The Bronze Laver by Shalene

I have gotten a little behind in a bible study I am doing of Beth Moore's study "A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place. However, I realized this morning that I have spent entirely too much time in self pity, and not enough time in His Word. So I began studying again. I came upon a powerful truth today, that I would like to share with you.

How many of you, that are believers, choose to say a repetitious prayer "God, forgive me of all my sins"? Have you ever thought that perhaps that is not nearly enough? I have, but today it was brought home fully. I am reading about the bronze laver that was placed between the tabernacle of meeting and the altar, for the Israelites that God brought out of Egypt. (Exodus 30:18 NKJV) This bronze laver was for washing the hands and feet of the priests before they could enter into the tabernacle of meeting. If they did not they would die.

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Psalm 24:3-4 NKJV

And did you know that the base of the laver was made of bronze mirrors? Why do you think that was? It was made to be a reflection of the priests' sins, so that they would have to truly examine their sins and repent of them.

Beth Moore states in her study that "several years ago I ceased the repetitious prayer 'Forgive me of all my sins' because I realized that I could not turn away from a sin I had not first confronted."

Have you thought about that? When you repent of your sins and ask forgiveness, do you first examine and confront each sin? What a daunting task! I don't want to do it, for sure, but I realize that unless I truly examine my heart, and my motives, I am not truly repenting, or dying to self. I do not have a Godly sorrow for my sins. If we are not truly sorry for a sin, and yet we ask God to forgive it, we are wasting our time. If you find yourself in this position, perhaps you should ask God for Godly sorrow so that you can truly repent and be guaranteed your forgiveness. (see 1 John 1:9 NKJV) This is what I shall be doing, to be sure.

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrew 10:22 NKJV

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 1 Peter 1:22 NKJV

The tabernacle of meeting was the place where the priests fellowshipped with God! How awesome that the priests had to first pass by the blood and the water before they could fellowship with Him. We too, must do the same thing. Jesus has already become our sacrifice, we must only accept it. Then we must be washed in the purifying water of the Spirit. Only then can we be in true fellowship with Him.

--Lord today, I confess my sins to you, and I ask your forgiveness, though I have not named them, each one here, I have named them to you personally, and I ask for your forgiveness of them. Lord I ask for a Godly sorrow to pierce my soul for every transgression against you, that I might be purified by the Spirit, and truly pure in Your sight. I pray this for all that read these words today as well. I pray these things in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.

I'd like to recommend a couple songs for today. There is no video for them to show to you, but you can go to the website and listen to it. The song is Stay Near to God by Jon Shabaglian. Wake Up is also a great song. He is a relatively unknown artist, but you can just click on the song title in the playlist to listen to it. He is a local artist (to me) and could use your support, if you should choose to buy his music.

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Choosing This Day by Shalene

...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15 NKJV (emphasis mine)

In the days of Noah, there was sin rampant on the earth. (Genesis 6:5) Only Noah was found to be righteous. (Genesis 6:8) Why is that? Because he walked with God. (Genesis 6:9) What does it mean then, to "walk with God"? It means to choose every day, every moment to be in continued communion with God. Nelson's NKJV Study Bible describes this verb halak as having connotations "of a habitual manner of life or a constant relationship with God."

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galations 5:16 NKJV

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6 NKJV

How then can we be righteous in the eyes of the Lord? By walking with Him continually. You must "choose this day", everyday.

How is it that we do not "walk with the Lord"? We do this by bowing down to our sinfulness, our "gods", if you will.

To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
And compare Me, that we should be alike?
They lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble. Isaiah 46:5-7 NKJV

By choosing each day to walk with God, we are choosing each day to die to ourselves, and our sinful natures. We cannot go wrong if we remember that nothing is outside of God's plan, that there is nothing that God can't do. We can say that about no other thing or person. Won't you choose today, to walk with God? Choose righteousness today, choose it every moment, every minute, and you will become Christlike.

Pray with me:
--Lord, today I pray that you help me to walk with you every minute of every day. That I can be seen as walking with You, in everything I do and say. I pray that I am a Light to Your Truth, and that Your Name be glorified alone. I pray these things in Jesus Holy Name. Amen

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Judge and Jury by Shalene Kearney

For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person. 1 Corinthians 5:12 NKJV

If I were to ask you what one of the biggest "turn offs" of modern day Christianity is, what do you suppose would be the answer? I'm talking about those that are not believers- those standing on the outside looking in. It is my opinion that one of the biggest turn offs would be that we have made ourselves, oftentimes, into judge and jury of their sinfulness. That is not what we are called to do!

In the above verse, Paul is talking to the church of Corinth, explaining to them that they are to put away from themselves a person of their church that was found to be sexually immoral. And he admonishes them that they are not to judge those that are outside, that that is God's job, not theirs.

How often do you find yourself looking at a person's sin and judging it, whether they be of the Church (the body of believers, not the building) or not? I admit, I've done it myself. But I am not proud of that fact. We are all sinners! We all fall short of the glory of God. How can we judge the sin of another, when all sin is equal in God's eyes. Sin is Sin. Period. If we are to reach unbelievers, we have to be willing to look past the sin, without judging the person that has committed it.

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

"You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me." John 8:15-16 NKJV

Now let me be clear here. We are not to judge the sinful person outside of the church but we are called to help one another back onto the path of righteousness if any of us stumble (again, I'm speaking of the body of believers, not the building or institutional church.) But we are still not to be judge and jury. And this is to be done only by those that are of full knowledge of Scripture, and in fellowship with the Lord. In other words, they are not doing it because they judge the actions, but because having full knowledge of His Holy Word, they are able to show the trespasser their transgressions.

BRETHREN, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:1-2 NKJV (emphasis mine)

For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Galatians 6:4-5 NKJV

Remember, you too were once unsaved. And you too, are still a sinner. Do not place yourself in the position of being judge and jury. God is the one and only Judge of all. Help your fellow brother or sister in Christ, to continue to follow in Christ's footsteps, but do NOT place yourself in a position of judgement or condemnation, lest you too should be judged.

I leave you with one last point regarding our behavior toward those outside the Fold:

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:5-6 NKJV

---Lord, today I pray that any judgemental thoughts I may have against my fellow man would be crushed immediately. I pray also that you forgive me for my moments of sinful thinking. I pray that I show only love and no condemnation for those outside the Fold. That I would bring them to You by that show of love, rather than push them away from that which would be their salvation. I pray this for the readers of this message as well. In Christ's Name I Pray, Amen.