WHERE IS GOD?

On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses. (‭Numbers‬ ‭9‬:‭15-23‬ ESV)

Israel was given a gift - a visible sign of God's presence among them.  God instructed them to watch for the cloud that would cover them by day and the fire that would cover them by night.  The cloud would bring shade in the daytime and the fire would provide heat for them in the evening.  When the cloud moved - they were to move also.  Sometimes it would be a short stay and sometimes it would be longer.  They were to walk in obedience to wherever God was or going.  They only journeyed when they were told to and they only stopped when they were told to.

It was to be a proof of God's presence in their life.  It would a visible comforting item that they could look up and see that God was with them.

For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, (‭Isaiah‬ ‭25‬:‭4‬ ESV)

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. (‭Psalm‬ ‭121‬:‭5‬ ESV)

Are you watching and observing the cloud in your own life?  Do you see visible signs of God's presence in you?  Are you aware when the Holy Spirit is not with you and that somehow you have grieved the Holy Spirit?

We must, like the Israelites, be looking for the visible signs of God's presence in our daily lives.

When Paul says that we must let the peace of God rule in our heart - (Colossians 3:15) he means the presence of God's peace is to be an umpire or a judge in our hearts.

You might ask what the visible signs are today.  Galatians 5 maps some of these signs out for us...

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22-23‬ ESV)

When God's presence is in and over us - these fruits will ooze out of your life and be evident to others around you.

Moses once declared to God ...."And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. (‭Exodus‬ ‭33‬:‭15‬ ESV)

Do you have that type of yearning for God's presence in your life?  Can you see the visible signs of God in your midst?

The world has desensitized us to sin and unrighteousness.  What was not ok in times past is now acceptable.  We tolerate more sin and unrighteousness.  God's presence is often not with us.

May I encourage you to look closely at your life and ask yourself if God is with you.  Can you look up at night and see the covering of fire over your camp?  Is the cloud over you during the daytime?

Or... has it moved on and you are still functioning as if it is still there?

David's prayer (after he committed adultery with Bathsheba) should be the prayer of every person reading this right now...

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (‭Psalm‬ ‭51‬:‭10-12‬ ESV)

LOOKING FOR APPROVAL IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (‭Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭22-27‬ ESV)

One of the things I enjoy about the Jewish culture is how "The Blessing" is instilled into their daily lives from their father.  As children prepare to leave the house everyday for school, or especially for a special occasion, the father would bring all his children around him and pronounce a blessing from God upon their lives."

This touches my life deeply as it is something my father had done to his family and it is what I've tried to instill in my family.

When Esau recognized that his brother Jacob had stole the firstborn blessing from his father he called out, "Don't you have a blessing for me also?"

That prayer has been the cry of generations for the span of time - "Don't you have a blessing for me also?"

I recently sat with a man in my office who was struggling with some personal sins that was affecting his own spiritual life and that of his family.  My heart went out to him as he sat there and told of the 3 dads in his life and the abuse they brought to him.  He was sobbing so much that he could hardly get words out to talk.

He just kept saying, "I want my dad's approval."

That has been the cry of many men and women in that they just didn't get the approval they needed from their father and it ended up having an adverse effect upon their lives.

I have heard that men's prisons often pass out greeting cards for them to send home to family on special days.  When Mother's Day came all the men wanted to have a card to send home to their mother.  Thinking this program to be a success they tried it again on Father's Day.  Surprisingly, they hardly gave any cards out to those prisoners.

There was a huge disconnect with these men and their fathers.

I'm a hugger.  I often reach out and touch people as I talk to them.  Every time I do that - I'm sending silent prayers up to God "Please bless them and fulfill their hearts desires."  I'm praying that they don't have to look elsewhere for the blessing or in the wrong places or people."

You might be saying, "So, what do I do?  I didn't get the approval of my dad.  I have spent my whole life trying to get people to approve me and tell me that they like me."

The answer is this: The reality is that you might never get the approval of your father or from the people who surround you.  It is then that you must come up to the Heavenly Father on a daily basis and ask Him to put His hand of blessing on you."

I like what 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, "Our adequacy/ sufficiency is not from ourselves.  It is from God."

