Read through the Bible in 2 years: Hebrews 5:11-6:20
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:14 ESV
I sure enjoyed the steak my husband grilled for dinner tonight, but there’s no way I would feed it to my one-year-old granddaughter. I remember when that precious little girl was first learning to suck rice cereal off a spoon. Then, she graduated to yogurt and oatmeal. Now she can eat just about anything, but steak? She’s still not ready for it, but it won’t be long if her Pop has anything to say about it.
It takes more than simply time to develop maturity. I’ve met plenty of 50-year-old men that don’t have the maturity of my 24-year-old son.
My youngest son is 15 years old. He’s 6’1″ and almost 200 lbs. Fully grown? Maybe. Fully mature? Nope, definitely not.
Though he may be ten giant leaps in front of many of his peers, he still has so much to learn. Maturity takes wisdom and learning. Maturity takes testing and trial and error.
Like this passage says, the mature have trained their powers of discernment by constant practice, distinguishing good from evil.
How are we doing, sisters?
Are we practicing discernment or are we “following our hearts”?
Are we training our children to be discerning, knowing the Lord and hiding His Word in their hearts?
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, we want to be mature. We want to be discerning. We want to love what you love and hate what you hate. We pray for our children that they would know your word and hide it faithfully in their hearts, and we pray that we would be diligent in teaching and training them. Help us to be godly examples for the next generation, being sober-minded and making the most of every day that we are given. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 years: Hebrews 4:14-5:10
For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. … And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”
Hebrews 5:1, 4-5 ESV
I love doing little word studies, how about you?
If so, then today’s your lucky day. 😃
If not, then I hope today’s study will win you over! 😂
I often like to study the original Greek or Hebrew words, but today I decided to study the English word “appointed.” I think this word jumped out at me this morning because it’s also in my life verse, 1 Timothy 1:12-14. Paul said,
“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
1 Timothy 1:12-14 ESV
One easy way to research a word in the Bible is to open up the Blue Letter Bibleapp (Available for Android and Apple) or website and simply search the Bible for the word you’re interested in.
Unfortunately, if I typed in the whole word “appointed,” then I’d only get the exact word “appointed,” and I’d miss “appoint,” “appoints,” “appointing” and so on. So, instead, I typed this: “appoint*”.
The asterisk at the end means that the word can end with other letters, so the search will return words that begin with “appoint” but have different word endings, such as appoints, appointing, appointed, and appointment.
My results included 196 verses in the ESV translation, so here’s just a smattering of the results.
“And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”” (Genesis 4:25 ESV)
“Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”” (Genesis 18:14 ESV)
“And you [Moses] shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”” (Numbers 3:10 ESV)
“But he [The Lord God] is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind.” (Job 23:13-14 ESV)
“Before I [The Lord God] formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV)
” And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17 ESV)
“Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”” (Jonah 4:6-8 ESV)
“And he [Jesus] appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14 ESV)
“And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child [Jesus] is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed” (Luke 2:34 ESV)
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.” (Luke 10:1 ESV)
“You did not choose me [Jesus], but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16 ESV)
“And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48 ESV)
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”” (Acts 17:30-31 ESV)
“And I [Saul-Paul] said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.'” (Acts 22:10 ESV)
“But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,” (Acts 26:16 ESV)
“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13:2 ESV)
“And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV)
“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you–” (Titus 1:5 ESV)
From this list, I noticed that people can be appointed to a specific job or responsibility by God or another person, but only God can appoint events. For example, God can appoint a whale to swallow Jonah or a plant to grow over him, but no man can do this.
I also noticed that often it was God who was the one who appointed a person to a specific job or responsibility. For example, it was God who appointed Jeremiah to be a prophet and Paul to be His servant and witness.
In today’s passage in Hebrews, the high priest had to be appointed by men and by God. The high priest could not take this honor for himself. Likewise, even Jesus Christ Himself was appointed by His Father to be made the eternal high priest. Even He did not exalt Himself. Even Jesus was submissive and humble before God the Father.
Think of all the things we are trying to take for ourselves and make for ourselves. We want to be our own boss. We want to “make things happen.” We want to be the “master of my fate” and “captain of my soul” like William Ernest Henley’s poem, “Invictus” says.
Instead, I pray that we would just be thankful for Jehovah God, the ruler over our lives, the One who controls our fates and pilots our ships. I am so incredibly grateful that I am not the captain of my own soul for I know that I would lead myself astray like the foolish sheep that I am. How about you?
Let’s pray.
Oh, Heavenly Father, thank You for the comfort it is to know that You are on Your throne. When things in our world and in our lives seem out of control, You are still very much in control. Your Word says that it has been appointed for man to die once and after that comes judgment. I pray that You would draw each person reading these words into Your kingdom. Open their eyes, Lord, and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in the name of Jesus that we can pray boldly and with confidence. Amen. (Scripture references: Hebrews 9:27, Acts 26:18)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:12-13 ESV
At my physical this year my doctor told me that it was time for me to get my first colonoscopy. Friends, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to be on a liquid diet and tethered to the toilet for 24 hours. I didn’t want to be put under anesthesia and have my bottom examined by strangers. But, it was the right thing to do, so that what was hidden inside me could be exposed and inspected, and whatever stuff needed to be removed could be uncovered.
