February 12

1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, "Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

2 So Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."

3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.

4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!"

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD."

6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

7 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'"

9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you."

11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.

13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written.

16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp."

18 But he said, "It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear."

19 And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.

20 He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

21 And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?"

22 And Aaron said, "Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

23 For they said to me, 'Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

24 So I said to them, 'Let any who have gold take it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."

25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),

26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.

27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.'"

28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.

29 And Moses said, "Today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day."

30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."

31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.

32 But now, if you will forgive their sin-but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written."

33 But the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.

34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them."

35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

1 The LORD said to Moses, "Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To your offspring I will give it.'

2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people."

4 When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.

5 For the LORD had said to Moses, "Say to the people of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.'"

6 Therefore the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.

8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.

9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses.

10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.

11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

12 Moses said to the LORD, "See, you say to me, 'Bring up this people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.'

13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people."

14 And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

15 And he said to him, "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.

16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?"

17 And the LORD said to Moses, "This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name."

18 Moses said, "Please show me your glory."

19 And he said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live."

21 And the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock,

22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen." - Exodus 32-33

1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! 

2 Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! 

3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!" 

4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! 

5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! 

6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! 

7 For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. 

8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it-to his destruction! 

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation. 

10 All my bones shall say, "O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?" 

11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. 

12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 

13 But I, when they were sick- I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 

14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. 

15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; 

16 like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth. 

17 How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! 

18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. 

19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. 

20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. 

21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, "Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!" 

22 You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! 

23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! 

24 Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! 

25 Let them not say in their hearts, "Aha, our heart's desire!" Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up." 

26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me! 

27 Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!" 

28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.  - Psalms 35

1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.

4 And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

5 When our days there were ended, we departed and went on our journey, and they all, with wives and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed

6 and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.

7 When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.

8 On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

9 He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.

10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

11 And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"

12 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

13 Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

14 And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."

15 After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.

16 And some of the disciples from Caesarea went with us, bringing us to the house of Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge.

17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly.

18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.

19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law,

21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.

22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come.

23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;

24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law.

25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality."

26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. - Acts 21:1-26

1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,

2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."

3 He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'

5 But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"

6 he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.

7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 

9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" 

10 And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand:

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

12 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"

13 He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

14 Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

15 But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."

16 And he said, "Are you also still without understanding?

17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?

18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone." - Matthew 15:1-20

Reflect on Your Top Priority

BIBLE MEDITATION

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in His salvation.” Psalm 35:9

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Do your children believe that the most important thing to you is God? We must celebrate God in front of our children.

Let me tell you what my children think and what they know.

They know that their Daddy’s imperfect. They know that I love God. I wouldn’t be ashamed for you to ask them that. You can ask any one of them, “What’s the most important thing to your Dad and Mom?” They would say, “The most important thing to our parents is their relationship with God.”

ACTION POINT

Are you a parent? Then ask your children what they think the most important thing is to you. If they say anything other than your relationship with the Lord, make some changes in your life to reflect your top priority.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Best Form of Slavery

He who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. (1 Corinthians 7:22, my translation)

I would have expected Paul to switch the places of “Lord,” which means Master, and “Christ,” which means Messiah.

He correlates our liberation with Jesus being our Master (“a freedman of the Lord”). And he correlates our new slavery with Jesus being our Messiah (“a slave of Christ”). It seems strange because the Messiah came to liberate his people from their captors; and masters take control of their slaves’ lives.

Why does he say it this way? Why correlate slavery (rather than liberation) with Messiah, and liberation (rather than slavery) with Master?

Suggestion: The switch has two effects on our new liberty and two effects on our new slavery.

On the one hand, in calling us “the liberated of the Lord,” he secures and limits our new liberty:

His lordship is over all other lords; so our liberation is uncontested — absolutely secure.

But, free from all other lords, we are not free from him. Our freedom is mercifully limited. Jesus is our Master.

On the other hand, in calling us the “slaves of Christ,” he loosens and sweetens our slavery:

The Messiah lays claim on his own in order to bring them from the confines of captivity into the open spaces of peace. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).

And he makes them his own to give them the sweetest joy. “With honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (Psalm 81:16). And that Rock is Christ, the Messiah.

So, Christian, be glad in this: “He who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord” — the Master. “Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ” — the loosening, sweetening Messiah.”

John Piper 

February 11

1 "You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.

2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.

3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it.

4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it.

5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.

7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it,

8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the LORD throughout your generations.

9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.

10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD."

11 The LORD said to Moses,

12 "When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the LORD when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them.

13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD.

14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the LORD's offering.

15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the LORD's offering to make atonement for your lives.

16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the LORD, so as to make atonement for your lives."

17 The LORD said to Moses,

18 "You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it,

19 with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet.

20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die.

21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations."

22 The LORD said to Moses,

23 "Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane,

24 and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil.

25 And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.

26 With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony,

27 and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense,

28 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand.

29 You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy.

30 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.

31 And you shall say to the people of Israel, 'This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations.

32 It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you.

33 Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.'"

34 The LORD said to Moses, "Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part),

35 and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy.

36 You shall beat some of it very small, and put part of it before the testimony in the tent of meeting where I shall meet with you. It shall be most holy for you.

37 And the incense that you shall make according to its composition, you shall not make for yourselves. It shall be for you holy to the LORD.

