Jim Gallagher

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 26-27 & Luke 15

Old Testament: Leviticus 26- Idols

Leviticus 26:1
“You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.”

Every generation likes to think of themselves as advanced beyond the previous generations. We look back on ancient civilizations and think of them as backward, and of ourselves as having progressed far beyond them in every way. This is particularly true of idolatry. We, in the western world… Read More

Leviticus 27- This Old House

Leviticus 27:14
“And when a man dedicates his house to be holy to the Lord, then the priest shall set a value for it, whether it is good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand.”

According to Webster’s dictionary, the word ‘dedicate’ means, “to devote to worship or to set apart for sacred use.” As Leviticus comes to a close, Moses instructs the people to dedicate their homes to the Lord. Since the family is the foundation of society, the key to Israel’s future success was in each and every household dedicated themselves to the Lord.

A few years back some friends of mine purchased a new home. Before… Read More

New Testament: Luke 15- Lost And Found

Luke 15:2
“This Man receives sinners . . .”

Man lives as though God and eternity are a mystery. Even before I became a Christian, I had heard the pseudo–verse, “God works in mysterious ways.” Here, in Luke 15, the mysterious ways of God are revealed. We see clearly how he feels about the lost, as well as what He does about… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 24-25 & Luke 14

Old Testament: Leviticus 24- Mind Of The Lord

Leviticus 24:12
“Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the Lord might be shown to them.”

This chapter contains one of only two narrative passages in the book of Leviticus and tells the story of two men who were fighting. One man, the son of Shelomith allowed his anger to lead to sin and he blasphemed the name of the Lord. Under the old covenant this was a crime punishable by death. Because of the seriousness of his… Read More

Leviticus 25- You Deserve A Break

Leviticus 25:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give you, then the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord.’”

Moses refers to the Sabbath over twenty times in Leviticus; instructing Israel how to worship the Lord. The Sabbath was a very important facet in the life of the children of Israel. God designated a weekly Sabbath day, then every seven years was a Sabbath year, and every forty-nine years, a special Sabbath year, called the year of Jubilee. One of the Ten Laws… Read More

New Testament: Luke 14- Invitation To Come

Luke 14:15
“Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Jesus tells a story to reveal His desire for all men everywhere to be saved. The cast includes God, played by the man giving the feast; the Christian, played by the servants sent out to invite people to the feast; and the population of planet earth, played by those who receive the invitation. Notice the excuses given by those who reject the offer. Two of the three… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 22-23 & Luke 13

Old Testament: Leviticus 22- Best Of The Best

Leviticus 22:20
“Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf.”

I once heard of a farmer whose cow had given birth to twin calves. In his excitement, he decided to dedicate one to the Lord. As the days passed, his wife reminded him of his promise, she inquired if he had decided which calf was the Lord’s. Sadly, one of the calves became ill and the farmer did all he could to nurse the animal back to health. Late into the evening, he returned… Read More

Leviticus 23- Retreat

Leviticus 23:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’”

In addition to establishing laws to govern the nation, God also, established a calendar to organize their year. This calendar set aside certain times of the year for feasts of dedication. The whole nation would stop their normal pursuits and gather around the Tabernacle for worship, sacrifice and the study of the Word. As Israel’s history… Read More

 

New Testament: Luke 13- You Are Loosed

Luke 13:12
“Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.”

I imagine what the scene must have been like in the Synagogue that day. The crowd had gathered like they did every Sabbath. For some it was no more than a religious duty, for others, it was how they expressed their devotion to God. The scene suddenly shifts from the normal activities of prayer and Bible reading to a woman with a serious medical condition. She had been suffering for eighteen years and nothing could be done for her. Without hesitation Jesus called her to Himself, and when she responded to the call, He healed her. Imagine being there! Imagine the joy that would fill … Read More

Leviticus 23:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.'”

In addition to establishing laws to govern the nation, God also, established a calendar to organize their year. This calendar set aside certain times of the year for feasts of dedication. The whole nation would stop their normal pursuits and gather around the Tabernacle for worship, sacrifice and the study of the Word. As Israel’s history unfolds the biblical narrative records a handful of times when these feasts were celebrated. We find some common elements that are true each time the people gathered at the feasts. First there were times of worship. The people brought gifts and offered them to God in thanksgiving for all He had done. Second, there were times of introspection as the people examined their lives in light of the covenant. Third, there were times of revival. The people never seemed to leave as they had come. They were transformed by setting time aside to corporately seek the Lord.

