He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. ⁷ And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field… Leviticus 14:6,7 (ESV)

I have to admit that I don’t draw too much inspiration from the Book of Leviticus. It shows the Lord’s precision in determining the conduct of sacrifices and what is acceptable to eat. God’s people were reminded that they were not determining what was and was not acceptable to God – God was!

I remember the man who told me how he had lived a good, honest life and done his best, and if that was not good enough for God, it was “too bad.” That is man determining what God should accept instead of us submitting to what God says.

Leprosy was a dreaded disease in both the Old and New Testaments. The condition gave the image of death. Paul the Apostle wrote, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins…” (Eph. 2:1) So each of us has a case of “spiritual leprosy.”

In Leviticus 14 are the instructions on how a leper who has recovered from his disease can be redeemed and enter again into the congregation of God’s people. What is striking is the ritual of these two birds.

One is killed over fresh water. The other bird, along with cedar, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, is dipped in the blood of the sacrificed bird. That bird that has been covered in the blood of the sacrifice is let go and flies away.

What a significant image of what Christ accomplished on the cross when you look at this process. A sacrifice in which blood and water serve as the two cleansing agents. Then there is a bird covered in the blood of the sacrifice, set free to fly away into the country.

The one who conquers the world is the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the One who came by water and blood.He did not come by water only, but by water and blood…” (1 John 5:5,6)

When I picture the bird flying out of sight, I think of Psalms 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed your transgressions from you.”

I am also reminded of the words of hymns from the past. Ones that say things like,  “Keep me safe from day to day under the blood…”  “The blood of Jesus is washes white as snow.” “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” “Are you washed in the blood, the soul cleansing blood of the lamb?” “Redeemed how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the lamb!” While it may seem morbid in natural eyes, spiritually we see the lifeblood of Jesus shed for us is what gives us spiritual life.

John 5:39, we see the word of Jesus to the rule-keeping, Torah-focused Pharisees and read, “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Do you think He was referring to Leviticus? I believe he could have. Especially since Jesus was willing to touch the leper. He told those He had healed to go show themselves to the priest and offer the required sacrifices.

Here is the rest of Ephesians 2 that I referenced at the beginning:…ButGod, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  (Eph. 2:4-6)

In scripture, we see these pictures from death to life. From lost to being found. In prison and set free. Outcasts, but brought near by the blood of Christ.

Just when you don’t believe a Book of the Bible has any application or inspiration, sometimes the Holy Spirit surprises you.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

          This verse from Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi has been a promise Christians have declared down through the ages. It is one that I often include when I autograph one of my testimony books.

          But the last time I was reading this book, during the third time I had read it in 2025, I finally connected the verse with the context. This verse is a response to the sacrificial final support the Church in Philippi had provided to Paul during his missionary travels.

          He begins in verse 10: “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.” How did they show their concern? By providing financial support to Paul. This is when no one else was doing so.

          He shows this in these verses:  “…it was good of you to share in my troubles….in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.”

          The Philippians were responsive even when Paul did not expect them to be. They gave and gave again when no one else did. The Philippians did not know this until Paul wrote this letter. This was not giving under compulsion. They did not think, “Well, no one else is supporting Paul, so I guess we should.”

          We see this in 2 Corinthians 9, where Paul says giving should not be done reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Cheerful giving is giving freely and gladly. It is viewed as a privilege. It is sowing into the lives of others and meeting needs so that the Lord will be praised.

          Read Paul’s words carefully, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.”(v. 17) Who was giving the Philippians account a credit? A credit is an addition; the Philippians were not the ones receiving, but the ones giving. Look back at Paul’s reference to giving as an issue of “giving and receiving.” When we give, we don’t lose, we gain. What we give financially, we receive in heaven’s bank account. We receive the reward of the gospel. The gifts that were sent to Paul were more than enough to meet his need.

          I am thankful for a God who is more than enough! He has more than enough grace to cover your sin. He has more than enough love to call the lost to Himself. He has more than enough power to bring healing. He has more than enough riches to meet every need.

          That is Paul’s reassurance to the Philippians financial support, “And my God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

          That’s the promise to the generous. Paul is telling the Church at Philippi, you have supplied my needs out of your limited riches, and now my God will supply all your needs out of His unlimited riches through Christ. That’s the theme of scripture.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

“…whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”  2 Cor. 9:6 (NIV)

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”        2 Cor. 9:10 (NIV)

          We don’t give to get. We give to receive. We receive from the Lord out of His storehouse of blessings. Obedience is what matters. God is glorified. The lost are saved, and heaven becomes more crowded. The gospel continues to go throughout the world. We may track the outflow, but God will take care of the inflow into our lives. That is what Paul wanted the Philippians to know and us too.

Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Psalms 44:22 ESV

          Psalms 44 is one that certainly gets your attention and causes many questions to be asked. How can there be victory after victory in our lives and then find ourselves in a struggle, where it seems that God has abandoned us with cause?

          That is where David is at in this Psalm. The Psalm begins with a focus on God’s faithfulness in past generations:

O God, we have heard with our ears,
    our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
    in the days of old:  Psalms 44:1-3

          David also declares the Lord’s presence and intervention in the present:

But you have saved us from our foes
    and have put to shame those who hate us. Psalms 44:7

          Now there is a drastic and unexpected and unreasonable change. The God who was faithful to God’s people in the past and showed Himself powerful and fighting for His people in the present, seem to have abandon them.

But you have rejected us and disgraced us
    and have not gone out with our armies.
You have made us turn back from the foe,
    and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
You have made us like sheep for slaughter
    and have scattered us among the nations. Psalms 44:9-11

          The dire situation that God’s people find themselves in, is not due to sin and rebellion or a failure to keep God’s covenants.

All this has come upon us,
    though we have not forgotten you,
    and we have not been false to your covenant.
Our heart has not turned back,
    nor have our steps departed from your way; Psalms 44:17, 18

          God’s people believe they have not changed, but God suddenly has. This is not like the sin of Achan after the defeat of Jericho, where there was sin in the camp. Why has God all of a sudden not come through with His part of the bargain?

          But the Psalm ends with David crying out to the Lord and seeking deliverance once again.

Rise up; come to our help!
    Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! Psalms 44:26

As I consider this Psalm, several thoughts come to mind. Why doesn’t the Lord always provide victory and never let us suffer hardship or defeat? Job faced a challenge when, as a righteous man, he suffered greatly. His response to his wife is telling.

Job said to her, “You’re talking like a foolish woman. Will we receive good from God but not also receive bad?” In all this, Job didn’t sin with his lips. Job 2:10 CEB

Perhaps David, like many of us today, believed that if we do our part, the Lord is committed to doing His part? It is easy to take the Lord’s provision for granted. Is there a reason for times of distress and testing? What can we learn when we are on the “losing side” for a season?

          I don’t know all that this Psalm has in mind, but we do see that David does not allow the present circumstances of his life to change his trust in the Lord, and he asks the Lord to change the circumstances that God’s people are facing.

          My takeaway from this Psalm is that we are reminded that times of difficulty will come. We are to remain faithful. We are to be reminded that God’s grace and favor are not to be taken for granted or to be confused with our spiritual commitment. We are called to remain faithful in times of victory and times of testing. We can pour out our hearts to the Lord and seek Him always. The challenge is not to always find out the “why” but to maintain our trust and faith.