Through the Word Today
How do you begin your day? Many Christians like to begin by reading and meditating on God's Word. Here's an easy way to add to your devotional life and increase your connection with God. Every day we post a devotion just for that day entitled Through the Word Today. We begin by listing a passage from the Bible, followed by a devotion based on that scripture. A short prayer concludes each day's reading.
Through the Word Today is also sent out as an e-mail devotion each morning. If you would like to receive the information automatically, please send your e-mail address to jan@crestlinechurch.org.
It is our sincere hope that you will start your day with your Savior each day!
Wash me, dear Lord!
07/29/2010 - 08/03/2010
Today's Reading: Leviticus 15:16-33
“You are responsible for keeping the People of Israel separate from that which makes them ritually unclean, lest they die in their unclean condition by defiling my Dwelling which is among them.” Leviticus 15:31 (MSG)
God gave specific instructions to His people throughout all phases of their lives, including their private lives. Here we see how normal bodily functions are to be treated.
Today’s verse made me also think of something else, and I pose to you a question that affects us all. This verse gave instructions for removing barriers between the Israelites and God after bodily functions so the person would not be hindered from entering God’s presence because of uncleanness. Sacrifices were sometime involved. Sacrifices were also used to remove the stain of sin, to remove that particular barrier, as well. We need to all be alert to the fact that we could be called to Heaven at any moment, either through death or the rapture of the church. Would we have a barrier of sin between ourselves and God?
Each day we should ask forgiveness from God for the sins we’ve committed so there will be no unconfessed sin to hinder us from entering God’s presence. We don’t want to go to heaven in an unclean condition.
Great Jehovah, please forgive my sins, both the ones I can recall and the ones I may have forgotten. Please wash me so that I may be pure enough to enter Your presence. Help me to be spiritually clean and prepared to meet You, whenever that time may be. Amen
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Achieving perfection.
07/28/2010 - 08/02/2010
Today's Reading: Leviticus 15:1-15
“(The man) is unclean all the days his body has a seepage or an obstruction.” Leviticus 15:3 (MSG)
God ordered the Israelites to consider infections and illnesses as “unclean,” with the one infected or ill quarantined from the others. God, in His holiness, wants us to appear before Him in a perfect state—without “blemish.” But what about those who have a chronic infection or illness? Does that mean that person must be quarantined away from God? Not at all! God loves us all. He loved the ten lepers enough to heal them of their disease through His Son. God wants us to be perfect, but perhaps He sees us in various stages of “perfection.”
Not all of us will attain the degree of physical perfection gained by a body builder or a model. Not all of us will attain the spiritual perfection reached by great preachers and teachers of the Bible. But that doesn’t mean we fall short in God’s eyes. God wants us to be as perfect as we can be—He doesn’t compare us with another but to the perfect example of ourselves. The one who has one leg and is in a wheelchair can be as perfect in God’s eyes as the one who runs the marathon.
You see, perfection is in the heart. When we are perfectly in tune with God’s heart, when we try to keep God’s perfect will, God sees us as perfect.
Little is much when You are in it, Lord! Please take the imperfect being that is “me” and make it perfect in Your sight. May the attitude of my heart always bring You pleasure and may I spend all my days serving You—perfectly! Amen!
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Good atmosphere.
07/27/2010 - 08/01/2010
Today's Reading: Leviticus 14:33-52
“When you enter the land of Canaan…and I put a serious fungus in a house in the land of your possession, the householder is to go and tell the priest, ‘I have some kind of fungus in my house.’” Leviticus 14 33 (MSG)
God is concerned with every part of our lives. Every part! He cares if our bodies are ailing or have, as we’ve been reading, some sort of rash. He cares about our possessions—our “stuff”—including the houses where we live. God knows the physical environment in which we live affects our health, so He made provisions for ensuring His people live in a healthy atmosphere in their homes.
God also is concerned with our spiritual environment. Just as we can physically breathe in noxious fumes from car exhausts and second-hand smoke, we can also spiritually absorb noxious fumes from unbelievers. If we listen to worldly people who constantly profane God’s name, we’ll gradually become conditioned to think there’s nothing wrong with taking God’s name in vain. If we associate with people who think life is just one big orgy, we’ll soon become used to that lifestyle.
