Category: Hiding His Word

Numbers 2:1–3:51; Mark 11:27–12:17; Psalm 47:1-9; Proverbs 10:24-25

My Inheritance is an Everlasting Foundation
As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. – Proverbs 10:25

Storms pass over the wicked and the righteous, but in the end only the righteous will stand.

Authority
And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? – Mark 11:28

The religious leaders had a duty to investigate any person claiming to be of God. So they came to Jesus. Their investigation was one-sided, though, because he threatened the place they had set themselves. So they worked to trap Him to destroy Jesus. They couldn’t act openly, however, because the people were convinced that Jesus was of God. 

Jesus knew their heart. So when he answered the question, he only posed another question to them about John the Baptist. The leaders found themselves unable to answer because to answer one way would incite the crowds against them. To answer another way would expose their hearts to reject the truth for a lie to keep their world intact and their status unchanged. To deny truth and embrace hypocrisy and crowd-pleasing is to set yourself up to pay an eternal price. It is an excellent question to ask ourselves, do our actions or answers (the things we speak) have any hypocrisy or need for worldly approval attached to them? If so, we are on very shaky ground. Speak truth and align your heart with it. Speak life!

The Levites are God’s Portion, and God is their Inheritance
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD. – Numbers 3:11-13

The Levites had no inheritance among the Children of Israel. They were not counted among them because they were the Lord’s portion. God was their inheritance, and they were His. He chose the Levites instead of the firstborn of each tribe. (Interesting that the firstborn – first fruits – are always His anyway. 

My Inheritance is His Choice
He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.- Psalm 47:4

Jacob’s inheritance was that during shakings (famine in the world), Jacob, who God loved, was spared from death and settled in Egypt’s best part (Goshen). So is our portion as God’s children.

Father, Thank You that You are our Everlasting Foundation and built upon You, we will forever stand. Thank You that You are our inheritance and all we need or will ever need. Thank You that You have chosen our inheritance for each of us, and it is good. Thank You that You are our authority, and as we walk in obedience to Your perfect will, we will also walk in the power and authority given to us by Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us never to take You and these beautiful gifts for granted – YOU, MY GOD!!! Our inheritance, our authority, our foundation! Help me keep my eyes and my heart on YOU alone. In Jesus Name, we pray. Amen.

Leviticus 27:14—Numbers 1:54; Mark 11:1-26; Psalm 46:1-11; Proverbs 10:23

I Will Rejoice
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. – Psalm 46:4-5

Keep the Charge
And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. – Numbers 1:52-53

Forgive
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. – Mark: 11:24-26

Understanding
It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. – Prover 10:23

Leviticus 25:47–27:13; Mark 10:32-52; Psalm 45:1-17; Proverbs 10:22

Servant of All
And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: but to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. – Mark 10:32-45

Jesus didn’t come the way the people imagined. They expected that He had come as a military leader to wipe away Roman oppression and set up the Kingdom of God, promised throughout the Old Testament. 

Jesus did come as that leader, but not as they expected. He didn’t come to first overthrow ungodly leaders and set up a new government, but to establish His Kingdom in the hearts and lives of man.

The disciples, who were closer to Jesus and spent more time with Him than other people, were no different in their expectations. So, Jesus took the opportunity of their arguing over who would be great in His Kingdom, to teach them that to be truly great, you must be a servant to all.

All these years later, expectations have not changed. In our hearts, don’t we often pray, Come, Lord Jesus, but not because we have finished our course? Don’t we sometimes pray that asking that He come and deliver us from the “bad guys,” from sickness, death, and all kinds of evil? Don’t we often focus more on going to heaven ourselves to rule and reign with Him than we do serving and bringing His Kingdom to those in our world that He loves and desires to save? To a lost and dying world?  

Just my thoughts…I preach to myself here!!!

Please help us, Father! Please help me! Help me to be Your servant! Give me a burden for the lost and a heart to serve. Help me not to pick and choose but to follow You and live a life of service. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen!

