27 December 2020

IT IS CHECK UP TIME

By John Ollis

In these last few days of 2020 it is a good opportunity to do a spiritual check-up. As we live with a sinful nature there always seems to be the temptation to become slack & lazy and when we add holidays and change of routine into the mix, it is easier still to let things slip, unless we discipline ourselves and order our private world, it is easy to start to to let spiritual essentials slip by the wayside.

I daily pray King David’s words in Psalm 139: 23 NKJV

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

I would suggest to you that from time to time, (like these few days) we “sit down and count the cost” and look at every aspect of our spiritual life. I could make up a list but feel if you sincerely, open your heart to the Lord the Holy Spirit will spotlight any areas that need your attention, and as we co-operate with the Lord and with the Holy Spirit’s assistance we can make the necessary adjustments and changes that are necessary.

The challenge that we constantly face is that unless we have “regular check ups” (once again a Mentor can so assist in this process) we will not finish well.

I love the life of Caleb and have written blogs about him, as he is such an example of someone who finished well. We read in Num. 14:24 NKJV But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed me fully.

I have highlighted some key truths.

  1. Servanthood, He lived the surrendered life (Rom.12:1)
  2. Different Spirit, The Holy Spirit rested on him
  3. Followed 100% FULLY
  4. This he did for 45 years,
  5. All that time he carried a vision and a promise given to him by Moses.

You may like to look at the “defects” that stopped many of Aaron’ (the High priest) descendants from enjoying the blessings of “priesthood” found in Lev. 21: 16-24 NKJV

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God. For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame, who has a marred face (flat nose) or any limb too long, a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, or is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or scab, or is a eunuch. No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God. He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy; only he shall not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest he profane My sanctuaries; for I the Lord sanctify them.’ ”
And Moses told it to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel,

Like much of the Old Testament we need to pass these verses through the Cross and apply New Covenant principles to it, and the interpretation is challenging.

  1. Blindness, our spiritual sight can be effected.
  2. Lameness, our spiritual walk can be effected
  3. Flat nose we can have difficulty experiencing and enjoying the fragrance of His presence.
  4. Broken foot, speaks again of our walk with God
  5. Broken hand speaks of limited and possibly ineffective service
  6. A Hunchback is bowed down with the cares of life
  7. A Dwarf is sadly stunted in growth
  8. A defect in the eye, speaks of limited vision
  9. Eczema and scabs speaks of infection that is often visible
  10. A Eunuch has an inability to reproduce

The Priests were not kicked out of the family they could still eat the “bread” but were disqualified from functioning in ministry.

Jesus is Jehovah Rapha (The Lord the Healer) if the Holy Spirit spotlights any of these defects, may we come to Him in repentance, and fresh surrender and obedience we can go into 2021 knowing the blessing of God upon our lives.

I sure have not written this blog to condemn you, but challenge and encourage you (and myself) to press in, and LOOK UP FOR OUR REDEMPTION DRAWS EVER NEAR AMEN.