Category: Strength for Today

Numbers 5:17
“And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:”

When a man thought that his wife committed adultery with another man, he was to go to the priest to settle the problem. The priest would then take an earthen vessel and put holy water in it, that is water that was separated from being used for any other purpose other than for the temple, and he would make the woman who was accused of adultery drink the water. If she were guilty, the water in the vessel would cause her thigh to rot and her belly to swell.

What grabbed me about this story was not the test the priest used to determine if the woman had committed adultery. What grabbed me was that God used an earthen vessel for His service. God could have chosen many other ways to perform this test, but He chose to use an earthen vessel. There are a few thoughts from this story that should be a help and an encouragement to you concerning this earthen vessel.

First, the great thing about God is that He still chooses to use earthen vessels. God knows exactly what He gets when He chooses to use you. It is no mistake that God has chosen to use you. Many times we think that we are useless because of our weaknesses. Yes, in and of yourself you are useless, but the earthen vessel in the hand of a mighty God makes it a treasured tool. God takes worthless earthen vessels and makes them valuable. The key is that the earthen vessel must be willing to be used by God. You may be an earthen vessel, but if you yield yourself to His Holy Spirit, He will take the frailties of your vessel and find a way to use you for His service. You do not handicap God because you are an earthen vessel; rather, you become a tool to bring Him glory.

Second, no matter how good we think a person is, we must never forget they are still earthen vessels used by a holy God. Don’t get too wrapped up in the greatness of man. It is never man’s greatness, but it is always God’s power that greatly uses him. You often will hear people call someone a great man of God. Let me remind you that every man of God is still an earthen vessel. It is not the greatness of that man, but it is the greatness of His God that makes him who he is. Don’t get so enamored with the earthen vessel that you don’t see Who made him who he is. As great as any person is, they are still earthen vessels used by a holy God.

Third, the only way to increase the value of your earthen vessel is to allow yourself to be used by a holy God. The key in the verse above for the earthen vessel to be used was that the holy water had to be poured into it. That earthen vessel was worthless if it didn’t have the holy water poured into it. It could have sat on a tabernacle shelf and stayed worthless, but when it was taken off the shelf, and the holy water was poured into it, it then became a tool to be used by God. You become valuable when you surrender your earthen vessel to the Holy Spirit of God to use. It is God working through your earthen vessel that makes you a tool in His hand.

Friend, you are an earthen vessel, but you can be a valuable vessel if you will allow yourself to be used by God. You can let your value diminish by using your vessel for yourself, or you can increase your value by allowing God to use you for His service.

Leviticus 19:15
“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.”

One thing every athlete is taught is to keep their head in the game. Sports have a way of bringing out the worst in a person because it will test your emotions. Whether it is the pressure of a game, a bad call by a referee, or even the actions of others players, keeping your head in the game can make or break the outcome of the game. A player can seriously hurt their team’s chance of winning when they allow their emotions to get the best of them. The key is to keep their head in the game.

God is teaching this very principle in the verse above. While laying out several laws for His people to live by He says, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment…” God knew that every time you make a decision, you have to take the heart out of the decision-making process and keep your head in the game. There are four principles that God is teaching concerning keeping your head in the game with your decision-making.

First, don’t let emotions influence your decisions. God says, “…thou shalt not respect the person of the poor…” You can often look at a person’s financial status and allow that to influence your decision. It’s amazing how a wealthy person can do the same thing a poor person does, and yet the poor person will get away with it because someone’s emotions justify their actions based on their poverty. You cannot allow emotions to get involved in your decisions. You may get away with making emotional decisions many times, but they eventually cause you to make harmful decisions.

Second, don’t let status influence your decisions. God continues to say, “…nor honour the person of the mighty…” You will become corrupt when status influences your decisions. Status has a way of influencing your decisions based on your agenda. Right and wrong do not change based on someone’s financial or spiritual status. If it is right or wrong for the lost person or for the poor to do something, it is right or wrong for the Christian or wealthy to do something. Let right and wrong dictate decisions not status.

Third, don’t allow personal gain to influence your decisions. Verse 35 says, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.” How something benefits you can often influence your decision one way or another. There are going to be times when a decision will hurt you. The outcome of how a decision affects you should never influence your decisions. You have to take personal gain out of the decision-making process and allow right or wrong to make the decision, even if the decision will hurt you.

Fourth, the best way to make decisions is to base them on right or wrong. With every decision you make, you must consider what you will do the next time. Right and wrong never change. Proper decisions will be consistent throughout time. If you keep your head in the game with your decisions, you will find what is decided today will be the same decision you will make in years to come because it is based off right and wrong. Simply put, let your head make your decisions, not your heart.