I don't need man's approval but I need God's approval.  That's all I need!  When I came to understand that - it changed my perspective on how I relate to those around me at home and at work and in day by day life.

I feel inadequate and insufficient every day of my life.  I feel as if I'm in over my head often.  I have to, on a regular basis, look up and say to God - "I'm your child.  I am in you.  I know you are going to give me the adequacy and sufficiency that I need.  I trust in you.  Amen."

I pray that every person reading this will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are loved and so very very special to God.  Man might has let you down but you are now covered by the blood of Christ and are the "treasure of His heart."

MY NAME IS GERSON NOT GER-SAN

Numbers 3:17 (ESV) 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.

This last year I had the great privilege of hiring a young man for our children's ministry with a rather unusual name.  After telling me a few times that his name was "Gerson" and not "Ger-san" - I finally got it right.

Gerson told me that he was from an Hispanic family and that he was named from Gershom in the Bible. I had read about the Gerson in the Bible but didn't know too much about what he did.  In fact, I felt a little stupid when he asked me if I knew about Gerson in the Bible.

So Gerson (and his wife Nicole) came to work for me and are doing a fantastic job of reaching our children and their families.  People still stumble over his name but for the most part we "get it" and we "get him."

So, as we were reading through our Bible passage today, the name of Gerson jumped out at me, prompting me to do a little research on his name.

The name Gershom in the Bible is not a popular name nor is it a popular name in the United States.  In 1 Chronicles it is referred to as "Gerson."

In the Bible, Gershom is the first born son of Levi. He is a brother of Merari and Kohath, and father of Libni and Shimei. His family became known as the Gershonites. They were to take care of the outer coverings of the tabernacle and the curtains that marked the outer court and the altar (Numbers 3:25-26). Gershon is called Gershom in 1 Chronicles 6:16.

As I read through the definition and the root meanings of his name - I realized that his name fits him and his ministry perfectly.  His people were put in charge of taking care of the tabernacle coverings and curtains.  When they moved from one location to another - they were to take them down, store them and transport them.  They were to maintain them so that they wouldn't leak or fall apart.

Think about that - the ministry of the Gersonites was focused.  The integrity of the tabernacle was dependent on how they maintained and cared for its walls.

Gerson is one of many wonderful staff members that I have - all of which perform a different ministry in the body of Christ.  Not everyone is called to minister and speak nor is everyone called to work with children, etc.  But... all of us doing the assigned job that God has given us causes the body of Christ to grow and be edified.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us...(‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3-6‬ NIV)

May I encourage you to discover and find the gift that God has entrusted you with.  This Sunday I will be focusing on our Believe series again in regard to the subject of spiritual gifts.  Also, on Saturday, March 14th we will be having another Spiritual Gifts Class at the church.  I pray that you would find your gift and use it for the glory of God.

By the way Gerson and Nicolle and family - Welcome aboard!

HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TO YOU?

Numbers 1:1 (ESV) 1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai...

We have been journeying through the Old Testament in our daily Bible.  Every page there have been treasures and nuggets of truth that God has revealed to us.

- In Genesis we saw how God created the world and how man became so sinful that God destroyed the earth with a flood.  It was a book of "New Beginnings" and followed the lives of people like Abraham and Joseph.

- In Exodus, we see how Israel escaped slavery in Egypt and how God miraculously set them free from hundreds of years of bondage.  They came through the Red Sea and saw God provide through the desert wilderness. They came to Mount Sinai where God appeared to them in a spectacular way; where Moses went up on the mountain to meet with God and receive the law.

- In Exodus, God reveals His plans to build a tabernacle of meeting and how God established a priesthood.

The Book of Exodus covered a year.  The Book of Leviticus covered only a month.  The Book of Numbers will now cover more than 38 years.

The wilderness was never meant to be Israel's destination. God's intention was to bring them into the Promised Land of Canaan. The wilderness was intended as a temporary place - a place to move through, not to live in.

The Book of Numbers is all about God's people in the wilderness - how they got there, how God deals with them in the wilderness, and how He brings them out of the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land.

"The theme of the book of Numbers is the journey to the Promised Land of Canaan. Its opening ten chapters, covering a mere fifty days, describe how Moses organized Israel for the march from Sinai to the Promised Land." (Wenham)

The Book of Numbers gives us a big vision: Where is God taking us? What will it take to get there? What inward qualities must God develop in us and demand in us along the way?

