even more permanent writing took place. 2 Corinthians 3:3 “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” That is concrete. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    God’s Words are always concrete. They never change. His promises and prophesies are eternal. When He promised to save you, He did. When He said Jesus is coming again, He will. The journal of the Words of God we call the Bible, are concrete.
 

Has God written on the table of your heart?

 

 THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

    God has been planning this journey for a long time. He is not about to leave any detail undone as we have seen in…

 

 ● The Judgement Comes
 ● The Journey Considered
 ● The Joyous Chorus
 ● The Jethro Counsel
 ● The Jealous Comfort
 ● The Journal Concrete

    He has prepared for our Life’s Journey with just as much detail and concern. We just need to learn to let Him lead!

 

     Enjoy today with your church and hear what God has prepared in the heart of His man for you this week.

   See you tomorrow.  

 

 SUNDAYS:

    Today we suggest you read and study whatever the Lord has laid on your Pastors heart. Whatever scripture he uses for today’s messages were given to him by God for your specific needs.

 

February 6, 2023	Exodus 25-26	Matthew 23:1-22
February 7, 2023	Exodus 27-28	Matthew 23:23-39
February 8, 2023	Exodus 29-30	Matthew 24:1-26
February 9, 2023	Exodus 31-33	Matthew 24:27-51
February 10, 2023	Exodus 34-35	Matthew 25:1-30
February 11, 2023	Exodus 36-38	Matthew 25:31-46
February 12, 2023	No Passages Assigned

God’s Preparations For Life

February 3, 2023
Daily Reading – Exodus 20-22 / Matthew 21:23-46

 

GOD’S WORD:

Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 

 

GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    I remember when two twin babies sat in our living room, neither of them yet two years old. But when one got on grandma’s lap, the other suddenly wants her attention too. They would either crawl up to try and push the other away or do something to require her to come pay attention to them. It is jealousy. They want grandma’s attention all to themselves. P.S. Our poodle gets in on this as well. Even the dog gets jealous if the twins are getting more attention than she is. So, why is it wrong for humans to be jealous and not for God to be a jealous God?

 

    First off, neither of the twins, nor the pet created grandma. They have no claim on her full attention because they did not make her in their image. Also, neither of these twins, as cute as they may be, are able to save grandmas soul from eternal destruction even if they might want to someday. It boils down to the fact, God has a right to be jealous for our attention, our worship, and our praise. When man chooses not to worship this one true God, the ramifications of their disobedience often pass down from generation to generation.

 

    Opra Winfrey said she left organized Church because a Preacher said God was a “Jealous God.” She said, she could not see how God could be jealous of her. I understand her problem. God is not jealous OF Opra, He is jealous FOR her. Even today, God’s desire is to have her love him alone. 

 

GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Mankind’s jealousy often has no foundation. God truly is the only one ever to have a true basis for jealousy toward man. God’s jealousy ought to bring us comfort, knowing He loves us so much that He wants us personally to know Him.

 

Does God’s Jealousy bring comfort or concern?

 

Living In His Word Ministries
       “Getting people into the Word of God…
                               … and the Word of God into people.”
Dr. Franklin J. Senters Th.D.
Founder and Executive Director
Hebrews 2:12