I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

Leviticus 26-27

I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. Leviticus 26:11-12

 

This evening, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter twenty-three (the final chapter) - Either-Or - covering Leviticus 26-27, looking specifically at the second theme for the chapter - God Blesses Our Faithfulness.  Here, the commentary for today focuses on v3-13 which describes how God blesses our obedience to Him in response to His commands, all of His commands, including the commands He gave in v1-2 (see also post yesterday) where we are to worship Him and not other gods and how we are observe Sabbath.  Leviticus 26:3-13 describes blessings that, according the commentary, can be categorized as prosperity, protection, and His presence - of course all wonderful and amazing blessings. Yet, lest believers fall into the trap of believing that God promises us (in return for faithfulness) health, wealth, and other earthly blessings, the commentary (and John MacArthur and John Piper) warns us to not read into Leviticus 26 to find the keys to health, wealth, etc. While God does promise blessings for obedience in v3-13, the commentary instead makes the following points, emphasizing that "we should apply such promises in a way that is consistent with God's entire revelation in the Bible": 

1. "God made these promises not to individuals, but the Israel as a whole"
2. "God does bless our faithfulness, just not in the way the prosperity preachers claim.  In some places in the world, faithfulness to Jesus results in persecution, not prosperity.  When some Muslim people leave Islam to follow Jesus, their families disown them and sometimes physically assault or kill them.  Does God take care of them? He takes care of them for eternity! He blesses our faithfulness forever in heaven." See also John 16:33
   
3. "God blesses our faithfulness in many ways, best of all with Himself." See also John 1:14  
   

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are amazing and I know You bless me in ways that the world does not understand and in ways that I will fully appreciate when I meet You face to face in Heaven - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You bless me.  My sin - of many kinds - continues...daily.  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.

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Leviticus 25

By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Hebrews 11:9-10

 

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - wrapping up chapter twenty-two - A Theology of Things  - covering Leviticus 25:1-55, looking specifically at the sixth and final theme for the chapter - God Will One Day Give Us Eternal Possessions.  Here, the commentary starts by describing how Israel never was obedient to God's commands for the Sabbath rest of the land. It points to 2 Chronicles 36:20-21 where Israel is taken into exile where during the exile God forces the Sabbath rest. The commentary then points to how our sin is no different than Israel's - we all sin and focus on earthly concerns, our material possessions, etc. We are then encouraged to store up treasures in heaven vs here on earth (Matthew 6:19-21).  As the theme for today aptly describes, Heaven is so much more glorious then our life in our earthly bodies. We are provided the following verses:

• Revelation 21:4: No more tears in Heaven
  
• John 14:2-3: God is preparing a place for us in Heaven
  
• Hebrews 11:9-10: We look forward to the "city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God 
  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God and I know You are saving a place for me in Heaven - thank You Jesus for creating such a place and for sealing me for eternity.  I am not deserving of such a God nor deserving of such a place.  My sin is great and it is daily - worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love Your 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.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21-22:5

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

Session #12 of David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 21-22:5.  The title of the session is The Consummation of the Kingdom.

We live in between two worlds:

• pilgrims on a journey in this country today.
• citizens of a kingdom in a country to come.

 We live between two times:

• the birth of Christ; kingdom of God has come and is a present reality.
• the return of Christ; the king of God is coming and His kingdom is our future.

We live for one purpose for the glory of God...meaning it is glorified when God's kingdom is consummated; people who are ruled and a place where the King has dominion, and purpose for the King and His kingdom.  Revelation is the culmination of the Bible - all of history pointing to this point.

• Creation: Genesis 1-2 | people (His blessing), fellowship (perfect), purpose (God's glory multiplied to all peoples)
• The Fall: Genesis 3-11 | disrupted fellowship (place), God's glory marred
• Patriarchs: Genesis 12-50 | place and promised fellowship
• Exodus and Conquest: Exodus - 1 Samuel 8 God and His place | tabernacle (place)
• United Monarchy: 1 Samuel 9 - 1 Kings 11; 1 Chronicles - 2 Chronicles 9: God with His people | temple (place)
• Divided Monarchy: 1 Kings 12 - 2 Kings; 2 Chronicles 10 - Esther - God with His people | exile (place)
• Jesus: Matthew - John - God among His people | incarnation (place)
• Present: Acts - Jude - God IN His people | body (place)
• New Creation: Revelation - God's final blessing and judgement

We give our lives to this kingdom - the climax of this story. Revelation 21:6 - "It is done".