Promised Land people are very different from slave people. Israel emerged from Egypt a slave people, basically unsuited for the Promised Land. How would God transform them into a promised-land people?

"So the Israelites had been slaves in the land of Goshen; their tasks were appointed, and their taskmasters compelled their obedience. Their difficulties had been great, their bondage cruel, but they were free from the necessity of thought and arrangement. Having escaped from their taskmaster, they imagined that freedom meant escape from rule. They had been taught in their year of encampment under the shadow of the mountain that they had to submit to law, and it was irksome to them, and they became discontented. This discontent resulted from lack of perfect confidence in God." (Morgan)

The Book of Numbers approaches it all God's way. When we are in the wilderness, we are tempted to launch a hundred different schemes and plans to escape. But only God's way really works; and the Book of Numbers gives us God's way. The idea that the LORD spoke to Moses is repeated more than 150 times and more than 20 different ways in Numbers.

Notice the opening verse...

Numbers 1:1 (ESV) 1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai...

How does God speak to you today?  How do you know that it was God?  Is it possible to hear His voice? Does God want us to hear His voice? How does God speak? How are we to listen?

Notice some of the people that God spoke to in the Bible...

"God spoke unto Noah, saying” (Genesis 8:15).
“The Lord had said unto Abram …” (Genesis 12:1).
“The Lord said unto Moses …” (Exodus 24:12).
“Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah …” (Isaiah 38:4).
“Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

God is speaking, and we can hear His voice. Christianity is a relationship; every relationship is established and maintained through communication. It is vital that we learn to hear God’s voice, so that we may deepen our relationship with our heavenly Father.

God Speaks to Us in Many Ways

Our creative God is not limited to one form of communication. He is all-powerful; He is omnipresent; He is sovereign. The Bible is filled with accounts of God speaking to individuals, to families, and to nations. In the past He spoke in many different ways, and that is true today as well.

1- God Speaks to Us Through His Word

The Bible is one of God’s provisions to equip us to do His will. (See II Timothy 3:16–17.) God’s Word is alive; it is active in our lives. The Bible is an absolutely essential part of your walk with God. You must not neglect His Word. It is one way that He speaks to you personally, powerfully—today. (See I Thessalonians 1:5, 2:13.)

2- God Speaks to Us Through Our Prayers

God also speaks to us when we pray. Unfortunately, many of us have the mistaken idea that the purpose of prayer is to change God’s mind. We think, “If I can just plead with God long enough and hard enough, He’ll give me what I’m asking for.” Prayer is not a way to twist God’s arm.

Prayer is God’s means of getting through to us, so that we can do things for Him! As we pray, God takes our focus off of our needs and puts our focus on His love and His power. Through prayer, God changes our perspective to conform to His purposes; He establishes His priorities for our lives; He leads us into all truth.

3- God Often Speaks in a “Still, Small Voice”

At a time when the prophet Elijah was discouraged and depressed, God spoke to him: “And he [God] said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he … went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? ” (I Kings 19:11–13).

Sometimes God will speak through “the wind or an earthquake or a fire,” but most often He speaks in a still, small voice. Be attentive!

4- God Speaks Through Circumstances

You must be diligent to seek God and to be attentive to His work in every facet of your life, because another way that God speaks to us is through our circumstances. As you focus on the Lord, especially during difficult or painful circumstances, God can show you His perspective about your circumstances. Rather than trying to figure out everything, equipped only with our limited knowledge and understanding, we can acknowledge the Lord in all of our ways and rely on His love for us, His sovereignty, and His plan for our good. (See Proverbs 3:3–13 and Romans 8:26–32.) He is totally trustworthy.

5- God Speaks Through Others

The Bible records many instances in which God used one individual to deliver His message to another individual. (See I Samuel 13:13–14, 15:23; II Samuel 12:7–15; and Acts 9:10–18, 10:1–33.) God may speak to you through another individual—a friend, a parent, a pastor, even a stranger. You would be wise to confirm what you hear God saying by seeking affirmation of that direction through wise, Godly people.

