Burning

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1 Chronicles 14:12 Destroy Their gods

The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn them in the fire. 1 Chronicles 14:12

People will often decide that they do not want some things and choose to abandon those things. This occurs often when a person moves to a new home. Odds and end things are left behind in the house or on the property that are no longer desired. The new people moving into the place will sometimes pick up those items and use them for their own personal use whether they really need it or not.

David had defeated the Philistines in a battle at Baal Perazim. David had all the false gods that the Philistines had abandoned there destroyed in a fire.

In every society around the world there are many different types of false gods that the world worships as great and almighty. Some will directly believe that these things are gods, while the majority just place them in a position of God. Priority will be placed on those things over anything of God.

Occasionally the world will choose to get abandon those false gods for a different false god. This will occur with being physically left behind or by selling them.

Many believers will pick up these false gods and make them their own. Two common false gods that the world worships are movies and books. These things do not honor or serve God and will usually promote sinful activities. On the surface those false gods look and appear good, but underneath bring about death.

Instead of picking these things up and bringing them into their homes, believers should destroy them by fire. Believers are to flee all sin and all appearances of sin, rather than taking on those sins for their own. Destruction of the false gods prevents any worship of them.

Take time to take a look through your home and see if there are any things of the world that are false gods in it. These are things that take your time and focus away from God. Or anything that you will give all of your strength to do or keep.

Instead of keeping those things, burn them. Get rid of the false gods and turn to the one true God of heaven and earth. The false things of this world will only bring about death in the end. God will give you an abundant and true life that will last for eternity.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will open your eyes to the false gods in your life; that God will give you the strength to destroy the false gods in your life; and that you will serve and worship God alone.

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Exodus 30:8 Burning Incense Regularly

He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come. Exodus 30:8

Fragrances are used on a regular basis usually to cover up bad smells. They are to be a pleasing scent when there are bad odors in the area. Many are used in the air for in a room, while others are used on the physical body of a person.

There are often some fragrances used to calm a person down during a stressful day being peaceful and relaxing. Some can cause changes in the mind.

Aaron and his sons were to burn incense on the altar of incense in the mornings and evenings to keep them continually burning before God.

At the moment Jesus died and rose again many of the requirements in the tabernacle of the Old Testament had changed. No longer was there to be a requirement to burn incense before God on a regular basis.

Instead of burning physical incense before God, believers now offer the incense of prayers before God. John saw a vision in heaven of a bowl of incense that is called the prayers of the saints.

Prayers are a beautiful thing to God because they show that His people are trusting in Him and reaching out to Him. It is the same as when parents love it when their children call out to them. God looks forward to the pleasing aroma and sound of His followers seeking Him for help and giving Him praise.

Day and night believers need to take time to pray to God. These prayers can be ones of requests, giving thanks, repentance, praise, worship and honor to God. Times of prayer should never cease, but always be rising as a sweet incense before God.

You probably use some type of incense to mask or get rid of bad odors in your home. In the same way you use incense to help you, use prayer to have God remove the bad odor of sin in your life and to give you a new perspective on situations in your life.

God rejoices every time you offer up any prayer to Him. It is a sweet smell of love and trust. His desire is to provide the best for you and make you into the best you can be. This will be done as you offer up prayers of trust and worship on a regular basis.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will trust God with everything in your life; that you will be in continual prayer to God; that you will offer prayers of all types to God on a regular basis; and that God will smell the sacrifices of your prayers.

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Exodus 27:21 Keep The Lamp Burning

In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come. Exodus 27:21

In major cities there are lights on around the clock, year-round. All the lights are a sign that there is something still happening and available to do. Throughout the day and night there is always someone ready to do nearly anything and everything. The city never sleeps but keeps going.

In the tent of meeting part of the tabernacle, there were to be some lamps that were lit by olive oil. These lamps were to be kept burning throughout the night.

During times when someone is doing something that he loves it is easy to keep going without stopping. However, very often people have to do things that are not as much fun and the desire to stop raises quickly. People want to quit working and just relax and have fun.

Throughout the bible olive oil is often used to represent the Holy Spirit. Believers are to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit to give the strength, direction, and comfort. The Holy Spirit enables a believer to keep going.

Believers are to carry on the work of Jesus and keep going day and night. They are now the light of the world sharing the gospel message. This light is to be lit and kept lit day and night for the world to see.

Some will choose to deny the Holy Spirit’s leading and let that light go out. During those times the believer will often be stepping into sin, outside of God’s will. As this happens the believer no longer is a shining light, but darkness. The lamp needs to be relit.

If you have chosen to believe in and follow Jesus, allow the Holy Spirit to shine through you. Keep the fire of God’s love and mission alive inside of you day and night.

No matter where you go or when you go, there is always someone who needs to hear about Jesus and the salvation He offers. There are also temptations waiting to trip you up and put out that light.

Do not let your lamp burn out, but keep filled with God’s Holy Spirit and keep the light burning bright in this dark world.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will be filled with God’s Holy Spirit; that you will be a light of God for the world to see; and that you will not quench the Holy Spirit’s fire inside of you.

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Leviticus 13:52 Defiling, Destructive Mold

Moldy orange

He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned. Leviticus 13:52

For most things and most types of mold, mold is something that no one wants to have. Mold can get into many different things in different ways. Most often mold is destructive. Once it is in something, that item has to be destroyed.

Some molds, such as the black mold, is not only destructive of what it is on, but also contaminates the air, causing serious sickness. Mold is alive, once it is in or on something it does not stop reproducing and spreading, destroying.

Cleanliness has to be maintained strictly in order to keep mold from infesting some item. Old food must be tossed out, places in a house/building must be cleaned regularly, and spilled water must be dried up. There is an active work to be done to keep mold from occurring and even more work to be done in order to get rid of it.

Mold is just like sin. Once sin gets into a person’s life, it begins to destroy and kill. It will continue to spread throughout the person’s life, until he is dead. It will not only spread in that one person’s life, but will also spread to others, causing death in others.

Also, just like mold, sin takes an active, persistent effort in order to get rid of it and keep it out. The blood of Jesus, which He shed upon the cross, is the only thing strong enough to wipe away the sin in a person’s life.

The passions of sin must be destroyed. The person must become dead to sin, just as the item must be destroyed when contaminated with mold.

You, along with everyone else, has been contaminated with the mold of sin in your life. Seeking the forgiveness of Jesus will get the sin removed. Once that is done, however, there is work to be done to keep the sin from re-infesting your life and soul.

You must take an active effort to keep your eyes on God and keep sin out of your life. Do not allow the ‘little’ sins in life to get a hold of you. Just as mold, it will continue to spread until it has killed you.

How much mold are you allowing in your life?

I pray today that you will know the forgiveness of Jesus; that you will allow Jesus to remove the mold (sin) in your life; that you will turn away from all sin and follow God; and that your life will be productive, holy and pure for God.