Leviticus 11-13 Healthy is as Healthy Does

Today we have doctors that diagnose disease and we have medicines to alleviate suffering but in the time in the desert, the Israelites did not have doctors or medicines. God instituted several precautions for His people so they would remain healthy. Today we follow many of these same instructions. Physical observations offer much as to what the body is facing. 

So today if you find yourself suffering, you might want to observe and follow some of these instructions because we are only healthy as healthy does. Paul refers to this in a similar way when he says our bodies are the temple of the Lord. We are to honor and revere these wise instructions so that we can honor the Lord. 

Words from Mom to Son

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Prov 31 As we close Proverbs, we come to the last chapter filled with snippets of advice of a queen mother to her son. Every mother desires their child to be wise and discerning and even more so God desires that for their children. Therefore, God purposed that Prov 31 and 2Tim 3:16 should be intertwined in purpose and thought. “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The Holy Spirit inspired different authors to record the very words from God as His gift that we might seek Him and find Him and become His children. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation.” [Rom 10:9-10]

The mother in Prov 31 took time to instruct her son in the ways that would bring him success. Even greater is the Lord God Almighty who instructs his children in the ways of wisdom as we live and walk in this world. And even greater is this truth: we are known by Him because we have His free gift of salvation and we have the promise “But if someone loves God, he is known by God.”  [1Cor 8:3]

Therefore, step aside today and ponder this chapter.

Thinking Ahead

How does one protect him/her self from making bad decisions when thinking about relationships?

Numbers 36 “Forward Thinkers”

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How do you make wise decisions? Do you seek scripture? Do you seek the wisdom of your elders/church leaders? Do you spend time in prayer? The courageous daughters of Zelophehad had wisely gone to Moses about their dad’s inheritance since he had no sons. The Lord instructed that these five daughters should be given the rights that would have gone to a son.

But now we see that the tribal leaders approached Moses about how to protect the inheritance of these five courageous women. As forward thinkers, they saw the handwriting on the wall. There needed to be in place some rules ahead of time so that they would not lose their inheritance from a male from another tribe. Thus Moses established, by the Lord’s wisdom, to place protective hedges around them by which they could only marry in their tribe and the women agreed.  These protective steps would protect their inheritance and Israel’s national heritage.

If only we would follow this advice when we are considering relationships! These tribal leaders cared for these five courageous women just as God wants to protect us. There are two principles: It is wise to think ahead of the “what if’s” before you have to face them head-on. Secondly, remember the question Paul asked: “What does a believer share in common with an unbeliever?” [2Cor 6]

Wise Counsel: (1) Date once to see if they are believers; if not walk away. (2) Marry only a believer to protect the “tribe of Jesus.”

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