iJourney February 2011 by Crossgates Baptist Church

INTRODUCTION Welcome to iJourney 2011! Every person is on a spiritual journey. Our journeys are laced with challenges, changes, and choices every day. The way in which we each navigate our journey will have lasting effects throughout eternity. It is therefore imperative we see our journey from the right perspective and then proceed down the right path in order to fulfill the purposes for which we have been created. Your journey traces the story of your life. Every twist and turn, every hill and valley, and every person and place, converge to define the story of your life. Your life story, though unique, fits within a much more grand story – God’s Story. Since the beginning of time God has been unveiling His grand story for all creation. The Bible is God’s journey with man as He unveils His story. In Genesis, God tells us how His story begins. And in Revelation He tells us how it will end. His story is a love story, with Himself as the hero and people as the heroine in need of rescue. Within this love story your story fits and comes to life. iJourney has been developed to help you better visualize and navigate your story within God’s story. To assist you on your journey this year we are walking through the Bible chronologically. In doing this you will experience God’s story from beginning to end historically. For instance, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were preaching during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. Reading the prophets within their historical context will give you a better feel for their messages and a better understanding of their meaning. iJourney is designed, however, to help you do more than simply gain a better understanding of the Bible historically. iJourney is an opportunity for you to engage God personally. Jesus said that real life is knowing God intimately (Jn 17:3). Most Bible readers never move beyond reading the Bible for information. Through iJourney you will be challenged to move from reading for information to revelation. God is a talker. He is always speaking. The problem is not with his voice, but with our ears. To the seven churches in Revelation Jesus said the same words. He said, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” (Rv 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22).

The Lord wants to guide you on your life journey. He wants you to discover your journey within His story. He wants to walk with you as you fulfill your purposes. Reading for revelation is hearing God’s voice and then following God’s path as He unveils His plans to you and through you. iJourney 2011 includes three weekly sections along with your daily reading plan. The first section is Cross Walk. In the same way cars are to yield at designated crosswalks when they see pedestrians, Cross Walk is written for you to slow down and see Jesus. In each weekly reading a Cross Walk has been written to help you see Jesus and His redemption throughout Scripture. The second section is Scenic View. When traveling the country you will see areas along the way marked Scenic View. These are places where you can pull over to view the beauty of an area. Each week a Scenic View has been written to help you discover the beauty of a particular reading. The final section is Journaling. Like any traveler, this section is for you to journal any thoughts, comments, or observations made along your journey. Blessings! David Jett Senior Pastor

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Redeemed and Delivered (Exodus 12 – 14)

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord is My Banner (Exodus 17:15)

In Genesis 3:21 the Lord opens the door of redemption through the blood of a sacrifice. Then in Exodus 12 the Lord cracks the door open even further by revealing that the sacrifice was to be a spotless male lamb killed on a particular day. Throughout Scripture no other theme is more often repeated than the testimony of the blood of the lamb as the means of redemption.

A banner is usually a pole with a sign, emblem, or flag at the top. When the banner was raised it became the rallying point for the warriors of the army to gather around. Shortly after the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea the Amalekites came and attacked them. Moses, the man of God, told Joshua to choose men to go to the valley and fight against Amalek while Moses went to the mountain to pray. As long as his hands were lifted up, Israel prevailed, but when his hands came down, Amalek prevailed. Aaron and Hur came to Moses, sat him down on a rock and held his hands up in order that Joshua and the Israelites would prevail.