So, I did it, even though I didn’t want to. And now, looking back, I’m glad I did. Even though it was painful, it was for my good, and not for my harm
Sisters, do you believe that the Bible you are holding in your hands is the very Word of God, that the God who spoke the world into existence and who holds your life and eternity in His Almighty hands is the very God who breathed out the words of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, and Matthew, John, and Hebrews? Do you believe that God’s written Word is as powerful as His spoken Word?
If you do indeed believe that, then take a moment to ponder how that should affect your life.
If God’s spoken word can cause seas and lands to appear, and birds to fly across the sky, then we should trust that God’s written word can cause the dead to be born again. If God’s spoken word can cause soldiers to fall to the ground (John 18:6), then we should trust that God’s written word can convict even the hardest heart and bring them to repentance. If God’s spoken word can change the world, then we should trust that God’s written word can change your heart and life.
Sometimes we’re afraid to go to the doctor because we don’t want to hear the bad news.
Sometimes we refuse to be put under the knife, because we know it’s going to hurt afterwards.
Oh, but friends, just like I’d tell you to go to the dermatologist for that suspicious spot on your nose, I’m telling you to get your nose into the Word. You need it. I need it. We need the double-edged sword of the Word.
Like a scalpel in the hands of an expert surgeon, God’s Word can root out the cancerous diseases of pride and selfishness and sin. God’s Word has pierced my heart time after time. Each time it hurts, but each time it’s good.
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving us Your Word. It is indeed living and active. It is life-giving and powerful. It reveals truth to me and it pierces my soul. I pray for my sisters who are afraid, who don’t want to read it, who know that they need heart surgery, but are running away in fear. Please remind them of Your goodness and mercy, that You are the perfect physician and judge who wants for their good and not for their harm. Help us to hunger for You and to find You in Your written Word. May we not perish for lack of knowledge while Your Word sits unopened on the shelf. In the name of Jesus, the Living Word we pray, Amen.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Hebrews 2:14-15 ESV
Growing up without God shaped how I saw life. I didn’t believe in any kind of higher power who was working behind the scenes. It was all up to me. I determined my own “destiny” so I better work hard and be good if I wanted to get ahead in love.
Not believing in God, also shaped how I saw death. My life was overshadowed by my fear of death. My last day on earth would be my last day. There was no afterlife, so I better be careful how I lived.
When I became a follower of Jesus Christ in April of 1994, my views of life and death began to change. I came to believe that God ruled over my life … and my death … and my life after death.
In the last week, two members of our local congregation passed away. One beginning his ninth decade of life and one beginning his second. I am so thankful for the hope of life on earth with Christ and the hope of eternal life in Heaven with Him as well. Do you have that hope or are you still in slavery to fear of death?
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the hope and peace that are mine because Jesus died in my place. I know that Jesus conquered death, and so will I. You are my hope in life and in death. Praise Your Name.
Christ our Hope in Life and Death by Keith and Kristyn Getty
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV
Heavenly Father, What a comfort it is to know that You are the unchanging God! Even things that seem unchanging – the sandy coastline, the rocky mountains, the sun, moon and stars – even these things change and wear out. But You, oh God, You remain the same. You never have to get better because You are already completely perfect. You will never wear out or grow old or get weary. I’m looking forward to eternity with You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Earlier this week my family decided to go see the Blue Angels practice. We got up early and headed out, only to get stuck in a crazy traffic jam unlike anything I’ve seen before. After moving a mile in an hour, we decided we needed to make another plan. We turned left, away from the Navy base, and motored to the Walmart parking lot where we joined a dozen other wanna-be air show watchers.
The air show was scheduled to begin at 10:30, and sure enough at 10:30 we saw a couple planes in the air, but it was nothing particularly earth-shattering. After about 20 minutes of this, out in the heat on an asphalt parking lot, several members of our family decided they’d rather go get a cold drink and a snack from inside Walmart than wait in the parking lot with their heads craned toward the skies.
Minutes after they disappeared inside, the magic began. The planes started flying every which way, roaring through the blue skies.
And they missed it.
Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly…. Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the LORD regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.
Leviticus 24:2-3 ESV
I’m not good at doing things regularly or forever. I like to make plans. I like to start new projects. I struggle at maintaining the commitment once the novelty wears off. That’s one reason why I’m trying so hard to write here every day until I’ve blogged through the Bible.
But, friends, God commands us to be faithful, to keep our lamps burning, evening to morning, day after day, forever. He wants us to pass on our faith to the generations coming after us.
Do we have our eyes fixed on the skies, waiting for His return, and our hearts rooted in His Word that it can be that light to our path and lamp to our feet which He promised for us?
Or are we so busy shopping for cold Cokes and salty chips that we miss the real show?
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.”
