Doyle Smith Daily

 Numbers 1:2-15 (ESV) Originally published 07/18/2015 The people of Israel would have to fight to drive out the people who were living in the land that God was giving to Israel. God told Moses to: "Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers' houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them company by company. And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers. And these are the names of the men who shall assist you." Then God names one person from each of the 12 tribes’ Numbers 1:2-15 (ESV). Building an army from scratch was an overwhelming job, but God told Moses how to start and who would help him.  Lord, when you ask me to do things, I look at my abilities and know I can't do what you tell me to do. Give me the courage to act on what I know to do, trus...

 Leviticus 27:30-31 (ESV) Originally published 07/17/2015 "Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD's; it is holy to the LORD. If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it" Leviticus 27:30-31 (ESV). This is how God sees the material world. It is his, and he allows humans to live in it and use it, but he wants us to remember that it is his. The tithe is like a rent. God does not need the money or cattle, but he demands that we remember that he is the owner of everything, and the tithe is our reminder of his ownership. The tithe is God’s, and it is to be given first as a reminder to us of God's ownership. Failure to give it is a denial of his creation, ownership, and authority. Every tenth animal born into the herd is to be given to God, but if the herdsman wants that animal, he can buy it back from God by paying 20% more than its value. Lord, thank you for letting me live in your world...

 Leviticus 27:26-27 (ESV) Originally published 07/16/2015  Everything in this world is made by God, and it is his by right of creation. God does not need material things, but to remind his people of his provision to them he commanded: "But a firstborn of animals, which as a firstborn belongs to the LORD, no man may dedicate; whether ox or sheep, it is the LORD's. And if it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back at the valuation, and add a fifth to it, or if it is not redeemed, it shall be sold at the valuation” Leviticus 27:26-7 (ESV). Lord, I recognize that everything has been made by you and whatever material things you have given me to control are really yours. Whatever you need from me I will give joyously because you have been so generous to me, and it really belongs to you anyway.

 Leviticus 26:40-42 (ESV) Originally published 07/15/2015  God's judgment is certain and severe on disobedience and rebellion, but he is ready for reconciliation. "But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies---if then their uncircumcised heart, is humbled, and they make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land" Leviticus 26:40-42 (ESV). God is willing to forgive completely and restore every promise he has made to us if we humble ourselves, acknowledge our rebellion and accept his authority over our lives. Lord, reveal to me situations when it is more important to me to please myself than to please you, and convict me of my pride and arrogance

 Leviticus 26:18, 23, 27-28, 32-33 (ESV) Originally published 07/14/2015 God tells his people all the punishment that will come to them when they don't live by his law and commandments. Then, he says: "And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sin" Leviticus 26:18 (ESV).  "Then, if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you sevenfold for your sins" Leviticus 26:21 (ESV). "And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins" Leviticus 26:23 (ESV)  . . . . "But, if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins....And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I w...

 Leviticus 26:14-16a, 17 (ESV) Originally published 07/13/2015   To those people who have promised to obey God he says: "But, if you will not listen to me and will not do all of these commandments. If you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will set my face against you and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you" Leviticus 26:14-16a, 17 (ESV). God is not talking about disobedience because of weakness or immaturity, but conscious rejections of his clear commands and resentment of his teachings. Then God will no longer keep his promises to protect us, and we live in fear and paranoia. Lord, there are many who claim to be followers of you who reject what in the past were considered your commands. Give me the wisdom to see when these new ideas are new understandings from you or rej...

 Leviticus 26:14-16 (ESV) Originally published 07/11/2015 God brings different kinds of punishment to those who promise to follow him, but then ignore him: "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments. If you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: .. . . . you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it" Leviticus 26:14-16 (ESV). God promises to provide for his people, and financial problems can be one of the signs that God has withdrawn his provision because we are not keeping our promise of obedience to him. Lord, one of the great comforts I have had in my life is to know that when I am faithful to obey you that you would provide my material needs.