The ten plagues on Egypt was the Lord demonstrating His superiority over the gods of Egypt. The tenth plague (death of firstborn) is God’s final vindication. Every firstborn male throughout all Egypt (human and animal) would be taken by the death angel. Only those homes where a spotless lamb had been killed and its blood placed on the doorpost of the home would death not invade. Everywhere the death angel saw the blood he would ‘Passover’ the home. The second great event of the Exodus was their deliverance at the Red Sea (Ex 14). Following the tenth plague the Egyptians hurried the Israelites out of their country. Later, after realizing they had released their slaves, Pharaoh and his entire army went to attack and bring the Israelites back to Egypt. The great confrontation between Egypt and Israel occurred at the Red Sea. With the Egyptian army fast approaching and the Israelites paralyzed in fear, the Lord declared His intentions of full deliverance (Ex 14:13-14). As the Israelites stood by and watched, the Lord parted the sea and exposed His road to deliverance that no one knew existed (Ps 77:19). Crossing to the other side, the Israelites then turned to watch the Lord defeat their enemies. No other event is cited more often in Scripture than this Red Sea deliverance. These two great events declare the Lord’s intent to redeem for Himself a people through the blood of a spotless lamb and to deliver His people from the cruelty of slavery. It was at another Passover hundreds of years later that God’s purposes would be fully realized. Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, would be sacrificed to provide redemption for the sins of the whole world. His resurrection provided a road to deliverance from Satan’s bondage to all who will come.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

Moses’ shepherd’s staff had become the rod of God. As Moses raised the rod of God in the air with his hands, it signified that the Lord was the banner the armies of Israel were fighting under. When Moses’ hands grew tired and the rod of God was lowered, the Israelites were no longer fighting under the banner of the Lord but were fighting in their own strength. The story of the Israelites and their escape from Egypt, desert wanderings, and entrance to the Promise Land is a picture of the life of every believer. The Lord redeemed you from Egyptian slavery to bring you to His land of Promises. Along the way, however, we find that even though the enemy was defeated, battles still rage. The Amalekites represent sin and evil in our lives and will never be defeated as long as we are fighting in our own strength. But when we come under the Lord as our banner (Jehovah Nissi), sin is defeated and the enemy must flee! The finished work of Jesus on the cross – applied by faith to the fiery darts of our arch enemy – results in certain victory. Are you or someone you know falling in defeat to the enemy’s arrows? Do not attempt to fight back in your own strength. Come under the banner of the Lord and rely upon the strength of His indwelling Spirit to win the victory. Jesus said, “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (Jn 6:63).

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

February 1

February 2

February 3

February 4

February 5

February 6

February 7

February 8

q Ex 1:1-4:17 q 1 Chr. 6:1-3

q Ex. 4:18-7:13

q Ex. 7:14-9:35

q Ex. 10:1-12:51

q Ex. 13:1-15:27

q Ex. 16:1-19:25

q Ex. 20:1-22:15

q Ex. 22:16-24:18

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

The Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:10-22)

The Cloud and Fire (Numbers 9)

The Ark of the Covenant was a visible representation on earth of a literal reality in heaven. It was the only piece of furniture in the Holy of Holies—a box measuring approximately 4 feet long by 2 ½ feet wide and high covered in gold—located in the innermost section of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. It was there the presence of the living God dwelled among His people. Today, that same reality (the Ark) is expressed as the Holy Spirit taking up residence in the spirit of a believer at the moment of salvation.

How amazing it must have been to be led by a cloud by day and a fire by night as seen in Numbers 9. But to the people of Israel it meant so much more. In the Bible, both fire and clouds often indicated the presence and glory of God. The cloud and fire imagery was a witness that God’s presence and glory moved with Israel throughout the wilderness. They were not alone.

A solid gold lid called the mercy seat covered the Ark. It was there between the two cherubim and above the Ark that the presence of God dwelled with His people. Once each year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of a bull. He would carry a sensor and burn incense, so that the mercy seat was shrouded in smoke. Here the priest would sprinkle the blood. This act culminated the national repentance of Israel for the sins of the past year. God’s mercy and forgiveness were secured as the blood covered the broken laws represented under the lid by the tablets of Moses which were the Ten Commandments. This beautiful picture of atonement – the ransom payment for sin – was fulfilled in Jesus as He suffered and died on the cross. His blood was the perfect sacrifice the Old Testament ritual had long anticipated. No longer would a bull be slaughtered and a man disappear behind the mysterious curtains to perform the atoning work each year. Jesus died and His blood was sufficient for eternal forgiveness. He became our High Priest and sprinkled His own blood on heaven’s mercy seat (Heb 9:11-12; 23-26; 10:19-25).