One of the best places to find individuals who can give you Godly counsel is your local church. Even if your fellow church members do not directly give you counsel, God can use their words to reveal or confirm His will, as the Holy Spirit works in your lives. Also, as a member of a local church, you can observe what God is saying to the entire church. God often will direct you personally through the input of others who are regularly in Christian fellowship with you.

With God, Nothing Is Impossible!

God is not limited in any way. He is not restricted to certain methods of communication with His children. Just as He creatively and dramatically used a donkey to rebuke Balaam, God can just as creatively and dramatically communicate His message to your heart as you hear someone else pray, as you read a testimony included in your church newsletter, or as you suddenly understand the full meaning of a song you hear. With God, nothing is impossible! (See Luke 1:37)

In John 10:14, 27–28, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. … My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

Stay as close as possible to the Shepherd, and you will always know if He is the One whose voice you hear.

THE CONDITIONS FOR GOD'S BLESSINGS IN YOUR LIFE

“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ESV) 

Leviticus 26 is an interesting portion of scripture in that it lays out the conditions for God's abundant blessings in our lives.

V.3 - "If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands..."  In other words, if you follow the words that I have laid out, then I will pour out these blessings into your life."

Notice the blessings... God says, "I will..."

A. Give You Plenty - vv. 4,5

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. Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭4-5‬ ESV)

B. Give You Peace - v.6a

I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭6‬ ESV)

C. Give You Protection - v. 6b

And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭6‬ ESV)

D. Give You Power - vv. 7,8

You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭7-8‬ ESV)

E. Give You Prosperity - v.9

I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭9‬ ESV)

F. Give You Provision - v. 10

You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭10‬ ESV)

G. Give You His Presence - vv. 11,12

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 ESV)

H. Give you freedom - v.13

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭13‬ ESV)

These are the very things man is striving for today. These are the things God wants you to have.God will not force you to love or obey Him.  It's your choice.

There is also a 2nd condition set forth here - "If you will not..." (vv.14-15).

Notice the results...

A. Futility - v.16b & Judges 6:1-6

B. Defeat - v.17 & 1 Samuel 4:10

C. Drought - v.19,20 & 1 Kings 17

D. Children devoured by beasts - v. 22 & 2 Kings 17:25

E. Pestilence - v. 25b & Numbers 16:49

F. Starvation - v.29 & 2 Kings 6:28-29

G. Desolations - v.31 & 2 Kings 25:9

H. Dispersion - v.33 & Psalm 44:11

I. 70 years of captivity - v.34,35 & Jeremiah 25:11-12

May I encourage you today to put your trust fully on God and His Word.  His promise to all of us is blessing, blessing, and more blessing.  It sure beats the alternative.

(Outline from Pastor Chuck Smith).

FOR THOSE WHO DESIRE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES!

Leviticus 22:32 (ESV) 32 ...I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

The Book of Leviticus will do one of two things to you: It will either 1) put you to sleep, or 2) it will tug at your heart about how God is currently working in your life.  The latter is how God has used this Old Testament Book in my own life.

I realize that we live in a day in which theological terms don't make a lot of sense to people nor do they really want to know the meanings of words and the depth that they represent.  To me, that is very sad.  Theology is placed on the back burners of many people's lives and they have no or little grasp of what they really believe.

So, from that standpoint let me throw some words out there that are important to the Christian faith:

1 - Justification:  This is the first word of importance that explains what happens to us when we become a Christian.  When we accept Christ into our hearts - God "justifies" us.  In simple language - He erased our sins and we stand before Him "just as if we had never sinned."  This is the act of giving you a new start (erasing the board, per se).  It is wiping away all of our sins by His precious blood.

Romans 5:1 (ESV) 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But it doesn't stop here.  God has more for us. Notice this next word...

2- Sanctification: This is the ongoing work of God in our lives on a daily basis.  God doesn't just forgive us of our sins and give us a new start - He continues to help us on a daily basis.  He "sanctifies" us daily.  It's like getting a spiritual bath everyday.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

That's why the Book of Leviticus is so important - it is a whole book on how God continues His work in us on a daily basis.  He doesn't just save us and leave us on our own but is constantly working in our lives and in our hearts to help to become more and more like Him.

