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YOU’LL PUT YOUR EYE OUT

 Numbers 4:20 “‘but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.’”

TOO HOLY

I bet most people have heard their momma say, “Don’t run with that stick, or you’ll put your eye out.”  Or you remember the famous line from “The Christmas Story” from Ralphie’s mom, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”  We can laugh at those examples, but this verse today was no laughing matter.

When the Lord gave Moses the directions for the Kohathites to pack up and carry the tabernacle, He was specific about who did what and who saw what.  This stern warning was to protect them from the extreme holiness of the objects.  Don’t you wish your life was that holy?  I mean, don’t you wish people could just see the holiness of God glowing on you?

TEACHING MOMENT

 The trouble with our world today is nothing is seen as holy.  I know that the church building is just a building, but there seems to be no respect for it anymore.  I remember a room in my home church that was set aside for prayer.  When you entered that room it seemed you could just feel God’s presence.  It almost demanded a reverence and awe.  We need to teach our kids that same respect for God’s stuff.

What do I mean by that?  Let me name a few:  1) Taking care of the equipment in the church 2) No writing on the walls 3) If you spill something, clean it up.  Now don’t think I am getting legalistic.  Just teach your children that God’s House needs to be cared for and protected.  After all, it is His House.

What can you do to show your respect for God’s House?  Is there a project you could get your kids involved in to help clean or repair something?  More importantly, is your bodily temple of God resembling Him or the world?  Are others drawn to you or repelled by you?  Let them see His holiness shining through.

Lord of Hosts, I know Your holiness is blinding.  I know Your presence is beyond description.  But Lord, let others see You in me.  Let them see Your holiness.

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DON’T TOUCH MY STUFF

 Numbers 3:12 “‘Now, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn, the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.’”

THESE ARE MINE

In the previous chapters God gives Moses a command to take a census of all the tribes, except the Levites, to count the number of men twenty years of age and older who could go to war.  But He specifically left out the Levites.  Here is why!

God had set them apart as His very own tribe to serve Him in the tabernacle and eventually the Temple.  This tribe would be the one who would also be claimed by God to take the place of the first born of the rest of the tribes.  So the Levites were not only God’s chosen special tribe, but they also represented the rest of the nation while serving God.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Our children represent us, don’t they?  I remember my dad telling me, “Don’t shame the Willis name.”  I represented not only him, but the Willis family.  But, as believers, we also represent a bigger family, the family of Christ.  Our actions and our service should always be done with that in mind.

Little Gertrude is going to mess up.  Elrod is going to blow it.  When we correct them (and we must) we need to remind them that they represent something much bigger than themselves.  Their actions could influence a non-believer to turn even further away from Christ.  That’s the last thing we want, right?

Are your actions as a member of the body of Christ drawing people toward Christ or pushing them away?  How about with your own family?  Do they see you and know you as a true follower or as someone who just pretends?  Commit yourself today.  Allow Christ to reign supreme in you!

Father, I know I am a representative of Christ in this dark world.  Help me always reflect Him and not me.  Show me how to live that each day to influence others to live for You.

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AIN’T NO IDOLS IN MY LIFE

 Leviticus 26:1 “‘You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.’”

ARE YOU SURE?

Most of us will say very quickly, “I don’t have an idol in my house!”  And that would be true, if you are talking about a statue or something like that.  But we, at least we Americans, have the other less obvious ones.  We make technology an idol.  Take away someone’s IPhone or IPad and watch them go mad.  But take away their Bible, and you will get little response.

God is warning the people to make sure nothing comes between them and Him.  He is the only one worthy of worship and reverence – the ONLY thing.  They were just as tempted as us to place other things above God.  So, God gave them fair warning.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching about the dangers of idols may seem like a worthless task to you.  But it is so important.  Children can place things above God just as much as the pagan who bows down to an idol in a remote village.  We, as parents, must teach them to keep the Lord first in everything.

What is your child’s obsession?  Is it video games?  How about sports?  You see, these things, though they are fine if kept in perspective, can become their idol, their god.  And the sneaky thing about it is your child won’t even recognize it.  He must be first in all things, not just some.

What do you have on your shelf of worship?  Men, is it your work and career?  Women, is it your children or your wardrobe?  I’m not trying to be stereotypical here in these examples, just making a point.  Clear your life of anything that resembles an idol and put Jesus first.

Father of all, I bow only to You.  You are my only object of worship.  You deserve all my praise.  Help me show others how to truly worship only You.

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JUST DO IT

 Leviticus 24:23b “Thus the sons of Israel did, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

 EVEN THE HARD THINGS

 Man, this was a hard command to follow.  A man was overheard blaspheming God’s name and cursing (even back then this was going on).  God had given the command earlier in the ten commandments about this.  Command number 3 addresses it.  Look it up!

