A Simple Plan

Today's Reading: Leviticus 26

Walk in My Statutes-

Leviticus 26:1–2 (ESV)26 “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God. ² You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.

Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word): Please reveal yourself to me today in your Word Lord. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

See here Jeff that there are three things that will surely damage your relationship with me and that will not go well with your soul- 1. Do not make an idol before me 2. Be certain to observe my Sabbaths 3. Have reverence for my sanctuary (fear it). I offer these in summary of the law so that you will know how to abide in me and how to walk in obedience in the most basic things.

1. Do not make an idol before me- Know that this refers Jeff to a few things. 

• Do not put anything above me in your affections
• Do not prioritize anything above me
• Do not think less of me than I am (be certain not to limit me or carry a wrong understanding of me so far as I reveal myself in my Word)
• Do not add anything to me because this is a lie and I will not share my glory
• Do not value my gifts over me, the giver- seek me not primarily for the sake of my gifts, which would therefore be your true god (see the first bullet)

2. Be certain to observe my Sabbaths- Know that the meaning behind my Sabbaths and feasts and such is remembrance. You shall always remember what I have done and you shall never claim for yourself responsibility for what I have done. You shall always rest in my provision and never exalt yourself to think that you bring any good thing into being or to think that you can accomplish anything apart from me.

3. Have reverence for my sanctuary- Know that my sanctuary refers to a few things.

• My Son and the sacrifice that was made once for all to redeem you and restore a relationship with me. He became the tabernacle and He became the sacrifice and He became the high priest and he was the place of my earthly residence during his ministry there
• My Son now sits at my right hand and intercedes for you continuously as your high priest and therefore this tabernacle is in heaven now
• Since Pentecost my Spirit has indwelled my church and your heart / your body therefore serves as my earthly sanctuary

In each case you need to fear me and know that I am holy and that I exercise my wrath on sin- who will stand against me? Recall that I struck down priests that did not follow my instructions perfectly in the sacrificial rituals in the tabernacle. Know that your trust in my Son's sacrifice with no attempt to add anything to it is critical. Know that faith in his loving care and his continual intercession and the need for you to therefore  make confession and be repentant in respect for his service as your high priest is critical. Know that I take seriously the condition of your heart and how you use your body Jeff. 

Leviticus 26:3–4 (ESV)3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Jeff- I will surely bless you by revealing myself to you according to my Word (cf. John 14:21) and I will certainly work all things out for your good (cf. Rom 8:28) but remember that your good is your transformation unto the likeness of my Son and also remember the lesson of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in that your trust shall be in me as deliverer, not in a specific earthly deliverance from any poor circumstance nor delivery of a good one. I do not bring a prosperity gospel Jeff. You will suffer with me if you expect to join me in glory. 

Do not misunderstand me, however- pray for your needs, work to provide for yourself, know that I enjoy giving you every good thing…just don't presume that I have only comfort and earthly contentment for you. I may think more of you and have better plans for the sake of my kingdom than that!

From Be Holy by Wiersbe-

It must be pointed out that this covenant of blessing was given only to Israel and should not be applied to the church today. God certainly blesses those who obey Him, but His blessing isn’t always health, wealth, and success. Some of the greatest heroes of faith suffered because of their obedience and never experienced miracles of deliverance or provision from the Lord (Heb. 11:36–40). Millions of Christians have been allowed to fall into the hands of their enemies and be martyred for their faith. This covenant related only to Israel in their land and was God’s way of teaching them faithfulness and obedience.
Some of the “success preachers” today like to claim these covenant “blessings” for the church but prefer to apply the judgments to somebody else! If this covenant applies to God’s children today, then we should be experiencing the judgments whenever we disobey Him. However, experience shows us that more than one compromising believer is successful, healthy, and wealthy, while many of God’s faithful children are going through trials and difficulties (see Ps. 73).
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be holy (138). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

Walk with Me-

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

Here Jeff is the promise that you no doubt can claim in your obedience. It is the blameless heart that will ascend the holy hill and meet with me (cf.  Psalm 15:1-2). It is the humble and contrite in spirit, the one who trembles at my Word that I will dwell within (cf. Isaiah 66:1-2). Also note that I do not only dwell among you but I will walk…I will act. We will have a two way relationship where you will pray to me and I will act, you will worship me and I will transform you from glory to glory, you will draw near to me and I will draw near to you, you will trust in my Son and my sovereign grace will sustain you, you will seek me and I will dine with you, you will deny yourself  and I will give you the desires of your heart, you will surrender and I will make you a great leader, you will honor me and I will not forsake you, you will hunger for me and I will be your portion forever. Yes, I will be your God and you will be my people.

Heart Offering-

Leviticus 26:40–42 (ESV)40 “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, 41 so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land.

Always it is a heart issue Jeff. Do not offer me church attendance or bible reading or tithe or prayer when you choose in your heart to serve another. Choose this day who you will serve…tear down the idols and claim my promises! Cross the Jordan and join me! Forsake everything that would challenge your affection toward me. Surrender your heart to me. Do not give it to another. I do not desire your apology or your praise of my never ending grace…honor my Son, love my Son and obey. What is it that you would claim to love me and yet still heap suffering and wrath onto my Son? What falsehood do you fabricate in your heart? Your unfaithfulness, your double mindedness, your uncircumcised heart brings me more tears than you can imagine. My Son cried out to me on the cross and I turned my back on him for you! Put down the idol! Drop it in the dirt and give me your heart! I promise that I will love you and I will not crush you. I will take care of you in a manner you could never do for yourself. Trust me, I created you.

From the Matthew Henry Commentary-

Remorse and godly sorrow for sin: If their uncircumcised heart be humbled. An impenitent, unbelieving, unhumbled heart, is called an uncircumcised heart, the heart of a Gentile that is a stranger to God, rather than the heart of an Israelite in covenant with him. True circumcision is of the heart (Rom. 2:29), without which the circumcision of the flesh avails nothing, Jer. 9:26. Now in repentance this uncircumcised heart was humbled, that is, it was truly broken and contrite for sin. Note, A humble heart under humbling providences prepares for deliverance and true comfort.
Henry, M. (1996). Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Le 26:40–46). Peabody: Hendrickson.

Application and Prayer:
Today I will seek to know you for who you are God and not who I might want you to be
Today I will seek to not allow anything to rob my ultimate affection toward you
Today I will reflect on who you are, what you have done, where you dwell, and what you promise
Today I will take joy in surrendering my will and offering my heart

Thank you for loving me Lord and for giving yourself up for me Jesus. Let me offer you my heart and give me the faith to not pull back but to walk humbly with you into this life with confidence that soars above circumstances or emotions. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!
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