Leviticus 19:1-2 “1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2″Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

What in the world does this mean? Does God really expect us to be holy like Him? All I can tell you, Moms and Dads, is “Yes, He does.” If He says it He means it. That is ALWAYS the case. God doesn’t waste words just to hear Himself speak. He says it and expects us to follow.

So, how in the world do we 1) live holy lives and 2) teach our children to live holy lives? It’s really pretty simple. Just do what God tells us, and when we are not sure, don’t do it. The Book of Leviticus is really just that – God telling His people how to live their everyday lives. He tells them what to eat, how to prepare it, how to make wrongs right, how to handle property, etc., etc., etc.

So, if being holy is that simple, why aren’t we holy? Because we like ourselves too much and don’t want to give up “our rights.” Listen to me, Moms and Dads, when you exert your rights on the standards God has set for you, you can rest assured that your children will learn to do the same on the standards you set for them. No wonder they are unruly and disrespectful. We are doing the same thing to God when we don’t bow ourselves to His Will and let Him has His way.

“You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Those are His words, not mine. Will you obey? Will you point your children toward holiness?

Matthew 27:32 “As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.”

I bet Simon had no idea when he journeyed to Jerusalem that he would be doing this. As far as we know he had no connection to Jesus. He was just a bystander in the crowd watching Jesus and the other two criminals carry a wooden beam to Golgotha to be crucified. Perhaps he had seen this scene before on a previous trip to Jerusalem. After all, it wasn’t like this was the first time the Romans had crucified someone.

Moms and Dads, take a minute and paint the picture for your kids about this verse. They may be just minding their own business at school or play and all of a sudden they are faced with the decision – do I carry the cross of Christ or not? When someone insults their Savior what do they do? When someone questions a Biblical truth they know to be true, what do they do?

They may never be called on to carry a physical cross like Simon and feel the blood of Christ run down their face, but they will, if they take a stand for Him, feel the weight of loyalty. Our children, perhaps as no other generation thus far, will be faced with the absolute disdain for Christ and what He stands for. They will have to make that choice to carry the cross.

How are you preparing them to do that? Are you teaching them the deep truths of Scripture so they will recognize falsehood? Are you teaching them how to respond when someone questions their faith? Show them how to be strong in the face of adversity. Show them how to bear the cross.

Leviticus 14:54 “’This is the law for any mark of leprosy—even for a scale,’”

Isn’t this a riveting verse? Doesn’t it just bless your socks off? At first glance you might say, “Are you kidding me? How can a verse about leprosy have any application to me today?” Well, Moms and Dads, let’s just take a look.

When your child gets a “boo boo” aren’t you diligent to fix it? Suppose you notice a spot or mark on your child’s arm or leg, what will you do? “Ah, that’s nothing, he’ll get over that.” If you are like my wife, when she saw anything on our kids, she would examine it, clean it, bandage it and if need be, take them to the doctor. She wanted to make sure they were healthy.

That is exactly the same compassion the Lord showed His children in regards to leprosy. He didn’t want them to let things go unattended. He wanted them healthy and strong. He wanted them to be able to live long and create a great nation. He made sure they knew exactly what to do to rid themselves of this horrible disease.

So, how does this verse apply to you and me? It simply means God cares for every aspect of our life, even the smallest little spot on our skin. What a great lesson for our kids. The God of the universe knows when you are sick and need healing long before you do. He desires that we come to Him for guidance, yes even with our health. He will use doctors and medicine and hospitals. And He can even speak healing into our bodies. Teach your children that! Remember most of these verses in Leviticus are coming from the mouth of God directly. When He speaks, we should always listen.

Matthew 26:69-70 “69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, ‘You too were with Jesus the Galilean.’ 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you are talking about.’”

Parents, if you haven’t faced that moment in your child’s life when they try to avoid being seen with you because it is just not cool, then just wait. It is coming.

Several years ago our family went on a 3 day cruise. It was our first and last. Lol. It’s just not my wife’s thing. Plus my son got sick and well…it just didn’t turn out great. However…..

They did have karaoke at night. Can you see where I am going with this? We went down to watch, and I couldn’t help myself. I had to get up and sing. I decided to sing…are you ready…”Joy To the World” by 3 Dog Night. Yep, I did. My kids were teenagers, so you can imagine what they were doing. They were trying to get UNDER the table. “That’s not my dad! I have never seen that man before. I was kidnapped by that strange man!”

Peter knew the Lord intimately. He had spent 3 years with Him day and night. And now when He is being tried and convicted, Peter denies ever knowing Him. But Jesus understood, just like I understood my kids. Their denial of me didn’t change my love for them. Peter’s denial of Jesus didn’t change His love for Peter.

May I encourage you when your children start to “put some distance” between you and them? Let them do that safely. Give them some space. But constantly reassure them they are loved, and nothing they can do will ever change that.

Leviticus 9:22-24 “22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24 Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”

I will never forget when I was around 10 or 11 years old the Floyd Hotel in my hometown of Pelham, GA burned to the ground. It was a wooden structure, which had been built many years earlier. The wood was pine so the fire was very hot. It was so hot that the fire department had to keep neighboring buildings wet to keep them from bursting into flames, not from embers but from the intense heat that was put off by the fire. I watched from a distance, but still when I got home, my face was red. Hot fire!!!!