Leviticus 13:7
“Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.”

Several times throughout history, governments quarantined people who had diseases considered contagious and dangerous to society. If doctors didn’t know how to treat the communicable disease, the only thing they knew to do was quarantine the person with it so they wouldn’t spread it to others. Though this practice may seem severe and to some inhumane, this is the only way to keep the rest of society from being contaminated from the communicable disease.

The disease of leprosy was a contagious disease that was very deadly. If a person contracted this disease, they experienced a slow death. Leprosy ate away at the body causing it to rot and the limbs to fall off. The worst words a person could hear had to be, “…it is the plague of leprosy.” If the priest declared someone to have this disease, they were sent outside of the borders of the city and were to have no contact with anyone.

God has always used leprosy as a symbol of sin. Sin is as deadly as leprosy. Sin causes the same slow death that leprosy caused. How God dealt with leprosy is the same way we should deal with sin.

First, they dealt with leprosy from the very first symptom. They didn’t wait for leprosy to spread through the whole body to declare someone unclean, but they dealt with it from the very first symptom of the disease. You must deal with sin at its infancy if you want to stop it from controlling you. The best time to deal with sin is after the first act. If you deal with it after the first time, you will be less likely to have to deal with it again. It is those who brush off the act of sin who end up being controlled by it. If you are as careful about sin as you would be with someone who has the plague, you will deal with it from the very onset of it in your life.

Second, they destroyed or banished those with the plague. If a piece of clothing or a house contracted the disease, they were to destroy them with fire. If a person was pronounced unclean with leprosy, they were banished from people. You will never overcome sin until you destroy or banish its influences. The best way to overcome sin’s influence is to get rid of whatever influenced you to do wrong. You will struggle with sin as long as you allow its influences to affect you. Destroy the influences, and you will find it easier to get victory over sin.

Third, they were slow to take influences back. When someone thought they were cured, the priest waited seven days before declaring them clean. You should rejoice when a former influence of sin appears to come back to God, but let their life prove they have repented. I know some will think this is extreme, but if you have struggled with a certain sin and someone is the influence of it, it would be wise to be slow about getting close to them again so that you can first get stronger in that area.

If every Christian dealt with sin like the plague, they would find it easier to overcome its temptation and influences. Don’t become casual with sin, but avoid it and its influences like it’s the plague.

Proverbs 9:16
“Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,”

One of the common excuses people use when they do wrong is that they didn’t know it was wrong. For some reason, people think that claiming ignorance is a good excuse to use. There is the mentality that says, “It’s easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission.” This may sound like a good defense, but this is not what the Scriptures teach.

In Proverbs 9, there is a warning to the simple. The simple person is one who is ignorant of life. Being ignorant of life is not an indictment against anyone, it is simply the fact that there are times in everyone’s life when they lack information or knowledge of certain topics. Such was the case in the verse above. The foolish woman made an invitation to the simple young man, and her invitation was appealing. This foolish woman claimed that what she was trying to get the simple young man to do was gratifying and enjoyable, but what she did not tell this young man was that her guests were “in the depths of hell.” The ignorance of this young man was no excuse. In this chapter, some principles are taught to the simple so they will know what to do when they don’t know what to do.

First, realize that as a simple person you are a target. The world is after the simple because they don’t know better. Because you don’t know much about life, the fool will target you by telling you they know everything about life. Be careful! Realize that you have a target on your back that is trying to get you to join the foolish in their misery. You will be more careful about your actions when you realize you’re a target.

Second, don’t listen to every voice or accept every invitation. You are going to hear a lot of voices as a simple person. Every voice, both good and bad, is going to make invitations for your presence. You would be wise to understand that you don’t have to listen to every voice, and you don’t have to accept every invitation. Of course, these voices are going to make their invitations sound attracting, but just because what they say sounds alluring doesn’t mean that it is right. Always remember that when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Third, obey the voice of the understanding. There are some constant voices you have had in your life that are voices of understanding. Listen to those voices and heed their warnings. Those voices of understanding are the Scriptures, your parents, preacher, Sunday school teachers and spiritual leaders. When the voices around you invite you to do something, you would be wise to go to the constant and steady voices of understanding and ask them what to do. God put these voices in your life to protect you during these times. He knew you would have voices making enticing invitations, but the simple will be wise if they wait to ask the voices of understanding what they should do before responding to each voice and invitation.

Friend, your simplicity won’t void sin’s consequences. Verse 12 says, “If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.” The laws of sowing and reaping still apply even when you are simple or ignorant of what is happening. Ignorance is not an excuse to do wrong. God has given you the guides of the wise and understanding during this time of your life. Listen to them, for they will keep you from having to suffer the consequences of the fool’s actions.