It is a good idea for the believer today to set time aside to seek God. Daily devotions and weekly church attendance are the foundation of time with God, but it is also valuable to get away from the normal routine and go on retreat. Perhaps it would be a good idea to find out when the next retreat, conference, luncheon or night of worship is taking place at your home church. Take the step of faith necessary to sign up and see what great things God might have in store for you.

Jim

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 20-21 & Luke 12

Old Testament: Leviticus 20- Consecrate Yourself

Leviticus 20:7-8
“Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you.”

Consecration is an important part of Christianity. A person who desires to walk with God, must set himself apart from the world and to the Lord. We cannot successfully follow the Lord when only a portion of our lives is given to Him. Jesus said it is impossible to serve two masters because we will be loyal to one at the expense of another (Matthew 6:24). It is also impossible to serve the Lord when we continue to bring things into… Read More

Leviticus 21- We Have Hope

Leviticus 21:1
“And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘None shall defile himself for the dead among his people.’”

Under the old covenant God set the levites apart so they might be involved in ministry. Because those who serve the Lord also become a representative of the Lord, very high standards were placed upon the priests and levites.  These standards went so far as to instruct them regarding how they were to react… Read More

New Testament: Luke 12- Get Rich Quick

Luke 12:13
“Then one from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’”

Jesus tells the story of a rich man who believed true life was found in great possessions. He worked hard and was very successful. His success caused him to evaluate his life. His conclusion, he needed to work harder so he might acquire more, and be able to retire in comfort. He began to increase his efforts, acquire more, build larger storehouses for all his possessions. All the while, hoping… Read More

Leviticus 21:1
“And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘None shall defile himself for the dead among his people.'”

Under the old covenant God set the levites apart so they might be involved in ministry. Because those who serve the Lord also become a representative of the Lord, very high standards were placed upon the priests and levites.  These standards went so far as to instruct them regarding how they were to react to death. 

Leviticus 21:5
“They shall not make any bald place on their heads, nor shall they shave the edges of their beards nor make any cuttings in their flesh.”

Shaving heads and cutting their bodies were common reactions among the heathen when a loved one died. Because they did not understand death and because they had no assurance of what happens after a person dies the people would invent bizarre practices of mourning. Moses instructed Israel that they are to have no part in those type of behaviors. In other words they were to have a different view death than the nations around them. 

The same is true today. The child of God should look at death differently than the unbeliever does. There are many beliefs that people hold to out of ignorance. It is not uncommon to hear people say in response to the death of a loved one something like, “Our loved ones are watching over us” or “I can feel their presence with us” or “Everyone goes to a better place.” These statements stem from a failure to understand what the Bible teaches about what happens to a person when they die. Regarding those who have trusted Christ for salvation we know that they are immediately in a glorified state in the presence of God. They do not cease to exist, they do not watch over us and they do not visit us. Frankly because we do not need them to. The Bible teaches that the Spirit of God and the angels of God are commissioned to assist the believer. In times of sorrow, weakness, fear or doubt we do not need a visitation from a loved one, we need a realization of the presence and power of God. 

Because the believer has a different view of death we should also have a different reaction to death. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.”

Sorrow is a natural part of loss and an important part of the grieving process. For believers this sorrow can often be more intense because our love relationships are deeper, but this sorrow must not consume us. We cannot become like Jacob who refused to be comforted. We must realize that those who have died in the Lord have gone on to be with the Lord and we must receive the consoling work of the Spirit for our lives. After all we can be certain that there will one day be a grand reunion before the throne of God.

Pastor Jim

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 18-19 & Luke 11

Old Testament: Leviticus 18- Counter Culture

Leviticus 18:2-5
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.”

Israel needed to learn a very important lesson if they were going to be successful in walking with the Lord. That lesson: the Word of God is counter-cultural in every culture. They were being called to live by a different, and higher standard than the nation they came out of, and the one they were entering into. The same is true of the Christian today. It should not be shocking to us that the world has a different view of what is holy, acceptable, right or wrong, than we do. Instead of looking to the culture… Read More

Leviticus 19- Being Different

Leviticus 19:19
“You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.”

