RTW February 25
Life Can Turn On An If
If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands …
Leviticus 26:3a
My Takeaways
Something Old
God wanted to makes sure everyone knew He was the Lord.
Something New
God still makes Himself known through His people.
If you love me, obey my commandments. John 14:15
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. Romans 10:9
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:19
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matthew 10:39
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35
Something to Do
Make my if count for the kingdom.
My Takeaways: Obedience and disobedience and results of each.
Something Old: Leviticus 26:1 “Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God.” God makes this warning over and over again. But the Israelites continue to deceive themselves with the objects they make of wood and stone. Sounds like us today. But we are not making objects of wood and stone, we are idolizing our money, sports, the way we look…
Something New: Leviticus 26:40 “But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me.” This is taking full responsibility for wrong doings. What does it mean to confess? It means to own up to your sin. It means to admit that you are guilty of a punishable deed or offense. Confession is refusing to hide or lie about or cover iniquity. It is acknowledging sin to God. It is not trying to fix it or be better or change. It is simply owning up to the facts. God is patient. He is always giving us the opportunity to turn away from our sins and repent. God’s purpose is always to bring us to him and allow us to continue to grow.
James 4:6 “But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the scriptures say, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The proud get what they deserve. They refuse to confess, they refuse to humble themselves, and God sets himself against them. But the humble do not get what they deserve. They get better than they deserve. He gives grace to the humble.
Something To Do: I must humble myself before God. All I need is His approval. When I walk in the Spirit I realize that this world’s attractions are only substitutes for what God has to offer.