Thank God, the opposite is also true! If we are in a spiritual environment surrounded by Godly people, we will adopt a lifestyle that is pleasing to God. And that is why God is concerned with every part of our lives!
Eternal God, please lead me to friends who follow Your teachings and live godly lives. Please help me to model myself after them, and then to be an example to others. And thank You for lifting me out of my life of sin. Amen!
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Serving wholeheartedly.
07/26/2010 - 07/31/2010
Today's Reading: Leviticus 14:21-32
“…take some of the blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.” Leviticus 14:25 (MSG)
Okay, I can see you’re wondering about these instructions. Why touch these particular parts of the body with blood? Well, possibly these parts were symbols for the entire body.
Ear lobes symbolize the things we hear and then think about. To be pure and holy, we need to not let profane talk entire our heads and we need to dwell on God’s Word and His kingdom.
Thumbs represent the things we do. Since we have opposable thumbs, we’re created to do much with our hands. Skilled craftsmen create beauty through their hands, but one who is evil can also create ugliness. Our hands are useful tools, and should be used to bring God glory.
Toes represent the places we go. Again, we have choices in our lives. We can go to places where evil tempts us, or we can go to places where we serve our God.
We’re told in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God?” Serve God today with every part of your body!
Holy Spirit, please help me to always think of my body as a temple and Your dwelling place. Help me to keep it holy and pure to honor You. Amen!
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Remember to give thanks.
07/25/2010 - 07/30/2010
Today's Reading: Leviticus 14:1-20
“… the priest will order two live, clean birds, some cedar wood, scarlet thread, and hyssop to be brought for the one to be cleansed.” Leviticus 14:4 (MSG)
Today we read further instructions for the restoration of one who was infected with a skin disease which was probably thought to be leprosy. The formerly-infected person was to bring two birds to the priest for an unusual ceremony.
The Quest Study Bible says this about this ritual: One idea is that the two clean birds represented the person being cleansed. The bird that was killed showed the outcome the person might have suffered—death—but it also atoned for his uncleanness. The freed bird symbolized the removal of the guilt and affliction from him.
By means of this ritual, the person was to publicly give thanks to God who cured him of disease. When God answers our prayers, do we also remember to give thanks?
Great Jehovah, Jesus told us we can ask anything in His name, and You will answer. We don’t always remember to give You the credit when those answers are given, and we’re sorry for our forgetfulness. Thank You for the blessings. Thank You for the answered prayers. And thank You for always being there when we call to You! Amen.
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A fungus among us.
07/24/2010 - 07/29/2010
Today's Reading: Leviticus 13:47-59
“These are the instructions regarding a spot of serious fungus in clothing of wool or linen, woven or knitted material, or any article of leather, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.” Leviticus 13:59 (MSG)
The concern we studied yesterday for a person’s skin applied also to the person’s clothing. More than likely, the fungus referred to in today’s Scripture is mildew. The particular strain of mildew experienced by the Israelites may have been different than the one we in the U.S. are familiar with, though, because our mildew grows in very moist atmospheres like shower stalls and dank, airless basements. Our mildew is a form of mold.
We don’t know how harmful this “serious fungus” growth was to the health of the Israelites, but we do know that God was concerned enough about its presence that He ordered any article of clothing infected with it to be destroyed. This destruction in itself would be a serious matter. Today, most of us in this country have an abundance of clothing and could destroy one garment and still have a closet full of other clothes. In other parts of the world, as in the ancient world of Moses, a person might have only one or two changes of clothing. To destroy one set would have a serious impact. Thus we see how important this commandment was.
But doesn’t it give you a sense of comfort, knowing that God loves you and cares for you so much that He cares for even the clothes on your back?
You are great and powerful, O God, yet concerned with the smallest details of my life. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the clothes on my back. Thank You for the gift of salvation so that I will one day live with You eternally when I leave this earth. Amen.
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