Leviticus 22 is an important chapter in that it is specific to priests/ ministers/ us in how they/us were/are profaning the name of God.  It is filled with laws and regulations about what God expects out of His servants.

In our western culture we read through these verses and wonder how it really affects us and our daily living.  We wonder how in the world will we ever be able to accomplish what God is trying to accomplish.  

And then... there is a ray of light - a verse that shines out in the darkness:

Leviticus 22:32 (ESV) 32 ...I am the LORD who sanctifies you,

Out of nowhere God reminds us that we don't do the sanctifying - He does!  He is the one who helps and guides us to the place where we can be most productive and useful for Him.

With my willingness to change and His ability and power - I am changing from "glory to glory."

Sometimes, depending our heart attitude, God has to allow pain and suffering and discomfort in order for us to get where we need to get.  He even, if needs be, disciplines us in order to work out the sanctification process in our life.

Hebrews 12:10 (ESV) 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.

I look back on my life and the different seasons I went through from total compliance to dragging my feet to being a little to a lot stubborn.  And yet, God was there with me through every turn and every corner.

"I am the LORD who sanctifies you."  It's not an empty promise but a promise filled with a hope of a greater future now and with God forever and ever.  It has the backing of God Himself.

May I encourage you to "submit" to this daily sanctifying process.  God sees the greater picture in your life.  He is not surprised by anything that you are going through.  He will see you to the end.  His promise is this to you: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  You can count on that!

THREE ANOINTINGS IN THE BIBLE

Luke 4:18  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

How many would like to see your Christian faith stronger than ever?  You would like to see more miracles, more salvations, more healings, deeper prayer, etc.

In order for this to happen… you must have spiritual authority that only comes from God on high. God is looking for people who will do battle with the Satanic forces and powers of darkness which have long held many people and nations in bondage.  To have victory in these areas we must have the anointing from God on high.

In the Old Testament, oil was actually poured upon the heads of 1- Lepers, 2- Preists, and 3- Kings.

THREE ANOINTINGS

1. Lepers Anointings - Leviticus 14:14-18.

Lev 14:14  "The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
Lev 14:15  "And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand.
Lev 14:16  "Then the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD.
Lev 14:17  "And of the rest of the oil in his hand, the priest shall put some on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the trespass offering.
Lev 14:18  "The rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD.

Leviticus 14 gives a series of procedures for the leper and the priest to go through.  These procedures had to be adhered to  in order for healing to take place.

First, the leper offered a lamb for a trespass offering  Lev. 14:13.

Lev 14:13  "Then he shall kill the lamb in the place where he kills the sin offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place; for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy.

The blood of the lamb was then applied to the right ear, the right thumb and the big toe of the right foot.

After the blood was applied, the anointing oil was applied to the same spot on the ear, thumb and toe v.17 & v.25.

A. Ear = hearing

As sinners, we refused to hear God's commandments and broke them continually.  As Christians,  we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and keep His commandments (John 10:4,5) to love and serve one another.

B. Thumb = service

Gal 5:13  For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  

Luke 10:30-37 - Example of the Good Samaritan

As Christians who are "washed by the blood of the Lamb, we use  our gifts to serve God and others.  We use our hands to heal and to help others.

3. Toe = walk

As unclean with leprosy of sin, we walked in  ways of rebellion, wickedness and strife.  When the blood is applied, we renounce hidden works of darkness and immorality and walk in paths of righteousness and purity.

Leprosy is symbolic of the Holy Spirit's work in salvation when we are cleansed from our "spiritual leprosy," sin. Just as leprosy moves into the physical body and destroys it, so sin moves in to destroy and kill the spirit.

There are two instances of healing of the leper in the Old Testament  The story of Miriam and the story of Naaman.

It was not only the blood of the Lamb that cleansed the leper  it was the anointing oil (symbol of the Holy Spirit) that restored him.

The Holy Spirit comes to empower our hearing, to empower us for service, and to empower us to walk uprightly.

So... we see the anointing of the leper illustrates the work of the Holy Spirit in redeeming us to God for His pleasure.

Rev 5:9  And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
Rev 5:10  And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

WE NEED THE LEPERS'S ANOINTING!   