His Servants
For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. –  Leviticus 25:55

Make His Name to Be Remembered
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. – Psalm 45:17

Blessing
The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. – Proverbs 10:22

Leviticus 24:1–25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21

Lips that Feed Many
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. – Proverbs 10:21

Divine Favor = Divine Responsibility
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God. – Leviticus 24:22

There is not to be one law for the Children of Israel and another rule for strangers. At first glance, it looks like this could favor the stranger in some ways. But this law is for everyone because not only can there not be a separate law for the stranger, but the stranger must abide by every law of the Children of Israel. Therefore they have the same responsibilities.

Who Then Shall Be Saved?
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

You must receive Jesus and trust in Jesus as a child.

And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

You must trust Jesus alone and let go of your riches (or anything that you put your trust in…friendships, status, heritage)

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? – Mark 10:15, 23, 26

Who then can be saved?

For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved? – Romans 10:13

If you indeed call upon the Name of the Lord, when He calls, you will follow in obedience and leave everything else as the disciples did to put all focus on Jesus and Jesus alone!

Every Secret of Every Heart
If we have forgotten the Name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. – Psalms 44:20-21

No use trying to hide our impurities. The Father knoweth every secret of every heart.

I want to feed many. Help me, God.

Heavenly Father, I come before You this morning to say, I love You. I love You, Your Son, Your Word, and Your Holy Ghost that You have given so freely. Please help me today to follow after You alone and forsake all You would have me to abandon that I might live by Your Word and Your perfect will. Touch my heart that it would be like Yours and that my lips would speak only life-giving words. Father, we have been born into Your Kingdom and are therefore strangers in this land. Please help us to realize the Divine favor that gives but also the Divine responsibility. Help us to live according to Your perfect commands. In Jesus’ precious and holy and wonderful Name, I pray. Amen!!!

Leviticus 22:17–23:44; Mark 9:30–10:12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 10:19

Profanity
Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, that brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD. – Leviticus 22:32-33

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” – Matthew 12:36-37

Spirit and Life
And they [Jesus and his disciples] departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. Mark 9:30-32

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” – John 6:63

Disputes
But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. – Mark 9:34-35

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. – Ephesians 4:29

Testimonies
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. – Psalms 44:1

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. – Psalms 66:16

Boasts
In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah. – Psalms 44:8

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. – Galatians 6:14

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised. – Psalms 113:3

Restraint
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. – Proverbs 10:19

“In a multitude of words transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent.” – Proverbs 10:19 AMP

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. – Psalms19:14

Amen!

Leviticus 20:22–22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5; Proverbs 10:18

My Exceeding Joy
O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. – Psalms 43:3-4

My Separation
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. – Leviticus 20:22-24

I am in a season where I have lost some close friends to other friendships and new callings. I don’t take offense at it, but there are days I look back, and on those days, I sometimes ask why. Then the Holy Ghost brings to remembrance that I asked the Lord to be my closest friend. I asked Him to show me the truth of “deep calling unto deep.”

This passage touches me today because I know there is a promised land. I know the Father is answering prayer. And though it has required a cost I never counted, the Holy Ghost is taking me to deep places that I likely would have ignored if life were busy with a larger circle of friends. The Lord, my God, has separated me from other people (as the scripture says of the Israelites in today’s passage) for His Glory and my good. It is the Lord that does this…

I know if He has separated me, He has separated others.

My Daily Bread
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. – Mark 9:25-29

As I wrote a few days ago, a deaf and dumb spirit has been wreaking havoc in this household since October.  I am in the midst of a 40-day fast, along with my church family, and Mark 9:29 is my Bread today!

My, My, My
He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. – Proverbs 10:18

So often, I have had offense and anger toward someone and think the right thing to do is “fake it till I make it.” This verse tells me that approach is foolish. I don’t need to fake anything because faking is a lie. I need to deal with the hatred, the anger – what is according to scripture a spirit of murder.

