Week 17 Thursday
Today God calls for offerings without defect, the Israelites cry out to Him after a crushing defeat, and Paul finds good friends and strong encouragement in Corinth.
Leviticus 22
📖 What are we reading?: More instructions for the priests, followed by a section on offerings needing to be without defect.
✞ What does this passage say about God?: He deserves our very best. How amazing that Christ offered Himself on the cross, a perfect and unblemished sacrifice for our sins!
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live?: Consider your own worship of God. Is it half-hearted and careless, or do you bring your best to Him?
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: Leviticus, meaning "relating to the Levites", was written by Moses around 1400 BC, and explains how a holy God is to be worshipped by a holy people.
Psalm 79
📖 What are we reading?: The Israelites have been soundly beaten by their enemies, and they call on their God for help.
✞ What does this passage say about God?: He is the One His people turn to when all seems lost. I love the prayer in verses 8-10.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live?: The Israelites' praise at the end of the Psalm depended on God's intervention. The New Testament way is to praise God even if things don't go our way.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: The Psalms is a collection of 150 poems and songs, written by David and others, expressing the full range of human emotion in response to God and to life.
Acts 18:1-18
📖 What are we reading?: In Corinth, Paul meets Priscilla and Aquila, and the gospel takes root among both Jews and Gentiles, including Titius Justus and Crispus. Paul realises that he is called to preach to the Gentiles.
✞ What does this passage say about God?: He encourages Paul in verses 9-10 and tells him that He has many people in this city.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live?: Notice the good people of God in this passage - ordinary believers who stood beside Paul and helped the gospel to spread. We too can fulfil this role in the modern church.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: Luke's second book outlines the ministry of the early church - though it could just as well be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit, as He guides and grows Jesus' small movement into something that changes the world.
A Prayer for the Day
🙏 Lord, thank You that Christ offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Help us to bring You our very best in worship, to praise You even when things don't go our way, and to stand beside Your people in our own cities. Amen.
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