 Leviticus 26:14-16 Originally published 07/10/2015 There are consequence for breaking our commitment to God: "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments. If you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consumes the eyes and make the heart ache” Leviticus 26:14-6 (ESV). Failing to keep our commitments to God can bring psychological, emotional, or physical problems. Lord, I know that not all of these problems are always the result of your judgment, and I know that when you do bring judgment on me, it is intended to correct something in my life. I know that you do not bring this kind of judgment without telling me why it is there. Give me a humble spirit to submit to you when I recognize your judgment in my life.

 Leviticus 26:3,9 (ESV) Originally published 07.08/2015 - God's promise to his people: "If you will walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them,…  I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you" Leviticus 26:3,9 (ESV). When I trust God enough to live the way he tells me to live, he will notice, and he will keep the promises he made to those who trust him. That person will see that God is guiding their choices, providing their needs, protecting them, and making them a blessing to those around them. Lord, help me to live today exactly as you want, using my time and life as you direct, trusting you to take care of my future.

 Leviticus 26:6-7 (ESV) Originally published 07/07/2015  God's promise: "If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, I will give you peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove the harmful beasts from the land and the sword shall not go through your land. You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword" Leviticus 26:6-7 (ESV). Our peace does not come from the absence of danger or difficulty, but from the confidence that God will remove the dangers and give us the ability to overcome the people who are a threat to us. Lord, give me the trust in you to do whatever you tell me to do and not to look at my ability for peace, but to trust your wisdom and strength. 

 Leviticus 26:3,5 (ESV) Originally published 07/06.2015  God's promise: "If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, . . . .  Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest and the grape harvest shall last to the time of sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely" Leviticus 26:3,5 (ESV). If God's people put into practice what God tells them to do, he promises the necessities of life and security. Lord, you have kept this promise to me. I ask you to give me a greater passion to do what I know you want me to do and trust the material things to you.

 Leviticus 26:3-4 (ESV) Originally published 07/04/2015  God promises to provide for his people." If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit" Leviticus 26:3-4 (ESV). God's provision for his people was conditioned on living in obedience to him and working. Then he will bless their efforts with success. Lord, help me to grow in my obedience and faithfulness to you, and help me to discipline my time to do what you have assigned to me.

 Leviticus 25:23-24 (ESV) Originally published 07/03/2015  When God brought the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, he took them to the land he had promised to Abraham's descendants. He gave each family a plot of land and he told them: "The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the country you possess, you shall allow a redemption of the land" Leviticus 25:23-4 (ESV). God allows us to live on his ground. We may get a title to it and build on it or farm it, but we are only temporary residents. Lord, how do you see me? Am I renting from you the place in which I live? Help me understand what it means that you own everything that you have placed in my hands. What are your rules for handling what you have let me use?

 Leviticus 25:20-21 (ESV) Originally published 07/02/2015 God understands our needs, and he provides. Every 7th year the people of Israel were not to plant crops, but have a Sabbath year. "And if you say, 'What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop? I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years'" Leviticus 25:20-1 (ESV). God's provision required management. If they sold the excess crop of the sixth year, they would have nothing for the 7th year. If the follower of Christ doesn't have enough money to give to God what he has told them to give, they must first look at their management of what God has given them. Lord, give me direction in how to use the resources you have given to me, both time and money.

 Leviticus 25:1-5 (ESV) Originally published 07/01/2015  God asks his people to live as if he provides for them. God told them: "When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD. For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine" Leviticus 25:1-5 (ESV). How hard it would be to trust God to provide food from what would grow wild? Lord, help me to live with the awareness that it is you who provide for me, not my work or effort. Give me wisdom and strength to work, but the awareness that it is you who provide so I don't worry about anything.

 Leviticus 24:17-19 (ESV) Originally published 06/30/2015   God made every person and tells us how we must treat each other: "Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. Whoever takes an animal's life shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done, it shall be done to him" Leviticus 24:17-19 (ESV). Every person is made by God, and when you take that life, you forfeit your own. Every animal that you own is given to you by God, so if someone kills what God has given you, then you must replace it. If someone injures you, then you cannot do worse to him than he has done to you. Lord, thank you for reminding me that every person and everything in this world belongs to you. May I see each person I relate to today as precious to you, and may I treat each one as your child by creation. 

