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Today is Saturday February 14, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Numbers.

Today's Bible Reading: Numbers Chapters 5-6
You can read the chapters by clicking on the link above, if the link does not work you can copy and paste this one into your browser: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%205-6&version=9

Today's Message: Abstaining From Evil
All Christian's are to be separated from doing or even appearing to be doing something evil.

The Nazarite vow committed an individual to a life set apart to God for a specific period of time or even for life. "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD." (Numbers 6:1-8). The Nazarite's separation to God was expressed in several ways including abstinence from liquor and eating fresh grapes or raisins, which is representative of the best of physical satisfaction.

They also were not allowed to be defiled by the dead, which is representative of spiritual deadness. No matter how they separated themselves from things that made them unclean they were still responsible for offering all the usual sacrifices, such as the sin offering. "And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled." (6:9-12). This points out that even in doing our very best to separate ourselves from the world we still fall far short of being free from all spiritual defilement.

Although the Nazarite vow no longer applies, our personal consecration and dedication is vital to our fulfilling the will of God. There was nothing sinful about eating grapes, for God created the fruit of the vine, but what this represents is mans abilbity to take the goodness of life and make them a priority over Christ. Those who have a desire to dedicate their lives to Christ will abstain from the pleasures that interfere with serving Him. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thessalonians 5:21-23).

God wants us to enjoy life, otherwise He would not have given us such wonderful pleasures, but He does not want us to devote our lives simply to them. He must come first and everything else will be added. "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:36-38).

Many people who live in the world hold on the one fear that keeps them from accepting Christ. They know that once they do they will slowly lose interest in the things that they are doing. Once we accept Christ into our lives, God does not hold us down with chains, we are free to do whatever we wish. However, little by little we no longer long for the worldly things that once gave us pleasure, but long for a life filled with Christ. One that far exceeds any life that we got pleasure from before we knew Him. That is the ultimate life with Christ and one worth reaching for.

Jesus Christ is Revealed: Through the Nazerite
Nazarite is the transliteration of a Hebrew term meaning dedication by separation. Jesus separated Himself from all worldly influence to do the will of His Father.

Today's Psalm: 119:101
"I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word."

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, you know the longings of my heart. When I seek thrills and quick fixes to satisfy these needs I am eventually disappointed. Your supply of Living Water never runs dry and satisfies the inner desires of my heart because You are the only One who can meet my spiritual needs. Lord, as I come today dry and thirsty I look to You, for You satisfy the thirsty and fill the hungry with good things.

Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and Happy Valentines Day.
God Bless,
Christina

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