Refreshment

Walking in Spiritual Reality by Relating with God through the Lord’s Feast of Unleavened Bread

TRUTH AND PURPOSE

During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the home was cleared from all traces of leaven. What’s the issue with leaven? It’s a turbulent form of bacterium that is permeating and pervasive in nature. It spreads like a cancer or virus, contaminating, polluting and corrupting what it touches. It therefore, is used as a metaphor for sin and falsehood. As it spreads, it compromises and destroys what is true, good and otherwise pure.

RELEVANCE

As we walk in this life, we are continuously bombarded with messages of this world that may seem good. The majority of them, however, are rooted in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  They look good on the outside—but are not rooted in God’s truth or life of His Spirit—and therefore, cannot bear the life, wisdom or fruit of His Spirit, and produce God’s real peace and joy.

God wants us to eat of the tree of life!  He wants us to discern between what is of Him and what is of the world. He wants to bring us from confusion to clarity. That is accomplished by seeking God’s wisdom and peace through His Word and Spirit; and comes from receiving the true light of the world—the LORD, Messiah Jesus. 

The LORD’s sacrifice, therefore, not only released you from the burdens of the effects of sin, but accomplished what the Law of Moses could never permanently do: legally clear you of all possible charges of sin, removing all possible effects of guilt, condemnation and confusion found under the law of sin and death!

His last words proclaimed on the cross were, "It is finished!"  (John 19:30)  Paul, therefore, endeavored to clear the disciples’ conscience from all traces of guilt proclaiming:

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.  (Romans 8:1-5 NLT) 

Free from guilt and condemnation, the believer can receive the LORD’s mercy and truth. By receiving His mercy and truth, you walk with a refreshed mindset and perspective on life—God’s perspective! Such a mindset sets things clear to you so you see with God’s kind of open vision.  Truly, His open vision enables you to walk in the light of His wisdom and truth. 

REFLECTION, REALITY AND RESPONSE

Have you allowed the LORD to clear all the charges of guilt and condemnation from your conscience? Are there areas where you still come under guilt and condemnation? 

Have you received the full mercy of God? 

Do you extend mercy to others—even those with whom you have difficulty? How about those who scorn, use, or mock you?

Do you judge anybody? Do you hold anybody in low esteem? Are you quick to condemn those who do you wrong?" This is a more crucial issue than most of us like to believe. As Scripture says, “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will not forgive yours.”  (Matthew 6:14-15 JNT)

REFERENCES

Romans 8:1-3; Colossians 2:13-15; Matthew 6:14-15;
Mark 11:25; Luke 17:3-4; 23:34; 1 John 1:9 

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Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture references are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked JNT taken from the Jewish New Testament. Copyright © 1979 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. Scriptures marked NLT are taken from New Living Translation Holy Bible, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.