Exodus 38:23
“And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.”

One area in Christianity where there needs to be a revival is in the area of work. God gave Moses the guidelines on how to build the tabernacle, but it could not have been built unless someone worked. All the plans in the world mean nothing if someone doesn’t work to make them happen. It always comes back to work. You shouldn’t just be a worker, but you should be a smart worker. Many people work, but there are only a few who work smart. I believe God gives some characteristics in the verse above about some men who knew how to work smart.

The first way to work smart is to obey the LORD. It says about Bezaleel and Aholiab in verse 22, “…made all that the LORD commanded Moses.” Obedience always helps you to work smart. A person who obeys the LORD will be a person who works hard. I’ve seen people try to act spiritual who are lazy people, which only reveals their lack of character and their disobedience to God. Working smart entails obeying your Creator.

The second way to work smart is to do everything right. When you read about these men working, they did everything the way it was supposed to be done. Cutting corners to get a job done only causes you to have to come back and fix what you didn’t do right the first time. Working smart is doing it right the first time so that you never have to address the issue again.

The third way to work smart is to be the best at what you do. These men were the best at their jobs, and that is why the LORD used them. If you are not the best at what you do, learn how to do it better so you can be the best. Those who are the best at what they do will not only get projects done right and more quickly, which saves money, but they will also be the ones who are sought out for the better-paying jobs.

The fourth way to work smart is to be flexible. These men were able to work with each other. People who work smart understand it takes a team to get tasks accomplished. If you are not good at working with others, you need to work on your people skills so that you can work smarter. Always realize that others have something they can contribute to a job that can make the project better. If you work with others, you will find out what others can contribute.

The fifth way to work smart is to work hard. These men were not lazy men, but they obviously worked hard enough to be noticed. All the knowledge of a trade won’t do you any good if you don’t work hard. Be the hardest working person and you will never lack for a position.

The sixth way to work smart is to be a finisher. These men not only started the project, but they also finished it. Don’t be the type of person who never finishes what they start. Finishing is working smart because it will give confidence to those who want something done that you are capable of finishing a project if it is given to you.

One of the best ways to have a good Christian testimony on the job is to be known as a hard worker and a smart worker. You will give Christ a good name if you learn how to work smart, which will enable you to be a better witness to your fellow workers and to those for whom you work.

Exodus 34:35
“And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.”

People pay a lot of money to have cosmetic surgery to change something that they don’t like about themselves. Someone will pay a lot of money to change the shape of their nose or lips, the features of their face, or the marks of age all because they don’t like how they perceive themselves. Everybody has seen that one person who looks worse after a facelift than before they had it done.

Though doctors may be able to change a person’s looks, one thing they cannot change is one’s countenance. It doesn’t matter how good a person’s physical features may look; they still look bad if they have a poor countenance. The emphasis upon the physical features is a waste because what truly matters is one’s countenance.

A person who learned how to get a countenance lift was Moses. He went to the top of Mount Sinai the second time to receive the commandments of God. He spent forty days and nights with God at the top of the mount. He ate no food and drank no water for those forty days. The only sustenance he received was the presence of God. When he came down from the mount he had changed and didn’t know it. Verse 29 says, “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.” He didn’t have to spend money to have his countenance changed, but he did have to spend a lot of time with the LORD to have it changed. Yes, he paid a price to have a countenance lift, and that price was forty days and nights with the LORD without eating and drinking. Everyone could see the difference in his countenance as evidenced in the verse above when it says, “And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone…”

Every Christian can use a countenance lift. The world doesn’t need to see what our countenance is like, but they need to see the countenance of the LORD shining through our lives. There is only one way to change an angry countenance, and that is to have a countenance lift by spending time with the LORD. You can change your negative countenance by paying the price to spend time with the LORD. You don’t need to see a psychiatrist to attempt to change your depressed spirit; what you need to do is spend time with God to have your countenance changed. You can spend thousands of dollars trying to change the part of your countenance that you don’t like, but the only way you will successfully change it is by spending time with the LORD.

You can have a countenance lift if you are willing to pay the price to spend enough time with the LORD so that His countenance will shine through you. Your countenance is simply a reflection of who or what you spend time dwelling with or on. If you spend enough time dwelling with the Saviour in prayer, you will find that your countenance will reflect the countenance of God. By the way, everyone will see the difference. The answer to getting a countenance lift is to spend much time with God. The only question is, are you willing to spend the amount of time it takes to get a countenance lift? I hope you do because this world needs to see the countenance of God shining through you.

