Musings and Ramblings about Preaching, Pastoral Ministry, Sports and Life in General

Month: July 2022

Monday Morning Musing

I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. Leviticus 26:12

One of my favorite Old Testament verses is nestled in one of the least read books of the Bible. The book of Leviticus is filled with descriptions of worship practices, sacrifices, and purification rites. Near the end of the book, the twenty-sixth chapter explains the blessings and curses that will come from obeying or breaking the covenant God is making with the nation of Israel. While the first thirteen verses outline the blessings of obedience, verse twelve always stirs my heart. God promises to walk among them, to be their God, and they will be His people.

In the New Testament, Jesus was a tangible fulfillment of God’s declaration to be with his people. Of course, God echoes the ultimate fulfillment of this precious promise in Revelations 21:3. It reads as follows: “Then I heard a voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will leave with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them, and will be their God.”

Whatever you are enduring today, if Jesus is your savior, then God’s presence will always be near you, and you will ultimately be in His presence forever.

Thursday Thoughts

If we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

God won’t forgive me for that. I’m too messed up, too dirty to be forgiven. I’m too far gone for God to care about me. These and other excuses like them are often repeated in gospel conversations. If we are honest, they often echo through our internal dialogue as well. I have good news for you: 1 John 1:9 is an amazing promise for you. Confessing our sins to God means dealing with God about the ways we have fallen short of His standard. If we seek his forgiveness, then it is available to us. Not only is it available, but it is also accessible to us because it is tied up in God’s nature and character. The second half of the verse says he is faithful and just to forgive us. He is fully trustworthy. You can bank on him. Take your sins to him today and find forgiveness and cleansing through his Son Jesus Christ.

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