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

This special manifestation of God stayed with the children of Israel through all their journeys in the wilderness. On many occasions, the cloud descended and hovered near the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, indicating the Lord was speaking with Moses face to face. The pillar of cloud and fire were a constant, reassuring reminder of the Lord’s presence. This had to be an overwhelming comfort to the people of God. Their God would care for them both day and night. He never leaves His people. In Matthew 28 Jesus tells us, “Lo I am with you always.” There will never be a moment that we escape His presence. He faithfully leads, and cares for His people. It’s one thing to know this theologically, but quite another to experience it personally. There are many things that distract us from His constant presence in our life. Every day chaos can make us feel we are alone on this planet. Spend some time today drinking in the assurance the Lord is with you. Acknowledge His presence and enjoy it. Calm yourself with the promise that He is near and longs to meet with you, so much so that Jesus died to reconcile us back to a right relationship with Him. This relationship plays out every day, every hour, and in every moment. Seek to experience His presence today privately, so that we may corporately experience His presence as a body.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

February 9

February 10

February 11

February 12

February 13

February 14

February 15

February 16

q Ex. 25:1-28:43

q Ex. 29:1-31:18

q Ex. 32:1-34:35

q Ex. 35:1-36:38

q Ex. 37:1-39:31

q Ex. 39:32-40:38 q Num. 9:15-23

q Num. 7:1-89

q Num. 8:1-9:14 q Lev. 1:1-3:17

JOURNALING

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JOURNALING

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

In His Presence (Exodus 40:34)

Obedience Brings Abundance (Exodus 40:34-38)

As we reach the last verses in the book of Exodus, we see the final touches being put into the Tabernacle. In those last passages it says, “The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” It must have been a moment like no other for the people of God. They went from ultimate bondage into the presence of the one true God. Even though they had watched God manifest himself in miraculous ways through plagues, the parting of the sea, and many other signs, now they could feel the warmth of His presence again.

Our obedience insures God’s abundance. The construction of the Tabernacle was carried out with a rigid and rigorous conformance to the instructions God gave Moses on Mt. Sinai. Nothing was spared—the cost of material, the minutiae of details, or the demands placed on the craftsmen. The earthly tabernacle erected by the people of Israel was to be a carbon copy of the original located in heaven (Heb 8:1-2; 9:24).

The glory of the Lord was poured out to such a degree that Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting. It’s not hard to believe if you think about it. Why should we a rebellious, sinful people ever be invited into God’s presence fully? It’s not that God the Father doesn’t want us there – it’s the reality that our sinfulness and His holiness can’t coexist. Though we know Moses had many incredible encounters with God, the majority of people in Israel were pleased just to be back in close proximity to God’s presence. I hope this will remind you of the incredible privilege that was purchased for us through the cross. Since we are a people of the new covenant, we have unlimited access to the presence of God through the cross. Hebrews 4 says, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Not only are we welcomed into the presence of God because of the cross, we are invited to draw near to Him. Let’s not take lightly the overwhelming privilege we have as the people of God to experience His presence personally. No matter where you find yourself today, fight for the time to experience His presence. It will be worth every moment!

In complete obedience, the people finished the fabrication of the Tabernacle and placed the Ark, the furniture, the lampstands, and the altar in their appropriate places. At that very moment the cloud of God that had led the people since their departure from Egypt (Ex 13:21) rested on the Tabernacle, signaling God’s Presence. This glory or shekinah – the visible manifestation of God’s glorious presence – also filled the interior of the Tabernacle and rested just above the mercy seat between the outstretched wings of the cherubim in the Holy Place. Their total obedience prepared a place for the glory (presence) of God to rest. And with this obedience, God poured out His grace in abundance in the nation of Israel. For the next forty years, that manifest presence of God symbolized in the glory cloud would lead the Israelites. When the cloud lifted, they broke camp and followed. When the cloud rested, they set up camp. God determined every move. They simply obeyed God and enjoyed His benefits of food, water, and protection. Jesus Christ was the Glory Cloud of God sent to earth to lead humanity out of the bondage of sin, death, and hell. Whenever we come to Christ, His glory cloud rests in us through the Person of the Holy Spirit. How much more will we enjoy God’s abundant blessings if we learn to obey quietly and quickly?