Exodus 26:33
“And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.”

When God gave Moses the guidelines for the building of the tabernacle, He made it clear that there was to be a separation between the holy place and the holy of holies. He shows what divided these rooms in the verse above when He says, “…and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.” Only the high priest was to go past this vail, and he could only do it once a year. Behind this vail was the ark of the covenant upon which was the mercy seat. It was this mercy seat where the blood was to be sprinkled to atone for the sins of the people.

Jesus Christ ended this separation when He died on the cross. It says in Matthew 27:51 about Jesus’ death, “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;” Notice, “…the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom…” The vail that separated the people from going to the mercy seat, the vail that only the high priest could go past once a year, this vail was “rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” Jesus Christ, our High Priest, ended this separation when He made the final atonement for sin with His life and blood. The vail that once kept the people from talking directly to God now is no longer there.

Christian, with this vail, removed that means you have direct access to God at any time. This is why Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Because the vail has been removed, every Christian can go directly to God in prayer with their needs. No longer do we need an intermediary to go for us, because Jesus became the ultimate intercessor for us when He removed the vail. There are a couple of things this act should cause you to do.

First, it should stir you to live a holy life. Just because the vail has been rent doesn’t give you a right to live any way you want to live. When you look at how carefully the high priest was to prepare themselves to go into the holy of holies, it should cause the Christian to be just as careful to live their life in a holy manner realizing that their body is the temple where the Holy Spirit lives. Don’t abuse the right to be able to go to God at any time by living an unholy life, but let the opportunity to be able to approach Him motivate you to live in such a manner that when you do approach Him, your life has not been tainted with worldly living and thoughts.

Second, because the vail of separation has been removed, it should cause you to avail yourself regularly to the very throne to where others before the cross could not go. Friend, you have access to God through prayer at any moment because the vail has been removed. When is the last time you availed yourself of this great opportunity? I don’t know what your needs are today, but God commands you to come boldly to His throne with those needs. Don’t ever get too busy to go to the throne of grace in prayer. Daily take advantage of this great opportunity to go to the LORD directly in prayer with your needs and with the needs of others. Let me encourage you to make your presence at God’s throne a regular occurrence.

Exodus 23:29
“I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.”

Whether it is a business, church or an organization, one of the key goals is to grow. Most pastors want their church to grow, and they constantly look for ideas on how to make it grow. A businessman doesn’t start a business just to stay in a corner shop, but he starts it with an intent to grow. He understands that the larger the business grows, the more money he can make. No matter what the organism is, growing properly will determine the strength of the growth and the ability to exist.

When God delivered Israel from Egypt, His goal was to take them to the Promised Land so they could possess it. God understood that there were growth principles that must be applied to keep Israel from allowing growth to kill them. It seems impossible for growth to be destructive, but if growth is not attained properly, it can be very destructive. God gave three principles that must be followed if you want to keep growth from becoming destructive.

First, be careful to pace your growth. God told Israel that He would drive out the inhabitants “by little and little.” Fast growth can often be unhealthy growth. If Israel had possessed the land too quickly, they wouldn’t have had the infrastructure to adequately care for the land. Many churches have grown so fast that they became weak because they didn’t have enough strong Christians to help grow the younger Christians. Gradual growth is not bad. A business that grows too quickly frequently bankrupts itself because it doesn’t have the finances to handle the growth. You would be wise to pace your growth so that you can grow with the growth. Don’t outpace your ability to handle whatever you are trying to grow.

Second, set a capacity for your growth. God told Moses how much land He would give Israel; that was their capacity. You need to determine how much you can handle and don’t try to get bigger than your capacity. This doesn’t mean that your capacity won’t grow, but you need to know what you can and cannot handle. Your capacity isn’t your potential, but rather a ceiling you set so you can grow with the pace of growth.

Third, set boundaries for your growth. God set boundaries for Israel, and those boundaries were not to yoke up with the nations in that land. You need to set guidelines of what you will and will not do to grow. Many people desire growth so much that they will do anything to grow, even compromise their personal principles. They believe that the end justifies the means. Friend, your integrity is important. If you lose your integrity just to grow, your growth then becomes your destruction. Many pastors have let up on their standards for the sake of growth. Many businessmen have compromised their business standard to grow their business. It is not worth losing your integrity just to grow. Setting guidelines and following them will help you to keep from compromise once growth starts. It is always better to stay small and keep your integrity than it is to grow and lose your honor.

Growth is important, but you better have these principles decided to keep it from destroying you. These principles will set the foundation for healthy growth that will keep you strong for many years.