Leviticus 20 – Set apart for God

May15

Good afternoon y’all. Today we are studying Leviticus chapter 20.

This chapter speaks for itself. It calls for us to look inward and ask ourselves certain questions such as : have I been living holy? Am I set apart for God? Do I do what He tells me or am I set on doing and living my life on my own terms?

Verses 7-8, 22-24 and 26 were the key verses for me today.

It clearly reminds us that we are Kingdom children and can’t live our lives any how. We have been called to holiness. Gods standard won’t change. He paid a great price for us.

image

“Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, because I am God , your God. Do what I tell you; live the way I tell you. I am the God who makes you holy. (Leviticus 20:7-8 MSG)

“You must keep all my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice; otherwise the land to which I am bringing you as your new home will vomit you out. Do not live according to the customs of the people I am driving out before you. It is because they do these shameful things that I detest them. But I have promised you, ‘You will possess their land because I will give it to you as your possession—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the lord your God, who has set you apart from all other people”. (Leviticus 20:22-24 NLT)

“Live holy lives before me because I, God , am holy. I have distinguished you from the nations to be my very own”. (Leviticus 20:26 MSG)

Let’s examine ourselves in the light of God’s word to us today. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13: 5 to examine ourselves every now and then.

“Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you”. (2 Corinthians 13:5 MSG)

As we examine ourselves, let’s get rid of those things that contaminate us and let’s pursue holiness without which no man can see God.

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us.

1 Peter 1:14-16 says :

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (NLT)

Prayer:
Dear Lord we thank you for today. Thank you for choosing us to be your own. Search us O God and know our heaet; test our thoughts. Point out anything you find in us that makes you sad, and lead us along the path fo everlasting life. Thank you Lord. In Jesus Name we prayed. Amen

I’m blogging through the bible with Good morning girls. Check us out at www.goodmorninggirls.org

***With God all things are possible***

Leviticus 19 – Holiness and Obedience

May15

Good afternoon y’all. Apologies didn’t get a chance to post the blog for yesterday 14th May 2015. Here it is 🙂

The chapter we are studying is Leviticus 19.

Be blessed 🙂

image

“Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy”.(Leviticus 19:2 NLT)

“You must obey all my decrees”. (Leviticus 19:19 NLT)

“You must be careful to keep all of my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice. I am the lord .” (Leviticus 19:37 NLT)

God started the chapter with ‘you must be holy because I the Lord your God, am holy’ and He ended it with, ‘obey all my decrees, I am the Lord’.

First thing that occurred to me is that, God demands holiness from us because that is who He is. If we are His children then we are to be like Him.

Secondly, obedience is linked to holiness. Disobedience is a sin and we know sin makes us unholy thereby leading to separation between us and God.

We are reconciled back to Him when we confess our sins and repent from our evil ways. The blood of Jesus cleanses us completely. 1 John 1:9 says:
“But if we confess our sins to him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”. (NLT)

I noticed God stressed the fact that we have to obey all and not some of His decrees. This makes me believe that partial obedience is as good as disobedience. It’s either you obey or not. There is no ‘in-between’ and we can’t pick and choose what we want to obey. 1 Samuel 15:22 tells us obedience is better than sacrifice.

I read through all the commands God gave them and I tried to view it in light of my own life. I would love to say, oh yeah I ticked all the boxes but that would just make me a big fat liar. I failed woefully.

The truth is in our own strength we can’t fully obey God’s commands. In fact it’s absolutely impossible. Paul in Romans 7: 18 -19 says
“And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway”. (Romans 7:18-19 NLT)

We need the Holy Spirit to help us obey His commands.  Gal 5:16 says “If you are guided by the Spirit, you won’t obey your selfish desires”. (Galatians 5:16 CEVUS06)

Let’s ask God to help us revere Him as the holy God He is and give us the grace to walk in obedience with Him.

***With God all things are possible***