The punishment?  Death!  Wow!  Pretty harsh.  How many of us would have survived this?  Probably not many.  But God was firm!  An example had to be set. He was serious!  And so “the sons of Israel did, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

TEACHING MOMENT

Now, don’t think I am saying we should stone someone who curses.  Jesus fulfilled the Law, so the Lord doesn’t expect us to do that.  But, taking the Lord’s name in vain is still not permissible.  This is one of those things we should correct IMMEDIATELY with our children.  Read them this story – not to scare them – but to show them the seriousness of the offense.

God’s name is precious, holy and to be revered.  When we call His name it should be in prayer or worship, not in anger or rage.  Our children should cherish the name of Jesus and God.  They learn that from us, their parents.  If you hold His name dear, they will learn also.

Are you doing that?  Do you hold His name dear?  When you call His name, do you do it with love and respect?  That is the only way to address Him.  Call His name.  He is listening.

Your name, O Lord, is precious to me.  I hold it dear.  I call it Holy.  Help me teach my children to love it, too.

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AREN’T YOU GLAD YOU’RE NOT PERFECT?

 Leviticus 21:21 “‘No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the Lord’s offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God.’”

 BUT WE ARE FORGIVEN

 I understand why God said this, but I can’t help but feel sorry for the Levite who wanted to serve but couldn’t due to some defect.  Perhaps they were born blind or with a club foot.  That would take them out of service to offer the sacrifices or to enter the veil.  I am sure there were those who faced this.

Aren’t you glad that through Christ we can all serve?  It doesn’t matter if we are deaf or blind or crippled or missing a limb.  We can serve the Lord in whatever way He calls us.  Jesus has fulfilled all our limitations through the cross.  His death freed us permanently from the demands of the Law.  Hallelujah!

TEACHING MOMENT

You may have a child who has some sort of disability or you may know someone who does.  We need to reinforce God’s calling on their life despite that disability.  God doesn’t make any junk.  Every child is created in His image, which does not refer to physical characteristics.

The only limit on how your child can be used by God is your child’s surrender to Him.  God will not use an unwilling vessel.  He won’t force us to submit.  But when we do, He is ready to use us to do mighty things.

How many times have you told yourself (and God) that you can’t do something?  That’s good.  Now you are at the point where He can use you.  When you realize you can’t, He can.

Creator of all, thank You for making me in Your image.  Thank You for giving me the limitations You have.  Even those were Your plan for my life, so I can depend more on You.

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GOD, DON’T YOU SEE ME?

 Psalm 38:21-22 “21 Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, do not be far from me! 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

 CRYING FOR HELP

 How many times have you felt like this?  You feel like God is a million miles away.  You feel like He has forsaken you.  All your prayers seem to hit the ceiling.  You cry out, and there is no response.  What is wrong?  Where is He?

We are not sure when David wrote this Psalm.  It may have been after the affair with Bathsheba.  It may have been while fleeing Saul.  We just don’t know, but the fact remains, he felt abandoned.  Sometimes we feel that way due to our unconfessed sin and other times it is just a result of God allowing us to be tested and tried for some future victory.

TEACHING MOMENT

Your kids are going to have some hard times.  They are going to question why God doesn’t intervene and solve all their problems.  How do you answer these questions?  How do you explain God’s silence?  By being there for them.  There is no other way.  You pray with them through it.  You keep them focused on His Word.

What causes these silent times in your child’s life?  God allows circumstances in our lives and in our kids’ lives for a purpose.  There is always a purpose.  They need to know that.  You should reinforce all the truths you have taught them and wait with them for God to reveal Himself.  He will!

Are you waiting for God right now?  Is He silent?  Or is He answering, and you just haven’t been listening?  God’s silence is an opportunity to listen.  Be quiet and listen closely.

Father, speak to me!  I want to hear Your voice.  Help me listen to You and You only.

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TAKING THE BLAME

 Leviticus 16:10 “‘But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.’”

 CRUCIFY HIM!

 I have always been puzzled by the concept of the scapegoat in the Old Testament.  There were two goats.  One was killed and sacrificed on the altar.  The other one was labeled the scapegoat.  The High Priest would lay his hands on it and symbolically put the sins of the nation on it.  Then it would be released into the wilderness.  If you ask me, the scapegoat got off much better than the other one.  Lol.

Jesus was our scapegoat.  He took the sins, not just of one nation, but of the entire world on Himself.  He paid the ultimate price so that we could walk free.  And the beauty of His sacrifice is that it was done once for all time.  No annual sacrifice is necessary.  No repeat!  One time deal.

TEACHING MOMENT

I bet your kids are always complaining that they get blamed for stuff they didn’t do.  Am I right?  They never do anything wrong.  It’s always someone else’s fault.  Been there – done that!  But we, as parents, know better.  Why?  Because we were, or maybe still are, just like them.

The next time your little Gertrude or Elrod blames their sibling or a neighbor kid for something, tell them this story of the scapegoat.  Explain to them how Jesus died for their sins.  He was the sacrifice and the scapegoat.  Because of that we have no fear of confession of our sins.  As believers, they are under the blood.