What if you and your children were there at the time when Moses and Aaron came out of the Tent of Meeting and God’s fire fell? It was no wonder that the people “shouted and fell on their faces.” Seeing that fire scared them. They had not been that close to the fire of God. They weren’t sure where that fire might leap. I can imagine that moms and dads grabbed their children to comfort them and try to shelter them.

But you know what? Today, as believers, we have no need to fear God’s fire. In fact, we should welcome the burning embers into our life. Teach your children that the presence of God, which was in the fire the people saw back then, can indwell them through the Holy Spirit. His fire should not scare us. His “Holy Glow” should instead draw us to Him. Are you cold? Come closer to the fire!

Matthew 25:40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

Are you ever driving in town with your children and come across people at the intersections holding signs asking for money or food? What do your children ask you? What is your answer? Do you roll down the window and give them a few dollars? Do you give them a gift card to McDonald’s or somewhere else? Just what do you do?

I have to admit that I have become a bit cynical about these people. I have heard from someone who used to do that how many of these individuals are simply conning people. They aren’t homeless or hungry. They just want someone to give them something. However, that does not excuse me from acting when I feel the Spirit move.

Recently I was cleaning out my daughter’s truck for her and found a couple of baggies that contain gloves, crackers, hand wipes, toothpaste and a toothbrush, and a few other items. I asked her what they were for. She said she gives them to people she sees at those intersections when she feels the Spirit leading her. Boy, I was ashamed of myself for my own cynicism and thoughtlessness. My girl had taught me a lesson.

Will you let your children’s tender hearts convict you? When they see someone in need and want to help, let them. Let them be the one Jesus refers to in the verse we read when He said “you did it to Me.

Leviticus 1:1-3 “1 Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2 ‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. 3  If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.’”

I know what you are thinking. A devotional thought from Leviticus? Yep! Look at this book carefully. Did you know that almost the ENTIRE book is the Lord God talking? I believe we need to teach our children that when God speaks (yes, even through Leviticus) that they should listen. These verses today are no exception.

The Lord is giving Moses the instructions on how the people are to approach God with their sacrifices. There are two words that pop out at me, “without defect.” Our children need to understand those words and apply them to how they live their lives and what they present to the Lord for their offerings.

They need to know that God deserves our very best, whether it is in giving our tithe and offerings to Him or in our service to Him. Everything we do should be of the highest standard. Why? Because He deserves it. When we give God our very best He is well pleased. Why would we NOT want to please our Heavenly Father?

I had a boss once that said, “Holy Shoddy is still shoddy.” He meant if you do a job poorly but try to spiritualize it, it is still a poor job. Help your children to strive to give their best in everything they do. Teach them to not compromise their walk with Christ. Teach them to give with the knowledge that what they are giving should be “without defect.” And while you are at it, why don’t you do the same. Amen? Amen!

Matthew 24:44-46 “42 ‘Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.’”

Do you remember playing “Hide and Seek” as a child. Maybe you taught your children to play that game with their siblings or friends. I can still remember playing that in our yard in South Georgia. One of us would be picked to be “It,” and the rest would run and hide somewhere as “It” counted to 100. Then “It” would holler, “Ready or not, here I come.” My heart would be pounding from the excitement, hoping “It” would not find me.

Our children need to know that Jesus has already hollered “Ready or not, here I come.” We see right here in the Scriptures that He is coming “at an hour when you do not think He will.” Are your children ready? Are you ready?

We should not frighten our children with this news. That is not how God works. But we also should not hide the fact that He is coming. And when He comes, He will come to take all His children home to heaven. That is a good thing. He comes and tags us, not as “It,” but as “His.” Unlike the game of Hide and Seek, we WANT to be found by Him when He comes. We want to be carried home.

Point your children toward home. Prepare them to watch for His coming. Let them know that they are loved and cherished by a Heavenly Father who just wants them home for eternity. Ready or not, here He comes!

Exodus 40:34-38 “34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36 Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; 37 but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. 38 For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.”

Can you imagine how that looked? Can you just picture it if you and your kids were there watching that cloud? I can just hear the children, “Are we there yet?” And the parents answering, “No Levi, do you see that cloud? Is it moving? Then we are not there yet?” Well, maybe not exactly like that. Lol

But think about it. They were TOTALLY dependent on the movement of God through that cloud. Verse 38 called it “the cloud of the Lord.” They did not go anywhere the Lord did not lead them. Wow!

How about your family? Are your steps governed by the direction of the Lord? Do you wait on Him to move before you move? Do you stay where He takes you, for however long He keeps you? Or are you restless and eager to “get on with it”? Don’t rush! Don’t panic! Wait!

Matthew 23:1-3 “1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.’”

How many times did your parents say, “Do as I say and not as I do”? Well, I heard that a few times. I know parents who drink but tell their kids not to. They smoke but tell their kids not to. Now, I am not judging you if you drink or smoke. That is between you and the Lord. I am just saying that our actions speak much louder than our words to our kids.

In this passage Jesus is pointing out the Scribes and Pharisees who “have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.” What does that mean? Moses’ chair? He was referring to the place where people came to have Moses judge them or give them advice. Are you sitting there now? Are you sitting in judgment over your kids, all the while you are doing the very thing you are judging them for doing?

May I encourage you today to be a model of the very behavior you desire in your children? If you want them to be kind to their sibling, then be kind to your husband or wife or that stranger you meet in the line at the grocery store. If you want them to keep their room clean, then keep your bedroom tidy. You get the drift. Do, don’t just say! Don’t be a Pharisee. Be real to your kids.