I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.

 Leviticus 24

 I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. John 6:48-51

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twenty-one - In God's Presence  - covering Leviticus 24:1-23, looking specifically at the second theme for the chapter - We Fellowship with God Intimately.  Here, as the theme aptly describes, the commentary theme for today emphasizes how we are to fellowship with God in study of God's Word and in prayer.  Using Leviticus 24:5-9 as the scriptural basis for such emphasis, the commentary looks specifically at v8 where it says "[e]very Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange [the bread or fellowship offering] before the Lord regularly," and v8-9 where the priests are commanded by God to offer the bread as a permanent due. V9 also describes how the priests are, once the bread from the day before is removed from the "table of pure gold" and the new bread replaces the old bread, the old bread is to eaten by the priests and enjoyed in fellowship with God within the tabernacle. The twelve loaves of bread of course represents all of the tribes of Israel and the commentary then connects the dots for us by stating that "God invited all His people to fellowship with Him."

The commentary then pivots to the New Testament and how believers are commanded by God to be in fellowship with Him.  1 Corinthians 1:9 and Hebrews 4:14, 16 are provided as scriptural references for how God called us into fellowship with Him and encourages us approach Him with confidence to receive mercy and grace. In John 6:51 Jesus refers to Himself as the Bread of Life.  Acts 2:42-47 describes the new church that formed on Pentecost (specifically Acts 2:46-47) and how "day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people." Both Matthew 6 and Luke 11 describe how Jesus taught us how to pray by asking Him to "[g]ive us this/each day our daily bread."

Comment and discuss this post here. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You are the Bread of Life!  You feed me in ALL ways and in the most important way - spiritually!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You fellowship with me.  I sin...slander, gossip, worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility....Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Leviticus 3, 7

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility....Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ….Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. Ephesians 2:14, Romans 5:1, John 14:27

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up at chapter three - Peace with God - covering Leviticus 3:1-17, looking specifically at the final themes We Express Thanksgiving to God, We Give Our Best to God, We Share Our Lives with the People of God, and We Find Peace with God. Here, my commentary describes the peace offering in Leviticus 3 and 7 (ESV) as the fellowship offering, and a quick check of the NIV translation reveals how these translations (ESV and NIV) both refer to the same offering - peace (ESV) and fellowship (NIV).

Aligning with the themes for today, my commentary urges us to see how the peace/fellowship offering:

• offers thanksgiving to God for providing a path to atonement and communion with Him
• represents how we are to give our best to God as the fat portions of the animal are seen as rare and as such a delicacy at the time of the Old Testament - an offering of fat was to be giving God our best
• describes corporate worship and fellowship both with God and with other worshipers - in the presence of God, eating of meals together from the fellowship offering; we are to share our lives not just with God but also with the people of God; the commentary urges us also to look at how we are to pray for one another (James 5:16), encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25), bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13), love one another (John 13:34), serve another (1 Peter 4:10), be kind to one another, and forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32); "[c]learly God intends for us to share our lives with His people."
  
•  in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, provides the perfect sacrifice for sin and Jesus is our peace (Ephesians 2:14, Romans 5:1, John 14:27)

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who provides peace - with God, with others, and peace of mind - thank You Jesus!  You are truly amazing and I am not deserving how You reconciled me to Yourself...I continue to sin.  Worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.