Luke 12:35-36 ESV
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Matthew 25:1-13 ESV
Blue Angels over Walmart
Give Me Oil in My Lamp – Cedarmont Kids
Heavenly Father, You are always faithful. Always. You never change. You never grow tired or weak or weary. You never get bored and give up. You are the perfect example of steadfastness. Help us, Father, to be faithful like You. We can’t keep our lamps burning on our own. Give us the oil of Your Spirit and the living water of Your Word that we may be found faithful. And embolden us to share the good news with others, that they may enter the kingdom with us, to the praise of Your glorious might. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Yesterday I wrote about the Levitical laws about leprosy and Jesus healing the leper… Now we come to Leviticus 15, the Levitical laws about bodily discharges and menstruation and other discharges of blood. Ugh.
I’ve never been a leper, but I’ve had plenty of times of menstruation over the past thirty-plus years!
First I was reminded of Genesis 31:34-35 which takes on a whole new depth of meaning in light of these laws – which hadn’t yet been given, in writing at least. “Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them. And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household gods.”
But then I was reminded of the woman who had suffered with a discharge of blood for twelve years. You can read her story in Matthew 9, Mark 5, and Luke 8.
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
Luke 8:43-47 ESV
How lonely she must have been. How desperate for healing. Twelve years is a long, long time. And how terrified she must’ve been that she might get in big trouble for touching the rabbi.
Yet, Jesus was not angry with her for touching Him. Rather He spoke these tender words to her,
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
Luke 8:47
Are we tender like that with those who need healing – or do we join in ostracizing them and putting them outside the camp?
Do we go to Jesus and grab hold of the fringe of His garment when we need healing ourselves?
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, there are men and women in our midst who need healing. Help us to see their need and respond tenderly to them. Help us to introduce them to Jesus, the only one who can heal them. Father, we all need healing in various areas of our life – healing from bitterness, healing from emotional pain, healing from physical ailments. We come to You, the Great Physician, and lay all of our needs at Your feet. Help us to reach out to You and cling tightly to You. It is in the Almighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 years: Leviticus 5:14-7:38
“The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall arrange the burnt offering on it and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.”
Leviticus 6:12-13
The Lord is faithful. Day after day. Night after night. Morning after morning.
He pours out His blessings upon me. He fills my lungs with breath. He causes the earth to continue to spin and the birds to continue to sing. Where would I be without Him?
I need Him every hour. In the highs and lows, on the mountain tops and in the valleys, in the darkness of nights and on the brightest of mornings, His praise will ever be on my lips.
Pray with me.
Heavenly Father, Let me not let the embers of faith grow cold in my heart. Help me to fan them into flame. Help me to abide in You and let Your Word abide in me. Let me not forget that I need You every hour and every day. Let my love for You not grow cold. Remind me of the love I had at first – the passion and hunger and deep gratitude that I felt when I first met my Savior. Make me a bright, burning fire, pointing the world to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 years: Levititus 4:1-5:13
The Lord here provides specific directions for how to atone for unintentional sins, sins of ignorance.
This reminded me of so many other passages, like Paul’s beautiful testimony from 1 Timothy 1:12-16
“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”
Listen to Jesus’s words when He was being crucified,
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:34
But what about when you continue willfully in sin? How about those who have heard the gospel again and again and yet they choose to turn their back on God?
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?
For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Hebrews 10:26-31
Rather than questioning what God will do with those who have never heard the gospel, we ought to ask ourselves these two questions:
Am I prepared to meet God?
Have I been faithful to share the good news with the people that I know?”
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, I, for one, am not ignorant. I once was lost, but now I’m found. Even when I was darkness, running away from You, You had written Your law on my heart. I knew that it was wrong to lie. I knew that it was wrong to say hateful things about other people. I knew that it was wrong to slander and gossip. I knew it, but I did it anyway. Thank You for saving me while I was yet a sinner. Thank You for sending Jesus to die in my place, to be the sacrificial lamb who died outside the camp, who bore my sin and shame. Now let me take this knowledge and share it with others, so that they will not meet You in ignorance. I pray also for those who have heard the truth and have willfully rejected it, who are intentionally running away from You today. Please, Lord, save them! Draw them to Yourself. Send Your Word, Your angels, and Your children into their path. May Your courts be filled with people from every tribe and tongue from around the globe. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the only Name that saves, Amen.
In these chapters, I see again and again the role of the priest in all of these detailed offerings. A person cannot make these offerings themselves. They must go to the priest who will sacrifice the animal and throw its blood on the altar and burn it. They can’t do it themselves. They have to go to the priest.
Some churches have taken this to mean that people must now continue going to a priest, that they cannot go directly to God, but that is in absolute contradiction to the Scriptures.
For there is one God and there is one mediator between god and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
Jesus Christ Himself is our great and perfect priest. He is both the priest and the offering. We can – and we must – go directly to Him.
Let’s pray!
Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to earth to be our perfect High Priest, our Mediator and our Lamb without blemish. May we confess our sins directly to Him, the only priest able to forgive us completely. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Teach What is Good 
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