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

February 17

February 18

February 19

February 20

February 21

February 22

February 23

February 24

q Lev. 4:1-6:30

q Lev. 7:1-8:36

q Lev. 9:1-11:47

q Lev. 12:1-14:32

q Lev. 14:33-16:34

q Lev. 17:1-19:37

q Lev. 20:1-22:33

q Lev. 23:1-25:23

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Perfect Sacrifices Required (Leviticus 22)

Aliens in the Old Testament (Leviticus 25:23)

Why would the Lord require a working man to choose his very best animal to be the sacrificial offering? Why would He desire the animal that would most obviously bring the most money at market? Why would a blemished animal not do? If an animal was lame or sickly, wouldn’t it make more sense to offer up that animal as a sacrifice? Why did the Lord demand the very best, the most healthy at the perfect age? Could a sickly bull be offered anyway? The answer was NO!

In establishing the nation of Israel, the Lord crafted a strategy that would both protect its national identity, the division of the tribes within its borders and the tribes themselves. Within this strategy, He insured that the people of God would be acutely aware that they were not the owners of their possessions, but simply stewards living by the grace of the one making provision. “In addition, the land shall not be sold permanently, because the land is Mine, for you are only aliens and nomads traveling with Me.” WOW! The Lord viewed their life on earth as a fleeting errand.

The Law required that a healthy, unblemished, male bull, sheep or goat be offered as a burnt offering. A female would be rejected. A sickly animal would be rejected. An injured animal would be rejected. A blind animal was to be rejected. A lame animal was to be rejected. An animal with a healing cut or scab was to be rejected. In addition, the animal could not have been purchased from a foreigner. It had to be from within Israel, of the correct lineage! Here we see an Old Testament picture of Christ and the cross, the perfect sacrifice. Christ came as God in the flesh, a sinless sacrifice, able to permanently take away the sin of all who would repent and place believing faith in Him. He was our atoning sacrifice. The flawless spilt blood of the Lamb of God cleanses for eternity! If Jesus had been flawed—a great man but a sinner—His voluntary death would have benefited you and I nothing. The Law was unbending, demanding perfection, painting a crystal clear picture of the satisfactory quality of the coming Messiah—Jesus. Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Yet again, we see the cross and Christ as we journey through the Old Testament.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS February 25

February 26

q Lev. 25:24-26:46 q Lev. 27:1-34 q Num. 1:1-54

February 27

February 28

q Num. 2:1-3:51

q Num. 4:1-5:31

When someone comes to the U.S. on an alien Visa, this does not grant them citizenship, but a temporary passage. They will never truly fit in, they will not fully understand the language, and they will not be at home. The Lord desires to constantly remind His people that this realm is not their home. Peter reminded the believers in Asia, “I urge you as aliens and strangers to resist fleshly desires which make war against the soul.” You do not fit in! You are not supposed to fit in. Aliens do not have the same language, passions and affections as a native. Their heart language is different and their tastes are different. Aliens stand out in a crowd. They just can’t help it because it is their nature. You have been given a new nature! In addition, the Lord required that all land sold revert back to the original tribe every seven years to insure no tribe could be eliminated. Are you in need of a jubilee year? Relax; hard times might come, but the Lord guarantees that grace will always follow. We are just passing through on this journey. Enjoy the blessings, but remember that we are aliens here – commissioned ambassadors of His Kingdom – bringing it down to earth.