February 2023 – Page 2 of 3 – Sonshine's Journal

February 18, 2023February 18, 2023

Purity and Righteousness

Lev 16-18 Two principles reign supreme: the life is in the blood, [Lev 17:14], so do not partake of the blood of any animal. Secondly, do not celebrate what God calls abominable. [Lev 18:2-4]

Over and over, God speaks to holiness and righteousness to His people. They were to be a holy people, set apart for Him. They were going to the Promised Land, which at this time was polluted by the abominable sins of the people living there, which He lists so there is no excuse for not knowing, which reminds us of Rom. 1:20 “they are without excuse.” God is specific about the very sins He calls perversions because they taint the purity and righteousness He not only desires but demands.

Why is God so definitive? Because He wants a people to be holy as He is holy. Where am I not pure and need to offer my prayers for forgiveness?

February 17, 2023February 17, 2023

The Price of Forgiveness

Lev 14-15 When we sin, intentionally or unintentionally, everyone suffers! The price for forgiveness or cleansing is very steep. In the case of the Israelites, it was the cost of an unblemished lamb or turtledoves. No matter what was given, it was costly to the sinner. We don’t have to wonder why because the life is in the blood. “Life for life.” [Lev 17:14] In Hebrews, we read: “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.”[Heb 9:22]

How thankful I am that Christ gave himself to pay the price of my sin. “By his will, we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” [Heb 10:10]

Today as you and I go about our work, may we be ever so conscious of what we do, what we say, and our thoughts. May we be holy as He is holy.

February 17, 2023February 17, 2023

“Unclean and Clean”

Lev 13, Matt 8 For the last few years, we have experienced the stigma of being “unclean” regarding the pandemic. There has been a public outcry to be vaccinated and how to handle this to protect others. In some way, this scenario is much like what Hansen’s disease or leprosy was to the Israelite community. When leprosy broke out, those who had contracted it were separated from the rest lest it infects the community. The “in house DR.” or the high priest was to determine what the infection was, but the only treatment was isolation. Just as physical leprosy separates people, spiritual leprosy isolates us from a holy God.

That is why we see the full impact in the leper’s story, who was bold yet fearful as he approached Jesus. He came with one question: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” [Matt 8:2] God has provided Jesus as our “in house Dr.” He is willing to reach out, touch us and cleanse us of our sins.

There are two questions: (1) Are we still walking around with our spiritual leprosy, and (2) Are we willing to approach Jesus and seek His cleansing? Where are you today?

February 15, 2023February 15, 2023

Be Holy as God is Holy

Lev 8-10
After several lengthy chapters on the Tabernacle, we come to the place of the consecration of the implements and the sacrifices. Each tribe was to bring a set of golden and silver dishes and also certain animals to be sacrificed. Aaron was consecrated and anointed, as well as his sons. Moses offered the sacrifices with great detail, and the Lord accepted them. Then we come to chapter 10, a horrific scene that included two of Aaron’s sons. We are not told precisely what Nadab and Abihu did, but God killed them and told Moses to have their bodies carried outside the camp. To be carried outside the camp was a picture of uncleanness. Further, Moses told Aaron he could not grieve.

This is a complex story but comes with it a principle: God has standards, and they must be followed religiously. Today we don’t seem to have a perfect measure, and if something is missing, it is not all that problematic. But God wants us to know that we are to be holy as He is holy. So there is no room for deviation. Over and over through the book of Leviticus, we will see that standard, and Peter also includes it. [1Pet 1:16]

Where are you shaving off a rule and not keeping it perfectly?

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023

Do You Need a Mouth Washing?

Lev 5-6 I can well remember my mother washing my mouth out with soap. The taste was horrible and remained even after the incident, in hopes, perhaps, that this lingering taste would cause me to forgo lying when the next temptation arose. However, I must be a slow learner because I remember my parent doing it repeatedly. In Lev. 5, God is saying we must repent and seek forgiveness, whether the sin is intentional or unintentional sin and whether it is the first time or the umpteenth time. We have a choice; try to ignore it OR confess it. Just as Mother had to wash my mouth over and over, we may have to face our sins because even unintentional sins need God’s forgiveness.

What a blessing to know we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to speak to our heart so that when we realize we are guilty before a holy God, we can seek God’s forgiveness and trust that He is faithful and righteous and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1John 1:9 paraphrase]

Do you need this today? Do not delay but listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

February 13, 2023February 13, 2023

Do I have leaven in my life?