 Leviticus 24:16 (ESV) Originally published 06/29/2015  Blasphemy is insulting or cursing God by what we say or do. "Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. the sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death" Leviticus 24:16 (ESV). God demands respect from his people. Lord,  when I read  about you and talk about you so much, does it cause me to get too familiar? This reminds me to think of your majesty, power, holiness. I cannot even grasp your magnitude. Help me to honor you and never to do or say anything that would dishonor you.

 Leviticus 24: 1-4 (ESV) Originally published 06/27/2015 "The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the LORD regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generation. He shall arrange the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold before the LORD regularly'" Leviticus 24:1-4 (ESV). The LORD did not want the people to think that he was with them only in the big feast days, but there every day. The lampstand was gold to show its importance and the oil pure to show holiness. God wants his followers to remember that he is with us every day, not just on Sundays. Lord, I start my day talking with you, but I also want to be following you every minute of my day. When each new thing happens in my day, remind me to ask you how I should respond.

 Leviticus 23:35-36 Originally published 06/26/2015  The Feast of Booths was a time when Israel gathered in Jerusalem and lived in what we might call tents to recall their deliverance from Egyptian slavery. "On the first day shall be holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work. For seven days you shall present food offerings to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present a food offering to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly; you shall not do any ordinary work" Leviticus 23:35-6 (ESV). For us who have been delivered from the slavery to sin it is not the Exodus we remember but the death of Christ who died to set us free. On this solemn occasion we eat and drink to remember what Jesus did and look forward to the time when we will eat with him in heaven. Lord, every time I take the Supper with you remind me not only of the power you have to defeat human authorities, but that you have crushed Satan himself and set me free to serve you.

 Leviticus 23:27, 29-30 (ESV) Originally published 06/25/2015 The Day of Atonement was the time when sacrifices were given for all of the people's sins for the past year. It was a very serious and demanding day. "It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD...For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people" Leviticus 23:27,29-30 (ESV) To afflict themselves was to fast and pray, actions of self-denial. We celebrate Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection at Easter and every Sunday, but they are not days of self-denial, fasting and prayer, but times of self-indulgence and pleasure for most church people. Lord, you demanded the death penalty for those who did not practice self-denial prayer, so we know this is important to you. How can I acknowledge how important your forgiv...

 Leviticus 23:23-25 (ESV) Originally published 06/24/2015  The day of Atonement was the one day of the year when all the people of Israel were to experience forgiveness for all the sins they might have committed in the past year. They were to prepare for that day: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work, and you shall present a food offering to the LORD" (Leviticus 23:23-25 (ESV). Lord, remind me to always start my prayer and worship time by asking you to reveal the sin in my life that offends you so that I might confess my need for forgiveness.

 Leviticus 23:22 (ESV) Originally published 06/23/2015 God's plan for helping us: "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God" Leviticus 23:22 (ESV). God provides for his people, but he also gives us the opportunity to care for ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He expects us to accept responsibility for what we can do. Lord, open my eyes to do everything I am to do and trust you for the rest. I want to do everything you have assigned me to do, but alert me when I am doing for others what they need to learn to do for themselves.

 Leviticus 23:19 (ESV) Originally published 06/22/2015 God has promised his people that he would provide for them. "You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD" Leviticus 23:19 (ESV). When God provides for his people, he wants them to acknowledge that he has kept his promise to provide. Giving an offering from our income is our acknowledgment that God has provided for us as he promised. Lord, remind me every time I give an offering that you own everything, and what I have is a gift from you and that I can depend on you to provide for all my needs.

 Leviticus 23:10-11 (ESV) Originally published 06/20/2015 The people of Israel were farmers and when the crops were harvested, there was no more food until the next harvest. God told them: "When you come into the land and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD so that you may be accepted" Leviticus 23:10-11 (ESV). Giving the very first of the harvest acknowledged that what they had was given to them by God and that all they had was really God's, and giving the first fruits without knowing how much they would actually get when the harvest was over was an act of faith that God would provide for them. This act showed their acknowledgement that God was the ruler of the world and that they could trust him to provide for them. We do the same thing when we give our offerings to God. We acknowledge that he has provided the money and we give it first, before we pay the bills, to show...