38 Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from his people."

1 The LORD said to Moses,

2 "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,

4 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,

5 in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

6 And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent,

8 the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense,

9 and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand,

10 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests,

11 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do."

12 And the LORD said to Moses,

13 "You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, 'Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you.

14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

15 Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.

16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever.

17 It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.'"

18 And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. - Exodus 30-31

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. 

3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! 

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 

5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 

6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 

9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 

11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 

13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 

14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 

16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 

17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 

18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 

20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 

21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 

22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.  - Psalms 34

13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land.

14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.

15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus.

16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.

18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 

19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,

21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,

23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all,

27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.

34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.

35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,

38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. - Acts 20:13-38

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear.

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."

28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."

29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."

31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick

36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. - Matthew 14:22-36

Leaving a Generational Legacy

 

BIBLE MEDITATION

“His descendants be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.” Psalm 112:2

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

A woman came to her pastor and said, “When should I start the religious training of my child? When will he be old enough? Is it too early to start at six years of age?” The pastor said, “No, that’s too late.” She said, “Well how about six months?” He said, “That’s too late.” She said, “Then when should I start?” He said, “With his grandparents.”

We can live for our grandchildren; we can live for our great-grandchildren. The greatest gift you can give your children is to teach them to worship the Lord, to love the Lord, and to serve the Lord at any age.

ACTION POINT

If you are a grandparent, share what God has taught you about His grace and faithfulness in your life. And share what God has taught you about worshiping Him and serving others.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Saving Faith Isn’t Easily Satisfied

If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. (Hebrews 11:15–16)

Faith sees the promised future that God offers and “desires” it. “As it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” Dwell on this for a moment.

There are many people who water down what saving faith is by making it a mere decision with no change of what one desires and seeks. But the point of this text in the great faith chapter in the Bible — Hebrews 11 — is that living and dying by faith means having new desires and seeking new satisfactions.

Verse 14 says that the saints of old (who are being commended for their faith here in Hebrews 11) were seeking a different kind of country than this world offered. And verse 16 says they were desiring something better than what a present earthly existence could offer. “They desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.”

They had been so gripped by God that nothing short of being with God would satisfy.

So, this is true saving faith: seeing the promises of God from afar, and experiencing a change of values so that you desire and seek after and trust in the promises of God above what the world has to offer.

John Piper 

February 10

1 "You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.

2 And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.

3 You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze.

4 You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.

5 And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar.

6 And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.

7 And the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried.

8 You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

9 "You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side.

10 Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

11 And likewise for its length on the north side there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases.

13 The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits.

14 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.

15 On the other side the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.

16 For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases.

17 All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.

18 The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze.

19 All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

20 "You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.

21 In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.

1 "Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests-Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.

3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.

4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests.

5 They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

6 "And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked.

7 It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together.

8 And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

9 You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,

10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.

11 As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree.

12 And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance.

13 You shall make settings of gold filigree,

14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

15 "You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, in skilled work. In the style of the ephod you shall make it-of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen shall you make it.

16 It shall be square and doubled, a span its length and a span its breadth.

17 You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle shall be the first row;

18 and the second row an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond;

19 and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;

20 and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold filigree.

21 There shall be twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.

22 You shall make for the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold.

23 And you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece.

24 And you shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece.

25 The two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings of filigree, and so attach it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod.

26 You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod.

27 And you shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.

28 And they shall bind the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it may lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod.

29 So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD.

30 And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly.

31 "You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

32 It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, so that it may not tear.

33 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, around its hem, with bells of gold between them,

34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, around the hem of the robe.

35 And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the Holy Place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.

36 "You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, 'Holy to the LORD.'

37 And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban.

38 It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

39 "You shall weave the coat in checker work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.

40 "For Aaron's sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty.

41 And you shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.

42 You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs;

43 and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him. - Exodus 27-28

1 "Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish,

2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour.

3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams.

4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.

5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod.

6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban.

7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.

8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them,

9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.

10 "Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.

11 Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting,

12 and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar.

13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar.

14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

15 "Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,

16 and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar.

17 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head,

18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

19 "You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,

20 and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar.

21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons' garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons' garments with him.

22 "You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination),

23 and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD.

24 You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.

25 Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the LORD. It is a food offering to the LORD.

26 "You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be your portion.

27 And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests' portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron's and his sons'.

28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the LORD.

29 "The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.

30 The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days.

31 "You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place.

32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting.

33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy.

34 And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

35 "Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them,

36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it.

37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

38 "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly.

39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.

40 And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering.

41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.

43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.

44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests.

45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.

46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. - Exodus 29

1 Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. 

2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 

3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 

4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. 

5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. 

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. 

7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 

9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 

10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 

11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. 

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 

13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 

14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 

15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. 

16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 

17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. 

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 

19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 

20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. 

21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 

22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.  - Psalms 33

1 After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

2 When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.

3 There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.

4 Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.

5 These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas,

6 but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered.

9 And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.

10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him."

11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

12 And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. - Acts 20:1-12

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,

2 and he said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."

3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,

4 because John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.

6 But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,

7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."

9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.

10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,

11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves."

16 But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat."

17 They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish."

18 And he said, "Bring them here to me."

19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. - Matthew 14:1-21