Leviticus 1-3 I love to make homemade bread. Over the years, I have made more yeast breads than number could count. I have seen the effect of yeast to change the dough. God told Moses if any were to bring a grain offering, it was not to have any leaven. In that day, honey and yeast were the leavening agents because they caused fermentation. Both are an illustration of sin. You can’t see the leavening agent, just like you can’t see sin, but you do see the effects of it. Leaven causes the dough to rise and change form, and sin changes me inwardly and sometimes outwardly. Is there any leaven in my/our life when I offer myself to God?

Then also, God gave instructions to Moses about the sin offerings. He required that they be pure and set apart. They were to have no blemish of any kind. Am I set apart when I present myself to God? Am I/are you without blemish, pure and holy without sin? As the sin offerings were burned on the altar, they produced a sweet aroma. Am I/are you a sweet aroma to God?

Such practical lessons!

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023

Working for God

Exo 38-39, 1Cor 3:13 The people gave willingly, and anointed workers gathered and prepared all materials needed for worship. Moses led, the people (finally) followed, and God was pleased. Imagine being there at the unveiling to see the finished “project,” a.k.a. Tabernacle. Each person could stand and think; I was a part of this. The women could look and see the different threads in the garments and the coverings and say I wove the blue or I wove the scarlet threads; not to take glory to themselves but to realize that without their contribution, it would not have happened.

When we do a work, it honors God. We can stand back and be assured that God has noted it. God descended with a cloud to bless the people and their work. He filled the Tabernacle with His glory. In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul noted we are God’s workmanship, “equipped for the work of service, fo the building up the body of Christ.” [Eph 2:10]

Where have you done a work for God and felt, seen, thought, that was my part? Be assured that God has seen and is pleased when He sees a pure heart. In eternity, “each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.” [1Cor 3:13]

What will your work reveal when you stand before God?

February 11, 2023February 11, 2023

The Spirit of Wisdom pt. 4

Exodus 34, 36-38
To do the work of God, we must spend time in His presence. Moses spent time on the mountain with God, and when he returned, his face shone so much that the people were afraid, and he had to put a veil over his face. Does my face shine when I leave God’s presence so that others see that my countenance is changed?

Moses is told that God has called and anointed one man with the spirit of wisdom to lead the building of the Tabernacle. Bezalel will be like the chief commanding officer skilled in working gold, silver, and bronze. He is not only the architect but is also the one who is given the wisdom to lead a team of men to do the work.

Today may I spend time in the presence of God so others see my “shining” face. May God direct those men who are skilled to lead this ministry. Today, we have churches, not Tabernacles, but we need men to lead and guide us. Pray for those in leadership to be filled with the spirit of wisdom. Pray for them that they spend time with God to have their countenances changed as well.

February 10, 2023February 10, 2023

The Spirit of Wisdom pt 3

Exodus 35 Both Moses and Paul honored people who had the spirit of wisdom. “The most remarkable thing about this section of Exodus is the emphasis on women. Women are mentioned four times in the paragraph (35:22, 25, 26, 29).” [1]In Exodus 35:25-26, the women are honored for their skill in weaving. They were gifted artisans who could spin yarn, and it was they that wove the thread for the Temple veil, and they used their skill to weave the yarns needed for the curtains and the garments of the priests. Not only that, but they were skilled in dying these yarns in blue, purple, and scarlet. Vs. 26 notes that they were stirred with wisdom. It was the beauty of their weaving of these materials. They did as their hearts dictated what was needful at the moment.

Solomon honored the virtuous woman who “extended her hands to the spool, and her hands grasped the spindle.” Prov 31:13. Dr. Luke praised Dorcas for her care of producing garments for poor women. [Acts 9:36]

Paul prayed that the Father would endow the Ephesians with the spirit of wisdom. [Eph 1:17] so that they would be gifted to be skillful artisans in the craft God had given to them for the church and its people.
Where has God gifted you, and are you using it for His glory as these women did?
[1] https://theopolisinstitute.com/leithart_post/israels-wise-women/

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023

Spirit of Wisdom pt.2

Exodus 31; Eph 2:10 God is the Creator of all. He gifted Bezalel with talents to accomplish His work building the Tabernacle. He “filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,” [Ex 31:3] He was God’s masterpiece/workmanship to “design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.” [Ex 31:4-5] Under his leadership, things like the cherubim and the incense altar were formed out of pure gold, the most valuable of all metals.

Just like gold was and is the most valuable and pure metal, we who were dead in our trespasses and sins were made alive together with Christ, not of works so that we cannot boast. Rather, “we are we are His workmanship OR masterpiece, valuable, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” [Eph 2:1-10].

As a believer in Christ, you are now His workmanship OR His masterpiece to do good works. Just as God filled Bezalel with the spiritual wisdom he would need to craft the pieces of the Tabernacle, pray that God fill you with the spirit of wisdom for the task God has prepared for you from eternity past.