Who are you blaming today?  Maybe it’s your spouse’s fault, right?  Maybe you are still blaming your parents for your childhood issues?  Stop casting the blame on others.  Stop looking for a scapegoat.  Accept your faults and ask the Lord to heal your heart. He will.

Lord Jesus, thank You for being the scapegoat for the world.  Thank You for shedding Your blood on the Father’s altar of the cross.  Help me be more honest with You about my own sins so I can walk free and clean.

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KEEP IT CLEAN

 Leviticus 15:31 “‘Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle that is among them.'”

 IT’S A HOLY THING

Leviticus is not the easiest book in the Bible to read.  Some chapters seemingly have no context for today.  But oh, how we miss it.  Look at today’s reading in chapter 15.  This is a chapter on the importance of cleansing unhealthiness.  God gave them guidelines to get checked out and cleansed.  Remember, this is God talking, not just some person.  And if God says it, it must be important.

But look at why they are to keep from uncleanness – “so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle that is among them.”  God’s place of dwelling with them, the tabernacle, was a holy place.  He demanded cleanness.  What is His tabernacle today?  He dwells IN us through the Holy Spirit.

TEACHING MOMENT

Our children can be taught this truth at an early age.  As believers, our bodies are God’s dwelling place, His tabernacle, here on earth.  The Holy Spirit lives within us.  So, we need to make sure that everything we do to our bodies is done with that in mind.  Keeping oneself clean and healthy is important.

Without sounding too simplistic, your children need to know that once they accept Christ as their Savior, their bodies no longer belong to them.  They are responsible to God how they treat it.  Why is that important.  Because the world sees your body, and nothing you do to it should take away from Christ in you.  Even our bodies should not give a message that points them in any other direction.

Can I get personal for a moment?  “By all means, Carl.”  Thanks!  Stop treating your body as your own personal billboard for YOUR personality. As a believer, you represent Christ.  Advertise Him, not yourself.  This doesn’t mean you have to wear high collars and long skirts ladies.  This doesn’t mean men have to wear suits and ties all the times.  But let your physical appearance NOT be a deterrent to someone seeing Christ in you.

Creator of all things, You made me in Your image.  Let me reflect You in every single thing I do.  Let Your presence be seen through me today.

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BE WHAT?

 Leviticus 11:45 “‘For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

 BE HOLY

Can you believe that?  God told us to be holy!  Doesn’t He know that isn’t possible? There is no way I can be holy.  I have too much flesh in me to be holy.  Surely, He doesn’t expect me to be holy!

Oh, but He does.  How?  Because He sent us the means by which we can be.  You see, back in Leviticus the law proved to them they could not be.  All the sacrifices and all the rules couldn’t make them holy.  So, God sent His only Son to be our holiness!  We are holy because He is holy.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching holiness to children is tricky.  We don’t want to teach them that it means something so high and mighty that they feel they cannot achieve it.  “Holy” essentially means something that is set apart for a special purpose.  Now that we can teach.

Do they have a special possession that they take extra care of?  They may have a toy they bring out only rarely.  It could be a special dress or shirt they only wear on special occasions.  Point out to them that, as believers, God sees us as special all the time.  He has a special purpose for us – each of us.  Everything we do and say is preparation to be used by Him.  Our lifestyle of surrender to Him helps us live holy lives.  There really is no other way than surrender to Him.

Are you surrendered today?  Are there things in your life that distract you from holy living?  You know what they are.  It could be a hobby or a habit.  Whatever it is, surrender it today to the One who can handle it.  He is holy.  You be holy, too.

Holy God, there is no way I can be holy of myself.  My holiness comes from You.  Pour out Your holiness on me through the power of Your Holy Spirit in my life.

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IT’S YOUR FORGIVENESS

 Leviticus 7:30a “His own hands are to bring offerings by fire to the Lord.

 YOU HAVE TO ASK

 This short phrase struck me as a I read through the instructions for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings.  Even though it was the job of the priests to do the sacrifices and accept the offerings, each person had to present their own offerings.

There are just some things that you have to do for yourself.  You can’t expect someone else to live righteously for you.  You can’t get into heaven because of your great grandma’s faith.  You can’t just add on to your friend’s prayers by saying, “Ditto.”

TEACHING MOMENT

How do you show your children to live their own faith?  Easy – show them how.  Teach them to pray.  Teach them to read the Word.  We teach them everything else, but we expect them to figure out faith on their own.

I have heard parents say, “Well, I don’t want to force little Johnny to believe.  He has to make up his own mind about religion.”  Really?  The most important decision in their lives which will determine their eternal destiny and we let them “figure it out.”  Why not just give them the keys to the car at 16 and say, “Figure it out”?

We must show them how to use “His own hands…to bring offerings by fire to the Lord.”  Now, we don’t need offerings.  We have Jesus. But we must show them how to come to Him.  Everything we do with them should point them towards Jesus.

Father in Heaven, accept my offering of praise today.  I come to You with outstretched hands, giving You my all.  May I be the example to my children and others.

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