Help me, Lord, to deal with my anger that left unattended turns to so many other things as it grows. Please help me not to speak evil or with evil intent regarding others.

Forgive me, Lord, for those times I have failed in this area. Holy Ghost, I ask You to do Your work in my life right here, right now.  Jesus, please help me to bring these things to You rather than to deal with them myself. Help me to cast away the sinful things in my heart. Help me to remember that the consequences of picking up this kind of evil are to be a fool and separated from Your glorious Presence. Such wickedness is not worth that high cost. Help me, Father. I can’t do it without Your grace. But with Your class and in the strength of Your grace, I know I can do all things.

My, my, my, I didn’t expect so much today from our reading today. I am blessed!!!

Leviticus 19:1 – 20:21; Mark 8:11-38; Psalm 42; Proverbs 10:17

MY Sabbath and MY Sanctuary
Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:30

One little (huge) Word in this verse struck me this morning. MY. God doesn’t say THE sabbath or THE sanctuary. He says MY sabbath and MY sanctuary!

It is sad how few of us keep His sabbath and give reverence to His Sanctuary. Preaching to myself here!!! Some say it is just a building, and that is in some ways right, but most church sanctuaries were set apart for the Lord when they were initially built. Over time they have changed. But even if it were true that it is just a building or part of the building,  the way we treat God’s house (the building) is very representative of how we keep God’s house (our heart). You say, well, His Sabbath is actually on Saturday. It is just a day. But then Saturday or Sunday, if we keep His Sabbath day by treating it as just another day, it very likely an indication of how little time is given to God every day.

This passage hits home for me and brings me conviction. I am more apt to revere His sanctuary (the building) than my heart, His Sanctuary.  Do we treat our hearts and what goes in our hearts with reverence? Do we regularly clean out anything that is not in line with His Word and His Way? In the same line, keeping His Sabbath, as  He created His Sabbath to be, has become less and less a day of rest and worship and more like just an hour or two at church before we go out to lunch and then head off to other things of this world. If we keep on the path of slowly eliminating one thing and then another that we think doesn’t matter, eventually there will be only shells of the church but no real church. It is not just a building. If we aren’t gathering together, we are scattered abroad. When I see old churches that are closed down, I often wonder where the people are now.

God help me to keep your instructions, even as You told us in our Proverb today, that I might be on the correct path – the Way of LIFE. Help Your church, Father!!!

Keep – To hold to; retain in one’s possession; not to lose or part with; to preserve; to retain; to tend to.

Reverence – Fear mingled with respect; to regard with respect and affection. We reverence superiors for their age, their authority, and their virtues. We should reverence God, His Word, and His ordinances; an act of respect such as a bow or a curtsy.

Whosoever will come after Me…
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34

Deny yourself- to refrain from satisfying one’s desires or needs; practice self-denial
Take up your cross – to hold, grasp or grip; pick up; receive and accept willingly
Follow Him –  to come after; to conform to, comply with, obey; to imitate or copy; to go in pursuit of

Who Do You Say That I Am?
And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. – Mark 8:27-30

We each have a personal relationship with Jesus. He asks each of us, Who do you say that I am? Jesus is not interested in you saying what you heard the person next to you saying. He is not interested in what you read on the internet. He wants to know who you say He is, what is in your heart regarding Him.

Thirst
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? – Psalms 42:2

Thirst is a hard thing to bear. Thirst, if left unfulfilled, can cause desperation and panic. This verse makes me ask myself, am I thirsty for God? Am I desperate to appear before Him, to draw close to Him and know Him? Help me, Lord, to thirst for You!!!

Keep His Instruction
He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. – Proverbs 10:17

Keep His instruction, and you will be on the right path; refuse it, and you will lose your way.