2. The Priestly Anointing - Exodus 29:29 and 30:30

Exo 29:29  "And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to be anointed in them and to be consecrated in them.This was for Aaron and his sons, the priests, of the the tribe of Levi.

Exo 30:30  "And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

The work of the Spirit of God in our life not only saves us from the guilt and penalty of sin, but the Lord wants to also save us from the POWER of sin  the habit, the force of it.  The Spirit's work is to make us holy, to make us righteous, to express righteous deeds through service to others and to the Lord.   Cleansing.

The anointing is to come into our lives to break all the influence of sin upon us.  The Holy Spirit breaks the power of canceled sin.

Isaiah 10:27 - "... the yoke (of sin) shall be destroyed because of the anointing."

The priestly anointing is for holiness, to cause us to live right, to produce righteous acts, to motivate righteous deeds.

3. The Kingly Anointing - I Samuel 10:1 and 16:13.

1 Sam 10:1  Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: "Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance?

1 Sam 16:13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

Thirdly, the Old Testament describes the anointing of a king.  The anointing of a king was anointing to power and authority.  It is the kingly anointing that Jesus spoke of to His disciples in Acts 1:8.

Acts 1:8  "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me..."  

He wanted them to go out and preach the gospel with power."

It was never the intent of Jesus that the gospel should be delivered "...in word only, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."  I Corinthians 2:45.

Jesus commissioned His disciples to go out and preach, heal the sick and cast out devils.  "...freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8).  

He never expected the world to believe a gospel devoid of power.  

He expected that "these signs shall follow them that believe.  They would cast out devils, speak with other tongues, lay hands on the sick and they would recover. (Mark 16:1520).

Paul writes in Romans 15:19  "...from Jerusalem, and round about Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."

The Gentiles Paul preached to were made obedient not by word only, but by "word and deed,"

Acts 8:56  "Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.  The people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Phillip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did."  

The sick were healed.  The demons were cast out and there was great joy in that city.

These people had a kingly authority about them.  

The same pattern of anointing  (the three anointings) in the Old Testament is the same path that God brings authority to us as  believers.  

Authority because we have been forgiven,
Authority because we have been cleansed.  
Authority because we have been empowered.  

The anointing brings that.

FIND YOUR GIFT AND USE IT!

“Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the Lord has commanded.” And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. (Exodus 36:1-2 ESV)

One of the things that has amazed me in life is the different types of giftings people have in their lives.  As an example - I feel God has gifted and called me to be a pastor.  I'm a communicator.  I enjoy being with people and enjoy helping them through life's problems.

Yet, when I compare myself to both of my daughters and sons-in-laws I am overwhelmed with how diverse we all are.  I have one daughter who is a very gifted artist, one daughter who is a gifted mathematician, a son-in-law who works on engines and knows how to build one from the bottom up, and a son-in-law who is professor, librarian and a gifted theologian.

That is just in my family alone.  Not to mention all the other giftings that people have like carpenters, jewelers, teachers, artists, computer geniuses, etc.  The list literally could go on and on.

When I first started pastoring there were two young men in my church who were jewelers.  They literally could take and fashion a ring or necklace out of a lump of gold or silver that turned out immaculate and costly.  I would watch them work and feel so small in my understanding or gifting next to them.  Yet, if they got in front of people, they would stumble in their words and would be very awkward in their presentation.

What is amazing is this - God made us all so different.  We are all wired differently.  God didn't put all the giftings in one pile.  He spread them out and continues to do so in all our lives.

Ephesians 4 gives us some understanding about gifts and giftings from God.

1. Everyone Is Given A Gift – v.7

Eph 4:7  But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

2- Our Gift Comes From Christ – vv 8-10

Eph 4:8  Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
Eph 4:9  (Now this, "He ascended"; what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

3-  A Listing Of The Gifts – v.11

Eph 4:11  And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

People often wonder what type of gifts do they possess.  Here are some guidelines:

1- What comes naturally? 

2 – What moves you spiritually? 

Rom 11:29  God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them. (NCV)

3– What is it that you do that seems to have the blessing of God on?

John MacArthur once said that “A Christian who does not have a ministry is a contradiction in terms.” 

