Leviticus, chapter 18

Father God, thank you that the entrance of Your Word brings light, may Your light shine forth in every area of our lives and may the Word produce a bountiful harvest in our hearts for Your glory in the name of Jesus, amen. Thank you LORD.

In this chapter, God is telling the children of Israel to be mindful with some behaviours especially those that would pervert them from the ways of God. In Leviticus 18:1-3 (NKJV), "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'I am the LORD your God. According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances."

These verses shows us something important as well, that as much as God took His people physically out of Egypt, He also desired for their hearts to depart from Egypt. God did not want them to do according to the customs of the Egyptians whom He had redeemed them from and He also did not want His people to participate in the culture and ordinances of the people in Canaan.  God would not have given this command if He had not foreseen that the children of Israel would face these temptations. In a way, the commandments of God reflect God's heart which is not to control the children of Israel or make their life difficult but to protect their lives for their own well-being.

2 Corinthians 6:16-17 (NKJV) reminds us, "And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore come out from among them and be separate says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."

When I read the book of Leviticus, it is like is an instruction guide from God to the children of Israel instructing them in the manner that they had to live and conduct their lives when they entered the promised land. This instruction guide came in the form of laws and commandments given to God through Moses, their leader. We can agree that in a workplace, they are policies and systems in place that govern the work place. It is the same in a family institution, they are rules that each family lives by which is the same with God in His kingdom because the natural imitates the spiritual.

In the new covenant, God shares the same heart with His sons and daughters that have been redeemed from the power of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13). When I shared from the book of James, God cautions us as His children and references adultery because of making friendship with the world as seen in James 4:4. The end result of this adultery is being an enemy of God and this is not our portion in the name of Jesus.

Does this mean that when you get born again, God has called you to live on top of a tree by yourself, no. But wisdom is needed. God has made His grace available through His Son Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you to enable you to live and walk a Spirit filled life that honours God. Matthew 5:14 (NKJV) says, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

However, to be this light and city set on a hill, you have to make a decision to intentionally lean into what God is doing in your life by His grace as one who is born again by renewing your mind with the Word of God (Romans 12:2). As you renew your mind with the Word of God, your heart will be more aligned to God's heart and sowing to the ways of the Spirit. Some of the ways you can sow to the Spirit is to be faithful where you planted right now, wherever that is, be faithful and diligent in your work. Another way is to giving to the works of God in addition to tithing. Another way to sow to the Spirit is by serving God, if you do not which ministry commit your way to God first and then start somewhere until you find the place that God has called you to. Another way to sow to the Spirit is to help the saints of God and the needy, poor and widows. Another way to sow the Spirit is praying and worshipping God. Another way to sow to the Spirit is to listen to the teachings of the Word and most importantly, read your Bible and do what the Word says for God's help is available. Only the truth that is found in God's Word is our salvation to counter any deception of the times. Cling to a relationship with your Bible child of God...literally.

I'll end with Jesus' Word found in Mark 7:18-23 (NKJV)

18. "So He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,

19. "because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?"

20. And He said, "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

21. "For within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22. thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

23. All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

Prayer: Father God, thank you for salvation that is found in Your One and Only Beloved Son, Jesus. In Christ's love, we are greatly loved by You. We thank you for the power to obey that You have given us in the faith of the Son of God. As Your sons and daughters, may we continually lean into the supply of Your grace to live and walk a Spirit filled life as You lead and order our steps in the name of Jesus. Thank you LORD that whatever is not Christ like be it a pattern or negative habit is broken off of the lives of Your sons and daughters today in the name of Jesus. Thank you LORD for he who the Son sets free is free indeed, amen.

Invitation to salvation: The best gift that Jesus gave us is receiving salvation and eternal life which is a personal relationship knowing God as our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

If you would like to receive this free gift of God's salvation, please say this prayer with me:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that God sent His One and only Son who died for my sins and was raised from the dead so that I could have eternal life and by His stripes I was healed." - AMEN. 

If you just said this prayer, GLORY TO GOD, you are now a new creation in Christ Jesus! In case you have not already, please prayerfully consider becoming a member of a church and get WATER BAPTIZED!

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THIS CHAPTER IN YOUR BIBLE!