Erreth – to go astray in thought or belief; be mistaken; be incorrect; to deviate from the Truth

Leviticus 16:29–18:30; Mark 7:24–8:10; Psalm 41:1-13; Proverbs 10:15-16

The Deaf and Dumb
And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. – Mark 7:32-37

This one is personal today. Beginning in October of 2020, my husband has gone intermittently deaf. Doctors are trying to figure out what is going on. One day he can hear some; the next, nothing. I have prayed, travailed, and commanded this spirit to leave my husband and my home. I have put my fingers in his ear and said, “Ephphatha – Be opened” by the authority and in the name of Jesus. They have yet to open, but Jesus is still a healer and deliverer…so I believe!

It is hard for my husband, and he needs God’s divine touch! That being said, I am in the middle of this trial too. I try to talk as I usually do, and it is hard to communicate. It takes repeating everything several times, but mostly he is right in front of me so he can try to read my lips. Sometimes we just have to give up or write it down. It is exhausting for both of us, and so we often sit in silence. I have found that most of what I say is not important anyway. But then isn’t a conversation about big and little things what creates and maintains relationship?  The doctors are calling Meniere’s Disease. I say there is a deaf and dumb spirit that is coming against both of us.  

Friends, I ask that you come into agreement with me as I continue to pray and believe for healing and deliverance.

Lord, please deliver my husband from the spirit of deafness and both of us from the dumb spirit that wants to shut us both up and shut us down. I ask this in the beautiful and precious Name of Jesus and for Your Glory. Amen.

The Blood
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. – Leviticus 17:11

Life is in the Blood. Thank You for Your blood, Jesus. Your Blood is LIFE to me. Your Blood made atonement for me. Your Blood heals, delivers, cleanses, saves.

Everlasting to Everlasting
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen. – Psalms 41:13

Psalm 41 affirms to me that the Lord is my first and my last. Jesus is my everything. He is here when I need Him and when I suffer and go through various trials. When I am in the midst of hard things for His Name, Holy Ghost is closer than I can ever realize or comprehend. He is my Hope, my deliverer, and He is my very present help in my time of need. I bless my God and my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the precious and ever-present Holy Ghost.

Blessed – Worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship; divinely or supremely favored
Everlasting – eternal; lasting forever
Amen – It is so; so be it

The Labour
The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. – Proverbs 10:16

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23

The fullness of life is God’s reward to those rooted in Him and living out their faith. It’s incredible how God came down and took our place on the Cross that we may be made righteous. It’s amazing how we can just believe in Jesus and have eternal life but also then become a channel of LIFE (the labour) to bring others to believe (tendeth) in Jesus (Life) that they may also be a channel of LIFE….and it goes on and on.

Please help me, Father, today!!! Touch my mind, body, and my spirit that I may live this day pleasing to You. In Jesus Name, I pray! Amen and Amen!!!

Leviticus 15:1-16:28; Mark 7:1-23; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 10:13-14

Poor and Needy; Yet…
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou are my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. – Psalms 40:17

An Issue of Blood
And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. – Leviticus 15:25-28

This passage makes me think about the woman with the issue of blood (found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48).  She had 12 years of continuous bleeding and so 12 years of separation and uncleanness. Imagine what she was going through and her desperation as she went through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. She had to have touched others because, according to scripture, there were many pressing in. She couldn’t have been proclaiming “unclean,” as was the law. She went for it. Had she not been healed, perhaps she would have been killed by those she “defiled” that day. This woman took a great risk. Her risk shows us how strong her desperation was but even more how strong her faith was. She was poor and needy, yet Jesus met her there!

Why Separate them?
Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. – Leviticus 15:31

The children of Israel had to be separated when they were unclean because God dwelt in the tabernacle that was among them. Sin cannot be in the presence of the Almighty God. If a person is in sin in His Presence, they die as Aaron’s sons died. Moses and the Israelites took so much care when they went before the Lord. Have we become too flippant about that? If we carry the Spirit of God within us everywhere we go, if we are the Temple and God resides in us, should we not consider the state of our hearts?  Can God live where unholiness and sin abides? Teach me, Holy Ghost!!!

