Acceptable Burnt Offerings

Judges 11:30-31 
30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 
31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."

If you read and know God's word, you know that burnt animal sacrifice was acceptable to him! You also know that the most cherished sacrifice to God was Christ! You also know that the false god Molech demanded human sacrifice which God abhorred! Now for the rest of the story of Jephthah's vow.


Judges 11:32-40 

32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD gave them into his hand. 

33 And he struck them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel. 

34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 

35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow." 

36 And she said to him, "My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites." 

37 So she said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions." 

38 So he said, "Go." Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. 

39 And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel 

40 that the daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.

There is no way that her father sent her into the fire knowing that God would not accept this abomination! However, she was given to the service of the Lord, knowing no man her whole life.



Leviticus 18:21  
You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 

1 Samuel 15:22 
And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 



Lord, thank You for the truth contained in Your Word. Let us search it, know it, follow it and teach it. Amen

More Than A Prophet

The central idea of the word prophet is, one to whom God reveals himself and through whom he speaks.
John the baptist, sent by God, to prepare the way for the coming of Christ was called more "than a prophet". John preached repentance and reformation of heart and life. Christ is so much more because He lives through us! We have direct access to Christ! We have His written word! It is food for our souls! We must tell the world!!
Eph.2:20-22 

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.


1 Peter 1:3-5,19-25 
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 
5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 
20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 
21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 
24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever."And this word is the good news that was preached to you. 

Christ foretold:
Deut.18:18  
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

Anointed with the Holy Spirit:
Luke 4:18
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed

Christ alone knows and reveals God:
Heb.1:1-6
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"?Or again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son"? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."
Same as the Father:John 12:44-50 44 And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."
Salvation in Christ alone:Heb.2:3-4 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his willActs 4:11-1211 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 

Lord, You took our wrath due us. There is no payment we can give! We can never forget the terrible price of sin! We can never forget the cost to You! We must always remember that sin separates us from You. We must cling to the wonder of the cross! Amen 

For She Loved Much

Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."
This verse is from a bible truth story of Simon the Pharisee inviting Jesus to eat at his home. At this gathering was a woman of the city who was a sinner. It contrast the treatment of Jesus by the woman sinner and the self righteous Pharisee. He was quick to point out what a sinner she was without acknowledging his own sin, while the woman was only interested in loving Christ!!

Luke 7:37-48
37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 43 Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Often when I read the bible, I have the sense from many different verses that the Lord just wants us to love people in His name. Willingly committing time and resources to help people in need will truly show them the love of Christ. What did Christ do when He was here on earth? He preached the gospel, healed the sick and really took time to listen to people in need.

1Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
We must have a loving and forgiving disposition!

Lord, create in us a clean heart, one that is true to You and one that forgives others. Amen

Whom Will You Serve?

Joshua 24:14-15
14 "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond 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." Just as in the days of Joshua, it has been laid before us to choose whom we will serve! Doing so with a cheerful heart and an expectation that God will do what He promises! I will not lie to you as some do! If you follow Christ, life will not be without trials, but the way in which you respond will be based upon Christ and His teaching. It will be an amazing wonder to the lost around you. It will be an encouragement to your brothers and sisters in Christ as you walk in faith. You will not have riches untold but you will have peace that the world can not understand.
Acts 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.With the freedom of religion we have in America, we must stand on God's promise of the return of His Son to claim His chosen people. If you choose to deny God, then His judgement will be just as it will be on all! With the choice to serve God, we have Christ as our intermediary when we sin. You must turn for sin and ask God for forgiveness. Heb.7:17-2817 For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." 18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" 22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermostthose who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.Lord, only You can change hearts. We who love and server You lift up the lost to You. Help us to teach the world the truth of Your salvation. Amen

Clean in Christ

Acts 10:15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.”

Luke 5:12-13 

12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." 

13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him.

Eph.2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Matt.15:11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Clarke's Commentary

What God hath cleansed - God, who made at first the distinction between Jews and Gentiles, has a right to remove it, whenever and by whatever means he pleases: he, therefore, who made the distinction, for wise purposes, between the clean and the unclean, now pronounces all to be clean. He had authority to do the first; he has authority to do the last. God has purposed that the Gentiles shall have the Gospel preached to them: what he therefore has cleansed, "that call not thou common." 

There existed a great barrier between Jew and Gentile. The Jews thought the Gentiles unclean and not worthy to receive the gospel. It was their tradition through ceremonial laws to keep the Jews and other nations separate.

We have no such separation! Christ came to save all men! Sinners, through grace and faith, repentance and mercy, He will pardon. We do not know the wonder of grace. We can not understand the workings of Almighty God, the depth of His mercy for those who will follow Jesus as redeemer is far too above the things we can comprehend.
Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

How marvelous is God's word!!! Sinner, bow humbly before Him and ask for forgiveness.
Lord, we as a people, need You. We need Your goodness and mercy. Teach us to be like You and to forgive as You forgive. Open our hearts to the hurting around us. Open our mouths to praise You. Amen

An Opportune Time

Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Satan never gives up! He is already defeated by the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection, but Satan still seeks to destroy. He knows if he can lure you into sin, then you become an ineffective witness for Christ. He is just waiting for an opportune time. But keep faith, Christ has overcome the world.
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Our power is the Word of God! We find solace, wisdom, courage, strength and peace, against these words, Satan can not stand and will flee! Before you are tempted to sin, remember what Christ has done for every sinner ever born. He took your place on the cross, you deserved it, He did not. You are guilty and He is not! He is pure and holy but willingly went to suffer in our place in obedience to God.
Christ is due our worship, He alone is worthy! Amen
Luke 4:17-19
17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."Ezek.18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Ecc.7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.Gal. 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.Rev. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Water Is Good

When you think of the taste of clean cool water, do you realize that you are among the blessed? Many people groups are without clean water. I am blessed by knowing the Neverthirst Water organization who are led by God and are giving hope to these people groups around the world by digging wells. Our physical bodies must have water to survive. Our souls must have the living waters of Christ for salvation! Water is good!
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
1 Cor.6:11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God
Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 4:10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Lord, by Your power and for Your glory, call those who thirst for an eternal hope that is found in Christ alone! Amen