It will be the end in two ways:

• inexpressible joy; Heaven exemplifies God's eternal blessing for conquerors who have turned from this world to Christ.
• irreversible justice; Hell exemplifies God's eternal judgement for cowards who have turned from Christ to this world.

We're going to dwell forever in the in-most place with the Holy God of the universe! Revelation 21:3

Death will be replaced by life!  Revelation 21:4

No more sin.  No more sorrow.  No more sickness.  No more separation. Tree of life - exists as blessing - no longer as curse Revelation 22:2-3

We will see His face! Revelation 22:4 We will reign with Him bodily resurrected - all creation will be restored. Every nation, people, tribe, and tongue living, loving, working, and worshiping together. Unified songs: worthy is the lamb! Glory to our God!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God indeed and it gives me great peace and excitement to KNOW that You have already defeated death and that I will reign with You forever in Heaven!  Thank You Jesus for reserving a place for me.  I am not deserving.  I sin...daily.  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.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

Romans 8

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. v18-19

Paul reminds us that our earthly life may be filled with challenges, including suffering - yet God promises a Heaven where we will have no such challenges - the Perfect City as John Piper describes it.

John describes Heaven in Revelation 21: 

God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

DesiringGod.com gives us a great post on how we can strive for Heaven as we experience the struggles in this life.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who created Heaven and Earth and everything else in the universe.  You provided Heaven as our eternal resting place and You are saving a place for us - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a gift.  I worry.  I know I should not but I do.  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. 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.

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Mark 10

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” v29-31

This passage is repeated in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  

In a message to seminary graduates, John Piper delivered this sermon.  As these graduates prepared to enter the work world and a life of independence (likely from their parents), Piper was imploring them to treasure Jesus vs the world and to live a "wartime lifestyle" (as does many others such as David Platt).

He warns also to avoid the fate of the rich young man who have a love of money vs Jesus.  Piper gives us two examples of those whose fate followed different paths.

Gehazi and the love of money
Mephibosheth and the love of God

Jesus, please help me live a "wartime lifestyle" and to treasure You above all else.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are as You have blessed me beyond what I deserve - yet there have been times in my life and there will continue to be times in my life when I put something or someone else, including money, above You - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome such sin and turn 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.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matthew 6

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! v22-23.

John Piper's posts help illuminate the importance and influence our "eyes" have on our faith.
What Is the "Bad Eye" in Matthew 6:23?
The Eye is the Lamp of the Body
What Do You Feed Your Eyes

Piper helps us understand Jesus' distinction between the "good" and "bad" eye, with a reference to Matthew 20:15 where a Greek translation of the The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard gives us an example of the "bad" eye when one of the workers hired first claimed unfairness in the wages paid to those who showed up to work later in the day - the first workers focused on material wealth and what they felt they deserved vs on grace (something Jesus provides which we don't deserve).  Piper's team also help us understand that what we "feed" our eyes does matter - using Deuteronomy 4:15-19 as an example.  What we put in front of our eyes influences and directs our heart which has been a subject of recent posts.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has given me Your Word, the Holy Spirit, my church, brothers and sisters in Christ and so much more so that my heart could see more of You.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am undeserving of Your grace and the many gifts You provide.  I often focus my eyes elsewhere. 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.

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Proverbs 23

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.  Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. v4-5

As I continue to interview with another company, I must remind myself not to chase something that does not have eternal value, that does not glorify God.  I must also remind myself that I did not produce any success to date and I should be a good steward of what God entrusted to me.

See also posts here. 

May [the Lord] give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me, even with all of my sin and brokenness.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not worth such love.  I worry.  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 do.  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 everyday.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. v12

A couple of days ago I posted on the need for us to remember that we citizens of Heaven and foreigners in this life...that we should not conform to the patterns of this world and to be holy and set apart so we can bring others to Him.

To that end, today's post reinforces this message as we should remember to live with the end in mind - with an eternal focus vs an earthly focus.  

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20

My Prayer: Heavenly Father - what a great God You are that You have given Us Your Son, the Holy Spirit, the church, and so much more!  I am blessed and my cup overflows.  Thank You Jesus for how You bless me. Yet I am not worth such love.  I worry.  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 do.  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.  Please 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.