1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT - A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

On Saturday, March 14th, we will have a Spiritual Gifts Class at New Life Chapel.  May I encourage you to call the church and be part of this class about discovering and deploying the gifts that God has given you?  May I challenge you to go deeper and to become the person God has called and gifted you to be?  You will be both blessed by God and then a blessing to others.

Find your gift and use it!

BEING PASSIONATE FOR GOD'S PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES

And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. (‭Exodus‬ ‭33‬:‭15‬ ESV)

Fortunately, I have had the blessed opportunity to be raised in a Christian home.  Some homes might call themselves Christian but I was truly raised by a family who lived out Christianity in their day by day lives.  Growing up as a kid - I can hardly remember a time when I didn't wake up and not find my dad and mom already on their knees in prayer for their family and for the church they pastored.

When I say "prayer" - it wasn't just a rote list of prayers that they prayed - it was praying to bring the presence of God down into their lives.

Exodus 40:34-38 talks about a cloud (The Glory Of God) that covered the temple.  It was so "thick" that people had a difficult time even standing.  The presence of God was felt and it was even experienced.  I like what v.38 says, "This continued throughout their journeys."

There are two words that help us define the glory of God:

1- (Heb. Phaneim)  presence of God, face(s) of God.  This speaks of an intimacy with God. Exodus 33:15 speaks to this - "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here."

2.  (Heb.   Kabowd) -  "glory or weight." This is found in Exodus 40:34 in speaking about the "Glory Of God" that filled the temple.

God is basically saying "I will bring my presence among you and my weight will be upon you.  It will stamp upon you. It is that which comes into our midst with such a force that it makes a mark upon everyone in that place.”

So... glory has to do with countenance, sustenance, power, weight.  It's kind of like a diver who has to wear a weight belt to hold him down in the water.  As Christians we need God's weight to hold us down from all junk of the world.  People in the Old Testament felt this weight-less-ness because of their sin. That's when Jesus showed up: John 1:14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

    
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 talks about that we are being changed "from glory to glory."  God's presence is now in us and we are growing in it everyday.  The word change speaks of a transformation  (gr. metamorphis) – It is the concept of a caterpillar and butterfly.  There is an ongoing transformation taking place in us.

    
Let's go back to Exodus 33.  There are three key words that help us understand the "path" to being in God's presence - (in His glory).
   
1. 33:5  "Stubborn / Rebellious” - Obstinate  (stiffnecked)
2. 33:7 – “Requested” - "Sought"
3. 33:13  "Know”  - Show

In reading this passage - you get a sense that God is calling us from the unworthy (from our sins).  He is trying to purify us. He wants to really "know" us - to be intimate with us.

We know the word worthy relates to "worship" in the Bible.  It also has to do with "weight."

The Gr. word is  "oxios."  It has the background has to do with the sustenance of a coin.  (Coins that were minted without the technology of today.  In those days just the handling of coins could wear it thin."

When a person would buy something  their coins would be weighed and given their worth.  Often they would be worth less because of their weight but not worthless (with no value).

The idea of glory is a reinvestment of our nature or being, with the intended worth that God wants for us. To be refilled with glory does not require that you have a major sin in your life.  Often times it is just the wear and tear of life which causes a thinness to come in.

God is calling us from anything that is unworthy (that which is not up to the full potential God has for our lives.) God is calling us to Him to come away from everything that is shallow and shabby in comparison.  God is calling us to come and be renewed.

Our problem is not walking in God's glory or even not having a passion for it but failing to perceive where thinness has come in.

Many things crop up in our lives that are unworthy to God.  The only way back to worthiness is to kneel in His presence and first confess that which is unworthy.

Let us say "Search me and try my thoughts and see if there be any wicked ways in me."  Basically... "Lord, I want your presence in my life more than anything.  Do what you want with me so I can be a vessel for your glory."

We must be clothed again in renewal  carefulness in speech, discipline, conduct, entertainment, speech, etc.

Do you have a desire to know God?  To know His ways?  Do you want to line up with His will?  Do you want to experience His presence in your life. I am so glad that I am part of a church community that experiences "the presence of God."  We are not in a hurry to "get church over with" but we have this longing to "wait" for God and to be filled with who He is and what He wants for our lives.  I pray that you will find that longing in your own heart also for God to fill you to the brim and more.