One of the primary purposes of the book of Leviticus is to teach us that God is holy, and requires holiness from His people. The opening verse of Chapter 19 declares, “‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” Holiness carries the idea of being set apart. Something that is holy, is something set apart for the Lord’s use. In the same way, someone who is holy has set themselves apart from anything… Read More

New Testament: Luke 11- Keep Knocking

Luke 11:13
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

There seems to be some striking differences between the Church in the book of Acts and the church today. The impact they were having on their world was tremendous; we read of the sick being healed, the dead being raised, and most importantly, multitudes of people believing in the resurrected Lord, and their lives being transformed. How is it that … Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 16-17 & Luke 10

Old Testament: Leviticus 16- Go-Goat

Leviticus 16:21-22
“Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.”

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest was allowed to enter into the Holiest chamber of the Tabernacle. His responsibility was to provide sin offerings for himself and the people. The activities of this day provided atonement for the sins of the nation. Every aspect of the day was filled with symbolism… Read More

Leviticus 17- Imposter

Leviticus 17:7
“They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.”

I recently received a phone call from someone claiming to be a representative from the Internal Revenue Service, who explained that I was delinquent on payments, and in danger of facing jail time. Instead of panicking, I asked for a phone number to call them back, then researched to see if that was a valid IRS number. I discovered it was a fraudulent number, and this was a scam. The perpetrators were attempting to get financial… Read More

New Testament: Luke 10- The Harvest Is Great

Luke 10:2
“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; . . .”

Sadly, the world has no shortage of those who are in need of Christ. Our population has reached the seven billion mark. Seven billion souls walking this planet, many of whom do not yet know Christ. We recognize certain places in the world as being unreached. Places where many, or even most, of the citizens are yet to hear the good news of salvation, through faith in Christ. We need… Read More

TODAY’S DAILY READING: Leviticus 14-15 & Luke 8-9

Old Testament: Leviticus 14- Mission Impossible

Leviticus 14:1-2
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest.’”

Moses was given detailed instructions regarding the offerings required for a person who was healed of leprosy. This passage of Scripture, though somewhat tedious, is remarkable when we consider the fact that leprosy was incurable
in the… Read More

Leviticus 15- New Nature

Leviticus 15:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean.'”

As we read the Scripture it is not difficult to see how things like theft, murder or extortion are considered sin and will result in a person being separated from God. When we come to a passage like this one and read that an illness or a women’s menstrual cycle resulted in a person becoming unclean it may seem a bit more difficult to understand. However the teaching of Scripture is very clear, we are not… Read More

New Testament: Luke 8- Mystery

Luke 8:10
“ To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God…”

I love a good mystery; as a child I had a book titled “2 Minute Mysteries.” It was a book of short stories, in which a crime would be described and the reader was left to guess who the guilty party was. The trick was, the answer was hidden. There was always something… Read More

Luke 9- You Gonna Answer That?

Luke 9:1

“Then He called His twelve disciples. . . “

When the Lord calls us to serve Him, there seems to be a universal response. Our hearts cry out, “I can’t.” This was the same response of Moses, Saul and Gideon. We feel this way because the Lord always seems to call us to do what is beyond our capacities. A young woman with small children senses a call to teach in children’s church, or a retired couple hears the call to the mission field, or a young man has a burning in his heart to become a pastor, and the voice in our head cries out “I can’t.” I think there is something encouraging here as Jesus calls the twelve. He is sending them out to serve Him. They will encounter many with needs beyond their capabilities to handle. They will… Read More

Leviticus 15:2
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean.'”

As we read the Scripture it is not difficult to see how things like theft, murder or extortion are considered sin and will result in a person being separated from God. When we come to a passage like this one and read that an illness or a women’s menstrual cycle resulted in a person becoming unclean it may seem a bit more difficult to understand. However the teaching of Scripture is very clear, we are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. Every part of our nature was affected through the fall. We see this worked out practically every day when we determine not to do something that is considered wrong only to find that we still do it. Paul spoke about this struggle and the victory that stems from it when he wrote of his own personal experience to the Romans.

Romans 7:15″For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”

The wonder of the cross is that through it we are not only washed from the stain of sin but are offered a new nature through which we can honor God and overcome personal sin. Paul concluded his struggle by declaring that it is through Christ that victory of the flesh is won.

Jim