DIVINE CLEANSING -LEVITICUS 14:21-32 KEY VERSE: "This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing" (Leviticus 14:32). As leprosy is off-putting to people, so is sin odious to God. Our text for today narrates how a person having a leprosy disease could be healed. When somebody plagued with leprosy was identified, he was excluded from the camp. Before he could be called back into the camp, he must have been healed. The plague of leprosy should be healed before the ceremony of purification starts and this has to be done with the sprinkling of blood and water. The cleansing of the leper is a representation of the absolution of a sinner. Until the leper is cleansed, he cannot enjoy fellowship with either members of the family or the entire society. In the healing and cleansing of the leper, it is to be noted that it is God who did the healing, while the cleansing was done by the priest. It is

JUDGMENT ON BACKSLIDING -2 KINGS 17:9-23 KEY VERSE: "And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and Though God is compassionate and merciful to mankind, He does not allow any form of sin. God had been sending prophets and preachers to the nation of Israel from time to time to warn them of their wickedness and evil ways. But they would not take to any of His warnings. They became obstinate and turned their back to every reproof and correction of God. They resorted to the use of divination and enchantment and wrought wickedness to provoke God. They took undue advantage of God’s faithfulness to His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Backsliding is a great sin. These fifteen verses under consideration present to us some areas of great importance: The children of Israe

Cradled in Comfort Kirsten Holmberg Isaiah 66:12–16 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.  Isaiah 66:13 My friend entrusted me with the privilege of holding her precious, four-day-old daughter. Not long after I took the baby into my arms, she started to fuss. I hugged her closer, my cheek pressed against her head, and began to sway and hum in a gentle rhythm to soothe her. Despite these earnest attempts, and my decade and a half of parenting experience, I couldn’t pacify her. She became increasingly upset until I placed her back into the crook of her mother’s eager arm. Peace washed over her almost instantaneously; her cries subsided and her newborn frame relaxed into the safety she already trusted. My friend knew precisely how to hold and pat her daughter to alleviate her distress. God extends comfort to His children like a mother: tender, trustworthy, and diligent in her efforts to calm her child. When we are weary or upset, He carries us affectionately in His

REPENTANCE IS ESSENTIAL TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2017 REPENTANCE IS ESSENTIAL -JEREMIAH 14:13-22 KEY VERSE: " We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee" (Jeremiah 14:20). A particular tribe in Africa has it in their proverb that if one realises his fault early before the cult of elders, he would not be asked to kneel down for long. The excuse that Jeremiah the prophet tried to give to God in defence of his people’s sins and their attendant deplorable state was not tenable before God. Enough warnings had been given to them about the prevalent false prophets who prophesy lies and the deceits of their heart. Yet, these people bluntly refused to heed His warning. The judgment of God had taken its full course on both the deceiver and the deceived. Swords and famine had swung into operation in Jerusalem. God in His love now directed the prophet to mourn the more grievous experience of famine and sword that would

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017 UNCLEAN MADE CLEAN -LEVITICUS 15:1-18 KEY VERSE: "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean" (Leviticus 15:2). Generally, the Mosaic Law spoke of something as "unclean" if it was unfit to be used in worship to God. Being "clean" or "unclean" was a ceremonial designation governing the ritual of corporate worship. For example, there were certain animals, like pigs, considered unclean and therefore not to be used in sacrifices; and there were certain actions, like touching a dead body, that made a living person unclean and temporarily unable to participate in the worship ceremony. In the text, God declared any man with a running issue from his flesh unclean, including his beddings, clothes and the saddle he sits upon. Whatever and whoever he came in contact with, was to be declared unclean likewise and had to meet c

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017 DAMNED THROUGH LYING -JEREMIAH 20:1-6 KEY VERSE: "And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies" (Jeremiah 20:6). Show me a man who is habitually or frequently a liar and you show me a man who will have his portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. I do not care to which denomination of Christians he may belong. I am sure he is none of Christ’s. And it is very sad to know that there are some in all fellowships, who have this great and grievous fault that you cannot trust them in what they say", said Charles H. Spurgeon. The people of Israel had forsaken God and had gone into idolatry; they had also built high places for other gods where their sons were offered in sacrifices. Jeremiah was sent by God to warn the people of the impending wrath of Go

BETWEEN HEART AND TONGUE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2017 BETWEEN HEART AND TONGUE -PROVERBS 17:15-20 KEY VERSE: "He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief" (Proverbs 17:20). There is a close connection between the heart and the tongue. While the condition of our heart is often hidden to our fellow men, it is the tongue that gives the true picture of what goes on there: "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34). The hearth is thus likened to a reservoir of evil or good, and the tongue being the bucket that brings out what is in it. It therefore means that the heart of all the problems of the tongue, is the problem of the heart. Our text reveals that someone with a froward heart cannot see good and one with a perverse tongue will always fall into mischief. One with a froward heart is unregenerate and habitually disposed to disobedience. He is crooked, distorted and

RICHES AND THE KINGDOM TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2017 RICHES AND THE KINGDOM -MATTHEW 19:23-30 KEY VERSE: "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:23). Bible history reveals that in different generations, the truly wealthy individuals were the most righteous ones. For instance, Abraham was the richest in his days yet, he was called the friend of God. He was very rich in cattle, silver and gold. The same was recorded about Isaac, Israel, Joseph and others. They prospered anywhere they found themselves. In our text, Jesus reveals the truth about the rich and the Kingdom, pointing out that it is hard for a rich man who sets his heart on his riches to get saved. In the preceding seven verses, a rich young man had been to Jesus, wanting to know what he must do to inherit eternal life, after faithfully keeping the Ten Commandments. To be perfect, Jesus asked him to sell all his wor