Wherever riches have increased, the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion.

-John Wesley-

I have been reading in Leviticus this morning and I am extremely thankful that I was called into ministry in the 21st century under the New Covenant. I can’t imagine the requirements for the priest in Old Testament times. Not only did they have to be consecrated and from the lineage of Aaron, but they also couldn’t have weak stomachs.

Leviticus 1, “The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out at the side of the altar.”

Not only did they have to wring off bird’s heads, but they had to slaughter animals.  Pour out blood.  Remove intestines.  Examine leprosy.  That’s all too much for me.  I do not have a stomach for all of that stuff. 

I am glad that Jesus shed His blood once and for all and now we do not have to get involved in those sacrifices.  Jesus paid it all so we wouldn’t have to go through the sacrifices and the tedious points of the law.  He came to give His life as a ransom so that we would no longer have to go through the Old Covenant practices.  Thank God for His Grace and Mercy!

There are but two essential requirements: first: Has any one cheated death and proved it? Second: Is it available to me? Here is the complete record: Confucius’ tomb – occupied; Buddha’s tomb – occupied; Mohammed’s tomb – occupied; Jesus’ tomb – empty.

-G.B. Hardy-

I was raised in Southeast Texas which essentially has two seasons, Hot and Hotter.  Though we had some winter weather, we never really had a winter season.  More like a long fall season.  In fact, trees would lose their leaves but it didn’t seem like they stayed bare long.  The grass was almost always green because of the warmer weather and the amount of rain.  I remember in school hearing about 4 seasons, but I had never really witnessed them, UNTIL I moved to Arkansas.

Now, granted I have only been here for 5 months, I now know what a real winter is like.  DEAD!  I love cold weather.  I have always dreamed of living somewhere that would actually get cold.  I was excited about winter because I would finally experience the real cold.  Not the Southeast Texas cold (35 degrees in the morning and 85 in the afternoon).  We have certainly experienced cold, snow and ice.  It has been a great experience for our family (honestly).

There is, however, one draw back.  When the trees lose their leaves, they are gone for months.  The grass turns brown and it stays that way for months.  The first couple of months it was cool seeing the true winter, but now I am ready for some color.  I am ready to see the trees bloom and the flowers bud.  Someone told me, “winter is nice, but you will be glad to see spring again.”  They were right. 

In our lives we seem to have winter seasons that never end.  Everything looks barren and there is little sign of life.  It is as if we are living in a desolate place with things that look dead and hoping for the smallest symbol of life again.  These winter seasons may be times of sickness or hardships in our marriage.  Perhaps it is a spiritual struggle or any other circumstance of life.  No matter what you are facing you are likely feeling that winter will never end.

Josh and I went hiking the other day and noticed a small flower coming up through the dead, dry leaves on the ground.  It was a sign of springtime coming.  Friends, winter may be long but soon the flowers of your spiritual life will bud again.  Your mourning will be turned in to dancing.  Your dark night will soon see the light of day.

Psalm 30:5 & 11, ”His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. 11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,”

Winter seasons teach us dependence on the life-giving source, Jesus Christ.  Learn from the winter time and it will make your springtime much more enjoyable.

The longer I serve the Lord, the more I can look back and see the seasons of my Christians life.  Some have been springtime and many winters have I endured.  All in all, God has used the different seasons of life to help me grow and to certainly stretch me in my walk with Him.  It would help every Christian to recognize seasons in life and use them for spiritual maturity.  By no means should we give up in the winter seasons.  Spring is coming!

Craig Groeschel wrote an insightful article on seasons that puts them into proper perspective.  You will probably recognize the traits of winter.

“Every planet on the solar system has seasons. On Venus, seasons are very short. On Uranus, a season can last for 20 years.

You might feel like you are in a prolonged winter. And you might be correct.

• You are praying with few answered prayers.
• You’re witnessing and seeing few conversions.
• You’re laboring tirelessly and seeing minimal results.

If you’re in winter and waiting for spring, remember God is working in winter too. During the cold months, the tree and plant roots grow deeper and stronger. In this season, God is often doing an unseen work preparing His creation for spring. He does more internally than externally.

It is helpful to remember, you can’t have spring without winter.”

HT: Swerve Blog

Here’s a great post I found on Buddy Cremeans blog today:

Buddy Cremeans writes, “For months wherever I turn, God has been UP in my grill about Honor. I just can’t shake it. God has repeatedly pressed me with His principle that runs His universe…God Honors Honor. Too often God CANNOT and WILL NOT honor us and release His blessing to us because we are blocking giving honor to Him or others.

Are you a blessing blocker?

Is there someone you are blocking or withholding honor from? Maybe it is God.  Has God laid something on your heart and you are just procrastinating? If so you are blocking God.  Maybe you are blocking honor from a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a coworker, a boss, a pastor?  If so, you are blocking God. God never asked us to honor people only if they are perfect… Why? Because we are not perfect beings, we are human beings. However, God instructs ALL of us in scripture (1 Peter 2:17) to HONOR ALL PEOPLE. Show respect to ALL people and treat everyone with dignity.

WHO are you withholding honor from?

Let me encourage you today to quit blocking God’s blessing.  Send an email, make a phone call, write a letter, send a card, make a visit… Do whatever it takes to release honor to them so God can release honor to you!

God Honors Honor.”

"Man cannot be righteous in God’s sight until he repents of his own expectation that he can be righteous in his own sight. God is not mighty toward man until man is weak toward God."

Edward John Carnell, Christian Commitment, page 302.

HT: Christ Is Deep Still Blog, Ray Ortlund