Not What Enters but what Comes Out that Defiles
And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. – Mark 7:15-16

Things that Defile
And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. – Mark 7:20-23

I like the Amplified version of these verses because it explains them a bit.

And He said, What comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and render [him] unhallowed. For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, Coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous ad destructive wickedness, deceit; unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride (the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness). All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed. – Mark 7:20-23 AMP

Understanding vs. Lack of Understanding
In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction – Proverbs 10:13-14

One of the fruits of those with understanding is wisdom. Those that lack understanding will go through the discipline and pain of correction and consequences.  

This verse goes right along with some of our other scripture today. What comes out of the mouth shows what is in the heart. If understanding comes out, there is wisdom. The fruit of the mouth that is void of understanding will be destruction.

Those passages remind me of another verse:

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. – Luke 6:45

Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 40:1-10; Proverbs 10:11-12

Love Covers 
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. – Proverbs 10:12

Love covers all sins. ALL means ALL!!!!

Cover – to protect or conceal; to hide from view, screen; to place something over or upon, as for protection, concealment, or warmth.

Atonement
And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.

And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the Lord.

Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the Lord.

But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean. – Leviticus 14:18, 20, 29, 31, 53

We are still reading all about cleansing, purifying, skin diseases (leprosy), and mildew! JESUS can take care of all of these and has taken care of all of these. JESUS made our atonement on the Cross of Calvary. He did it all. He said, It is finished. We have the tremendous privilege and ability to be made right by Jesus by believing in Him and confessing Him and following Him. His blood cleanses us, heals us, and makes us whole. From what? Sickness and disease, oppression and possession, things like insecurities, doubts, fears, regret, shame, and an eternal death and life in hell. Jesus paid it all.

Depart, Rest, and Pray
And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. – Mark 6:46

Jesus teaches his disciples by example that there comes a time in ministry that it is necessary to depart from everyone’s company so that you can spend time alone with God. Jesus went alone to the mountain to pray. He prioritized His time along with God. Jesus needed that particular time with God because people needed Jesus and the power and authority He carried. His time with His Father was His source of strength and power. Jesus teaches there is a time for fellowship and work, but there is equally a time for rest and solitude and communing with the Father. That time prepared Him, and it will prepare us for what lies ahead. So, what lay ahead for Jesus?

And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. – Mark 6:54-56

All those that touched Him, even the edge of His garment, were healed and made whole. His power came from His time with His Father in prayer.

Sacrifice and Offering Thou Didst Not Desire
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. – Psalms 40:6, 8

Well, a life following God is a life of sacrifice and offering. But, God cares more about our obedience than what we sacrifice or give. He opens our ears, eyes, and our hearts so that we can hear and live by His commands.  Living by His law is an action that leads to delight in His will and His ways. When you are filled with the Holy Ghost, sacrifice and offering still won’t be required, but you will give them because You will have His heart and His is a heart that serves and gives. 

Thank You so much, Father, that You sent Your precious Son, Jesus, to make atonement for my sins. Thank You, that You don’t desire or require sacrifices, but You provided the perfect sacrifice in Jesus Christ. Oh, heavenly Father, let me always keep Your price in the forefront of my mind. Such great LOVE that came to this earth and covered all of my sins. Such great LOVE that saved me from hell and gave me Eternal Life. Such great LOVE – His Name is Jesus!!! I am thankful, and I praise and glorify the Lamb of God today. He covered my sins. He was the atonement for ME. He did it willingly. Father, Your Word says that if I love YOU, I will keep Your commandments. Help me, God. Help me to obey and to delight in Your will more than I ever thought that I could. Help me prioritize my time with You as Jesus did that I may hear and follow Your every command immediately. Oh, Father, during this time of fasting, help me to pray like never before. Please help me to get into the Word like never before. Help me to draw closer to You than I ever imagined I could. Fill me again to overflowing with Holy Ghost. Fill me again with Your power. Anoint me to do the work You have assigned to me…and I will give You alone the Glory, the honor, and the praise. In Jesus Precious Name, I pray. Amen!